DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for September 11, 2013

COMICS

We’re still in the Summer of Valiant for a couple of weeks! This week shows the debut of the immortal soldier in Eternal Warrior #1 written by Greg Pak (Planet Hulk, Batman/Superman) and drawn by Valiant exclusive artist Trevor Hairsine. … Fred Van Lente launches a new title at Dark Horse with Brain Boy #1, reviving a short lived ’60s comic about a psychic working for the secret service. … Martians invade Mega-City One in Mars Attacks Judge Dredd #1. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

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Triple Shot With a Digital Chaser:X-O MANOWAR #16, BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED UNIVERSE #1, INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #12 plus THE FEZ #1 at FORCES OF GEEK

Triple Shot With a Digital Chaser:X-O MANOWAR #16, BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED UNIVERSE #1, INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #12 plus THE FEZ #1

The Summer of Valiant is almost over but X-O Manowar is ramping up for the fight of his life, Batman Beyond Unlimited Universe jumps ahead a year in Neo-Gotham, plus Triple Shotfavorite Mark Waid gives Indestructible Hulk the Doctor Who treatment and drops him into the Wild Wild West.

Wash it all down with 12 pages of The Fez from Roger Langridge found backstage at Babette’s Supper Club.

X-O MANOWAR #16
WRITER: Robert Venditti
ART: Lee Garbett
Publication Date: August 21, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Valiant Comics
UPC: 85899200303101611
Buy it HERE

Aric of Dacia has returned from rescuing slaves from The Vine on Planet Death, and now he’s home.

A flashback to the Visigoth Aric looks much like Thor the Mighty Avenger on the title page, being schooled by his former mentor, Gilad The Eternal Warrior.

Flash forward to present day Romania, where Aric breaks into the National Museum of History to reclaim his father’s throne and fulfill his destiny as king.


Two of the most powerful heroes in the Valiant Universe go head to head as The Eternal Warrior sees firsthand the might of the alien X-O armor. 

This series is the lead-up to the fall Unity event at Valiant that will pit Aric against Ninjak, Toyo Harada (Harbinger), The Eternal Warrior and more. Aric is on the path to reclaim not only his throne, but conquer the Earth itself, fulfilling the destiny of his people.

The Valiant crossover event looks promising with Matt Kindt at the helm, and this main book by Venditti and Garbett continues to impress with great stories and art.

BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED UNIVERSE #1
WRITER: Kyle Higgins, Christos Gage
ART: Thony Silas, Iban Coello
Publication Date: August 21, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: DC Comics
UPC: 76194131789200111
Buy it HERE

There are two full stories here, collecting the digital first comics Batman Beyond 2.0 and Justice League Beyond 2.0.  Both stories jump ahead one year after the reveal of the new Batgirl Beyond and the 10000 Clowns storyline. 

Kyle Higgins (Nightwing) kicks off his run on Terry McGuinness with a re-opening of The Arkham Institute, a mid-air Man-Bat fight and a ‘round the table introduction to the people most important to keeping Batman Beyond out there on the streets, Dick Grayson and Commissioner Barbara Gordon.

Where’s Bruce? He’s there, but observing. For the first time, Bruce Wayne is not in the mentor role, as reported by the writers, to shake things up a bit.

Terry and Babs tackle a murder at Arkham, with Grayson advising from his acrobatics gymnasium. This story is off to a great start and if you care to read this digitally, you will be ahead of the print readers. Kyle Higgins knows Nightwing so his interpretation of the older Grayson is fun to read.

Some of the coolest Superman stories are those in which he is weakened by Kryptonite, or otherwise de-powered.

What is happening in Beyond is that something is wonky with how Superman is processing his solar energy and he is losing control over his powers. In an ode to a Cyclops mess-up, Supes nearly takes out Aquagirl with his heat vision and is forces into exile in his Fortress of Solitude. 

Micron helps out with his physiological problems and returns Clark to one of his previous New 52 professions—a firefighter. Unable to use his Kryptonian powers, can he rescue a cat this time? It might be hard! Christos Gage is at the helm of the JLB, and the two books compliment themselves nicely and exist in the same space and time.

Bruce is the one who tells Superman to go away, of course!

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for July 10, 2013

COMICS

Our second #SummerOfValiant is here and man are we excited for Quantum & Woody #1 written by James Asmus (Dark X-Men, Gambit) and art By Tom Fowler (Green Arrow, Venom). These guys are the worst, and we mean that in the best way. co-starring a goat, eventually. … Grace Randolph’s Real Housewives sendoff for superheroes is still going strong at BOOM!. Supurbia #9 starts a new story arc as the Meta Legion is in rough shape and Ruth really is turning into some bad news! … Our friends at First Second Books have a new graphic novel, Templar, a medieval adventure tale of love and loss, compiling the entire trilogy started in Solomon’s Thieves. Written by Prince of Persia and Karateka’s Jordan Mechner! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

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DON’T FORGET!

Thursday, July 11, 9:00 PM
CROSSROADS & LEAGUEPODCAST PRESENT:
REVENGE OF THE NERD TOUR 2

MC CHRIS http://mcchris.com/
With: Dr. Awkward http://www.drawkward.com/home.cfm
Jesse Dangerously http://www.dangerously.ca/
Tribe One - http://tribeone.bandcamp.com/

$18+ $13 ADVANCE

http://www.crossroadspresents.com/ | http://www.leaguepodcast.com/ | http://www.ticketmaster.com/


crossroadspresents.com | leaguepodcast.com | ticketmaster.com

THU 7/11 - BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL: CROSSROADS & LEAGUEPODCAST PRESENT: REVENGE OF THE NERD TOUR 2 with MC CHRIS - Dr. Awkward, Jesse Dangerously, Tribe One

pioneer of the nerdcore genre (of which he is proud to be a part,) mc got his start on adult swim as an animator, writer, voice actor and song writer on ATHF, The Brak Show, Sealab 2021, Welcome to Eltingville, Cheyenne Cinnamon and Tight Bros. Since leaving the Cartoon Network in 2004 mc has toured the US countless times as well stops in Canada, Scotland and England. He’s been on mixtapes with Childish Gambino and Kitty Pryde. Made soundtracks for Kevin Smith and even performed collabs with Andrew WK and Talib Kweli. For the past three years MC has been pitching “the mc chris cartoon” with a short animated clip made for 70 grand from fan donations. In 2012, it was finally picked up for development by a mystery network with plans to air in 2013. please ask the question on facebook or twitter, “where’s my mc chris cartoon?” feel free to put it in CAPS.

https://www.twitter.com/_mcchris
https://twitter.com/Doctor_awkward
https://twitter.com/rljd
https://twitter.com/TribeOneWon
https://twitter.com/leaguepodcast
https://twitter.com/CrossroadsPrsnt

Triple Shot: THE X-FILES #1, HARBINGER #13, MARA #5 (of 6) at FORCES OF GEEK

We’ve got a peek inside the military industrial complex this week at Triple Shot.

Mara and Harbinger books both show the importance of a best laid plan while we marvel at the return of X-Files: Season 10 and a Pentagon break-in that could doom Mulder and Scully.

THE X-FILES #1
WRITER: Joe Harris
ART: Michael Walsh
COLOR: Jordie Bellaire
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Chris Carter
Publication Date: June 19, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: IDW Publishing
UPC: 82771400475500111
Buy it HERE


What better way to revisit the X-Files than in comic book form?

Do you want to believe in good comics?

IDW has teamed up with Executive Producer Chris Carter to tell new tales of Mulder and Scully set in the present day.

FBI Deputy Director Skinner pays a visit to the home of Mr. and Dr. Blake—the pseudonyms of Mulder and Scully in the Witness Protection Program or new identities formed after they were last seen in X-Files: I Want to Believe. 

Skinner warns the couple that FBI archives and personnel have been compromised, including the X-Files. Scully is concerned about the safety of her son, William, who was put up for adoption in case his records were also compromised. 

Mulder, struggling to work on his memoir gets a call from Skinner’s hotel room, eking out that he is in danger there. Mulder heads to rescue him, leaving Scully vulnerable to a similar attack by hooded mystery men and women. With Scully away from the boys will she also get to make a plea for help, or will she succumb to the attack by the young girl patient she was treating earlier?

This book captures the voice of the show and the actors and is setting us up for a great mystery. Are the people who adopted Scully’s son William responsible for the attacks? Michael Walsh’s art reminds us of Chris Samnee or the work Antonio Fuso is doing on G.I. Joe: Cobra Files, a simplified but sophisticated line with good storytelling.

This book is highly recommended for fans of the show!

HARBINGER #13
WRITER: Joshua Dysart
ART: Khari Evans & Trevor Hairsine
Publication Date: June 19, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Valiant Comics
UPC: 85899200304801321
Buy it HERE


The Harbinger Wars continue in this, the first crossover event for the new Valiant Universe.

Psiot Peter Stanchek leads fellow teenage super powered kids in the fight against master Toyo Harada, head of The Harbinger foundation.

This issue leads the fight to Vegas for big action, as well as a trip down Harada’s past to his first Harbinger War in 1969 at Project Rising Spirit R & D Headquarters in flashbacks.

Peter and his crew lay a well thought out plan to attacking the oncoming Bloodshot and rescue the kids under Bloodshot’s watch. What they don’t plan on is that the kids aren’t exactly looking to be rescued and that Bloodshot is way more powerful than they can imagine. The man/machine has more firepower than the five Harbingers combined, they barely slow him down.

This Harbinger Wars tie-in was action packed and we get to see how all of these teams and powered beings deal interact with each other in the Valiant Universe. While not a fan of huge crossovers in the Big Two books, the clarity of focus for these stories in a much smaller universe makes for compelling storytelling.

MARA #5 (of 6)
WRITER: Brian Wood
ARTIST: Ming Doyle 
COLOR: Jordie Bellaire
Publication Date: June 19, 2013
Price: $2.99
Publisher: Image Comics
Buy it HERE


Mara Prince is the ultimate sports hero, or rather was until her secret superpowers started to manifest themselves in front of a global audience.

She has since rejected moves made on her by the military to be the ultimate weapon.

In the penultimate issue of this acclaimed mini-series the stakes are higher.


The military has her brother detained for the crime of being her brother and is tested with violence to see if he can withstand the same punishment that is superpowered sister can (he cannot, he has not manifested any powers). 

What we see here in this issue is an increasingly used psychological theme in comics with a nigh-invulnerable lead character (powers like Superman for example). Seen in The Mighty(Tomasi/Samnee/Snejbjerg) and Irredemable (Waid/Krause/Barreto) are tales of heroes being callous with their powers or more simply turning from good to bad. It is hinted that Mara’s story could end similarly or that we will be surprised at Mara’s actions in the conclusion of the story.

Wood and Doyle have created a strong female lead here not typical of the genre and we look forward to the end of this story to be able to recommend the trade to our friends. There is no doubt that no matter what the outcome of issue 5 will be, this story will sell well in trade on art alone.

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for June 19, 2013

COMICS

Do you want to believe that IDW can produce the faithful next season of X-Files? Jim Carroll (Basketball Diaries) once told me in real life that, “Scully is hot”, and he was right. Here’s to X-Files Season 10 #1. O.K., Mulder’s hot too. … New publisher Black Mask Comics run by Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) and Brett Gurewitz (guitarist-songwriter Bad Religion, owner Epitaph Records) unleashes two comics today, #OCCUPYCOMICS anthology issue 2 and a story about vigilante animal rescuers in Liberator #1. 30% off the proceeds go to animal rescue initiatives! … Read Harbinger #13 8-Bit Variant by the pool as Harbinger Wars continues in Summer of Valiant ‘13. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

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EARTH PRIME TIME: SUMMER OF VALIANT ’13 PART 1 WITH 8-BIT COVERS

We’re at a year into the relaunch of popular ’90s comic book publisher Valiant Comics and just in time for another Summer of Valiant. We’ll try not to get any water on these comics as we sit by the pool, drink in the sun and follow the adventures of Archer and Armstrong and Shadowman in our summer series that celebrates successes on our first birthday of our cherished Valiant Comics. Also, we take a look at their cool 8-bit variant covers and Harbinger Wars: Battle For Las Vegas free retro video game for iOS andAndroid.

A look through the Earth Prime Time Archives will show you what we have an affinity for, and that’s the story of an independent publisher rising from near obscurity. Valiant was fortunate enough to have a loyal fanbase to rebuild on their properties long thought lost to many die-hard comic fans. It is the underdog story that Bostonians write about ad nauseam and tend to wear on our sleeves. This column was only a few months old when X-O Manowar #1 hit the shelves, and naturally we have covered most major events in the universe since then.

What can we say a year in?

There is likely a better reaction to the Valiant books, on a whole, than after the first twelve months of DC’s New 52initiative.

Marvel NOW! reaction from fans seems to be split between both positive and negative, with a varied selection of titles appealing to different kinds of fans.

Valiant’s strength lies in not relying on a 75 or 50 year history to complicate matters.

Over at the new publisher, they can make the same kinds of superhero and supernatural books with the industry’s top talent and a completely clean slate. There certainly are nods to the previous continuity as fan service, but with low-numbered issues and trades, the appeal to a new audience without being intimidated by continuity allows for an easier entry point.

As far as the old characters go, Valiant has paced the introduction of new books, concepts, leading heroes and villains, and background information on the shared universe in a way that paints a lush tapestry but does not rely on throwing everything at you at once.

Let’s take a look at two books that are coming out today, Archer and Armstrong #10 and Shadowman #7.

Both books ship with an 8-bit variant cover that ties into their cool 8-bit side scroller Harbinger Wars: Battle for Las Vegas (Storm City Games).

[READ MORE AT DIGBOSTON.COM]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for June 5, 2013

COMICS

One sign of summer is the #summerofvaliant, and more time for video games like Valiant Comic’s Harbinger Wars: Battle for Las Vegas for iOS and Android. This week the company releases two more 8-bit variant covers for our heroes. … Archer and Armstrong #10 written by Fred Van Lente is a mystery wrapped inside a puzzle inside an invasion of Area 51. … In NOLA, our pal Shadowman alongside Doctor Mirage take on Master Darque as the dead are screaming in Shadowman #7. … Daredevil: End of Days ends it’s limited run at Issue #8. We finally get the reveal of what Matt Murdock’s final words, “Mapone” mean, as this supergroup of a creative team (Bendis, Mack, Janson, Maleev, Sienkiewicz) give Daredevil his Dark Knight Returns future tale. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

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TRIPLE SHOT: TWELVE REASONS TO DIE #1, X #1 and ARCHER AND ARMSTRONG #0 at FORCES OF GEEK

It’s a numbers games as we dip into the 36 Chambers of Death with Ghostface Killah in the new book Twelve Reasons To Die.  Travel back in time with Archer and Armstrong #0 and take a dark turn with Dark Horse and Duane Swierczynski punishing the criminal bosses in city of Arcadia for a new number #1 of cult anti-hero, X. 

TWELVE REASONS TO DIE #1
CONCEPT: Ghostface Killah, Adrian Younge
WRITER: Matthew Rosenberg, CE Garcia, Patrick Kindlon
ART: Breno Tamura, Gus Storms, Kyle Strahm, Joe Infurnari, Dave Murdoch
Publication Date: May 8, 2013
Price: $3.50 
Publisher: Black Mask Comics in association with Soul Temple Entertainment LLC
UPC: 045778022014
Buy it HERE


“Up from the 36 Chambers…it’s the Ghostface Killah”, these lyrics from Clan in Da Front weren’t what I expected to yell when I went into the LCS on Wednesday, but I did, scaring some kids there getting some leftover Free Comic Book Day swag.


As you can tell from the credits, this hip-hop comic comes to you from a creative team that goes all the way up to the executive producer RZA.

Accompanying this book is a record and tour of the same name by hotshot producer Adrian Younge and Ghostface. 

The comic starts off with words like ‘pussy’ and ‘motherfucker’ and that sets the tone for the book.

Like Ghost’s lyrical flow, the comic references gangster history going back to the 40s through the 60s, and it isn’t too long before we are introduced to his alter-ego and star of the book, gang enforcer, the “other” Antony Starks. From La Costa Nostra to modern day nightclub drug deals, it’s grim and gritty. The artwork, benefitting from different artists in the first issue is dark and breaks off chapters well. Just like a RZA beat, nothing here is extraneous. All tells the story.

From the solicit as we find out that Anthony Starks is an enforcer for the DeLuca crime family in the 1960s. The family murders him after he falls in love with the kingpin’s daughter. You won’t know this from the first issue, but it is helpful background.

Starks remains are pressed into a dozen vinyl records and when played, the record invokes the spirit of Ghostface Killah, exacting revenge on his murderers.

High concept, great art and all accompanied by a soundtrack album that is already highly regarded? I am so down. This really is the summer of Ironman.

I didn’t even get to tell you about Black Mask Comics, a new publishing company from creator Steve Niles. We’re expecting great things from this new venture as well.

X #1
WRITER: Duane Swierczynski
ART: Eric Nguyen
Publication Date: May 8, 2013
Price: $1.99
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
UPC: 76156822527300111
Buy it HERE


Just last month, we re-introduced you to X from Dark Horse Comics.

Yes, another reboot. No, we don’t care.

Yes, we’re buying it. No, it’s not a cash grab.

Wait, am I answering questions in my head again? No? Good.

The masked vigilante has more in common with a Punisher of the MAX variety than any other character. He’s a strong, smart and capable vigilante that sits like a snake and plots his attack before doing so. His enemies are tipped off when he sends them a picture of themselves with a red giant X over their face. Most don’t take it seriously, or try to protect themselves from the vigilante when they know he is coming. Good luck, pal.

X has a particularly bloody streak, bloodlust and determination for meting out justice in his hometown of Arcadia.

Unlike Frank Castle, little is known about this cold killer’s origin. Hopefully Swierczynski will tap into that as the series rolls on.

The book opens on a warehouse full of corpses. Investigating detectives and officers on the scene prop up the heads of two of the dead laying in a nearby Caddy. The ominous red X from the photos is mirrored on their flesh, accompanied by multiple nails from a nail gun. Yeouch, X does not mess around!

As police check out the scene, a young blogger, screenname Muckracker aka Leigh Furgeson is poking around, tipped off by an old drunk about the massacre near his home. He flees Arcadia and leaves the detective work to Muckracker. 

Leigh opens her mailbox to find a message from X, crossed-out photos of some bad dudes including one of Leo Pietrain, the unfortunate villain locked in his panic room in issue #0. Ambulances take Leo away as Muckracker gets to the crime scene to see Leo’s piehole bleeding a red X through his ambulance stretcher sheet. 

In the third act of the issue, reader’s adrenaline levels spike as X springs into action once again. Though, this time it appears he’s been set up by the police. 

After a firefight and explosion, X and the snoopy Muckracker find themselves in an alley together. This might be the time for Leigh to either expose X or to lend him a hand. Tune in next issue for more pulse pounding action.

This book has the feel of a Batman: Year One, and obvious nods to the Frank Miller story in the art by Eric Nguyen are not off-putting but set a familiar tone. The action and blood is definitely more mature (not for kids) than your average Punisher story but all of the tropes here work really well to acclimate the fan to a newly rebooted, but never wildly popular anti-hero vigilante.

Swierczynski is on some great books right now with tough dudes as the lead roles. Check out his take on IDW’s Judge Dredd for more rugged justice!

ARCHER AND ARMSTRONG #0
WRITER: Fred Van Lente
ART: Clayton Henry
Publication Date: May 8, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Valiant Comics
UPC: 85899200306200011
Buy it HERE


Valiant Comics started the whole ‘prequel’ comics numbered “Issue #0” way back in the nineties.  Since then, companies have copied their style and in fact, DC’s New 52 had a whole series of “0” issues incorporated into their relaunch. It should come to no surprise to fans, speculators and collectors of the classic Valiant characters that Valiant has started to release prequels to their relaunched books as well.

Fred Van Lente (Spider-Man, G.I. Joe) brings his humor and well researched historical references to the latest, Archer and Armstrong #0.

Archer is a teenager, raised by extreme religious freaks on a compound. He escapes to find the truth about his parents. Armstrong is a nigh-invulnerable immortal warrior that is centuries old. This issue deals with Armstrong’s past through a retelling (reboot!) of the classic tale of Gilgamesh. How do we get there? Armstrong was part of the story and recounts it firsthand! Raised a poet among warriors with brothers Gilad (Eternal Warrior) and Ivar (Timewalker).

Some Vine-like tech is discovered in ancient Mesopotamia and the brothers go to investigate. They are greeted by men in robes who introduce them to the Boon device, the supernatural tablet that grants Armstrong his immortality. There’s dinosaur fighting, alien tech and ancient history rolled up into a delicious story that’s way better than junior high history and literature classes. 

This issue is part Jurassic Park, part Rome and equal parts the origin of pizza in G.I. Joe Yearbook#3 — My Dinner With Serpentor.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

EARTH PRIME TIME: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2013 PREVIEW

Whoa what a couple o’ weeks, amiright? Did you know that nearly every comic book company worth a gosh darn gives out free comic books on the first Saturday in May? That’s right, I think we can all use a little outing this Saturday. Here are some of our most anticipated free comics to pick up at your LCS (Local Comic Shop) this weekend. Don’t be greedy, take only one! We previewed the free books last year…and we’re still into comics. Who knew?

 
One thing is for sure, publishers look forward to unleashing their swag on this geek high holiday every year, and they always pull out all of the stops. Free Comic Book Day means many different things to many different people. The day was brainstormed into being in 2001, and came to be the following year in 2002 to coincide with the release of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man. This year’s movie of course is Iron Man 3, opening Friday.

The manifesto is three parts simple, and found on the font of knowledge, Wikipedia:

To introduce everyone to the joys of reading comics.
To call back former comic book readers.
To thank current comic book buyers for their continued support.

Many stores have signings, candy, costume contests and more to celebrate the day, so if you are like us (which you aren’t), you’ll be hopping on your bike or the T on a virtual tour of the city, high-fiving your favorite shop owners, buying some trades and collecting an issue of all of your favorite free comics. Clay’s favorite part of this weekend is that even 25-cent bins are sometimes cleared out gratis. LeaguePodcast likes deals!

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

EARTH PRIME TIME: X-O MANOWAR #10: PRELUDE TO PLANET DEATH

Visigoth Aric of Dacia fought bravely with his friend Gafti against the Roman Empire in 402 A.D. only to be enslaved by an alien race called The Vine, taken away from Earth as a prisoner, and made to mine sacred fruit for the invaders for 1,600 years. After breaking free from his captors and stealing a precious Vine artifact called Shanhara, Aric returns home to a technologically advanced world and learns that the Vine has infiltrated our society. After run-ins with Ninjak and attacking MI-6 headquarters, X-O Manowar is about to face Planet Death to seek revenge after The Vine invades Earth to reclaim their celestial artifact. X-O Manowar Issue #10 is out today.

Back in August in our ‘Summer of Valiant‘ series we introduced you to the reboot of one of Valiant’smost popular characters and rival to old shellhead, Iron Man. X-O Manowar Vol. 1: By The Sword is now available in trade paperback and is a great introduction to the new Valiant Universe. Writer Robert Venditti (The Surrogates) is teamed up with artist Cary Nord for the start of the series, and Cary returns for the Planet Death story starting in issue #11.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

EARTH PRIME TIME: SUMMER OF VALIANT – SHADOWMAN

 

Our coverage continues of the resurrection of the Valiant Universe with a review ofShadowman #1. Look, we know it isn’t summer, but unlike CVS, who seem to want to cram Christmas down past our discount-candy-corn-weakened teeth, we prefer to remember the past season with fondness and celebrate the roll out of the Valiant characters with the thrill of a summer fling. New Orleans is the setting of Shadowman, a place resilient to climate change, storms and more than a few stories of rejuvenation. Artist Patrick Zircher co-writes with Justin Jordan (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode) the revival tale of Jack Boniface in Shadowman #1.   

The first incarnation of Shadowman was created as a featured Valiant Comic in 1992 by Jim Shooter and Steve Englehart, with artists David Lapham and Bob Layton. The original Jack Boniface was a down on his luck jazz musician drinking at a club. He is taken in by super fan Lydia for a nightcap.

This happened. On Duck Boats. On Commonwealth Ave. last Monday.

Awakening from feeling woozy, Jack has a mark on his neck and unexplained hours missing. Taking to the streets to seek revenge, he sees someone being assaulted. Super natural strength takes over and Jack defeats the assailant. Being drawn to a carnival mask on the ground, it is revealed later that he is now possessed by a Voodoo spirit.

Shadowman protects the city from the evil necromancer Master Darque.

Shadowman was a successful and popular character for Valiant and the affiliated company Acclaim Entertainment, who launched a successful video game franchise loosely based on the comic. Many creators such as Christopher Priest (Black Panther), Garth Ennis, Frank Miller, Joe Quesada, and more have worked on Jack’s original 80 issues. Crossovers are an integral to storytelling in theValiant Universe.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

EARTH PRIME TIME: SUMMER OF VALIANT – BLOODSHOT

Nanites are more powerful than the bedbugs, we know that. It is still technically summer for another week, so put on those white pants and continue celebrating the Summer of Valiant with three issues of Bloodshot. This ultra-violent reboot of the ’90s nigh-invulnerable super soldier delivers with schizophrenic action and military secrets. Crime novelist and comic writer Duane Swierczynski (Birds of Prey, Godzilla, Punisher) and artist Manuel Garcia (Black Panther, Iron Man Noir) regenerate Valiant’s hottest selling character.

Fans of the original Valiant series will be treated to a first time collection of artist Don Perlin and writer Kevin VanHook’s 1992 Bloodshot Vol. 1 – Blood of the Machine on October 24. The hardcover collection of Bloodshot #1-8 is previewed over at geekexchange. Hired killer Angelo Mortalli is revived by the government and reassembled with reconstructing nanites.

What Angelo can’t fill in are the details of his past or how he is able to sustain such gruesome injuries.

Project Rising Spirit has created Bloodshot out of Angelo and we watch the warrior search for the answers of his haunting past.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

EARTH PRIME TIME: SUMMER OF VALIANT - BLOODSHOT by clay-fernald

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for September 5, 2012

COMICS

Aww Yeah, ape talk. Set eight years before Taylor and crew landed on the Planet, Doctor Zaius fights a mad monk hell bent on awakening the Alpha Omega bomb from the Dark Side of the Moon. It’s finally here, a simian jumping on point for Planet of the Apes: Cataclysm #1 written by Corinna Bechko. . … Moving trucks don’t mean it’s the end of summer! The Summer of Valiant continues, if even for a few more days! Last month EARTH PRIME TIME told you about Fred Van Lente & Clayton Henry’s Archer and Armstrong #1. Issue #2 is here as we follow Obadiah and Armstrong into decrypting the ugliest secrets on Earth like the Masonic crypt of Wall Street’s 1%. Occupy the LCS to support creator-driven comics! … It’s almost unfair for us to keep picking Chew but who said we needed to be fair? Chew is funny and bizarre and drawn well. What other comic has a secret agent cock-fighting chicken special agent? Chew #28 shows Tony getting kidnapped—again! Special furry-bait cover, natch. Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

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EARTH PRIME TIME: SUMMER OF VALIANT – X-O MANOWAR

We continue our coverage of independent publisher Valiant Comics relaunching and rejuvenating it’s product line with another ’90s favorite superhero X-O Manowar for the last August installment of the “Summer of Valiant“. In issue 4 on stands today, a Visigoth years away from his time and encapsulated by an alien armor is thrust into modern day Italy!

X-O Manowar was the first book to be printed under the banner of the Valiant Universe in 2012. The update is written by New York Times-bestselling author Robert Venditti (The Surrogates) and drawn by Cary Nord (Conan). The book shipped with a creepy QR voice variant cover in May and stoked the fires for an upcoming relaunch of Archer & Armstrong, Harbinger, Bloodshot and coming soon in issue 5 is the return of Ninjak.

EARTH PRIME TIME: SUMMER OF VALIANT – X-O MANOWAR by clay-fernald

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EARTH PRIME TIME: SUMMER OF VALIANT – HARBINGER

Two weeks ago, we told you about Archer & Armstrong from the revived Valiant Comics company. Rebooting the story-lines of great characters in the “Summer of Valiant” in an industry downturn has caused quite a buzz and offered another avenue for creators to spread their wings with an independent publisher. Harbinger, which reaches Issue #3 today, is about a powerful psychic teen with destructive potential. New York Times bestselling author Joshua Dysart (BRPD) teams up with artists Khari Evans (Immortal Iron Fist) and Lewis LaRosa (Punisher MAX) to feed the constant voices in ‘psiot’ Peter Stanchek’s head.

Not unlike the original X-Men, the original Harbinger comic from 1992 was very much a team book, assembling teenage freaks with psychic abilities under the powerful Toyo Harada’s tutelage. Created by comic book legend and former Marvel Editor-In-Chief Jim Shooter as a flagship title for the original Valiant Comics, Harbinger was popular and (as is the case today) on the forefront of feeding the speculative comic market crowd with variant covers and rare comics.

Valiant in the ’90s had a shared universe in which psychic powers were paramount as opposed to the mutant or metahuman powers of Marvel and DC.

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EARTH PRIME TIME-HARBINGER by clay-fernald 

Hey! Quoted on Joshua Dysart’s blog!

EARTH PRIME TIME: SUMMER OF VALIANT - ARCHER & ARMSTRONG

Valiant Comics return to the shelves this summer with the launch of four great action books, with more on schedule for the fall. Returning to the industry with a renewed vigor and beloved strong characters, the company wants to fill your summer with the fun kind of summer reading. The relaunch, retelling and rebooting the stories of the likes of Bloodshot, X-O Manowar along with Fred Van Lente’s take on Archer & Armstrong close out your “Summer of Valiant”.

Let’s talk comic book history to introduce you to mainstays of the Valiant Universe, Archer & Armstrong. The company was originally founded in 1989 by former Marvel Editor-In Chief Jim Shooter. By 1992, the first versions of the books mentioned previously were launched. Issues numbered at #0 provided origin stories. Shooter paced the stories in real time and comic fans enjoyed a new interconnected universe that was brand new to fans.

Though not causing as big of a stir as The Image Revolution, The Valiant Universe was popular among fans and critics in the early nineties.

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EARTH PRIME TIME - ARCHER & ARMSTRONG by clay-fernald

YESSS!