I began reading Archer & Armstrong, and Harbinger this year. Both are great!
I'll probably be dropping Archer and Armstrong as soon as Fred Van Lente stops writing it. I wonder who they will get next.
Right now I'm on a tentative pull with Rai... seeing how the first arc grabs me and how the art shapes up for the second arc.
Interesting. X-O might be my favorite Valiant title honestly that "honor" probably goes to Harbinger. Funny that at first I didn't like either of those books. But once they found their grooves, they've been very entertaining.
Shadowman has been as close to on the chopping block as an Valiant title, which is too bad because the character had a ton of potential but they just took it in the wrong direction and now it doesn't look like even Milligan can rehabilitate him. What a shame. Still, I won't drop it because I'm a firm believer in what Valiant is doing and I want them to succeed. So they can have my $2.00 even though I've been largely disappointed with that one title (still loving all the others).
I've never understood complaints about XO, the story anyway. Couple of iff art issues perhaps, but story, no.
His development has been from Barbarian yanked out of time, Rebel in Space, Barbarian in 21st century while on a learning curve of 21st century ways via UNITY.
He had to grow to the point he is now as tempered "king" of a displaced people who reluctantly yields to MERO for the benefit of others. He couldn't just suddenly by issue #12 be all civilized. He's at best, politically aware and I've no doubt in Armor Wars he's going to let that inner Barbarian out for a ride.
"Freedom is the right of all sentient beings" - Optimus Prime
Wasn't feeling the story of the first arc, found it boring and it felt like it wasn't ever going to get out of first gear. In the end I didn't care for anyone in the comic so it got dropped, Shadowman has had problems since day 1 but at least to it's credit it got me to care about the characters in the pages
X-O was, to my mind, basically a mindless Hollywood action movie through the Planet Death arc - entertaining, but not really essential. Although I thought the Unity tie-in was a bit forced, I really like the direction the book has gone, with the humbled barbarian now working as a tool for the US government.
I thought the Planet Death arc made sense. He wanted revenge, so he went after the Vine. The original left Solar to do it. With Aric's background I would expect him to want to go after the aliens.
X-O simultaneously moved too slow at first and then too fast. It took several issues for him to get the armor and then a few issues later he's completely destroying a planet. Question on the early X-O comics as well--how is it that Aric goes from his time to "present" time? In the original comic, it was explained as the relativistic effects of faster than light travel from being captured by the spider aliens. If that's the case in this new version, how is it that Aric seems to immediately get to the Vine homeworld and then immediately come back to earth without experiencing a similar effect? Shouldn't Aric be hanging out with Rai about now?
Other than that lingering question in my mind, and since Planet Death (and really including Planet Death other than for my question) the story has been enjoyable.
Last edited by midas73; 05-12-2014 at 07:24 AM.
I'm enjoying Shadowman. Milligan is not fixing any problem or picking up where Jordan left the story; he's basically doing his own thing, which is fine for me. He works better when you leave him his own little corner to play.
I have taken the plunge and ordered dozens of back issues of several Valiant books after reading Rai. A friend of mine has as well (he's buying the books that I am not, but together, we are getting all of the books).
Previously, I was only reading Image books. My friend and I have both informed our local comic book dealer to start pulling all Valiant books for us. Previously, he did not carry any Valiant books.
I know I am way late to the party, but I am psyched to join the universe. I have heard rumblings from various forums that sales numbers are going down. Well, they have two new excited readers in us!!
Have you guys taken a close look at the Armor Hunters: Harbinger preview in the back of A&A?
It shows Peter, Faith, Torque, Monica (+ more Gen Zero kids) and doesn't feature Kris or Charlene...
I finally read Shadowman: End Times #1. Yeah, that wasn't very good. I just don't find the whole Loa-vs-Jack thing to be at all interesting. And the 'I-won't-ruin-it-for-everyone' twist... yeah, not exactly the most original idea.
Thats a good question; as far as I remember the time displacement after Aric's years of imprisonment was never fully explained in scientific terms this time around.
The Vine fleet did travel all the way from Loam with the intent to destroy Earth in no time at all and Aric made the round trip in a similar way, so Im guessing it'd be different tech for that sanctuary garden vs the military vessels.
It is annoying that it's never been explained fully. As I understand it, though, the colony ships travel at "near light" speed because they are always looking for new planets to colonize. They can't just jump around through hyperspace or they'd miss out on discovering new planets.
When the fleet came to attack the Earth, and when Aric went to Loam and back, they travelled through hyperspace at "faster than light" speed. This is why Aric experienced time displacement upon escaping the Vine colony ship, but not during his more recent trip.