Originally Posted by
Ramsay Snow
Here are my suggestions......But, to start off, I'll say the VEI reboot of Valiant began with a lot of potential, but it never really reached the heights it should have. Regardless, some of the titles are still well worth a read.
X-O Manowar was pretty good for the first two trades (issues 1-8). The X-O origin story is pretty strong (albeit pretty much a direct remake of the original 90s comic), and Ninjak's intro is pretty badass....After that, it kind of goes downhill and just feels weak, until you get to Armor Hunters. That was surprisingly not bad (Not great, but not bad). It's a worthwhile storyline to check out, but I'd only suggest the X-O & main Armor Hunters issues. All the tie-ins were mediocre, at best......As for Kindt's run/relaunch, I tried the first few issues and couldn't get into it at all. I thought it was crap.
Swierczynski's Bloodshot run was decent, and is required reading to get into Harbinger Wars, which is one of the primary highlights of the VEI reboot.....After that, it becomes Bloodshot & HARDCorps, by Christos Gage & Joshua Dysart. The first Bloodshot & HC arc/trade is pretty good, and is an integral follow-up to Harbinger Wars. The second arc I didn't like at all, then there was a cross-over with Archer & Armstrong which was downright horrible. I gave up on the title after that.........I never read Bloodshot Reborn. I think I might've tried a single issue out and wasn't interested, so, either way, I can't comment on it. It seemed to be more popular than Swierczynski's run, in terms of sales.
Rai is OK. It starts off with an interesting premise and lots of potential, but kind of feels like it flounders with what turns out to be a somewhat pedestrian storyline. The artwork is great, though, and I'd say the title is still worth reading. I'm talking the Kindt/Crain run, and this includes the 4001AD event.......The relaunch, I remember being crap. I'd say that about almost all the Valiant titles, though. Once you go toward the ownership change (When Dinesh Shamdasani was booted out like he was in a cheap TV show storyline), almost all the titles sucked.
Harbinger is worth reading the entire way through, although issues 5-8 or so, when the new allies appear, are kind of annoying to read. I think it's intentional, as teens can come across as annoying to adults. Dysart made the comic realistic in that aspect. Then there was a 2-issue or so dream sequence after Harbinger Wars which was crappy, but then it gets good again......I definitely recommend Imperium, which is the follow-up to Harbinger, and The Life and Death of Toyo Harada, which is essentially the conclusion to the entire Dysart run and is pretty damn good. Only problem with Imperium is the final 3-4 issues are real weak (Almost feel phoned in), but Life and Death of Toyo Harada more than makes up for that.....Of course, Harbinger Wars is fantastic. Harbinger Wars 2, which occurs around the time of the change in ownership of the comic company, is pretty crappy. I'd avoid that, as well as the Harbinger relaunch (Harbinger Renegade by Rafer Roberts).
I didn't like Unity at all, pretty much saw it as wasted potential. It was supposed to be the Justice League of Valiant, but it was crap.
Britannia I never read, so I can't comment on it.
I do suggest these titles:
Archer & Armstrong by Fred Van Lente. I'd suggest the first two story-arcs, which are pretty good. Also the third, as it includes A&A #0, which is kind of integral to the series. After that, it goes downhill (Especially the Bloodshot crossover, which I wish I could delete from my memory banks). The final arc, "American Wasteland" (vol 6), is worth reading, just to see what happens in the conclusion of the series, but it's not as good as the first two-three arcs ......And avoid the relaunch by Rafer Roberts, it's horrible......There were two A&A one-shots by Van Lente, Immortal Brothers: The Tale of the Green Knight and Armstrong and the Vault of Spirits, but you might have to just get the single issues as I think the only collected book these two issues were in was the deluxe hardcover that consisted of the Rafer Roberts relaunch.
Ivar, Timewalker by Fred Van Lente....This is meant to be read after Van Lente's A&A title, and is one of the best comics in the entire VEI reboot. It has a strong Doctor Who vibe to it.
Divinity, the first two arcs are just OK, but the third and final arc, Stalinverse, is pretty good and more than makes up for it.
War Mother is a pretty good limited series by Van Lente. It was a tie-in to 4001AD.
Stay away from Dead Drop, Book of Death, The Valiant, the Ninjak titles, the Faith titles, Livewire, Shadowman, etc....They're all crap. The very first arc of Shadowman (Birth Rites), by Justin Jordan & Patrick Zircher, is OK, but isn't as good as it should've been. I remember Shadowman #5 & #0 (Justin Jordan run) both being pretty good issues, but they're part of other trades wherein the rest of the issues are mediocre, to say the least. If you can get those two single issues, I'd suggest them.
Those are my opinions on Valiant (Not counting the original 90s version of the company run by Jim Shooter). Hopefully that'll help if you decide to try any further titles out.