HARBINGER ANNOUNCED!!!!!

[Lightning Strike]

If you include Rai on present times, then you kill Bloodshot. Rai needs to be in the future for this to work. It doesn't need to be 4001, but it has to be distant. Besides, Japan in the future is AWESOME!

While I agree that a future Valiant world would be nice to revisit, I don't see why Rai and Bloodshot can't co-exist. Rai was a regular guy with Grandmother enhanced skills for 100s of years before goatee Rai used the Blood of Heroes. Personally I am hoping for the "normal" Rai of Tohru Nakadai.

Well, from a purely realistic point of view, I don't think readers will want to bother with both a Rai and a Bloodshot, who both look pretty similar, running around in the same time. I think the reason that the too titles worked in the past is because of the vast amount of time that separated the two. That way the two stories could feed off of each other more. It's the same reason I think the titles would work better as one book instead of two.

From a story point of view, it just wouldn't make sense. Rais were modeled in Bloodshot's image, so that would no longer be feasible if they're both part of the same time period. So let's say Valiant decides to erase that part of the story... why are they both there? Why not just have a bunch of people that resemble the Eternal Warrior running around instead? I just don't think good stories could be told from that. Didn't the second iteration of Magnus try to stick him in present day? It's my understanding it didn't go very well and that's without having another mock-Magnus running around with him.

Oh, I definitely do not want both of them running around in the same time period. And actually, I would prefer to have Bloodshot appear first, then if they want, have Rai second.

[Ross2]

Well actually Rai was way before Bloodshot. Maybe Bloodshot was their end game all along, but I don't think when they created Rai in Magnus they already had Bloodshot planned.

[xodacia81]

Well actually Rai was way before Bloodshot. Maybe Bloodshot was their end game all along, but I don't think when they created Rai in Magnus they already had Bloodshot planned.

I think they did. Things just didn't go according to original plan. That is of course what happens when the guy planning things leaves and does not leave a map other than Rai # 0.

[Lightning Strike]

Well actually Rai was way before Bloodshot. Maybe Bloodshot was their end game all along, but I don't think when they created Rai in Magnus they already had Bloodshot planned.

I know, but I would rather see Bloodshot first, then Rai later

[BruceReville]

IMO the future needs to stay out of the light for now - VEI needs to focus on the current product and develop it as a modern project before trying to branch out and bring in other elements such as future timelines into the forefront. For us older Valiant fans we may want to see it sooner than later, but for VEI to survive it needs to bring in the younger generation as new readers and not confound the story by having multiple eras running at once to begin with.

Baby steps - I like what they are doing now, but still ...baby steps

[Elveen]

Well actually Rai was way before Bloodshot. Maybe Bloodshot was their end game all along, but I don't think when they created Rai in Magnus they already had Bloodshot planned.

I think they did. Things just didn't go according to original plan. That is of course what happens when the guy planning things leaves and does not leave a map other than Rai # 0.

I agree. Bloodshot IS a Shooter creation (at least a co-creation, or Shooter had input)

[Lightning Strike]

IMO the future needs to stay out of the light for now - VEI needs to focus on the current product and develop it as a modern project before trying to branch out and bring in other elements such as future timelines into the forefront. For us older Valiant fans we may want to see it sooner than later, but for VEI to survive it needs to bring in the younger generation as new readers and not confound the story by having multiple eras running at once to begin with.

Baby steps - I like what they are doing now, but still ...baby steps

Exactly, that's why I'd rather see them bring in Bloodshot first

[betterthanezra]

IMO the future needs to stay out of the light for now - VEI needs to focus on the current product and develop it as a modern project before trying to branch out and bring in other elements such as future timelines into the forefront. For us older Valiant fans we may want to see it sooner than later, but for VEI to survive it needs to bring in the younger generation as new readers and not confound the story by having multiple eras running at once to begin with.

Baby steps - I like what they are doing now, but still ...baby steps

Exactly, that's why I'd rather see them bring in Bloodshot first

I think it will be BS first

-Brian

[Heath]

Just saw the sample pages for the first time and sorry but the art looks terrible, and where's the writing? Don't mean to rain on their parade as I hope they succeed...

I've kept my trap shut but I kinda agree. I was blown away by the art for XO, but I'm not impressed with the art on Harbinger so far. But, I'm trusting the writing will make up for it.

[etos45]

IMO the future needs to stay out of the light for now - VEI needs to focus on the current product and develop it as a modern project before trying to branch out and bring in other elements such as future timelines into the forefront. For us older Valiant fans we may want to see it sooner than later, but for VEI to survive it needs to bring in the younger generation as new readers and not confound the story by having multiple eras running at once to begin with.

Baby steps - I like what they are doing now, but still ...baby steps

I kind of feel the same way. I'm not in a huge hurry to see the Valiant future, but it wouldn't hurt my feelings if they decided to try the Bloodshot/Rai split book. I'm pretty sure the Bloodshot book is one of the four, so that would definitely mean that he will be ahead of Rai.

[etos45]

Just saw the sample pages for the first time and sorry but the art looks terrible, and where's the writing? Don't mean to rain on their parade as I hope they succeed...

I've kept my trap shut but I kinda agree. I was blown away by the art for XO, but I'm not impressed with the art on Harbinger so far. But, I'm trusting the writing will make up for it.

I'm not thrilled with the way that Pete looks, but other than that I'm okay with the art.

[FormerReader]

Just saw the sample pages for the first time and sorry but the art looks terrible, and where's the writing? Don't mean to rain on their parade as I hope they succeed...

I've kept my trap shut but I kinda agree. I was blown away by the art for XO, but I'm not impressed with the art on Harbinger so far. But, I'm trusting the writing will make up for it.

I'm not thrilled with the way that Pete looks, but other than that I'm okay with the art.

I'll admit its not what I expected, but I have faith it will be a great book and its way too early to form much of an opinion. My excitement is still very high!

[Daniel Jackson]

Just saw the sample pages for the first time and sorry but the art looks terrible, and where's the writing? Don't mean to rain on their parade as I hope they succeed...

I've kept my trap shut but I kinda agree. I was blown away by the art for XO, but I'm not impressed with the art on Harbinger so far. But, I'm trusting the writing will make up for it.

I'm not thrilled with the way that Pete looks, but other than that I'm okay with the art.

It does make you wonder why they chose to go with another look for Pete. I thought the original was just fine.

[BruceReville]

I like the art but is it me or does it look alot like the style used in Broadway Comics?

[400yrs]

I like the art but is it me or does it look alot like the style used in Broadway Comics?

Broadway's art style is classified as "crappy".


This art reminds me of stuff from the Ultimates. It's a bit more toward reality than normal comics and the colors can be dark or vibrant as needed and reflects reality / life. The line art is a bit more photo-realistic than most super hero comics, but many of the non big 2 comics are trending this way. It's definitely not to the point where it's photo-traced though.

This book definitely has a different line art look from the Nord stuff we've seen on X-O. I have no probs with that. Sometimes when that is the case, you can rely on colorists to make the look of the line uniform. So far we've seen two styles that are a bit different from each other, but both are good and I believe they should work based on other comics out there. As long as the coloring brings things together between the books, I think they are good to go.

[MarrowMan]

I like the art and hope the writing is stellar of course, but either way I'm happy to have the old characters back no matter what they look like. I'm not too fussy at this point.

[400yrs]

I'm not too fussy at this point.

Yeah, Dark Key wasn't too fussy on what they published. Look how that turned out for them!

[MarrowMan]

I'm not too fussy at this point.

Yeah, Dark Key wasn't too fussy on what they published. Look how that turned out for them!

they don't fcuk it up.

[betterthanezra]

I'm not too fussy at this point.

Yeah, Dark Key wasn't too fussy on what they published. Look how that turned out for them!

I'm sorry but I don't think this looks like ANYTHING DK was putting out.

-Brian

[betterthanezra]

I like the art but is it me or does it look alot like the style used in Broadway Comics?

This art reminds me of stuff from the Ultimates.
As long as the coloring brings things together between the books, I think they are good to go.

I agree it does have an Ultimates look to it.

I hope and pray the coloring doesn't look anything like it did when acclaim relaunched in 1997. owning many pages of art from that time shows how bad the coloring ruined the beautiful detail put into the art from many of the great artists that worked on thos books. The one artist that comes to mind in Velluto. His art was so beautiful and it never really showed during the crappy computer color job.

-Brian

[400yrs]

I'm not too fussy at this point.

Yeah, Dark Key wasn't too fussy on what they published. Look how that turned out for them!

I'm sorry but I don't think this looks like ANYTHING DK was putting out.

-Brian

Yeah, that's what I mean. DK just put crap out hoping sentiment for the characters would sell it. This isn't crap at all.

[400yrs]

I hope and pray the coloring doesn't look anything like it did when acclaim relaunched in 1997.

The color work we've seen so far has been very nice. The only one that scared me was the first post that Dino put up of the Nord cover. That looked painful, but it was some kind of image transfer / display prob and the actual coloring is actully sweet.

I don't think Simons is going to let them *SQUEE* this up.

[BruceReville]

I like the art but is it me or does it look alot like the style used in Broadway Comics?

This art reminds me of stuff from the Ultimates.
As long as the coloring brings things together between the books, I think they are good to go.

I agree it does have an Ultimates look to it.

I hope and pray the coloring doesn't look anything like it did when acclaim relaunched in 1997. owning many pages of art from that time shows how bad the coloring ruined the beautiful detail put into the art from many of the great artists that worked on thos books. The one artist that comes to mind in Velluto. His art was so beautiful and it never really showed during the crappy computer color job.

-Brian

Reminds me of Fatale's art style - sorry

[sonicdan]

"I've been looking for a book to write that could be dark, weird, trippy, fun, real, unreal, violent and thematically ambitious.
All the things I look for in fantastic fiction myself. Harbinger is that book, so I'm pretty damn excited about it."

I love this quote and it's exactly what I'm hoping for in Harbinger!
DAN

[David_Cody]

Far be it for me to tell Valiant how they should design their continuity regarding future events being introduced in their new comics. I'm just glad that there ARE new Valiants coming out that seem reminiscent of pre-Acclaim days. You can't replace the magic of pre-Unity, but they can produce a good story using known characters with artwork that best suits their intellectual properties.