WC14 EXCLUSIVE: Dysart Closes the Book on "Harbinger"

[Intrepidxc]

As a fan of the books I don't like that VEI feels they need to do this. As a fan of the company and someone who wants to see them succeed so I can be reading their books for years to come I'm glad to see them taking a proactive approach to the current state of the industry. They have not sat on their hands since the relaunch saying we've done our best, but it's just too challenging. They instead continue to come up with ideas to survive in the market and make a name for themselves.

Whether we read Harbinger #26 or Harbinger Volume 6 #1, as long as we are reading the book I'm happy.

Bah, but I'll have to stop collecting CGC 9.8 copies of the Valiant #1 titles if they keep relaunching. I really like my slabs and don't want to stop collecting them, but the numerous variants (really Unity and Rai) and the relaunching are driving me to that point. One could argue that slab sales are secondary market sales and thus don't directly benefit Valiant. However, some one has to purchase the initial issues that get slabbed and it often takes many issues to find 9.8 candidates. If people stop collecting CGC 9.8 copies then there is likely to be some impact on demand for Valiant issues .

I'm ok with a break in a series to run mini-series then restart with the original numbering. I'm not ok with continually relaunching titles. In fact if Valiant does that I may stop collecting them all together and focus on other publisher titles that I enjoy. Those publishers don't feel the need to keep relaunching their books.

[FormerReader]

As a fan of the books I don't like that VEI feels they need to do this. As a fan of the company and someone who wants to see them succeed so I can be reading their books for years to come I'm glad to see them taking a proactive approach to the current state of the industry. They have not sat on their hands since the relaunch saying we've done our best, but it's just too challenging. They instead continue to come up with ideas to survive in the market and make a name for themselves.

Whether we read Harbinger #26 or Harbinger Volume 6 #1, as long as we are reading the book I'm happy.

Bah, but I'll have to stop collecting CGC 9.8 copies of the Valiant #1 titles if they keep relaunching. I really like my slabs and don't want to stop collecting them, but the numerous variants (really Unity and Rai) and the relaunching are driving me to that point. One could argue that slab sales are secondary market sales and thus don't directly benefit Valiant. However, some one has to purchase the initial issues that get slabbed and it often takes many issues to find 9.8 candidates. If people stop collecting CGC 9.8 copies then there is likely to be some impact on demand for Valiant issues .

I'm ok with a break in a series to run mini-series then restart with the original numbering. I'm not ok with continually relaunching titles. In fact if Valiant does that I may stop collecting them all together and focus on other publisher titles that I enjoy. Those publishers don't feel the need to keep relaunching their books.

Let me ask you a question, do you read Valiant because of their quality or do you only buy them to collect? If you buy them because of their quality then why does the number on the cover of the book matter? If there is a new book to read next month who cares if it #10 or Volume 2 #1?

[nycjadie]

I buy them to collect and read!

I think that with books that rely on continuity, you need a decent numbering system. There's a reason by BPRD started numbering the issues after 100. There's also a numbering system for Abe Sapien, located on the front, but also a secondary one located on the first page. It's difficult to track all the series.

I completely appreciate a company that wants to innovate (e.g. Kindle Worlds, pullbox variants, etc.). It's probably totally necessary for VEI to survive. However, I hope they aren't abandoning something unnecessarily. I like numbered comics, and would like to see it outlast the initial Harbinger run.

[bygranddesign]

You guys are so *SQUEE* gay.

Watch it! Don't let Kris hear you talk that way - she is lethal with a skateboard!

[Intrepidxc]

As a fan of the books I don't like that VEI feels they need to do this. As a fan of the company and someone who wants to see them succeed so I can be reading their books for years to come I'm glad to see them taking a proactive approach to the current state of the industry. They have not sat on their hands since the relaunch saying we've done our best, but it's just too challenging. They instead continue to come up with ideas to survive in the market and make a name for themselves.

Whether we read Harbinger #26 or Harbinger Volume 6 #1, as long as we are reading the book I'm happy.

Bah, but I'll have to stop collecting CGC 9.8 copies of the Valiant #1 titles if they keep relaunching. I really like my slabs and don't want to stop collecting them, but the numerous variants (really Unity and Rai) and the relaunching are driving me to that point. One could argue that slab sales are secondary market sales and thus don't directly benefit Valiant. However, some one has to purchase the initial issues that get slabbed and it often takes many issues to find 9.8 candidates. If people stop collecting CGC 9.8 copies then there is likely to be some impact on demand for Valiant issues .

I'm ok with a break in a series to run mini-series then restart with the original numbering. I'm not ok with continually relaunching titles. In fact if Valiant does that I may stop collecting them all together and focus on other publisher titles that I enjoy. Those publishers don't feel the need to keep relaunching their books.

Let me ask you a question, do you read Valiant because of their quality or do you only buy them to collect? If you buy them because of their quality then why does the number on the cover of the book matter? If there is a new book to read next month who cares if it #10 or Volume 2 #1?

I buy them to read AND I want to collect the first issues. Relaunching frequently will cause me to stop collecting slabs. I will still read the Valiant stuff, but a large part of the what I like about collecting will be ruined as I won't have the time or the financial resources to keep chasing all the #1 issues in high grade slabs. I know everyone doesn't feel the same as I do, but by relaunching continuously Valiant will force me into a situation where I can't collect how I want to collect.

[jaden_sai]

Dysart Tweet:

Joshua Dysart ‏@JoshuaDysart

It's not the end of the story. Just the end of the first chapter. Stay tuned.

[bygranddesign]

Dysart Tweet:

Joshua Dysart ‏@JoshuaDysart

It's not the end of the story. Just the end of the first chapter. Stay tuned.

I think ultimately this will end up being very liberating for Dysart ... I think he has made this title his own anyway but I think all the shackles will come off and he can really carve out his own path.

Harbinger: Gen Zero

and Harbinger: Renegades

I'd love to see that

[grendeljd]

It sounds to me like Dysart feels he can end a larger overall story arc of the book at #25, with the Death Of A Renegade arc having a deep impact on the status quo, along with the outing of Harada in public. I like his reasoning in the article for making this a proper point to bring a first volume of Harbinger stories to a close, and I agree with that sentiment based on how the larger themes of Harbinger are playing out.

But I also think that whether this move is still primarily dictated from the marketing department or not is open for debate.

I can honestly say that this disappoints me. I'll be very happy to see Valiant remain in business and continue to produce great comics I can read regardless of their numbering, but the fact they have to resort to this kind of strategy is, as I said, disappointing. I just don't want to see the marketing become so transparent & overpowering at Valiant as it is in the Big 2 - thats a primary reason why I got burnt out & quit reading them.

I get the sense from this situation that they are trying to do things as differently as they can, which gives me hope. If they can stick to their storytelling guns, and have the title evolve organically in a way that makes sense from being continuously & cumulatively affected by events as we go along, I'll be excited to read it. They are generally doing very well by this plan to date across most of the current books, IMO. Dead means dead? Awesome. Nobody else in the superhero universe is playing by that rule anymore. Its gonna be epic & tragic when we lose one of the Renegades permanently, but I don't want to see that effect & impact cheapened later on. And I don't believe they will do that kind of thing.

[grendeljd]

Dysart Tweet:

Joshua Dysart ‏@JoshuaDysart

It's not the end of the story. Just the end of the first chapter. Stay tuned.

I think ultimately this will end up being very liberating for Dysart ... I think he has made this title his own anyway but I think all the shackles will come off and he can really carve out his own path.

Harbinger: Gen Zero

and Harbinger: Renegades

I'd love to see that

I never got the sense from the article that #25 & the Omegas mini-series after would be the end of Harbinger. They won't just abandon one of their best character properties like that.

I think that all this shuffling of titles & hiatus' may get confusing for people who aren't rabid followers like most of us here, who are picking up the entire line as it is published anyway. But in the moment, I can see a casual reader deciding to try out a new mini-series on the rack here & there and then getting hooked on the rest of the books.

I do like the idea of a Harbinger: Gen Zero title...

[SJS4]

Very disappointed by this news. Its getting harder and harder to support VEI's marketing decisions.

[FormerReader]

As a fan of the books I don't like that VEI feels they need to do this. As a fan of the company and someone who wants to see them succeed so I can be reading their books for years to come I'm glad to see them taking a proactive approach to the current state of the industry. They have not sat on their hands since the relaunch saying we've done our best, but it's just too challenging. They instead continue to come up with ideas to survive in the market and make a name for themselves.

Whether we read Harbinger #26 or Harbinger Volume 6 #1, as long as we are reading the book I'm happy.

Bah, but I'll have to stop collecting CGC 9.8 copies of the Valiant #1 titles if they keep relaunching. I really like my slabs and don't want to stop collecting them, but the numerous variants (really Unity and Rai) and the relaunching are driving me to that point. One could argue that slab sales are secondary market sales and thus don't directly benefit Valiant. However, some one has to purchase the initial issues that get slabbed and it often takes many issues to find 9.8 candidates. If people stop collecting CGC 9.8 copies then there is likely to be some impact on demand for Valiant issues .

I'm ok with a break in a series to run mini-series then restart with the original numbering. I'm not ok with continually relaunching titles. In fact if Valiant does that I may stop collecting them all together and focus on other publisher titles that I enjoy. Those publishers don't feel the need to keep relaunching their books.

Let me ask you a question, do you read Valiant because of their quality or do you only buy them to collect? If you buy them because of their quality then why does the number on the cover of the book matter? If there is a new book to read next month who cares if it #10 or Volume 2 #1?

I buy them to read AND I want to collect the first issues. Relaunching frequently will cause me to stop collecting slabs. I will still read the Valiant stuff, but a large part of the what I like about collecting will be ruined as I won't have the time or the financial resources to keep chasing all the #1 issues in high grade slabs. I know everyone doesn't feel the same as I do, but by relaunching continuously Valiant will force me into a situation where I can't collect how I want to collect.

I'm in no way knocking that you enjoy collecting 9.8's of all the first issues, (I used to collect all the variants of the titles for the first 5 issues), but that shouldn't affect your enjoyment of the books. You would still have all the original issues is 9.8. Just because there is a Harbinger Volume 79 Number #1 it doesn't take from the fact that you have Harbinger #1 in 9.8.

[FormerReader]

Very disappointed by this news. Its getting harder and harder to support VEI's marketing decisions.

What should they do? Run their business in the ground to keep us fans 100% satisfied?


All that should matter is they keep putting out quality books.

[hawkeyeps]

I'm very optimistic after all the Harbinger book had issues which focused on different corners of the huge world Josh has created, as long as Dysart keeps unfolding his world I'm on board.

An upside of minis is the monthly time line is not compromised and there is no need to push out a book to meet a scheduled publishing plan.

I would rather have a planned universe than one filled with filler issues and lets face it the wrong creative team for a book inevitably damages the character over all. Shadowman and Eternal Warrior are at the bottom the barrel right now and they are two of the most beloved VEI characters, I can see a rush to get a book out to meet the schedule as a reason for this.

I like the idea of a well composed universe with creators telling the stories they want to tell with the guiding hand of a strong editorial plan over all.

If a mini is not what VEI wants they won't be forced to go with it the stories can be approved and in the can before we see them and that's a good thing.

I'm sure VEI has had to go with stuff they winced at but had no choice because it was a monthly book (example- "the run that shall remain nameless" featuring the potato car).

[MarkRoseHFX]

I'm sure whatever they have planned will be awesome. No panic button hitting for this Harbinger fan

[hawkeyeps]

I'm sure whatever they have planned will be awesome. No panic button hitting for this Harbinger fan

Yeah me neither, maybe if Dysart said he was going to DC and writing Batman now that would really *SQUEE* me off

see what I did there?

[bygranddesign]

Very disappointed by this news. Its getting harder and harder to support VEI's marketing decisions.

I was disappointed also ... but I think Josh is genuinely excited for this next chapter which makes me feel much better about this.

I think change, even a forced change in the status quo, can be fuel for some brilliant creativity.

And I think Josh and VEI are gonna blow us away with what they have planned next for Harbinger.

[MarkRoseHFX]

I'm sure whatever they have planned will be awesome. No panic button hitting for this Harbinger fan

Yeah me neither, maybe if Dysart said he was going to DC and writing Batman now that would really *SQUEE* me off

see what I did there?

I would read the *SQUEE* out of a Dysart Batman book

but i'd still rather him on Valiant books though of course

[hawkeyeps]

The CEO and CCO is Dinesh Shamdasani so there is that

[kjjohanson]

On a different note, the art samples included suggests to me that Kris and Pete both survive "Death of a Renegade." (Same goes for Animalia.) We've already seen Faith and Torque on the Armor Hunters cover. That leaves… hmmmmm…

[Dr Noel]

I would read the *SQUEE* out of a Dysart Batman book

I don't even want to know how that differs from the usual way you read your comics. You Canadians are weird.

[Dr Noel]

As long as the storytelling remains top notch than I'm good. I think the reason a lot of us are diehard VEI fans is because they put the emphasis on great stories. The numbering is just details.

[bygranddesign]

On a different note, the art samples included suggests to me that Kris and Pete both survive "Death of a Renegade." (Same goes for Animalia.) We've already seen Faith and Torque on the Armor Hunters cover. That leaves… hmmmmm…

lol ... are you counting your money already ?

I still think Kris has a chance to go ...those pages are from issue #23

That's the issue that I think the death occurs .. which probably will happen at the very end of the issue

If those were pages for issue #24 than I would say she was safe

[kjjohanson]

On a different note, the art samples included suggests to me that Kris and Pete both survive "Death of a Renegade." (Same goes for Animalia.) We've already seen Faith and Torque on the Armor Hunters cover. That leaves… hmmmmm…

lol ... are you counting your money already ?

I still think Kris has a chance to go ...those pages are from issue #23

That's the issue that I think the death occurs .. which probably will happen at the very end of the issue

If those were pages for issue #24 than I would say she was safe

Ah. Had to take another look. When you click on the art for Armor Hunters 1 and then proceed with the arrows, you see the 23 art. But I didn't read the caption below.

Still, looks like Animalia survives, based on the H:AH #1 interiors.

[ShadowTuga]

I'm sure whatever they have planned will be awesome. No panic button hitting for this Harbinger fan

Yeah me neither, maybe if Dysart said he was going to DC and writing Batman now that would really *SQUEE* me off

see what I did there?

I would read the *SQUEE* out of a Dysart Batman book

but i'd still rather him on Valiant books though of course

Dysart would kill on a Bat-family book with Tim Drake and Stephanie Brown in the spotlight. I know it.

I'm on panic mode, but that's me. Even if I trust the staff to bring something awesome to the table, it's the end of a book centered on those 5 characters.
That said, this might be the proof that the Universe is really an organic, evolving thing. I can not complain about that. At all.

[hawkeyeps]

I'm sure whatever they have planned will be awesome. No panic button hitting for this Harbinger fan

Yeah me neither, maybe if Dysart said he was going to DC and writing Batman now that would really *SQUEE* me off

see what I did there?

I would read the *SQUEE* out of a Dysart Batman book

but i'd still rather him on Valiant books though of course

Dysart would kill on a Bat-family book with Tim Drake and Stephanie Brown in the spotlight. I know it.

I'm on panic mode, but that's me. Even if I trust the staff to bring something awesome to the table, it's the end of a book centered on those 5 characters.
That said, this might be the proof that the Universe is really an organic, evolving thing. I can not complain about that. At all.

You guys are absolutely right DC needs another Bat book