New Exec Editor at Valiant and a promised new direction!

[Dallow Spicer1]

Valiant announce:

‘A NEW ERA HAS BEGUN AT VALIANT ENTERTAINMENT

July 20th, 2021 – Big changes are happening at Valiant Entertainment. The future of the award-winning publisher’s slate of comics will fully embrace the potential that its shared universe of compelling characters has to offer, and Rob Levin has joined the team as Executive Editor to help move this vision forward.’

Gregg Katzman and a few others have hinted at an overhaul at Valiant with the implication that fans will be pleased. Presumably this is change they meant.

I’ve never heard of Rob Levin but I’m hoping he recognises that the DMG era as 95% mediocre at best and absolute trash at worst. Could this appointment be Valiant’s saviour? Is it too late?

I’m hoping he can work some magic but he has to hit the ground running.

What are your thoughts?

[bobby97801]

I hope he turns this company around. The quality of the books have been going down ever since Dinesh was forced out. I love these characters and it breaks my heart to not be all on board with Valiant.

[magnus20009]

I too hope he turns the company around, we get more books per month, better books and it would be nice if they MASSIVELY cut down on the number of covers for each issue.

[Sunlight on Snow]

Okay, after one year during which David Wohl didn't get anything done for whatever (private) reasons, this seems to be a good move.

Just like Wohl, Rob Levin's name doesn't ring a bell at first but his track record isn't bad and he has been involved in an incredible amount of indie stuff I actually read and liked (Archaia's Days Missing; the first 5 digital chapters of Fialkov's The Bunker), some of which he even wrote (Radical Press' horror series Abattoir and Top Cow's Bushido). He's done stuff at Image (Witchblade, Nailbiter, Top Cow's Pilot Seasons) and also got some experience at DC (Bat family, and mostly The Wild Storm) and Humanoid's attempt to create a shared universe (the H1 Universe).

He could be the right guy.

It's certainly time for Valiant and Levin to get things going again....or just bust!

[armlessphelan]

Levin is a former Top Cow guy. I loved the output when he was an editor there. Can't say if I've read any of his writing, though. Hopefully, he gets to actually have a book published. That's the only thing I dislike about David Wohl's tenure: Valiant was just publishing stuff that had been announced pre-pandemic and nothing new.

Hopefully, a new hire and a new direction means less unconnected and inconsequential miniseries and more ongoings and the return of the big summer event. Has Valiant had one since Harbinger Wars 2? It's a shared universe, dammit. Use it!

[Jrosen]

Okay, after one year during which David Wohl didn't get anything done for whatever (private) reasons, this seems to be a good move.

Just like Wohl, Rob Levin's name doesn't ring a bell at first but his track record isn't bad and he has been involved in an incredible amount of indie stuff I actually read and liked (Archaia's Days Missing; the first 5 digital chapters of Fialkov's The Bunker), some of which he even wrote (Radical Press' horror series Abattoir and Top Cow's Bushido). He's done stuff at Image (Witchblade, Nailbiter, Top Cow's Pilot Seasons) and also got some experience at DC (Bat family, and mostly The Wild Storm) and Humanoid's attempt to create a shared universe (the H1 Universe).

He could be the right guy.

It's certainly time for Valiant and Levin to get things going again....or just bust!

I had high hopes for the Humanoids shared universe. I thought Ignited and Omni were really interesting, but my LCS had problems with the distribution of the rest of the line. That said, given the direction of those books and the animosity toward Heather Antos, I can't imagine this board will approve of Valiants potentially new direction.

[Chiclo]

That said, given the direction of those books and the animosity toward Heather Antos, I can't imagine this board will approve of Valiants potentially new direction.

I think I can speak for all of us that were pretty critical of Heather Antos when I say that I am hopeful. This time could be different. I say this every time Valiant gets a new senior editor (which is about once a year). I was even hopeful when Heather Antos started.

Why would you say if we didn’t like Antos, we won’t like this new guy? Do you know something about him we don’t? Spill the beans, my man!

[Jrosen]

That said, given the direction of those books and the animosity toward Heather Antos, I can't imagine this board will approve of Valiants potentially new direction.

I think I can speak for all of us that were pretty critical of Heather Antos when I say that I am hopeful. This time could be different. I say this every time Valiant gets a new senior editor (which is about once a year). I was even hopeful when Heather Antos started.

Why would you say if we didn’t like Antos, we won’t like this new guy? Do you know something about him we don’t? Spill the beans, my man!

Read the reviews for Ignited.

https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-book ... /ignited/1

[Chiclo]

That is not encouraging but I still hope for something better than we have had.

[sonicdan]

It's the summer of Valiant 2012 all over again!!!

(hoping for the best!)

Dan

[Jrosen]

That is not encouraging but I still hope for something better than we have had.

I thought it was extremely well done, but, like I said, there will be a lot of vocal people here that disagree.

[Sunlight on Snow]

Okay, after one year during which David Wohl didn't get anything done for whatever (private) reasons, this seems to be a good move.

Just like Wohl, Rob Levin's name doesn't ring a bell at first but his track record isn't bad and he has been involved in an incredible amount of indie stuff I actually read and liked (Archaia's Days Missing; the first 5 digital chapters of Fialkov's The Bunker), some of which he even wrote (Radical Press' horror series Abattoir and Top Cow's Bushido). He's done stuff at Image (Witchblade, Nailbiter, Top Cow's Pilot Seasons) and also got some experience at DC (Bat family, and mostly The Wild Storm) and Humanoid's attempt to create a shared universe (the H1 Universe).

He could be the right guy.

It's certainly time for Valiant and Levin to get things going again....or just bust!

I had high hopes for the Humanoids shared universe. I thought Ignited and Omni were really interesting, but my LCS had problems with the distribution of the rest of the line. That said, given the direction of those books and the animosity toward Heather Antos, I can't imagine this board will approve of Valiants potentially new direction.

What does this have to do with Rob Levin?

This universe was envisioned in late 2018/early 2019 by Kwanza Osajyefo, Clara Speed McNeil and Vanick Paquette with John Cassaday as H1's Chief Creative Officer and Mark Waid as H1's Director of Creative Development. There's a clear hierarchy right there.

Ignited #1 was released in June 2019.

Rob Levin only joined H1 in late 2019 for their second and final round of story arcs. The creative teams for Ignited (Waid & O.) and Strangelands (Visaggio) stayed the same. The hierarchy with Cassaday & Waid as well. OMNI was ultimately written by somebody else. It can't possibly be Levin's fault the first round of story arcs received mostly average reviews and did not sell well. Then came COVID and an almost year-long hiatus for Ignited & OMNI.

[GammaJosh]

I can't say that I find this encouraging. Valiant needs to find someone that will actually stick around. The fact that everyone they bring in bails so quickly does not inspire confidence in me as a fan.

[Chiclo]

I can't say that I find this encouraging. Valiant needs to find someone that will actually stick around. The fact that everyone they bring in bails so quickly does not inspire confidence in me as a fan.

Well said.

Maybe this time will be different. Maybe DMG really has changed this time.

[Jrosen]

What does this have to do with Rob Levin?

This universe was envisioned in late 2018/early 2019 by Kwanza Osajyefo, Clara Speed McNeil and Vanick Paquette with John Cassaday as H1's Chief Creative Officer and Mark Waid as H1's Director of Creative Development. There's a clear hierarchy right there.

Ignited #1 was released in June 2019.

Rob Levin only joined H1 in late 2019 for their second and final round of story arcs. The creative teams for Ignited (Waid & O.) and Strangelands (Visaggio) stayed the same. The hierarchy with Cassaday & Waid as well. OMNI was ultimately written by somebody else. It can't possibly be Levin's fault the first round of story arcs received mostly average reviews and did not sell well. Then came COVID and an almost year-long hiatus for Ignited & OMNI.

Many people on this board focused their anger on Heather for the decline in quality post the DMC, regardless of whether the perception that she was adding liberal story elements to the line was real or imagined. Those board members will likely react similarly if any of the elements that made H1 unique are carried over to Valiant.

That's what the reviews demonstrate. They aren't "bad." It just a bimodal distribution that was split based on whether the reviewer liked the social liberalism aspects. Those that thought calling attention to gun laws should not be included in comics gave it a poor review while those that thought it was an appropriate medium gave it positive reviews.

Althought its possible that he joined H1 without supporting liberal viewpoints, I would find it extremely odd that he would join H1as an editor without harboring the same views as the creators responsible for the vision of the universe.

(FWIW, I really enjoyed the books, but I stopped reading them because my lcs couldn't get firm distribution).

[nycjadie]

Many people on this board focused their anger on Heather for the decline in quality post the DMC,

I think people point to the changes DMG made after takeover, which include hiring Antos. The changes were systemic, in part because many would not work with DMG after what they did. DMG hired who was cheap and who would work for them - mostly junior folks. Antos was just one of the many things.

I didn’t love much of what those folks made, but I think a lot of those folks faced some pretty significant obstacles with creation as well. I think one need only look at the still unpublished works, the high turnover, and the creators who complained of having to change direction numerous times during a run.

I’m wishing those folks, including Antos, best of luck in their future work. I hope we see great things from them. Still waiting on Final Witness!

[The Harbinger]

This guy was involved on Ignited? Give it a year before they pull the “Antos” (be outright antagonistic with potential customers, than have no idea why they can’t break 3k issues ordered by stores)

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over. I’ve completely given up on mainstream comics.

Substack is where the magic is now

[SwiftMann]

Substack is where the magic is now

[The Harbinger]

Substack is where the magic is now

Not sure if that's an /s or not

Valiant would kill for Snyder or Tynion or Zdarsky, especially when it was in the death rattle of the Antos era

[Oxmyx]

... the return of the big summer event. Has Valiant had one since Harbinger Wars 2? It's a shared universe, dammit. Use it!

Be careful what you wish for!

Although I was happy with Doctor Tomorrow at first, and indeed overall, I was very unhappy how they threw characters in for no reason except cameo, and worse characters who had no business being there.