I was once lurking, but now am found

How did you become a VALIANT collector?

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PFunkJAzz
If you gave Aric hugs and kisses, would it be XOXO X-O?
If you gave Aric hugs and kisses, would it be XOXO X-O?
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I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by PFunkJAzz »

It's great that the Valiant line is back! I had been so out of comics that I missed out on the first live run. I came in late (post Unity) and had to scrap for back issues in trade collections. I liked the solid writing and non-stereotypical superheroes. There always seem some mythic quality to their stories which led to unified story-line. It was much to my dismay that Valiant tanked soon after I got caught up. So you can imagine I'm pretty geeked it's all starting anew !

I've been lurking at whatever links show up on GOOGLE searches, picking up news tidbits and buzzing around conventions for latest developments. Finally, Wednesday I got the 2012 relaunch with XO #1 and scoured around LA looking for the FCBD preview. Everything looks great! I'm in on the ground floor and I eagerly await the first wave this summer. Nothing would make me happier than to see Shadowman return to the fold!

I'm totally uninterested in the superhero lines from Marvel and DC. Those characters just don't do much for me any more. Most of what I buy is from Dark Horse or Image. Pulpish, adventure-oriented, but non-superhero. I make an exception for Valiant, but then they aren't really superhero books are they?

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greg
The admin around here must be getting old and soft.
The admin around here must be getting old and soft.
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by greg »

Welcome! :thumb:

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kevinbastos
I felt 'used car salesman' kind of dirty.
I felt 'used car salesman' kind of dirty.
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by kevinbastos »

I think I would kinda call them superhero books. But not in the traditional way...
Hey, look! I have a podcast!
And a Website!
http://www.valiantnewuniverse.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


If I win an argument, it doesn't mean I'm right. It means I'm a better arguer.

In addition, I'm right.

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betterthanezra
Wanna see an unpublished Shadowman page?
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by betterthanezra »

Welcome :thumb:

-Brian
I'm on Twitter follow me

https://twitter.com/#!/shadowsip" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My Valiant story here

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=6932" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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jmatt
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by jmatt »

kevinbastos wrote:I think I would kinda call them superhero books. But not in the traditional way...
Yup. No capes, less spandex. But you know we're gonna see Faith trying out Spanx at some point... :D

And welcome! :hi:

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caniac
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the hole just keeps getting deeper
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by caniac »

Welcome to the board...enjoy the ride :thumb:
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by comicsyte95 »

Welcome! :thumb:
If I just can't be me ,and the Arrow isn't enough.. then maybe I should be Ra's al Ghul

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FormerReader
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by FormerReader »

Welcome! :thumb:

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Daniel Jackson
A toast to the return of Valiant!
A toast to the return of Valiant!
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by Daniel Jackson »

Welcome to the board.

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PFunkJAzz
If you gave Aric hugs and kisses, would it be XOXO X-O?
If you gave Aric hugs and kisses, would it be XOXO X-O?
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by PFunkJAzz »

One thing's for sure, I gotta dig out my longboxes and review the Valiants I have. Things are kinda fuzzy in the days follows CHAOS EFFEVT and into the ACCLAIM buy-out and I just filed issues away without really reading them. Coming on late I never got the whole ETERNAL WARRIOR/ARCHER & ARMSTRONG storyline and didn't bother to pursue back issues in trades (with A&A those BWS issues made the price run up!). I got XO, RAI, MAGNUS and SOLAR in trades, but just got on board to get SHADOWMAN from the beginning.

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PFunkJAzz
If you gave Aric hugs and kisses, would it be XOXO X-O?
If you gave Aric hugs and kisses, would it be XOXO X-O?
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by PFunkJAzz »

MORE of "MY VALIANT" Stream of Consciousness

What I've always dug about Valiant was their characters were racially, culturally and temporally diverse without political pretensions. They're not all WASPy teenagers in NYC and the stories progress without getting mired down in heavy-handed racial politics.

I had been out of comics for quite some time through the late 70s thru the early 90s. Valiant was already out, but I was going more for some of DC's titles (they were just starting VERTIGO). Marvel had X-Men but the storylines were so convoluted I got headaches and flaked on the pull-list. DC was all set to launch its MILESTONE imprint. This was going to be pretty cool. In Milestone, the writing was a bit heavy-handed (like the politics of the Black Rock Coalition), but there were some pretty good ideas. Along the way of looking for Black-themed series I picked up on SHADOWMAN's 4th and 5th issues. It had just come out so back issues were easy to get.

I spent time digging for back issues and found that VALIANT UNiverse had been planned from the ground floor This was pretty innovative in that the continuity linked all the series together in a logical sensible way; not retro-fitted. Then there were the characters:

SHADOWMAN was, at best, a mixed raced Black Man who played saxophone. Being a huge jazz fan, there was immediate appeal. The stories had a wonderful sense of mystery with the role of Master Darque and didn't delve into issues of racial anxiety, paranoia and oppression (please note, I'm not knocking MILESTONE. I greatly enjoyed their titles and those themes of race are important reading to me. I'm just contrasting the difference to highlight Valiant's appeal).

The Harbingers were, for the most part, typical WASPY teenagers, but their main adversary, Japanese businessman Toyo Harada was actually a co-star of the book.

Aric was a Visigoth who survived skirmishes against the Roman Empire to the present day against the Spider aliens
Gilad, Ivar and Aram were Immortals of some ancient European lineage.

RAI was set in a far future (41st century) Japanese society. It also ran concurrent to Magnus, ROBOT FIGHTER which was one of the first comics I remember reading.

Plus from GOLD KEY: SOLAR was middle aged. MAGNUS is of some future NORTH AMERICAN ethnicity. TUROK (added later) is Native American.

So from digging on Shadowman I got into collecting the whole Valiant line. A pretty diverse cast of characters and it's all been great reading with some of the best artwork and production standards at the time.

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PFunkJAzz
If you gave Aric hugs and kisses, would it be XOXO X-O?
If you gave Aric hugs and kisses, would it be XOXO X-O?
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Joined: Sun May 06, 2012 1:31:41 pm
Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by PFunkJAzz »

WOW! I've been thumbing thru the online cover gallery and it appears I missed a bunch of Valiant storylines. I remember latching on at the end of Unity, but a lot of overs after Chaos Effect don't look familiar. I remember Ninjak, Dr Mirage, PsiLords and The Visitor but that's all.

Also i'm noticing things like Valiant Voice and some FREEVIEW stuff. Were these dealer incentives handed out through pull-lists?

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kevinbastos
I felt 'used car salesman' kind of dirty.
I felt 'used car salesman' kind of dirty.
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by kevinbastos »

PFunkJAzz wrote:WOW! I've been thumbing thru the online cover gallery and it appears I missed a bunch of Valiant storylines. I remember latching on at the end of Unity, but a lot of overs after Chaos Effect don't look familiar. I remember Ninjak, Dr Mirage, PsiLords and The Visitor but that's all.

Also i'm noticing things like Valiant Voice and some FREEVIEW stuff. Were these dealer incentives handed out through pull-lists?
The Valiant Voices were a newspaper produced - at comic shops - a sort of fan-zine produced by Valiant. I can remember buying the first one and thinking, "That was stupid."

As a crazed completist, I have gone back and found all of them. They should be toward the top of the toughest to find list.

For example, Valiant Voice 19 lists as

ValiantFans.com Current Value: $10.00 in Near Mint condition
Market Volatility: Price is unstable - few sales, availability and sale prices are often erratic.

But I can't think of any person who would sell it for $10, nor anyone who has purchased it for $10. I was happy to pay around $30 - along with a few others - last year.

As far as reading, though, it's terrible. It's a rah-RAH! for whatever Valiant was producing or doing at the time. I read the stuff on early Secret Weapons and almost threw up in my mouth. I don't think anyone thought some of those later issues were good, and yet to read the newspapers, they were producing the next Watchmen. It is nice to see some of the letters contained - at that time most Valiant books weren't publishing letters.

The Free-View was much later, and I wasn't collecting then. I'm guessing it was promotional through comic stores, but I don't know.
Hey, look! I have a podcast!
And a Website!
http://www.valiantnewuniverse.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


If I win an argument, it doesn't mean I'm right. It means I'm a better arguer.

In addition, I'm right.

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greg
The admin around here must be getting old and soft.
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by greg »

Free-View was actually the bagged freebie with some Magic the Gathering comics, which I assume were selling better for Acclaim than the superhero lines.

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kevinbastos
I felt 'used car salesman' kind of dirty.
I felt 'used car salesman' kind of dirty.
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by kevinbastos »

greg wrote:Free-View was actually the bagged freebie with some Magic the Gathering comics, which I assume were selling better for Acclaim than the superhero lines.
facepalm Ouch.
Hey, look! I have a podcast!
And a Website!
http://www.valiantnewuniverse.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


If I win an argument, it doesn't mean I'm right. It means I'm a better arguer.

In addition, I'm right.

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BruceReville
Why don't we just call ourselves C-Men and be done with it
Why don't we just call ourselves C-Men and be done with it
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by BruceReville »

Welcome
Everybody Is Right Until Someone Else Disagrees.

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MoonChild
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Re: I was once lurking, but now am found

Post by MoonChild »

Velcome! :clap:
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