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

[scribbleMind]

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/

My body is 100% ready.

[Shadowras]

Faith & Future Force August 2017 solicits: https://t.co/IPgCTor3E5

[scribbleMind]

So I've caught up with Ninjak. The Siege of King's Castle, imo, is the best arc so far. I think the reason I couldn't get into Ninjak's book is because he didn't have a lot of dimension to him in the present. Flash backs are all well and good, but it rarely reflected well on the character during the story proper, for the most part he just came off as an edgy caricature who occasionally offered a quip or a thought toward his tragic past. Characters like this are a dime a dozen, and it just wasn't pulling me in. This isn't to say I don't like Ninjak, I like him a lot when he is paired with almost anyone. Bloodshot, Gilad, Aric, Ninjak has proved to be a great secondary character and this is where he is often most human, mostly outside of his own book. Kindt had a lot of cool ideas, but I wasn't feeling a heart beat. The Siege of King's Castle is the first time I felt anything for Ninjak in his own book as a man in the present day. It is also when I started noticing Kindt's habit of misplaced exposition. From here forth I notice lots of instances where he has these ideas or back stories and forces them in like a misshapen puzzle piece. They don't feel natural and it is often throwaway material. I was hoping the momentum from this arc would keep me interested, but...

The Seven Blades of Master Darque was SO anticlimactic that I came away from it pretty much as numb as I was before reading The Siege of King's Castle. There was so much build up, and almost ALL of it was wiped away in an instant. Why build so cautiously to what would have been a great kind of magnificent 7/Hateful 8 team-up story just to blow it all away before it leads to anything? The route Kindt took would have been better, to me, without the build up cause the climax and resolution would have been exactly the same, with no more insight or development of these side characters who all have a great deal of potential.

The Fist and The Steel was ok. Like I said, I really enjoy Ninjak as a foil, but this story really doesn't measure up to any of the other Ninjak team-up stories. And there's a scene where they need a key, but the villain doesn't need a key, and that is never explained.

And finally, Rapture #1
I didn't like it. The first half is the geomancer talking to a blob, who seems to be there just for her to have someone to talk to. Again, it was exposition and it read really awkward. Imo, this would have read way better if they were her thoughts, or if they just let the art do most of the talking. Her interaction with the entities/people that do talk back were really nice, though. The second half was alright. I was never a fan of Punk Mambo so her constant inclusion and interactions add little for me. Shadowman...I'm excited to see him just because he's there, but he's such a far cry from who he was in that first run when Valiant relaunched. Jack went from being someone who could be a really cool hero, to angsty outta nowhere, to being stiff as a board. I'm really hoping that changes during the course of this arc cause at this point I'm sort of wishing they replace him and bring his dad back. I do like Ninjak here. It feels like the whole Roku thing has made him a bit softer, slightly more empathetic, and that's a nice change of pace.

[kinggirlfriend]

I agree, Ninjak is more interesting in other books than his own. I liked the first two arcs and the fourth arc the best. Still trading waiting the last one. The Deadside and Shadowman stuff is such a square peg to fit in with Ninjak. That said, I did like OPERATION DEADSIDE and FIST & STEEL a lot. I just prefer them as a cool aside instead of the main course.

[RLAAMJR.]

Vincent Van Goat ongoing please!

[kinggirlfriend]

Over the past week I've read:

SAVAGE Vol. 1 - Awesome. Great story and great art. Loved seeing more of the Faraway and cannot imagine what they're plans are for the character. Can't wait to see more.

QUANTUM & WOODY Vol. 3: Crooked Pasts, Present Tense - This was just as fun as the other two Q&A books I've read (Must Die and Delinquents). Loved the GOAT #0 issue. I went ahead and picked up Volume 1, finally. Kinda worked my way backwards on this title.

I also lost my mind and ordered LEGENDS OF THE GEOMANCER #1-4. Already got and read them and gotta say, I thought it was great. The art and the story are pretty amazing. Loved how it brought back the Houses from Eternal Warrior and the Nergal (and the Immortal Enemy?). I only wish it was longer, and I can't really justify the money I spent on it. But it was driving me crazy not being able to read it.

I'm also flirting with the idea of picking up all the Deluxe hardcovers that are still available. So far I've only bought the trades but for the long term the Deluxes might be a better idea. Talk me off the ledge.

[TheFerg714]

Over the past week I've read:

SAVAGE Vol. 1 - Awesome. Great story and great art. Loved seeing more of the Faraway and cannot imagine what they're plans are for the character. Can't wait to see more.

QUANTUM & WOODY Vol. 3: Crooked Pasts, Present Tense - This was just as fun as the other two Q&A books I've read (Must Die and Delinquents). Loved the GOAT #0 issue. I went ahead and picked up Volume 1, finally. Kinda worked my way backwards on this title.

I also lost my mind and ordered LEGENDS OF THE GEOMANCER #1-4. Already got and read them and gotta say, I thought it was great. The art and the story are pretty amazing. Loved how it brought back the Houses from Eternal Warrior and the Nergal (and the Immortal Enemy?). I only wish it was longer, and I can't really justify the money I spent on it. But it was driving me crazy not being able to read it.

I'm also flirting with the idea of picking up all the Deluxe hardcovers that are still available. So far I've only bought the trades but for the long term the Deluxes might be a better idea. Talk me off the ledge.

The Deluxes are awesome, but double dipping is dumb. However, if you have the funds, just do it. They're beautiful and look really nice on a bookshelf.

[kinggirlfriend]

The Deluxes are awesome, but double dipping is dumb.

Thank you. That's what I need to hear. I've never been big on double dipping, whether it's books or dvds. But the Valiant bug bit me so bad it just keeps growing and I want it all! But yeah, better to spend money on stuff I don't yet have.

[Mormegil]

I recently got back into the Valiant universe and I just finished up Archer & Armstrong Vol. 2. I had a question about the Eternal Warrior.

I've read

Harbinger (up to the end of Harbinger Wars)
Bloodshot Vol. 4
X-O Manowar Vol. 3
Rai Vol. 2
Eternal Warrior Vol. 1

It not a big deal, but it would be nice if you could avoid spoilers for events after those volumes if possible. If my question can't be answered without spoiling later events then just let me know. Thanks in advance.

spoilers:

I'm trying to understand why the Eternal Warrior is so different in A&A vol. 2 versus Vol. 1 of Eternal Warrior. Its like a completely different character. And the Geomancer in eternal warrior acts like he's going to keep going until 4001 A.D. But in A&A he dies right? I'm assuming there can only be on Geomancer at a time?

end of spoilers

[TheFerg714]

I recently got back into the Valiant universe and I just finished up Archer & Armstrong Vol. 2. I had a question about the Eternal Warrior.

I've read

Harbinger (up to the end of Harbinger Wars)
Bloodshot Vol. 4
X-O Manowar Vol. 3
Rai Vol. 2
Eternal Warrior Vol. 1

It not a big deal, but it would be nice if you could avoid spoilers for events after those volumes if possible. If my question can't be answered without spoiling later events then just let me know. Thanks in advance.

spoilers:

I'm trying to understand why the Eternal Warrior is so different in A&A vol. 2 versus Vol. 1 of Eternal Warrior. Its like a completely different character. And the Geomancer in eternal warrior acts like he's going to keep going until 4001 A.D. But in A&A he dies right? I'm assuming there can only be on Geomancer at a time?

end of spoilers

Well you probably feel like a different person than you were 10-20 years ago, right? Now just imagine that, multiplied nearly an infinite amount of times. Gilad has lived a whole lot of lives and has changed a bit with each one of them. It makes sense that in some points in history Gilad follows the Earth dutifully, while at others he may have gone through some awful experiences and shunned the Earth. That's how I've always seen it at least. He kind of is a different character at different points in time; as is Armstrong.
On top of that, Sword of the Wild (first volume of Eternal Warrior) was really out there and I think Valiant have basically decided that it's not important. I think Greg Pak was trying something a little grandiose that didn't really fit into Valiant's plans for Gilad.

Also, you are correct in assuming that there's only one Geomancer at a time (I'm fairly certain at least). I don't think the Geomancer from Sword of the Wild meant that he would be living until 4001.

[Mormegil]

Well you probably feel like a different person than you were 10-20 years ago, right? Now just imagine that, multiplied nearly an infinite amount of times. Gilad has lived a whole lot of lives and has changed a bit with each one of them. It makes sense that in some points in history Gilad follows the Earth dutifully, while at others he may have gone through some awful experiences and shunned the Earth. That's how I've always seen it at least. He kind of is a different character at different points in time; as is Armstrong.
On top of that, Sword of the Wild (first volume of Eternal Warrior) was really out there and I think Valiant have basically decided that it's not important. I think Greg Pak was trying something a little grandiose that didn't really fit into Valiant's plans for Gilad.

Also, you are correct in assuming that there's only one Geomancer at a time (I'm fairly certain at least). I don't think the Geomancer from Sword of the Wild meant that he would be living until 4001.

Fair enough. Thank you for the reply. I thought that the end of Eternal Warrior #4 took place in the present day and happened close to the events of A&A vol. 1. but maybe i just assumed that.

[GMiller]

I found a site that shows all the titles in the order they came out, and i'm going to pull all my books out to re-read them....I'm so excited to start over!!!

[TheFerg714]

I found a site that shows all the titles in the order they came out, and i'm going to pull all my books out to re-read them....I'm so excited to start over!!!

And what would the name of this site be?

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

http://comicbook.com/comics/2017/06/...ars-2-valiant/ Harbringer Wars 2 info.

http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2017/06/...niverse-photos new photos for Ninjak vs Valiant U.

[scribbleMind]

As disappointed as I am about the state of Milestone, I really don't think they could have found anyone else as experienced in pushing diversity and as fluid in the language of comics to direct Shadowman as Reggie Hudlin. Great pick.

Addendum:
I won't be getting that Rai issue today because I don't need a crash course in Valiant, but if anyone does get it and finds some interesting bits, do tell.