Valiant Universe: Harbinger, Unity, Rai, A&A; current state & future prospects

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I read the delinquets and I wasn't too fond of it.

[GMiller]

I picked up the XO Manowar FCBD....Loved both of the new stories in it....A must read!!

[Shadowras]

Divinity#0 out this August.
http://www.newsarama.com/34386-a-gui...ivinity-0.html

[kinggirlfriend]

Read DELINQUENTS this weekend and loved it way more than I thought I would. Really fun and funny adventure. Amazing art by Kano. Super thrilled by the one panel cameo by Gilad. Not sure why someone wouldn't like it unless they weren't expecting a funny book? Loved the send up of Monsanto, farmers and hobos. That butt map! I went ahead and picked up Q&W MUST DIE and will probably get around to it this weekend.

[SJNeal]

So the solicits describe today's Eternal Warrior: Awakening one-shot as the second of four; what was the first one, and is it at all related to today's?

Thanks in advance!

[TheFerg714]

So the solicits describe today's Eternal Warrior: Awakening one-shot as the second of four; what was the first one, and is it at all related to today's?

Thanks in advance!

The one-shots are supposed to be throwbacks to original 90's Valiant fan-favorite issues.
1) The Immortal Brothers: Tale of the Green Knight (A&A, Eternal Warrior, Timewalker)
2) Eternal Warrior: Awakening
3) Rai: History of the Valiant Universe (based on the classic Rai #0, which laid out the future for all of the major characters)
4) Bloodshot's Day Off (starring the past Bloodshot's from 'USA')

And no, they're not related in any way besides the fact that they're all oversized one-shots.

[SJNeal]

The one-shots are supposed to be throwbacks to original 90's Baliant fan-favorite issues.
1) The Immortal Brothers: Tale of the Green Knight (A&A, Eternal Warrior, Timewalker)
2) Eternal Warrior: Awakening
3) Rai: History of the Valiant Universe (based on the classic Rai #0, which laid out the future for all of the major characters)
4) Bloodshot's Day Off (starring the past Bloodshot's from 'USA')

And no, they're not related in any way besides the fact that they're all oversized one-shots.

Ah, got it.

I've also got a fat stack of books to read after the Valiant buying spree I've been on the last couple of weeks! Maybe I'll post a pic later...

[kinggirlfriend]

This is a great idea. Can you imagine if they published Unity like Rai and Renegade? I would love to have two Unity arcs a year with Doug Braithwaite.

Yes! I wish Valiant kept more artists on long term instead of constantly rotating them out. Divinty, Britannia and RAI are the longest ones that come to mind. DR MIRAGE too. WRATH came close. I didn't mind the 2 issue interlude and I've really come around to Robert Gill's art but that last arc would have been even finer if they kept Raul Allen around to finish it.

Could you imagine if all of IMPERIUM had been done by Braithwaite!! It deserved it.

I thought Lemire's characterization of Kozol felt a little off. In Reborn/USA he came off as your stereotypical, mustache-twirling corporatist villain, but in Imperium and HARD Corps he was much more of a sleazebag and coward, but also very forward thinking and clever (just not clever enough for Harada).

Yeah that definitely bothered me a bit too. Especially since I had just read HARD CORPS and it seemed to want to make him a bit more three dimensional, making him a possible love interest for Granite. BLOODSHOT USA could have used an extra issue or two. Or a Unity one-shot to go along with it and flesh things out. Where was the HARD Corp during all this?

[TheFerg714]

I've also got a fat stack of books to read after the Valiant buying spree I've been on the last couple of weeks! Maybe I'll post a pic later...

Yea do that! Can't wait to hear what you think after reading them!

Yes! I wish Valiant kept more artists on long term instead of constantly rotating them out. Divinty, Britannia and RAI are the longest ones that come to mind. DR MIRAGE too. WRATH came close. I didn't mind the 2 issue interlude and I've really come around to Robert Gill's art but that last arc would have been even finer if they kept Raul Allen around to finish it.

Yea, I wish Wrath could've had another two-issue interlude after Labyrnith, drawn by Gill, and then they could've fit Raul Allen into A Deal With a Devil.
Other than that, I disagree. The rotating artists used to annoy me, but Valiant has really won me over with the concept. It helps to get books out on time, gives the artist more motivation to make that one arc special, and gives the reader a nice variety of styles. X-O, A&A, Faith, Reborn, Ivar, Ninjak, and probably the new X-O (we really need to think of a colloquial term to differentiate Venditti and Kindt's X-O runs) are great examples of shifting artists working really well. They all give a wholly different flavor to each arc and make the series' feel more varied and episodic in my opinion. On top of that, I think the stagnant artists have actually hurt Rai and Dr. Mirage in the long run. Clayton Crain is amazing, but I've had about enough of his style for Rai. 4001AD seemed like he phoned it in in a few panels, and seeing CAFU on the tie-ins just makes me want to see another artist's take on the setting. Same goes for Mirage. De la Torre's art is fine, but it really only evokes fear, apprehension, and general creepiness to me. It doesn't work very well for a romance book imo.
On the flip side, changing artists really harmed books like Bloodshot, late Unity, Shadowman, and parts of Harbinger's overall quality.

Could you imagine if all of IMPERIUM had been done by Braithwaite!! It deserved it.

While it definitely did deserve it, I wouldn't want that. CAFU and Evans' arcs were awesome, and I've actually grown to respect Scot Eaton's art after reading it a few more times. I just think that Dysart bring out the best in every artist he works with. What if Clayton Henry was never given the chance to do a Harbinger arc?

Yeah that definitely bothered me a bit too. Especially since I had just read HARD CORPS and it seemed to want to make him a bit more three dimensional, making him a possible love interest for Granite. BLOODSHOT USA could have used an extra issue or two. Or a Unity one-shot to go along with it and flesh things out. Where was the HARD Corp during all this?

Oh! Dude, a Unity one-shot would've been awesome!

[BigLbo]

sure i'm late to the party but i really enjoyed X-O #1, best art on X-O not by cary nord imo

[scribbleMind]

I have this to say about Eternal Warrior Awakening, it's a pilot episode. It's doesn't do anything new or interesting with the character or set up any future plot threads, it is only a very VERY basic Gilad story that exists just to show you what he and the geomancers are all about. I definitely wouldn't recommend purchasing it if you're already in the know, and I kind of don't recommend purchasing it if you're trying to get into the character. It works on a budget, but otherwise Wrath of the Eternal Warrior or The Valiant are better jumping on points.

[TheFerg714]

I have this to say about Eternal Warrior Awakening, it's a pilot episode. It's doesn't do anything new or interesting with the character or set up any future plot threads, it is only a very VERY basic Gilad story that exists just to show you what he and the geomancers are all about. I definitely wouldn't recommend purchasing it if you're already in the know, and I kind of don't recommend purchasing it if you're trying to get into the character. It works on a budget, but otherwise Wrath of the Eternal Warrior or The Valiant are better jumping on points.

Agreed. It was a fun story, but that's it. There's really nothing noteworthy about the issue besides the fact that it was just written pretty well.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Ign had an interview about Secret Weapons.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/04/...w-comic-series

[kinggirlfriend]

WAR MOTHER with FVL and Segovia is the secret August title:

http://www.blastr.com/2017-5-18/vali...ampaign=buffer

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/05...d-august-2017/

[kinggirlfriend]

Read DIVINITY: STALINVERSE and Q&A: MUST DIE trades.

Loved STALINVERSE! Just fantastic all around. Can't wait to read the one-shots when that trade gets released. Looking forward to ETERNITY!

Q&A MUST DIE was a lot of fun too. Enjoyed the Annual with Pere Perez work, and the 4 issues with art by Lieber. Hilarious cliff hanger with the Goat going into labor. I guess I'm board for more Q&A. Never would have thunk it.