#IReadsYou Review: NOCTERRA #2

NOCTERRA #2
IMAGE COMICS/Best Jacket Press

STORY: Scott Snyder
ART: Tony S. Daniel
COLORS: Tomeu Morey
LETTERS: Andworld Design
EDITOR: Will Dennis
COVER: Tony S. Daniel with Tomeu Morey
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Clayton Henry with Alejandro Sanchez Rodriguez
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (April 2021)

Rated “M/ Mature”

“FULL THROTTLE DARK”

Nocterra is a new comic book series from writer Scott Snyder and artist Tony S. Daniel.  Published by Image Comics, Nocterra is set on an Earth that has been experiencing an everlasting night, the “Big PM,” when the sky went dark and the world was plunged into an everlasting night, for well over a decade.  Colorist Tomeu Morey and letterer Andworld Design complete the series' creative team.

Nocterra introduces Valentina “Val” Riggs – call sign “Sundog.”  She was in the fifth grade the day the “Big PM” occurred.  Any living organism left unlit in the dark for more than 10 hours starts undergoing a biological transformation and changes into a monstrous version of itself, becoming something called a “Shade.”  This is happening to her brother, Emory “Em” Riggs.

Thirteen years later (“13 PM”), Val drives a big rig hauler, a heavily-illuminated 18-wheeler known as the “Sundog Convoy.”  A skilled “ferryman” Val transports people and goods along deadly unlit roads between the few remaining human outposts, and now she has her most dangerous haul – a mysterious man and his granddaughter.

Nocterra #2 opens with Val remembering the early days of the “Big PM,” when her parents were lying to themselves.  Val believes in putting a fist through childish fantasies and through the lies people tell themselves.  So what will she do now that Em is infected, and his transformation into a Shade seems to be happening faster than it should?

Meanwhile, she forces the old man, Dr. Augustus McCray, to tell her the truth, or at least more, about the purpose of his journey.  Val also discovers that “Blacktop Bill,” someone thought to be no more than a ghost story, is chasing her.  What does he want?

THE LOWDOWN:  I enjoy Scott Snyder's creator-owned series more than I enjoy his recent work for DC Comics.  I find all that Dark Nights: Metal stuff mostly unreadable, but I enjoyed Wytches (2014-15).  I am usually happy to read a comic book drawn by Tony S. Daniel, going back to his early days writing and drawing creator-owned titles at Image, such as The Tenth.

I found Nocterra #1 to be a strong first issue because it offered so much background information about the story.  Snyder did keep a lot of secrets, but he gave readers a clear understanding of the basics when it came to Nocterra's lead character, the setting, and the plot.  Still, I wondered if the first issue was a fluke, but, now, I know that I had nothing to worry about.  Nocterra #2 is a fine example of pop comics storytelling, with riveting subplots, a poignant flashback, some important character development, and some wham-bam action.

Tony Daniel's art is not as subdued as it was in the first issue.  The storytelling surges, and even the character moments hop with kinetic energy.  Colorist Tomeu Morey is very important to this narrative, and his colors offer subtle shifts in nightmare world.

I won't hesitate this time.  Nocterra #2 makes me confident that this series is one to follow.  If you are budgeting, dear readers, drop something else to make sure you enter the world of Nocterra every chance you get.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Scott Snyder and Tony S. Daniel will want to sample Nocterra.

A
9 out of 10

[This comic book includes a four-page preview of “The Good Asian #1” by Pornsak Pichetshote and Alexandre Tefenkgi.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/Ssnyder1835
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https://twitter.com/tomeu_morey
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The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: BLACK LIGHTNING: Cold Dead Hands #1

BLACK LIGHTNING: COLD DEAD HANDS No. 1 (OF 6)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Tony Isabella
ART: Clayton Henry
COLORS: Pete Pantazis
LETTERS: Josh Reed
COVER: Clayton Henry with Tomeu Morey
VARIANT COVER: Ken Lashley with Juan Fernandez
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2018)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

Black Lightning created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden

Cold Dead Hands Part One: “Ready to Do It All Over”

Black Lightning is a DC Comics superhero.  Also known by his civilian identity, Jefferson Pierce, the character was one of the first major African American superheroes to appear in DC Comics.  Pierce debuted in Black Lightning #1 (cover dated: April 1977), and was created by writer Tony Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden.

Black Lightning returns in a new six-issue miniseries, entitled Black Lighting: Cold Dead Hands.  It is written by Tony Isabella; drawn by Clayton Henry; colored by Pete Pantazis; and lettered by Josh Reed.

Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #1 (“Ready to Do It All Over”) finds Jefferson Pierce back in Cleveland, already having to play superhero.  On the plus side, Pierce has been learning to maximize his electricity-based powers, and in his first battle back, Black Lightning takes down members of “The Weathermen,” street thieves in the possession of advanced weaponry.

His success is tempered, however, by the state of affairs in Cleveland.  The local police do not want what they see as superhero interference, and some of them may be willing to shoot Black Lightning to make their point.  Also, Black Lightning's take down of “The Weathermen” has earned him the ire of a very powerful and very bad man.

First, Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #1 looks dazzling from the art, graphics, and design perspective.  Clayton Henry's art features strong composition and dynamic layout and design.  Pete Pantazis posts layers of color that are luscious like flowing cake frosting.  The color effects on the energy blasts from weapons, the arcs of Black Lightning's electricity, and the gold of Lightning's goggles are radiant.

Josh Reed's lettering is quite effecting; at least to me, it seems that the word balloons were placed for maximum effect.  Reed's work never intrudes; instead, he creates a rhythm that builds a sense of rising tension and also suggests that Black Lightning is in an increasingly precarious position.

Isabella's story is also quite good.  He should write more comic books.  I like the way that he creates a sense of tension around Black Lightning, which gives the story edge and latent hostility.  Remember, 12-year-old Tamir Rice, shot to death by a Cleveland police officer, was described as “menacing,” by those who made disingenuous arguments in support of his killing?  That is basically what Black Lightning faces; he is a superhero in a place inclined to think of him as a menace.  We, the readers (at least, some of us) do not think of him as a menace.  Isabella creates a scenario in which many distrust Black Lightning, to one extent or another, so as the narrative precedes, the hero finds himself under a spreading malaise.

Isabella increases the obstacles against his hero and that makes a compelling story that will, in turn, make readers want to come back for more.  I want to come back for more.

A
9 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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I Reads You RE-VIEWED: UNCANNY X-MEN Annual (Volume 2) #1

UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL (VOL. 2) #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

STORY: Chris Claremont and Tony Bedard
PENCILS: Clayton Henry
INKS: Mark Morales
COLORS: Christina Strain
LETTERS: VC’s Joe Caramagna
COVER: Leinil Francis Yu with Dave McCaig
48pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (August 2006)

I Dream of Africa: A Special Prelude to the Wedding of the Century

You may know that classic X-Men character, Storm (Ororo Munroe), and The Black Panther (T’Challa) were once married.  The wedding took place in the Black Panther comic book series that launched in 2005.  Black Panther later informed Storm that he had annulled the marriage (in Avengers vs. X-Men #9).

Leading up to the wedding (depicted in Black Panther #15), there were several “prelude” stories.  One of them appeared in Uncanny X-Men Annual (Vol. 2) #1 in a story entitled, “I Dream of Africa: A Special Prelude to the Wedding of the Century.”  This story was written by Chris Claremont and Tony Bedard and drawn by Clayton Henry (pencils) and Mark Morales (inks).

Uncanny X-Men Annual (Vol. 2) #1 followed events depicted in Uncanny X-Men #471.  Storm was in Africa to help her people.  In the city of Turkana, she discovers a military leader, Colonel Shetani, who is scouring the African countryside looking for mutants.  In addition to his men, Shetani uses child soldiers, called the Little Simbas, to terrorize locals.  Storm summons her friends, the X-Men for help.

Now, Storm is injured, and as she drifts in and out of consciousness, she is confronted by Black Panther’s proposal of marriage.  In dreams or perhaps in some other altered state, Storm meets her ex-lover, Forge, and she debates versions of Marvel Girl/Jean Grey and Kitty Pryde.  Meanwhile, the X-Men who came to her aid:  Bishop, Cannonball, Nightcrawler, Psylocke, and Rachel Summers, find themselves facing Shetani’s forces.  And these guys seem specifically equipped to kill mutants.

While digging through a pile of comic books a friend gave me, I found Uncanny X-Men Annual (Vol. 2) #1.  I initially planned on giving it away, but when I noticed that it was tied to the Black Panther-Storm wedding, I decided to read it.  I am glad I did because I enjoyed it.  I won’t act like this is a classic, but it does feature a number of X-Men elements of which I am a big fan.

First, it focuses on Storm and delves into her past (although in a broad way), and I love me some Storm.  I once wanted to be Storm (Gasp! Choke!).  Secondly, the story features the X-Men in combat, fighting for their lives, against opponents that are genuine threats to their continued existence.  In fact, this story is classic Chris Claremont Uncanny X-Men, but without the Claremont’s unique dialogue.  So readers get Claremont, just without the grandiosity (pomposity?) and soap opera affectation.

Once again, this isn’t great stuff, but it is a good X-Men comic book.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Valiant Comics for November 2013

VALIANT Solicitations for NOVEMBER 2013

UNITY #1
Written by MATT KINDT
Art & Cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
Pullbox Exclusive Variants by BRYAN HITCH, J.G. JONES, TRAVEL FOREMAN, PAOLO RIVERA and CLAYTON CRAIN
8-Bit Evolution Variant by DONOVAN SANTIAGO
Valiant Signature Series Variant by BART SEARS
Variant Cover by NEAL ADAMS
B&W Sketch Variant by NEAL ADAMS
Blank Variant also available
Team USA Luge Variant also available

To kill a king, he has created an army.

The world's most dangerous man, Toyo Harada, has been struck by the one thing he never thought possible – fear. Halfway across the globe, a new power threatens to topple modern civilization and, to preempt the cataclysm that is to come, Harada will unite the most lethal, most volatile, most unforgiving team the world has ever known – UNITY. Their mission: defeat the warrior king armed with the universe's most powerful weapon. Kill X-O Manowar!

Be here when New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (Justice League of America, Mind MGMT) and superstar artist Doug Braithwaite (Justice, Journey into Mystery) launch Valiant's first-ever superteam into the landmark comic book event of the year with an all-new ongoing series in UNITY #1, featuring covers by a murderer's row of comics juggernauts – Doug Braithwaite, JG Jones, Bryan Hitch, Paolo Rivera, Clayton Crain, Travel Foreman, and Neal Adams!

You've heard the buzz, you've seen the reviews. If you still haven't jumped onto Valiant Comics, the time is now! This November, UNITY is the perfect entry point for new readers.

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE NOVEMBER 13th!
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X-O MANOWAR #19 (UNITY TIE-IN)
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by CARY NORD
Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by MIGUEL SEPULVEDA
Variant Cover by BART SEARS

All-new arc, all-new jumping-on point! X-O Manowar goes head-to-head against the forces of UNITY!

Aric of Dacia has fought to reclaim the ancestral lands of the Visigoths – and he has bled for it.  But nothing he has faced before can prepare him for the combined might of UNITY – and the deadly combination of Harada, Ninjak, Eternal Warrior and Livewire! New York Times best-selling writer Robert Venditti (Green Lantern) and Eisner Award winner Cary Nord (X-O Manowar: Planet Death) reunite for a landmark, standalone story arc at the heart of UNITY.

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE NOVEMBER 20th! 
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QUANTUM AND WOODY #5
Written by JAMES ASMUS
Art by LEE GARBETT
Cover by ANDREW ROBINSON
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by LEE GARBETT
Variant Cover by DAVID LOPEZ
Variant Cover by MIKE McKONE

All-new arc, all-new jumping-on point! All-new…problems?

Eric and Woody have had their lives turned upside down. What do you do when the most annoying person in your life is also the only thing keeping you alive? You move in with him! And his goat. And his barely legal clone girlfriend. Besides, every team of heroes needs a secret headquarters…and this one has a slightly used hot tub. Plus: Quantum meets his first true super-villain!

Attention fans and retailers: Look for the Quantum and Woody Vol. 1 TPB in stores the same day! Intro priced at only $9.99!

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE NOVEMBER 6th! 
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ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #15
Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Art by KHARI EVANS
Cover by CLAYTON HENRY
Variant Cover by MICHAEL WALSH

WARNING: This is no longer a (FINGER QUOTES) "fun" comic.

Now that the Sect Civil War has begun, it is now a (FINGER QUOTES) "grim" and (FINGER QUOTES) "gritty" work of (REAL QUOTES) "sequential literature" with blood and headshots and naughty words (like "H-E-DOUBLE-HOCKEY-STICKS") and if you squint real hard at the backgrounds, maybe boobies.

In this particular issue that will change the Valiant Universe forever*, the man now calling himself Dark Archer (NOTE TONAL SHIFT) must find his former partner Armstrong so they can reunite to stop the aforementioned Sect Civil War.

And there are almost no fart jokes.

Okay, one.

(* FOREVER = APPROX. 20 MINUTES)

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE NOVEMBER 13th! 
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SHADOWMAN #12
Written by ALES KOT, CHRISTOPHER SEBELA, and NEIL DVORAK
Art by CLAYTON CRAIN, MICO SUAYAN, and NEIL DVORAK
Cover by DAVE JOHNSON
Variant Cover by KEKAI KOTAKI

An all-star anthology of Shadowman tales from the Deadside and beyond!

Superstar artist Clayton Crain and a stellar roster of all-star creators bring you not one, not two, but three chilling Shadowman stories. Ales Kot (Suicide Squad, Zero), Christopher Sebela (Captain Marvel, Screamland), and Neil Dvorak (Easy Pieces) push the outer bounds of the world of Shadowman further than ever before! 

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE NOVEMBER 6th!
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ETERNAL WARRIOR #3
Written by GREG PAK
Art by TREVOR HAIRSINE
Cover by J.G. JONES
Variant Cover by RILEY ROSSMO

Save the Wizard!

Hungry for glory as the new Fist and Steel, the Eternal Warrior's daughter Xaran has started a war between the mysterious Houses that rule the world. Now, as Gilad struggles to contain his daughter's savage nature, two generations of Eternal Warrior race after the answers that lie between science and myth, rumor and legend, conquest and defeat.

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE NOVEMBER 20th! 
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BLOODSHOT AND H.A.R.D. CORPS #16
Written by CHRISTOS GAGE & JOSHUA DYSART
Art by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO
Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER
Variant Cover by CHRISCROSS

Sometimes gunslingers go out the hard way.

H.A.R.D. Corps has just experienced its first fatality. Bloodshot is severely weakened. He and Charlie are at each other’s throats. And the new rookies are a mess. It would be suicide to take on Harada now…so that’s exactly what they’ll do.

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE NOVEMBER 20th! 
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HARBINGER #18
Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art by BARRY KITSON
Cover by MICHAEL WALSH
Variant Cover by ANDREW ROBINSON

Nothing is what it seems when hyper-psychics go to war.

Scattered across their own mental landscapes, each one of the remaining Renegades must quest to unite with the others or be lost forever inside themselves. It will take courage, strength, imagination and an unwavering belief in one another if they're going to discover the dark truth behind their Perfect Day.

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE NOVEMBER 13th! 
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QUANTUM AND WOODY VOL. 1: THE WORLD'S WORST SUPERHERO TEAM TPB
Written by JAMES ASMUS
Art by TOM FOWLER
Cover by RYAN SOOK

Those guys are the worst.

Once upon a time, Eric and Woody Henderson were inseparable. Adopted brothers. Best friends. Brilliant minds. Years later, they are estranged siblings, petty rivals, and washed-up failures. But when their father’s murder leads them into the throes of a life-altering scientific accident, Eric and Woody will find themselves with a whole new purpose – and a perfectly legitimate reason to wear costumes and fight crime. Go big or go home, folks! Quantum and Woody are coming! (And, yes, there is a goat too.)

Collecting QUANTUM AND WOODY #1-4 by creators James Asmus (Thief of Thieves) and Tom Fowler (Hulk: Season One), start reading here to jump into the action-packed, zeitgeist-shredding exploitation stunt comic that Comic Book Resources calls "yet another critically acclaimed hit for Valiant Comics."

$9.99/T+/112 pgs.
TRADE PAPERBACK
ISBN: 978-1-939346-18-6
ON SALE NOVEMBER 6th! 
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HARBINGER DELUXE EDITION VOL. 1 HC
Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art by KHARI EVANS, TREVOR HAIRSINE, MICO SUAYAN, BARRY KITSON, PHIL BRIONES, LEE GARBETT, PERE PEREZ, and MATTHEW CLARK
Cover by MICO SUAYAN

An oversized, deluxe hardcover collecting the landmark first year of Harbinger in the Valiant Universe!

Outside the law. Inside your head. You've never met a team of super-powered teenagers quite like the Renegades. Skipping across the country in a desperate attempt to stay one step ahead of the authorities, psionically-powered teenager Peter Stanchek only has one option left – run. But he won't have to go it alone. As the shadowy corporation known as the Harbinger Foundation draws close on all sides, Peter will have to find and recruit other unique individuals like himself… other troubled, immensely powerful youths with abilities beyond their control. Their mission? Bring the fight back to the Harbinger Foundation's founder Toyo Harada – and dismantle his global empire brick by brick…

Collecting the sold-out HARBINGER #0-14, the Harbinger Deluxe Edition Vol. 1 HC also comes jam-packed with more than 20 pages of never-before-seen art and extras, direct from the Valiant vaults.

$39.99/T+/384 pgs.
OVERSIZED HARDCOVER
ISBN: 978-1-939346-13-1
ON SALE NOVEMBER 13th!
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VALIANT MASTERS: RAI VOL. 1 – FROM HONOR TO STRENGTH HC
Written by DAVID MICHELINIE
Art by JOE ST. PIERRE, PETER GRAU, and SAL VELLUTO
Cover by JOE ST. PIERRE

The legendary future of the Valiant Universe – back in print after 20 years!

4001 A.D. - Tohru Nakadai is the 42nd Rai, the spirit guardian of Japan. Infused with the energy of his ancestors and dedicated to the way of the samurai, Rai is sworn to the service of Grandmother – the personified artificial intelligence that governs the island nation of Japan. For forty generations Grandmother's benevolent dominion has endured, but in the wake of her sudden disappearance, Rai will become all that stands between his nation and all-out chaos. As humanist factions war with mechanist loyalists for control of the future, the masterless Tohru is about to become the first Rai that must choose for himself how best to defend his people, his family, and his honor.

Collecting RAI (1992) #1-8 in a deluxe hardcover format for the first time anywhere, revisit the future of the original Valiant Universe with Rai’s critically acclaimed, highly sought-after adventures from legendary creators David Michelinie (Amazing Spider-Man, Iron Man), Joe St. Pierre (Spider-Man 2099), Peter Grau (Titans) and Sal Velluto (Bloodshot)!

$24.99/T+/184 pgs.
HARDCOVER
ISBN: 978-1-939346-07-0
ON SALE NOVEMBER 27th!

Valiant Comics Shipping in June 2013

VALIANT Solicitations for JUNE 2013

HARBINGER WARS #3 (of 4)
Written by JOSHUA DYSART & DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by CLAYTON HENRY
Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER (APR131270)
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by TREVOR HAIRSINE (APR131271)
Variant Cover by KHARI EVANS (APR131272)
Variant Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER (APR131273)

Introducing…H.A.R.D. Corps!

Las Vegas is burning, and the situation on the ground is about to go from bad to worse. With the firefight between the Harbinger Foundation, Bloodshot and the Renegades spiraling out of control, Project Rising Spirit has only one desperate option left to prevent the conflagration from spreading. It's time to bring the deep-black weapons development project – designation H.A.R.D. Corps – back online. But are they a scalpel or a sledgehammer? And can they be trusted with the enormous power they wield? What happens in Vegas may just destroy the rest of the Valiant Universe!

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE JUNE 12th!
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HARBINGER #13 (HARBINGER WARS)
Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art by KHARI EVANS
Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER (APR131274)
Variant Cover by KHARI EVANS (APR131276)
8-Bit Variant also available (APR131275)

HARBINGER WARS tie-in! The Renegades vs. Bloodshot!

At last, the battle you've been waiting for! But the Harbinger hunter called Bloodshot is a much more dangerous – and much more clever – foe than Peter Stanchek and the Renegades ever could have anticipated. Plus: what is the secret of Toyo Harada's first Harbinger War?

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE JUNE 19th!
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BLOODSHOT #12 (HARBINGER WARS)
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by BARRY KITSON
Cover by KALMAN ANDRASOFSZKY (APR131277)
Variant Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER (APR131279)
8-Bit Variant also available (APR131278)

HARBINGER WARS tie-in! It's payback time!

After Dr. Emanuel Kuretich freed Bloodshot from Project Rising Spirit, he promised Bloodshot that the answers to his identity would be found inside PRS' secret Nevada facility. He lied. Instead, Bloodshot discovered two dozen super-powered psiot children – children that Kuretich then manipulated him into setting free. Now that the kids are out and have ignited a Harbinger War in the middle of the Vegas strip, Bloodshot is all that stands between them and the opposing forces of Toyo Harada and Peter Stanchek. But Bloodshot hasn't forgotten about Kuretich. And he's about to reap his revenge.

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE JUNE 19th!
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ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #10
Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Art by PERE PEREZ
Cover by CLAYTON HENRY (APR131281)
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by JUAN DOE (APR131282)
Variant Cover by ANDREW ROBINSON (APR131284)
8-Bit Variant also available (APR131283)

ALL-NEW ARC! Archer and Armstrong and Aliens. Oh my!

Mary-Maria, Archer's arch-nemesis/love interest/adopted sister is back, ready to take over The Sect – by any means necessary. And what better way to seize control of the secret society of secret societies than by unlocking their most secretive of secrets on the secretest place on Earth? And who but the Valiant Universe's premiere team of conspiracy-busters can possibly stop her? Just when you thought this book couldn't get any weirder, Archer & Armstrong storm Area 51…and things get weirder still!

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE JUNE 5th!
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X-O MANOWAR #14
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by CARY NORD
Cover by ARTURO LOZZI (APR131288)
8-Bit Variant also available (APR131289)

He has conquered. He has killed. But can he reign over PLANET DEATH?

Aric of Dacia came to Loam to exact his revenge against the alien race that captured and tortured his people. Now, Aric must make a choice that will affect both him and the future of the Valiant Universe forever. Don’t miss the jaw-dropping conclusion of PLANET DEATH and this monumental moment for the ongoing saga of X-O Manowar!

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE JUNE 26th!
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SHADOWMAN #7
Written by JUSTIN JORDAN
Art by NEIL EDWARDS
Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER (APR131285)
Variant Cover by DAVE JOHNSON (APR131287)
8-Bit Variant also available (APR131286)

There’s a dark light dawning over New Orleans.

Doctor Mirage talks to the dead. And right now, the dead are screaming, caught between the sinister will of Master Darque and the power of Baron Samedi. Will Shadowman and Mirage be able to defeat them both, or will New Orleans fall to the dead?

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE JUNE 5th!
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BLOODSHOT VOL. 2: THE RISE & THE FALL TPB
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by MANUEL GARCIA, ARTURO LOZZI & MATTHEW CLARK
Cover by ARTURO LOZZI (APR131280)

Assault on Project Rising Spirit!

Bloodshot is finally free of the memories that have haunted him since his awakening – but now even greater mysteries remain. Who was he before he was transformed into a walking weapon of mass destruction? And does he have a real family out there somewhere? Unfortunately, the only man with the answers is the former mastermind of Project Rising Spirit, the quasi-governmental science division that created him – and he’s just struck a devil’s bargain with Bloodshot. “Destroy your creators and I’ll reveal everything.” Well, almost everything…

Collecting BLOODSHOT #5-9 by acclaimed writer Duane Swierczynski (Birds of Prey) and artists Manuel Garcia (Black Widow), Arturo Lozzi (Immortal Weapons), and Matthew Clark (Avenging Spider-Man), Bloodshot's brutal, bullet-riddled tour of duty through the Valiant Universe continues right here in the second shock-inducing volume of the series that Complex calls "hard and heavy with each issue."

“A damn fine read…” – Ain’t It Cool News

“Beautiful… Bloodshot has proven its mastery.” – PopMatters

$14.99/T+/128 pgs.
ISBN: 978-1-939346-03-2
Collecting BLOODSHOT #5-9
ON SALE JUNE 26th!

Valiant Comics Shipping in May 2013

VALIANT Solicitations for MAY 2013

HARBINGER WARS #2 (of 4)
Written by JOSHUA DYSART & DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art & Cover by CLAYTON HENRY
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by LEWIS LAROSA
Variant Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
Variant Cover by STEPHANE PERGER

The HARBINGER WARS heat up Las Vegas!

After decades of secret conflict, Toyo Harada has managed in one fell swoop to cripple Project Rising Spirit through the masterful manipulation of key players in the Valiant Universe. Now he wants the psiot children Bloodshot rescued from the bowels of a nightmarish PRS facility. Too bad. This rogue band of super-powered escapees have begun to call themselves GENERATION ZERO and they've declared a war of their own. First strike: Vegas, baby! And while PRS fashions a radical plan for getting the kids back, Peter Stanchek and the Renegades are following visions right into the heart of the Harbinger Wars.

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE MAY 1st!
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HARBINGER #12 (HARBINGER WARS)
Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art by KHARI EVANS
Cover by AMY REEDER
Variant Cover by KHARI EVANS

HARBINGER WARS: HARBINGER continues here!

Battle weary, the Renegades follow Peter Stanchek's strange dreams and visions into the Southwest American desert, unsure of what exactly they'll find. Under the duress of constant conflict, and led by the words of the Bleeding Monk – who bleeds but does not die – our band of teens begins to fray, barely even a cohesive group by the time they reach Las Vegas, Nevada – now rechristened "Psiot Nation." Here Peter and his crew come face to face with the Harbingers who have escaped from Project Rising Spirit’s prison…Harbingers who call themselves GENERATION ZERO.

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE MAY 8th!
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BLOODSHOT #11 (HARBINGER WARS)
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by BARRY KITSON
Cover by KALMAN ANDRASOFSZKY
Variant Cover by MATTHEW CLARK

HARBINGER WARS: BLOODSHOT continues here!

Everyone says they want what's best for the children... but Bloodshot's the only one who’s willing to fight for it. After a lifetime of lies, destruction and pain, he's vowed to use his extraordinary abilities to do one simple thing: keep these kids alive, even if they’re terrified of him. The war for GENERATION ZERO, however, has been waging longer than Bloodshot realizes. And what can one soldier do when he's up against two powerful, secret armies?

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE MAY 15th!
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X-O MANOWAR #13 (PLANET DEATH)
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by CARY NORD
Cover by TREVOR HAIRSINE
Variant Cover by RYAN SOOK

Part III of the explosive PLANET DEATH mega-event!

Aric discovers the Vine he intends conquer aren’t the only race on planet Loam, but will these surprise inhabitants offer him refuge or rivalry? Meanwhile, the Vine leaders plan their most devastating attack yet, one that will push the X-O Manowar armor to its limits and beyond. The stakes are raised and the table set for the epic battle from which no one—human or Vine—will emerge unchanged.

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE MAY 15th!
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ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #0
Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Art & Cover by CLAYTON HENRY
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by LEE GARBETT
Wraparound Gatefold Variant by TOM FOWLER

The true story of the Epic (Fail) of Giglamesh!

Original series artist and Harbinger Wars superstar Clayton Henry returns to tell a tale of the early days of the man known as Armstrong! How early? How's ancient Ur sound? For the first time, the 100% true story behind the Epic of Gilgamesh can be told… A tale of three warrior brothers, the Anni-Padda – or as you may know them, ARMSTRONG, the ETERNAL WARRIOR and TIMEWALKER – on a quest to the mysterious Faraway to bring back its immortal Boon. What they find is a lost land full of danger, excitement – and the greatest secret of the Valiant Universe! Plus: this issue tees up the next arc of A&A, beginning this June in issue #10!

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE MAY 8th!
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SHADOWMAN #0
Written by JUSTIN JORDAN & PATRICK ZIRCHER
Art by TREVOR HAIRSINE
Cover by DAVE JOHNSON
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by KHARI EVANS
Wraparound Gatefold Variant by LEWIS LAROSA

The end has always been near.

Twenty five years ago, Josiah Boniface was the Shadowman, and he had more problems than simply Master Darque: things from beyond are trying to eat the world, the police are trying to send him to jail and now he's got to rescue Helena LeBretton from a murderous cult, whether she likes it or not.

A special standalone issue featuring art by comics superstar Trevor Hairsine, go back to the beginning to discover why this is the series IGN calls “all kinds of great” right here in Shadowman #0!

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE MAY 1st!
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ONE DOLLAR DEBUT: X-O MANOWAR #1
ONE DOLLAR DEBUT: HARBINGER #1
ONE DOLLAR DEBUT: BLOODSHOT #1
ONE DOLLAR DEBUT: ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #1
ONE DOLLAR DEBUT: SHADOWMAN #1
ONE DOLLAR DEBUT: WAVE ONE (BUNDLE)

On May 1st, jump into all of Valiant’s ongoing series for only a dollar apiece!

Just in time for Valiant’s one-year anniversary and Free Comic Book Day 2013, Valiant is proud to announce a new line of reprints, re-presenting the sold-out first issue debuts of the series that launched the all-new Valiant Universe.

And try all five at once with the One Dollar Debut: Wave One bundle – a shrink-wrapped package containing all five #1 issues for only $4.95!

“We’ve been yelling from rooftops about how good this Valiant relaunch has been, so now’s the time to jump on board.” – MTV Geek

“The Valiant Entertainment relaunch is one of the best things to happen to superhero comics for a while." – Comic Book Resources

“Every book in Valiant's relaunched comic line is a really great comic book." – IGN

“Valiant means business…” – iFanboy

$1.00 each/T+/32 pgs. each
ON SALE MAY 1st!
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HARBINGER VOL. 2: RENEGADES TPB

Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art by PHIL BRIONES, MATTHEW CLARK, KHARI EVANS, LEE GARBETT, BARRY KITSON and PERE PEREZ
Cover by MICO SUAYAN

Outside the law. Inside your head. Welcome to the Renegades.

Battered and broken after his escape from the Harbinger Foundation, telekinetic teenager Peter Stanchek only has one option left – run. But he won’t have to go it alone. Crisscrossing America with the only two people he can trust, Peter will have to activate a new team of super-powered recruits before Toyo Harada and his Harbinger shock troops can reach them first. Peter Stanchek. Zephyr. Kris. Flamingo. You’ve never met a team of super-powered teenagers quite like the Renegades. And, together, they’ll dismantle Harada’s global empire one brick at a time.

Collecting HARBINGER #6-10 by New York Times best-selling author Joshua Dysart and an all-star cast of comics’ top artistic talents, get ready for the second stunning volume of the series Ain't It Cool News calls "simply astonishing."

“Four words, ladies and gentlemen: Read this book NOW.” – Ain’t It Cool News
“A superb level of awesomeness.” – IGN

$14.99/T+/128 pgs.
ISBN: 978-1-939346-02-5
ON SALE MAY 22nd!
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VALIANT MASTERS: SHADOWMAN VOL. 1 - SPIRITS WITHIN HC
Written by STEVE ENGLEHART, BOB HALL, BOB LAYTON, JIM SHOOTER and More
Art by STEVE DITKO, BOB HALL, DAVID LAPHAM, DON PERLIN and More
Cover by DAVID LAPHAM

A deluxe hardcover collecting Shadowman’s legendary first appearance in the original Valiant Universe – featuring classic work by Steve Ditko, Steve Englehart, Bob Hall, David Lapham, Jim Shooter and more!

Jack Boniface nearly died one night – attacked by something out of a nightmare. But since that terrifying experience something has changed. Now, when darkness falls, a feeling comes over him, an urge to destroy the demons that would defile the New Orleans night. Wild, reckless, and hell-bent on eliminating evil in all its forms, Jack is now his city’s new protector – the nocturnal avenger simply called Shadowman.

This Valiant Masters volume collects SHADOWMAN (1992) #0-7 and material from DARQUE PASSAGES (1994) #1.

$24.99/T+/184 pgs.
ISBN: 978-1-939346-01-8
ON SALE MAY 29th!

Valiant Comics for April 2013

Solicitations for APRIL 2013

HARBINGER WARS #1 (of 4)
Written by JOSHUA DYSART & DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by CLAYTON HENRY
Cover by LEWIS LAROSA
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by CLAYTON HENRY
Variant Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
Variant Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER

“Do you know where the children are?”

HARBINGER WARS, Valiant’s first family crossover event, begins here! A decades-old secret is about to put BLOODSHOT and HARBINGER on an inescapable collision course – and, soon, the most powerful forces in the Valiant Universe will be drawn into a battle without sides, without rules, and without mercy.

•Two dozen undisciplined, untested and untrained superhuman children have just escaped from a top-secret research facility and into the world.

•When Bloodshot, Toyo Harada and Peter Stanchek join the chase, will the Valiant Universe be ready for its first all-out superhuman showdown?

•Start reading here for a high-stakes tale that will put Valiant’s greatest heroes to the ultimate test!

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE APRIL 3rd!
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HARBINGER #11 (HARBINGER WARS)
Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art & Cover by KHARI EVANS
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by CLAYTON HENRY
Variant Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER

“Your system has failed us. Now we must build our own.”

All-new arc, all-new jumping-on point! HARBINGER WARS continues in a standalone, four-part arc of HARBINGER, featuring the return of original series artist Khari Evans (Carbon Grey)!

•The world has just become a much bigger, much more dangerous place for Peter Stanchek and the Renegades…

•How will they react to the revelation of Project Rising Spirit’s secret mission and the harbinger hunter known as Bloodshot?

•Find out in PART ONE of HARBINGER WARS: HARBINGER!

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE APRIL 10th!
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BLOODSHOT #10 (HARBINGER WARS)
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by BARRY KITSON
Cover by MICO SUAYAN
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by CLAYTON HENRY
Wraparound Variant by LEWIS LAROSA

“Hitting the target is more important than who pulls the trigger.”

All-new arc, all-new jumping-on point! HARBINGER WARS continues in a standalone, four-part arc of BLOODSHOT, featuring comics legend Barry Kitson (Fantastic Four)!

•Bloodshot has banded together with Project Rising Sprit’s most dangerous escapees.

•Can he shape them into a force for good – or are they too far gone?

•Find out in PART ONE of HARBINGER WARS: BLOODSHOT!

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE APRIL 17th!
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X-O MANOWAR #12
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by CARY NORD
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Variant Cover by JUAN DOE

What lurks beneath the surface of PLANET DEATH?

Aric of Dacia has taken his one-man war to the Vine’s homeworld, Loam, and is using their own X-O Manowar armor to wage it. Finding an ally in the unlikeliest of places, Aric will discover that his mission to reduce Loam to ash will come with a high price. Past, present, and future are about to collide, and if Aric isn’t careful, he will be the common thread that undoes them all.

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE APRIL 17th!
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ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #9
Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Art & Cover by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO
Variant Cover by CLAYTON HENRY

It’s all over for the Eternal Warrior!

Gilad and Armstrong must set aside their sibling rivalry long enough to defeat the deadly new champion of The Null... ARCHER! It's win or go home (i.e. "die") as "Wrath of the Eternal Warrior" reaches its bone-crushing conclusion!

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE APRIL 10th!
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SHADOWMAN #6
Written by JUSTIN JORDAN & PATRICK ZIRCHER
Art & Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER
Variant Cover by DAVE JOHNSON

The dead rising are rising in New Orleans.

The Deadside is spreading throughout the city, while a sinister new menace gathers an army that can't be killed. Meanwhile, Jack is about to discover that his Shadowman powers are as much a curse as a blessing.

$3.99/T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE APRIL 3rd!
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SHADOWMAN VOL. 1: BIRTH RITES TPB
Written by JUSTIN JORDAN & PATRICK ZIRCHER
Art & Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER

There are a million dreams in the Big Easy. But now its worst nightmare is about to come true.

As the forces of darkness prepare to claim New Orleans as their own, Jack Boniface must embrace the legacy he was born to uphold. As Shadowman, Jack is about to become the only thing that stands between his city and an army of unspeakable monstrosities from beyond the night. But is the mantle of Shadowman a blessing or a curse? And what is the true cost of his otherworldly power?

From rising star Justin Jordan (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode) and comics superstar Patrick Zircher (Captain America, Hulk), this volume collects SHADOWMAN #1-4.

“It's simply stunning… ‘Shadowman’ is another awesome notch in the belt of Valiant.” – IGN

“Jordan and Zircher have given us a winner with ‘Shadowman.’" – Comic Book Resources

$14.99/T+/112 pgs.
ISBN: 978-1-939346-00-1
ON SALE APRIL 24th!

Valiant Comics for February 2013

VALIANT Solicitations for FEBRUARY 2013
(subject to change, of course)

HARBINGER #0
Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art & Cover by MICO SUAYAN
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by CLAYTON HENRY & CLAYTON CRAIN
Wraparound Gatefold Variant by LEWIS LAROSA

Rise to power!

Toyo Harada, CEO of Harada Global Conglomerates and the most potent known psionic in the world, has a vision for the perfect future. A vision he will realize with or without the consent of the rest of humanity. In order to achieve it, he’s built a private army of super-powered hyper-telekinetics within the Harbinger Foundation. But who was Harada before he became the world’s most powerful man? And what are the origins of his vast ambitions? Don’t miss those answers and more in this special standalone issue that will define the future of the Valiant Universe.

$3.99/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE FEBRUARY 6th
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X-O MANOWAR #10
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art & Cover by TREVOR HAIRSINE
Variant Cover by CARY NORD

Planet Death looms! A new X-O Manowar rises! And nothing can stop what's coming.

With the Vine invasion fleet waiting in orbit, Aric of Dacia is forced into the one battle he never wanted, against the strongest, most horrifying opponent he’s ever faced. This adversary doesn’t want the X-O Manowar armor. It doesn’t want Earth. It only wants Aric — dead. The winner will hold the fate of everyone – human and Vine – in the palm of his hand. Because before this fight is over, the armor will reveal that it wields far more destructive potential than anyone could have possibly imagined. Robert Venditti and Trevor Hairsine conclude the two-part prelude that sets the stage for the epic war everything has been building up to. X-O Manowar is going home!

$3.99/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE FEBRUARY 20th
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BLOODSHOT #8
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by MANUEL GARCIA
Cover by ARTURO LOZZI
Variant Cover by TREVOR HAIRSINE & CLAYTON CRAIN

CHAINSAW EAT BLOODSHOT!

Bloodshot may be the best, but he wasn't the first. Bloodshot is taking his revenge on Project Rising Spirit—the secret quasi-government experimental division that created him — one body at a time. But nothing could have prepared him for what's waiting for him inside the Nursery. Deep underground, get ready to go to war with the band of misfit killers that Bloodshot used to call brothers-in-arms. Cleaner. Recon. Point. Gunner. Team: CHAINSAW is reporting for duty, sir!

$3.99/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE FEBRAURY 13th
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ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #7
Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Art & Cover by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO
Variant Cover by CLAYTON HENRY

Who shoots The Shootist?!

What would an Eternal Warrior be without an immortal enemy? For centuries, The Shootist – the Sect's most feared assassin – has been a pivotal player in world events. Now he has Archer & Armstrong in his sights! With Gilad and the new Geomancer's help, can they stop the man who only fires shots heard 'round the world?

$3.99/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE FEBRUARY 13th
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HARBINGER #9
Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art by MATTHEW CLARK
Cover by MICO SUAYAN
Variant Cover by KHARI EVANS

Nothing can bring her down.

She's the light in the dark. The soul of a rising resistance movement. Here now, for the first time, is the story of Zephyr (aka Faith Herbert… but shhh don't tell anyone)! As danger closes in on all sides, Faith must begin the trials and tribulations of being the Valiant Universe's first real-life superhero. Learn the secret potential of her powers and the truth about her time at the Harbinger Foundation, then follow her into battle to save the other Renegades. Look, up in the air! It's a bird, it's a plane... it's freakin' Zephyr!

$3.99/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE FEBRUARY 20th
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SHADOWMAN #4
Written by JUSTIN JORDAN & PATRICK ZIRCHER
Art & Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER
Variant Cover by DAVE JOHNSON

All hell breaks loose.

Shadowman and the monstrous Mr. Twist battle to the death! Everything is at stake for Jack, Dox, and Alyssa – and for the world as they know it – because if Twist succeeds, then Master Darque will walk the earth once more.

$3.99/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE FEBRUARY 6th
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BLOODSHOT VOL. 1: SETTING THE WORLD ON FIRE TPB
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by MANUEL GARCIA & ARTURO LOZZI
Cover by ARTURO LOZZI

Every mission is a suicide mission.

Your name is Angelo Mortalli. Your brother is trapped behind enemy lines and on the verge of — no. That’s not right. Your name is Raymond Garrison. You’ve retired from the dangers of the field, but a desperate plea from your oldest friend plunges you into a vicious firefight that — no. That’s not right, either. You are Bloodshot. You are the shade of gray that freedom requires. The perfect confluence of military necessity and cutting-edge technology. A walking WikiLeaks. A reservoir of dirty secrets that could set the world on fire. And you’ve just been captured.

Collecting BLOODSHOT #1-4 (2012) by best-selling writer Duane Swierczynski and acclaimed artists Manuel Garcia & Arturo Lozzi, find out why this is the series that has IGN proclaiming “Valiant is quickly becoming the publisher to beat.”

$14.99/Rated T+/128 pgs.
ISBN: 978-0-9796409-6-4
ON SALE FEBRUARY 6th
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VALIANT MASTERS: NINJAK VOL. 1 – BLACK WATER HC
Written by MARK MORETTI
Art by JOE QUESADA & MARK MORETTI
Cover by JOE QUESADA

Collected for the very first time – Ninjak’s solo debut in the original Valiant Universe by Mark Moretti (Bloodshot) & comics icon Joe Quesada (Daredevil, Amazing Spider-Man)!

Colin King – sophisticated British playboy by day, elite super-spy by night! Codenamed Ninjak, King is gifted with a brilliant mind and lethal training in the world’s most dangerous fighting techniques. Both will be put to the ultimate test as he is drawn into globe-spanning mission to apprehend Dr. Silk, mastermind of the WEBNET terror network, before the mysterious weapon known as “Black Water” goes online. From the British Isles to the land of the Rising Sun, Ninjak will leave an indelible imprint on the Valiant Universe – or die trying. Collecting NINJAK (1994) #1-6, #0, and #00 and featuring special, rarely seen sketches and process art from the Valiant vault!

$24.99/Rated T+/184pgs.
ISBN: 978-0-9796409-7-1
ON SALE FEBRUARY 27th

Valiant Comics Debuts "Shadowman" in November 2012

VALIANT Solicitations For NOVEMBER 2012

SHADOWMAN #1

Written by JUSTIN JORDAN & PATRICK ZIRCHER
Art by PATRICK ZIRCHER
Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER
"Blackout" Pullbox Exclusive Variant by PATRICK ZIRCHER
Variant Covers by DAVE JOHNSON and BILL SIENKIEWICZ

The next epic expansion of the Valiant Universe starts this November in a new ongoing series by comics superstar Patrick Zircher (Captain America, Thor: Ages of Thunder) and Harvey Award nominee Justin Jordan (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode, Team 7)!

There’s a million dreams in the Big Easy. But now its worst nightmare is about to come true. As the forces of darkness prepare to claim New Orleans as their own, Jack Boniface must embrace the legacy he was born to uphold. As Shadowman, Jack is about to become the only thing that stands between his city and an army of unspeakable monstrosities from beyond the night. But is the mantle of Shadowman a blessing or a curse? And what is the true cost of his otherworldly power?

The rebirth of a Valiant icon starts right here when Shadowman strikes this November!

$3.99 US/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE NOVEMBER 7th!

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ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #4

Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Art by CLAYTON HENRY
Cover by JASON PEARSON
Variant Cover by JUAN DOE

Archer & Armstrong make their last stand against The Sect high in the Himalayas!

Every clan of The Sect has gathered together for the first time in millennia to harness the unthinkable, sanity-shattering destruction of the mythical Book. But one piece is still missing - and Obadiah Archer has it! If he turns it over, The Sect will give him back his family. If he refuses, the man called Armstrong dies! PLUS: The true nature of Archer's powers revealed! AND, on top of everything else, witness the debut of the Valiant Universe's next superstar hero – only in this issue!

$3.99/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE NOVEMBER 14th!

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BLOODSHOT #5

Written by DUANE SWIERZCYSNKI
Art by MANUEL GARCIA
Cover by ARTURO LOZZI
Variant Cover by MANUEL GARCIA

ALL-NEW ARC! Before Bloodshot, who was Raymond Garrison?

Bloodshot is finally free of the memories that have haunted him since his awakening – but now even greater mysteries remain. Who was he before he was transformed into a walking weapon of mass destruction? And does he have a real family out there somewhere? Unfortunately, the only man with the answers is the former mastermind of Project Rising Spirit, Dr. Emmanuel Kuretich –‑and he’s just struck a devil’s bargain with Bloodshot. “Destroy your creators and I’ll reveal everything.” Well, almost everything…

$3.99/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE NOVEMBER 14th!

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HARBINGER #6

Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art by PHIL BRIONES
Cover by MICO SUAYAN
Variant Cover by MATTHEW CLARK

ALL-NEW ARC! From out of the ashes – ­RENEGADES!

After a crushing defeat at the hands of his would-be mentor, Peter Stanchek lies critically wounded and the only person who can save him is the person that hates him the most – his childhood love Kris Hathaway. As Harada’s Eggbreaker strike force closes in, the helpless Peter wonders if he is going to find forgiveness at Kris’s door –‑or unbridled vengeance. But when Faith returns as the superhero she’s always dreamed of being, the game is going to change for everyone involved…‑

As the most daring series in comics enters its staggering second act,‑fi nd out why this is the book that Comic Book Resources says “feels new in a way that few comics about characters with superpowers manage these days.”

$3.99/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE NOVEMBER 21st!

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X-O MANOWAR #7

Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by LEE GARBETT
Cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE

X-O Manowar vs. Ninjak. To the victor – Earth!

Agents of the alien race known as The Vine have been living in secret among us for centuries and now they’ve just been activated for one final mission – purge the Earth of all human life! An invasion fleet is on its way and the only weapon in existence powerful enough to defeat it is the X-O Manowar armor. But first, Aric of Dacia must survive his latest encounter with Ninjak, the covert operative and master weapons specialist charged with taking him down. The stakes are raised and revelations abound in the latest issue of the smash hit series that has IGN declaring, “This is X-O Manowar done for this generation...and it is awesome.”

$3.99/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE NOVEMBER 21st!

Valiant Comics Offers 5 Releases in October 2012

VALIANT Solicitations For OCTOBER 2012

ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #3
Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Art by CLAYTON HENRY
Cover by ARTURO LOZZI
Character Design Cover by DAVID AJA

Fnord!

Those email forwards Grandma sends you? ALL TRUE. Every lurid cover of every supermarket tabloid? ALL TRUE. That impossible-to-read GeoCities site rambling on about truthers, birthers and black ops alien greys working for the U.N.? ALL TRUE. The Sect has dragged a curtain of confusion across the inner workings of your world, but fear not, the conspiracy-busters Archer & Armstrong are here to deliver Truth in the form of ass-kicking! (And ass-kicking in the form of ass-kicking.) Our heroes' newfound friendship will face its greatest test as they battle The Sisters of Perpetual Darkness – the Nunjas ("ninja" + "nun") who guard Rome’s blasphemous secrets. Obadiah Archer thought he had been betrayed by his family before, but nothing can prepare him for this!

Also: the existence of God will be proven for all time. Or disproven. One of the two.
$3.99/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE OCTOBER 10th

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BLOODSHOT #4
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by MANUEL GARCIA
Cover by ARTURO LOZZI
Character Design Cover by DAVID AJA

They call you Project Bloodshot, but you had a real name once.

You were born, raised, maybe even loved. And at some point, some evil bastards filled your head with dozens of false memories to motivate you, restrain you, control you. And oh, what they made you do in the name of national security… But what if one of those memories wasn’t false? What if you had a real wife and a child somewhere in the world who thought you were dead? Wouldn’t you go through seven kinds of violent hell to find them? Congrats. Your wish is about to be granted…

$3.99/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE OCTOBER 10th

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HARBINGER #5
Written by JOSH DYSART
Art by KHARI EVANS
Cover by MICO SUAYAN
Character Design Cover by DAVID AJA

Toyo Harada and Peter Stanchek. Master and apprentice. Creator and destroyer. Alpha and omega.

Humanity’s most powerful psionic, Pete Stanchek, has been run to ground. His few friends and family are gone. He is loved is by no one. At the nadir of his brief, 18-year existence, he has been drugged, deceived and deluded by a corporate master. But now he’s finally had enough. Tonight, the human race will find out exactly how powerful he is. Tonight, the boy who has nothing will go to war against the man who has everything. And soon the Valiant Universe will discover that anything can end – even the world.

$3.99/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE OCTOBER 17th

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X-O MANOWAR #6
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by LEE GARBETT
Cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
Variant Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER
Character Design Cover by JELENA KEVIC-DJURDJEVIC

Ninjak vs. X-O Manowar: Round II!

Aric of Dacia has bonded with the most powerful weapon in the universe, but his command of the sentient X-O Manowar armor will lead him to cross swords with Ninjak, the world’s most skilled weapons specialist. Hired by members of The Vine hidden deep within Earth’s governments, Ninjak has been sent to bring back the Manowar armor at any cost. It’s raw power versus stealth and cunning in the second installment of the espionage-edged thriller that pits two of Valiant’s most popular heroes against each other – to the death.

$3.99/Rated T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE OCTOBER 17th

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VALIANT MASTERS: BLOODSHOT VOL. 1 HC
BLOOD OF THE MACHINE
Written by Kevin VanHook
Art by Don Perlin, Andrew Wendel and Ted Halsted
Cover by Barry Windsor-Smith

The first in an all-new library of Valiant classics!

Collected for the first time anywhere, the best-selling title of the 90s is back! Re-presenting the first arc of his original adventures in the VH1 Valiant Universe, Bloodshot comes armed to the teeth with bullets, nanites – and questions. With all of New York as his battlefield, Bloodshot wages a one-man war for the secrets to his past. But with the whole of New York’s mafia underground hot on his tail, he’ll soon realize that some questions are better left unanswered! With appearances from Ninjak, Eternal Warrior, Rai and more, no fan can miss this essential piece of Valiant history! Collecting BLOODSHOT (1994) #1-8 and featuring AN ALL-NEW, NEVER–BEFORE-SEEN STORY by the original creative team of Kevin VanHook and Don Perlin.

$24.99/Rated T+/200 pgs.
ON SALE OCTOBER 24th

Valiant Comics Offers Four Titles for September 2012

VALIANT Solicitations For SEPTEMBER 2012

X-O MANOWAR #5
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by LEE GARBETT
Cover by MICO SUAYAN
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by PHILIP TAN
Interlocking Variants by PATRICK ZIRCHER

All new arc! X-O Manowar vs. Ninjak!

Jump on board the smash hit series of the summer as two legends of the Valiant Universe collide for the first time! The X-O Manowar armor has fallen to Earth... and now the world's most lethal intelligence agent has a new target. But who is the operative known only as Ninjak? And who – or what – has marked Aric of Dacia for death by his blade? Find out as the all-new Ninjak makes his shocking first appearance – and cuts his way to the forefront of the Valiant Universe.

$3.99/ T +/32 pgs.
ON SALE SEPTEMBER 12th!
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HARBINGER #4
Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art by KHARI EVANS & LEWIS LAROSA
Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER
Variant Cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE

School is out. Of control.

Inside the Harbinger Foundation, Peter Stanchek thought he would finally find freedom. Instead, he found a prison of his own design. As Peter begins to yearn for the comforts of his old life, he’s about to discover that leaving Harada’s program isn’t easy – it’s impossible. As rebellion brews among his pupils, Harada must ask himself: has he been building an ally in Peter all this time – or the perfect enemy?

$3.99/ T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE SEPTEMBER 12th!
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ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #2
Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Art by CLAYTON HENRY
Cover by ARTURO LOZZI
Variant Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER

In the Valiant Universe, even secrets have secrets. Have you heard the one about The Michelangelo Code?

Inside a Masonic crypt beneath Wall Street, The 1% engineer a financial apocalypse that will save the dollar, but could destroy the world. Within the secret archives of the Vatican, The Spirituali shelter a secret that could crack history in half. And – in a bar somewhere – Archer & Armstrong are all that stands between the ancient conspiracy that binds these two group together. But can Archer survive a terrible betrayal from his own family – and the shocking revelation of Armstrong's closest ally? Get ready for a spreadsheet-shattering, kung-fu gripping action epic that will set the Valiant Universe aflame!

$3.99/ T +/32 pgs.
ON SALE SEPTEMBER 5th!
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BLOODSHOT #3
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by MANUEL GARCIA & ARTURO LOZZI
Cover by ESAD RIBIC
Variant Cover by ARTURO LOZZI

Heroes aren’t born. They’re built.

You have no name, just a project designation. They call you Bloodshot, but the voices inside your head call you “daddy, “sir,” “commander,” “comrade” – whatever it takes to motivate you to get the job done. But after so many missions and so many lives, you’re finally ready to confront your handlers at Project Rising Spirit and find out who you really are. You’d better move quickly though, because your former masters don’t like it when a billion-dollar weapons project decides to go rogue. Can you discover the truth before their next deadly mind wipe takes you off the board for good? Let’s hope so…because everyone inside you is counting on it.

$3.99/ T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE SEPTEMBER 5th!

I Reads You Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE #5

JUSTICE LEAGUE #5
DC COMICS

WRITER: Geoff Johns
PENCILS: Jim Lee
INKS: Scott Williams
COLORS: Alex Sinclair with Gabe Eltaeb
LETTERS: Patrick Brosseau
COVER: Jim Lee and Scott Williams, with Alex Sinclair
VARIANT COVER: Eric Basaldua with Nei Ruffino
40pp, Color, $3.99 U.S.

The subject of this comic book review is Justice League, the flagship title of “The New 52,” DC Comics’ re-launch of its superhero comic book line, which began August 2011. As I’ve done in previous reviews of this new Justice League series, I come in praise of it.

In the previous issue, Darkseid was revealed as the villain behind the worldwide invasion of earth by alien/extra-dimensional forces. As Justice League #5 (“Part Five”) opens, Superman and Flash are taking their shots at Darkseid – to no avail. Batman and Green Lantern agree to a truce in their petty rivalry as The Dark Knight hatches a plan for a rescue mission. Meanwhile, Green Lantern leads the charge of the heroes still standing.

As I learn to enjoy Geoff Johns, at least while I’m reading Justice League, I also realize that he has stretched this story beyond reason. After five issues, Johns has written what would have been about a single issue’s worth of story for Stan Lee back in the 1960s. Of course, Lee’s frequent collaborator, artist Jack Kirby, would have squeezed the action into smaller panels than the ones drawn by Johns’ Justice League collaborator, artist Jim Lee.

Honestly, I would not still be reading this if not for Jim Lee. (I love you, Jim Lee!) As long as he is drawing it, I’m down. Well, I didn’t read his Superman arc with writer Brian Azzarello, because reading it bored me severely.

For extras, there are two pages of Wonder Woman sketches by Cliff Chiang, two of Aquaman by Ivan Reis, and two pages of Cyborg by Jim Lee. There is also a two-page sneak peek of Suicide Squad #6-7, with art by Clayton Henry.

B+