valiant universe

Dig Boston and League Podcast Comics Picks of the Week for Wed. May 6, 2015

 

COMICS

Forget Hitchhikers’ Guide, the real crazy happened in Douglas Adams’ Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency #1 from IDW. Dirk arrives in San Diego and hopefully doesn’t have to deal with a horse in his stairwell! … Frank heads back to L.A to do what he does best, #punishment in Punisher #18. The nerd starter kit starts here with Valiant Universe Handbook 2015! For the secret origins of all of your favorite Valiant heroes past and present! OHOTMU Beware! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!

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DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for November 20, 2013




COMICS


What do band managers do? Nothing! Just kidding! Read about Brian Epstein’s role in making The Beatles the world’s most influential Rock and Roll band! Dark Horse is proud to present The Fifth Beatle, the story of a man facing homophobia, Anti-Semitism and a someone who died all too young. … The countdown to issue #200 continues as Savage Dragon is strapped to the electric chair and is begging for the end! Savage Dragon #172 today!… Feel bad for poor Aric of Dacia because Unity is on his ass? Venditti & Nord return for X-O Manowar #19, a great jumping on point for new readers at the start of the huge Valiant Universe Unity Event as X-O defends his legacy, the land of the Visigoths aka Romania! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!

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Triple Shot With a Digital Chaser: BATMAN #25, BATGIRL #25, VALIANT: UNITY #1 plus VALIANT 8-BIT ADVENTURE: UNITY #1

Alright, its time again for Triple Shot Plus and we’re sticking with a theme this week!

There were so many comics to sort through, but in the end Batbooks and Unitycaught our eye.  Zero Year continues in Batman #25 and Batgirl #25 and Harada assembles his best to defeat X-O Manowar in Valiant’s Unity #1 with a prequel of sorts only on ComiXology, Valiant 8-Bit Adventure: Unity! written by Ben McCool!

BATMAN #25
WRITER: Scott Snyder
ART: Greg Capullo
Publication Date: November 13, 2013
Price: $4.99
Publisher: DC Comics
UPC: 76194130640702511
Buy it HERE


We’ve been excited to see these pages hit the shelves since NYCC this year and of course the debut of The New 52 Gotham City Police Department Blimp.

There is even a history to the dirigibles, Bruce Wayne donated them to G.C.P.D. during the blackout! 

Riddler’s blacked out the city and all hell is breaking loose.

$4.99 is the price of admission for this thrill ride (last issue was $6.99, curiouser and curiouser) but worth every giant penny once again as Snyder and Capullo create an award winning modern origin for The Batman.

On the surface we are treated to a new PT Cruiser-like Batmobile (Mach I) that has a special ability never seen before, a tease that Jim Gordon was there the night Thomas and Martha Wayne were murdered, as well as the return of 1939 villain Doctor Death. There’s also Lucius Fox, proto-Poison Ivy and to be determined desert military action in Nigeria. Perhaps the 2004 version of Doctor Death from Batgirl is responsible for the Central African conflict. Stay tuned for more!

If you aren’t reading New 52 Batman, get to it. There’s no excuse at this point. Start with Court of Owls and work your way up. Seriously. Or start at issue #21 and see the origin of Batman like no one has ever imagined!

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]


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NYCC - VALIANT COMICS Panel Report


Convention Report by Clay N Ferno

 


Valiant Comics remains committed to their rabid fans with a series of announcements tied to top industry talent and is expanding on the current Valiant Universe with new titles and crossovers in 2014.

Valiant Comics Director of Marketing Hunter Gorinson introduced an impressive series of panelists including Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, Matt Kindt, Clayton Henry, Dinesh Shamdasani, Alejandro Arbona, ChrisCross and more at the Must Read Valiant panel on Saturday.

The panel starts off with the reveal to the pre-con teaser about the return of “The (Original) World’s Worst Supehero Team”.

The lead off announcement is that series creators Christopher Priest and M.D. Bright are returning to Quantum and Woody for a limited series set in the original Valiant Universe. No plans on expanding on the original universe beyond this series, we’re told, this is a special exception to reunite the team.


Starting in issue #5, fan favorite Mara artist Ming Doyle joins James Asmus on the current Quantum and Woodytitle, introducing the goat! 

 

 

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


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$18+ $13 ADVANCE

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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.

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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: X-O MANOWAR #10: PRELUDE TO PLANET DEATH

X-O Manowar #10 - Trevor Hairsine

 

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.

Shadowman - #19  Bob Hall & Tom Ryder

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]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for November 7, 2012

Back after some MINOR technical difficulties! Computer was hit by Gamma Rays!





COMICS

 

Valiant is rebuilding the Valiant Universe with one of it’s most popular characters, Shadowman in Shadowman #1. … Based in New Orleans, musician Jack Boniface nearly died one night, only to find he urges to fight demons at night. Fun fact, Aerosmith appeared in a past issue of Shadowman, surviving to grace the streets of Allston on Monday! … Kieron Gillen and Greg Land take on Marvel Now’s Tony Stark in Iron Man #1. What will happen to Tony’s armor to protect him from a deadly strain of the Extremis virus? … Usagi Yojimbo’s Stan Sakai illustrates Mike Richardson’s take of national Japanese legend 47 Ronin this week in 47 Ronin #1 from Dark Horse. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

EARTH PRIME TIME: SUMMER OF VALIANT – BLOODSHOT

Photo: "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."  EARTH PRIME TIME: SUMMER OF VALIANT – BLOODSHOT: http://is.gd/klHmN6   Valiant Comics

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

EARTH PRIME TIME: SUMMER OF VALIANT – HARBINGER

Harbinger by Mico Suayan
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.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

EARTH PRIME TIME-HARBINGER by clay-fernald 

Hey! Quoted on Joshua Dysart’s blog!

EARTH PRIME TIME: SUMMER OF VALIANT - ARCHER & ARMSTRONG

Archer and Armstrong by Mico SuayanValiant 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.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

EARTH PRIME TIME - ARCHER & ARMSTRONG by clay-fernald

YESSS!