Would you miss Orb Industries?

[jmatt]

The original X-O is a lot like Iron Man in that we have a character with unbelievable armor and a bottomless pool of money.

Won't necessarily be that way this time around. What if that aspect is absent this time around? What if he's just a guy trying to make it in the world and not fabulously wealthy? What if he's stocking shelves at the supermarket or a dockworker?

Might be a nice change of pace to see Aric coping with the mundane as he makes his way in the world. Does he use the armor for personal gain? Hire himself out as a bodyguard? A soldier of fortune?

Opinions?

[Blood of Heroes]

I think you could have Orb but not have Aric take it over, at least not at first.
There's no need to run the Vine out of town just yet.

[Ramses818]

I think we saw that post birthquake if you recall. It did not turn out well. Does that mean it could not be done well? Of course not. I just feel that esp. in these uncertain economic times that having him own a huge company like that does offer many more story options. I mean you would have literally thousands of people who for one reason or another want something from him. Some of these could make really powerful one off stories. Of course that is also premised with the fact that he does not go public with his identity ala Iron Man! I mean in this day and age with cell phone camera's and the web how hard would it be to keep yourself out of the spotlight during these massive battles? What would you do if 50,000 people lives around the world depended on you? Not just the big bad but because they would have no jobs or lively hood with out you? That could take some dark twisty paths if you look at the real like CEO and the rape charges and suicides that have been going on in the real world. I just really think that ORB offers us alot of really good story opportunities. Far to many to justify eliminating it. But that's just me.

[Newton]

I could take it or leave it. It made for some interesting stories in VH1, but is not a must. I don't want the new books to be attached at the hip too much to VH1. If they can write good stories w/o Orb great. It is always there if it makes sense for the storytelling.

[jmatt]

I don't want the new books to be attached at the hip too much to VH1.

I'm in agreement. It would be nice to see another direction for the character, at least for awhile.

[erwinrafael]

maybe they can do a variation where a wealthy patron with seemingly altruistic aims would help Aric. that would take care of the "wealth" part of the equation. then the said patron would turn out to have a more sinister side later in the story.

Aric also can not do a secret identity thing because people have already taken pics of him without the helmet when he crash landed.

[Aram]

The further VEI strays from the heart of the original stories the further they stray from what made them great. Modernising is a great idea, but too much change from the origins could very well make VEI into a average universe. That would likely be a very bad thing in todays market.

[Carson]

The further VEI strays from the heart of the original stories the further they stray from what made them great. Modernising is a great idea, but too much change from the origins could very well make VEI into a average universe. That would likely be a very bad thing in todays market.

you can't make today's creators slaves to a formula that worked for just a couple years 20 years ago. I think they are doing a great job of keeping things "inspired by" but not "a slave to" the continuity of 1992-1994 valiant

[400yrs]

I don't want the new books to be attached at the hip too much to VH1.

I'm in agreement. It would be nice to see another direction for the character, at least for awhile.

+1

I don't want to keep reading VH1 concepts or soon we will be reading a rehash of Deathmate.

[Aram]

The further VEI strays from the heart of the original stories the further they stray from what made them great. Modernising is a great idea, but too much change from the origins could very well make VEI into a average universe. That would likely be a very bad thing in todays market.

you can't make today's creators slaves to a formula that worked for just a couple years 20 years ago. I think they are doing a great job of keeping things "inspired by" but not "a slave to" the continuity of 1992-1994 valiant

You think Superman would do well if clark kent was rehashed as a grocery store clerk? Or Iron man as a assistant manager at McD? Or harada as a 9-5 mere psychologist? I'm just saying change is good but certain core things are canon. So far VEI has done great in my opinion with only one momentary glitch that upset me. I just hope they keep up as they have with the character reintroductions.

There are many reasons I never read the vh2 rehashes and from what I hear rightly so.

[jmatt]

You think Superman would do well if clark kent was rehashed as a grocery store clerk?

Clark Kent was a workaday Joe reporter at a newspaper. Is a mundane occupation such a radical concept? Okay, he doesn't have to be stocking shelves at Walmart but they could certainly make the title fresh if he was anything short of The Richest Mogul On Planet Earth.

[erwinrafael]

The further VEI strays from the heart of the original stories the further they stray from what made them great. Modernising is a great idea, but too much change from the origins could very well make VEI into a average universe. That would likely be a very bad thing in todays market.

you can't make today's creators slaves to a formula that worked for just a couple years 20 years ago. I think they are doing a great job of keeping things "inspired by" but not "a slave to" the continuity of 1992-1994 valiant

You think Superman would do well if clark kent was rehashed as a grocery store clerk? Or Iron man as a assistant manager at McD? Or harada as a 9-5 mere psychologist? I'm just saying change is good but certain core things are canon. So far VEI has done great in my opinion with only one momentary glitch that upset me. I just hope they keep up as they have with the character reintroductions.

There are many reasons I never read the vh2 rehashes and from what I hear rightly so.

but is Aric's owning a bottomless pool of money an essential element of the character? Should it be canon? I think Aric's core is his Visigoth origin, his longing for home and his man-out-of-time predicament.

[paradise]

I think whatever direction the book takes is dictated by the differences between the way Spider-Aliens controlled things in VH1 and the way the Vine does it in the new continuity. The vine babies is a totally different concept, so there may be a different direction other than infiltrating corporations.

I loved Orb Industries, it made Aric what he was, a KING, if not of his tribe then of a big successful business. The later stuff where he traveled did not appeal to me as much. Orb was important. I hope they find a way to give him that "kingdom" he needs.

[Zaphod]

I would miss Orb but I would prefer if Aric is to become king that he has to earn it more so than in the old universe.

offtopic, why is it called VH1?

[grendeljd]

I think I'd like to see Orb industries show up somehow as one of those comforting, respectful nods to the past... But I don't think I need I to see Aric take over the company at all. There is rich possibility in exploring the lone man out of his time concept first, without introducing a modern 'kingdom' in the form of a corporation to run.

I have a feeling that he's going to have a tougher time weeding out Vine presence in this modern Valiant Universe. It might make better sense for him to run into and pal around with Gilad to help him adjust quicker...

[Blood of Heroes]

offtopic, why is it called VH1?

I don't know.

My best guess is that it's the first time we see the Valiant Heroes.
Acclaim was billed as "Acclaim Comics Valiant Heroes", so that's VH2.

Or I might be full of flippin' bullcorn.

[Carson]

offtopic, why is it called VH1?

I'm catching up on OTV (the only the valiant podcast, featuring a bunch of wacky board members), and just heard a detailed explanation of the VH# nomenclature.

Anyway, download OTV episode 72 and skim to @ 52:45 - 56:40 for the most in depth explanation of the differences between VH1-VH3.

A layman's explanation is:
VH1 is the 92-96 first mind blowing Valiant universe (started by Shooter, destroyed by greedy investors, sold to Acclaim at an inflated price and driven into the ground)
VH2 is the Acclaim reboot (a mix of mostly bad and some good). Shadowman, Armorines and Quantum and Woody are some favorites.
VH3 is the second Acclaim reboot that was to follow the Unity 2000 mini series. The mini series was canceled due to bankruptcy and the VH3 universe never got off the ground.

[Zaphod]

no, I get the reason for separating the lines. Valiant Heroes 1 seems sorta lame.

DC Universe
Marvel Universe
Valiant Universe

[bribri]

At the begining of the "Acclaim Comics Valiant Heroes" run, Acclaim actually referred to it has VH1 and VH2. I believe it was in one of the newsletters at the back of the books.

[greg]

At the begining of the "Acclaim Comics Valiant Heroes" run, Acclaim actually referred to it has VH1 and VH2. I believe it was in one of the newsletters at the back of the books.

Yep. It's Acclaim's fault. Literally.

Valiant Heroes 1 seems sorta lame.

Extremely lame.

VH1 is a music channel... Acclaim wasn't Valiant, didn't deserve to use the name.

VH1 is an even worse label now. It's still a music channel. Acclaim still wasn't Valiant.
Now the numbering doesn't even make any sense, relative to the new books.

VH1 might be a quick way to say "the first Valiant universe", but even then people have to ask... what does VH1 stand for?



I may have to change the auto-correct for VH1 back to something that doesn't make me hear the "Behind the Music" theme when I see it.

[Zaphod]

I may have to change the auto-correct for VH1 back to something that doesn't make me hear the "Behind the Music" theme when I see it.

THAT HAPPENS TO ME TOO!

it might be because that is the only thing I ever watched from VH1. As goes the completist, so goes VH1!

...what is this brown stuff on my nose?

[Newton]

I think Orb needs its own book: O.R.B Corps

[grendeljd]

I think Orb needs its own book: O.R.B Corps

I think that has a really nice ring to it...

[yardstick]

maybe they can do a variation where a wealthy patron with seemingly altruistic aims would help Aric. that would take care of the "wealth" part of the equation. then the said patron would turn out to have a more sinister side later in the story.

Aric also can not do a secret identity thing because people have already taken pics of him without the helmet when he crash landed.

You mean like Harada? Who might, for example, want to get inside the "head" of shanhara and see what makes it tick?

[yardstick]

The further VEI strays from the heart of the original stories the further they stray from what made them great. Modernising is a great idea, but too much change from the origins could very well make VEI into a average universe. That would likely be a very bad thing in todays market.

you can't make today's creators slaves to a formula that worked for just a couple years 20 years ago. I think they are doing a great job of keeping things "inspired by" but not "a slave to" the continuity of 1992-1994 valiant

You think Superman would do well if clark kent was rehashed as a grocery store clerk? Or Iron man as a assistant manager at McD? Or harada as a 9-5 mere psychologist? I'm just saying change is good but certain core things are canon. So far VEI has done great in my opinion with only one momentary glitch that upset me. I just hope they keep up as they have with the character reintroductions.

There are many reasons I never read the vh2 rehashes and from what I hear rightly so.

This inspires me to start a thread: What are the core things in VH1 which are canon, and how parallel to VH1 canon should VEI write their stories?

Make that two threads. One for each question.