"We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by ManofTheAtom »

Ryan wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:15 pm
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:03 pm
Ryan wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:55 pm
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:11 pm
Ryan wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 5:41 pm
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 5:27 pm
That's been the official line from Alien since the start. Beyond is not a replacement.
Show the quote then. When has anyone from Alien ever said "Beyond is not the main universe" "Beyond is a side-verse" or even "Beyond is not a replacement"? Sounds like things that have never happened.
Ryan, it's been reported by Bleeding Cool, ICV2, Newsarama, and likely others.

There's even a Wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valiant_Beyond
Where does it say Beyond is a "side universe". Your own source says the opposite, it's "a new reboot"


Screenshot 2025-04-19 224625.png


Personally I don't care if its called a reboot or a side story or Faith Herbert's bath bubbles, they all just look like more bad comics to me. They look like the opposite of what good Valiant comics should be.
Maybe you don't know what Absolute, Ultimate, and Energon cited in the above quote refers to.

One is from DC, the other from Marvel, and I believe the third is from IDW.

Google those to get more context to understand how Beyond compares to them.
Maybe you don't know what "a new reboot" means. Google reboot to understand what it means.
Absolute, Marvel, and Energon were all reboots. None of them were replacements, and neither is Beyond.
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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by Ryan »

ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:19 pm
Absolute, Marvel, and Energon were all reboots. None of them were replacements, and neither is Beyond.
So you do know what a reboot is, if you love those you should google 'what is VH-2', I think you'd love it.

Did I miss the post where you admitted you've been wrong for two years insisting that DMG has nothing to do with Alien, and has no say in the direction of Alien's Valiant comics? Or is it you just like to point out when other people are wrong?

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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by Chiclo »

ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:03 pm
Ryan wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:55 pm
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:11 pm
Ryan wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 5:41 pm
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 5:27 pm
That's been the official line from Alien since the start. Beyond is not a replacement.
Show the quote then. When has anyone from Alien ever said "Beyond is not the main universe" "Beyond is a side-verse" or even "Beyond is not a replacement"? Sounds like things that have never happened.
Ryan, it's been reported by Bleeding Cool, ICV2, Newsarama, and likely others.

There's even a Wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valiant_Beyond
Where does it say Beyond is a "side universe". Your own source says the opposite, it's "a new reboot"


Screenshot 2025-04-19 224625.png


Personally I don't care if its called a reboot or a side story or Faith Herbert's bath bubbles, they all just look like more bad comics to me. They look like the opposite of what good Valiant comics should be.
Maybe you don't know what Absolute, Ultimate, and Energon cited in the above quote refers to.

One is from DC, the other from Marvel, and I believe the third is from IDW.

Google those to get more context to understand how Beyond compares to them.
How many years were you ardent about how Valiant is so different from DC and Marvel, and now you justify these bad ideas by saying that it is okay because DC and Marvel do it too?

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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by ManofTheAtom »

Ryan wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:27 pm
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:19 pm
Absolute, Marvel, and Energon were all reboots. None of them were replacements, and neither is Beyond.
So you do know what a reboot is, if you love those you should google 'what is VH-2', I think you'd love it.

Did I miss the post where you admitted you've been wrong for two years insisting that DMG has nothing to do with Alien, and has no say in the direction of Alien's Valiant comics? Or is it you just like to point out when other people are wrong?
I never said that DMG had nothing to do with Alien. What I said was that they're not the same company. People here insisted that Casanova is the guy from DMG in a mask.


A reboot is not necessarily a replacement. VH-2 and DC's Post Crisis were the type of reboots that replaced the previous continuity. Absolute, Ultimate, Energon, and Beyond are not. Those are the kind of reboots that exists concurrent with the previous continiuity.
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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by ManofTheAtom »

Chiclo wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 7:27 am
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:03 pm
Ryan wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:55 pm
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:11 pm
Ryan wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 5:41 pm
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 5:27 pm
That's been the official line from Alien since the start. Beyond is not a replacement.
Show the quote then. When has anyone from Alien ever said "Beyond is not the main universe" "Beyond is a side-verse" or even "Beyond is not a replacement"? Sounds like things that have never happened.
Ryan, it's been reported by Bleeding Cool, ICV2, Newsarama, and likely others.

There's even a Wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valiant_Beyond
Where does it say Beyond is a "side universe". Your own source says the opposite, it's "a new reboot"


Screenshot 2025-04-19 224625.png


Personally I don't care if its called a reboot or a side story or Faith Herbert's bath bubbles, they all just look like more bad comics to me. They look like the opposite of what good Valiant comics should be.
Maybe you don't know what Absolute, Ultimate, and Energon cited in the above quote refers to.

One is from DC, the other from Marvel, and I believe the third is from IDW.

Google those to get more context to understand how Beyond compares to them.
How many years were you ardent about how Valiant is so different from DC and Marvel, and now you justify these bad ideas by saying that it is okay because DC and Marvel do it too?
I never said it was okay. On the contrary, more than once I said that it's just as bad.

What I did say was that Beyond existing separate from VEI is preferable to the alternative, i.e., Beyond REPLACING VEI.

I never said that a multiverse was a good idea either.

What we're going around in circles debating is the very basic concept of WHAT Beyond is, with Ryan insisting that it is replacing VEI when Alien has literally said the opposite. VEI still continues in the Resurrection event (and, likely, past that).
:atomic: Comics are like a Rorschach test, everyone has a different opinion on what they are and can be... :atomic:

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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by Chiclo »

ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 8:02 am
Chiclo wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 7:27 am
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:03 pm
Ryan wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:55 pm
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:11 pm
Ryan wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 5:41 pm

Show the quote then. When has anyone from Alien ever said "Beyond is not the main universe" "Beyond is a side-verse" or even "Beyond is not a replacement"? Sounds like things that have never happened.
Ryan, it's been reported by Bleeding Cool, ICV2, Newsarama, and likely others.

There's even a Wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valiant_Beyond
Where does it say Beyond is a "side universe". Your own source says the opposite, it's "a new reboot"


Screenshot 2025-04-19 224625.png


Personally I don't care if its called a reboot or a side story or Faith Herbert's bath bubbles, they all just look like more bad comics to me. They look like the opposite of what good Valiant comics should be.
Maybe you don't know what Absolute, Ultimate, and Energon cited in the above quote refers to.

One is from DC, the other from Marvel, and I believe the third is from IDW.

Google those to get more context to understand how Beyond compares to them.
How many years were you ardent about how Valiant is so different from DC and Marvel, and now you justify these bad ideas by saying that it is okay because DC and Marvel do it too?
I never said it was okay. On the contrary, more than once I said that it's just as bad.

What I did say was that Beyond existing separate from VEI is preferable to the alternative, i.e., Beyond REPLACING VEI.

I never said that a multiverse was a good idea either.

What we're going around in circles debating is the very basic concept of WHAT Beyond is, with Ryan insisting that it is replacing VEI when Alien has literally said the opposite. VEI still continues in the Resurrection event (and, likely, past that).
While it sounds like editorially, it sounds like Beyond is a parallel continuity; practically, Beyond has replaced the regular VEI continuity in publisher output.

Replacing in the real world, if not in the Valiant world.

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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by ManofTheAtom »

Chiclo wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 8:32 am
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 8:02 am
Chiclo wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 7:27 am
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:03 pm
Ryan wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:55 pm
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:11 pm

Ryan, it's been reported by Bleeding Cool, ICV2, Newsarama, and likely others.

There's even a Wikipedia page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valiant_Beyond
Where does it say Beyond is a "side universe". Your own source says the opposite, it's "a new reboot"


Screenshot 2025-04-19 224625.png


Personally I don't care if its called a reboot or a side story or Faith Herbert's bath bubbles, they all just look like more bad comics to me. They look like the opposite of what good Valiant comics should be.
Maybe you don't know what Absolute, Ultimate, and Energon cited in the above quote refers to.

One is from DC, the other from Marvel, and I believe the third is from IDW.

Google those to get more context to understand how Beyond compares to them.
How many years were you ardent about how Valiant is so different from DC and Marvel, and now you justify these bad ideas by saying that it is okay because DC and Marvel do it too?
I never said it was okay. On the contrary, more than once I said that it's just as bad.

What I did say was that Beyond existing separate from VEI is preferable to the alternative, i.e., Beyond REPLACING VEI.

I never said that a multiverse was a good idea either.

What we're going around in circles debating is the very basic concept of WHAT Beyond is, with Ryan insisting that it is replacing VEI when Alien has literally said the opposite. VEI still continues in the Resurrection event (and, likely, past that).
While it sounds like editorially, it sounds like Beyond is a parallel continuity; practically, Beyond has replaced the regular VEI continuity in publisher output.

Replacing in the real world, if not in the Valiant world.
Perception is not the same as reality, though.

We know that Alien intends to publish at least one project set in the VEI continuity, a Resurrection event that was intended to begin with a one-shot released on Free Comic Book Day, a release affected by Diamond's bankruptcy.

We don't know what else they intend/intended to do with VEI.

As I pointed out earlier, there are THREE narrative paths involving the VEI characters Alien left open for future exploration.

The VEI heroes trapped in the Underdeadside was one, VEI Doctor Silk coming back to life was the second, and VEI Faith (and, possibly, Aram) lost in the multiverse was a third.

We know that at least one plot thread would have continued in one event, but we don't know where or when the other two would.

And before you claim that any of that is me saying that multiverses and reboots are good, I never said anything of the sort.
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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by Ryan »

Chiclo wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 8:32 am
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 8:02 am I never said it was okay. On the contrary, more than once I said that it's just as bad.

What I did say was that Beyond existing separate from VEI is preferable to the alternative, i.e., Beyond REPLACING VEI.

I never said that a multiverse was a good idea either.

What we're going around in circles debating is the very basic concept of WHAT Beyond is, with Ryan insisting that it is replacing VEI when Alien has literally said the opposite. VEI still continues in the Resurrection event (and, likely, past that).
While it sounds like editorially, it sounds like Beyond is a parallel continuity; practically, Beyond has replaced the regular VEI continuity in publisher output.

Replacing in the real world, if not in the Valiant world.
Exactly.

We all know the press releases and hype have said a lot of things, some have turned out to actually happen, some have never materialized.

All I'm looking at are the actual comic books that have been solicited and firmly announced. At this moment, it's Beyond 48 - VEI Zombies 1. That tells me Beyond is the main Valiant universe at this moment.

If there are future solicitations and announcements of more comics from other 'universes' and whatever they're saying might happen, then obviously that might change things. But at this moment,Valiant Beyond "the new reboot" appears to be where the main adventures of the Valiant heroes will be taking place.

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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by Ryan »

ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 8:39 am As I pointed out earlier, there are THREE narrative paths involving the VEI characters Alien left open for future exploration.

The VEI heroes trapped in the Underdeadside was one, VEI Doctor Silk coming back to life was the second, and VEI Faith (and, possibly, Aram) lost in the multiverse was a third.

We know that at least one plot thread would have continued in one event, but we don't know where or when the other two would.
There were plenty of dangling plot threads from Vh1 left hanging, and we've seen that Gomez at Vh2 was definitely intending to pick some of them up and bring back Vh1 characters into Vh2 or a merged Vh3. We saw U2K do exactly that for a few issues. Does that make Vh2 not a replacement, but a temporary side universe?

Like what Chiclo said, editorially and in public statements it seems like Alien are keeping their options open by saying they might revisit any of the previous Valiant iterations.

But in practicality all of their resources are being poured into Beyond. It seems like the whole 'we might do any universe' thing is just a way to hedge their bets in case Beyond isn't successful.

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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by ManofTheAtom »

Ryan wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 8:46 am
Chiclo wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 8:32 am
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 8:02 am I never said it was okay. On the contrary, more than once I said that it's just as bad.

What I did say was that Beyond existing separate from VEI is preferable to the alternative, i.e., Beyond REPLACING VEI.

I never said that a multiverse was a good idea either.

What we're going around in circles debating is the very basic concept of WHAT Beyond is, with Ryan insisting that it is replacing VEI when Alien has literally said the opposite. VEI still continues in the Resurrection event (and, likely, past that).
While it sounds like editorially, it sounds like Beyond is a parallel continuity; practically, Beyond has replaced the regular VEI continuity in publisher output.

Replacing in the real world, if not in the Valiant world.
Exactly.

We all know the press releases and hype have said a lot of things, some have turned out to actually happen, some have never materialized.

All I'm looking at are the actual comic books that have been solicited and firmly announced. At this moment, it's Beyond 48 - VEI Zombies 1. That tells me Beyond is the main Valiant universe at this moment.

If there are future solicitations and announcements of more comics from other 'universes' and whatever they're saying might happen, then obviously that might change things. But at this moment,Valiant Beyond "the new reboot" appears to be where the main adventures of the Valiant heroes will be taking place.
And, yet, it's not since Beyond exists separate from what is main canon, VEI. Heroes from that continuity are either trapped in the Underdeadside, lost in the multiverse, or still exist in the VEI universe.
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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by ManofTheAtom »

Ryan wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 8:57 am
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 8:39 am As I pointed out earlier, there are THREE narrative paths involving the VEI characters Alien left open for future exploration.

The VEI heroes trapped in the Underdeadside was one, VEI Doctor Silk coming back to life was the second, and VEI Faith (and, possibly, Aram) lost in the multiverse was a third.

We know that at least one plot thread would have continued in one event, but we don't know where or when the other two would.
There were plenty of dangling plot threads from Vh1 left hanging, and we've seen that Gomez at Vh2 was definitely intending to pick some of them up and bring back Vh1 characters into Vh2 or a merged Vh3. We saw U2K do exactly that for a few issues. Does that make Vh2 not a replacement, but a temporary side universe?

Like what Chiclo said, editorially and in public statements it seems like Alien are keeping their options open by saying they might revisit any of the previous Valiant iterations.

But in practicality all of their resources are being poured into Beyond. It seems like the whole 'we might do any universe' thing is just a way to hedge their bets in case Beyond isn't successful.
VH 2 and Beyond are not the same. VH 2 did replace VH 1, Beyond is not replacing VEI. We don't know what else besides Resurrection Alien intends to do with the VEI continuity.
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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by ManofTheAtom »

Alien didn't bring a multiverse into VEI canon. That was first introduced in the Quantum and Woody Valiant-Sized one-shot.

They're merely using something that was already there.

Multiverses at VALIANT are a bad idea (no pun...) regardless of who comes up with them, be it Nicieza, Shooter, Dinesh, or Hawkins.

But if you're going to rake Alien across the coals and hunt them down with pitches and torches for using one post Resurgence, then you have to do the same to Dinesh for including one in Q&W...
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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by Ryan »

ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 12:55 pm VH 2 and Beyond are not the same. VH 2 did replace VH 1, Beyond is not replacing VEI. We don't know what else besides Resurrection Alien intends to do with the VEI continuity.
Wrong, VH1 wasn't destroyed for VH2 to exist. It was just laying dormant for a very short time. VH2 started in early 1997. By 1998 there were already plans to bring back VH1 characters, plans that probably had been formulating since VH2's inception. By the summer of 1999 Shadowman #3, the prelude to Unity 2000, was already published and U2K was well into production.

So the Vh1 characters were only dormant for a couple years at most, and even during that time they were heavily in the plans of Valiant/Acclaim.

The first Turok game came out in 1997, which had a lot of influence from the Vh1 version. The Armorines game came out in 1999, also heavily reliant on the Vh1 version of the characters. So you could say the Vh1 universe was never really dormant, and thus never fully replaced by Vh2.

Vh2 was really just a side-universe after all, an alternate take on the characters that lasted for a short time.
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 12:57 pm But if you're going to rake Alien across the coals and hunt them down with pitches and torches for using one post Resurgence, then you have to do the same to Dinesh for including one in Q&W...
You're the only person who's 'raked people across the coals' for suggesting that Valiant is a multiverse. For decades. Now that it's been confirmed by Alien multiple times, you're cool with it. We've all been saying it since X-O/Iron Man, you're the one who's hasn't accepted it until now. Congratulations, it's a multiverse :lol:

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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by ManofTheAtom »

Ryan wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 1:49 pm
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 12:55 pm VH 2 and Beyond are not the same. VH 2 did replace VH 1, Beyond is not replacing VEI. We don't know what else besides Resurrection Alien intends to do with the VEI continuity.
Wrong, VH1 wasn't destroyed for VH2 to exist. It was just laying dormant for a very short time. VH2 started in early 1997. By 1998 there were already plans to bring back VH1 characters, plans that probably had been formulating since VH2's inception. By the summer of 1999 Shadowman #3, the prelude to Unity 2000, was already published and U2K was well into production.

So the Vh1 characters were only dormant for a couple years at most, and even during that time they were heavily in the plans of Valiant/Acclaim.

The first Turok game came out in 1997, which had a lot of influence from the Vh1 version. The Armorines game came out in 1999, also heavily reliant on the Vh1 version of the characters. So you could say the Vh1 universe was never really dormant, and thus never fully replaced by Vh2.

Vh2 was really just a side-universe after all, an alternate take on the characters that lasted for a short time.
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 12:57 pm But if you're going to rake Alien across the coals and hunt them down with pitches and torches for using one post Resurgence, then you have to do the same to Dinesh for including one in Q&W...
You're the only person who's 'raked people across the coals' for suggesting that Valiant is a multiverse. For decades. Now that it's been confirmed by Alien multiple times, you're cool with it. We've all been saying it since X-O/Iron Man, you're the one who's hasn't accepted it until now. Congratulations, it's a multiverse :lol:
Never once have I said I was cool with it.
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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by Chiclo »

ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 12:57 pm Alien didn't bring a multiverse into VEI canon. That was first introduced in the Quantum and Woody Valiant-Sized one-shot.

They're merely using something that was already there.

Multiverses at VALIANT are a bad idea (no pun...) regardless of who comes up with them, be it Nicieza, Shooter, Dinesh, or Hawkins.

But if you're going to rake Alien across the coals and hunt them down with pitches and torches for using one post Resurgence, then you have to do the same to Dinesh for including one in Q&W...
We are not mad at the introduction of a VEI multiverse. We are upset at the consistent bumbling and poor storytelling. And editorial consistency is not the same thing as quality stories.

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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by Ryan »

ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 5:27 pm Never once have I said I was cool with it.
So you're not cool with it. Well the multiverse cat's been out of the bag for a long time, the question now is how it's going to be dealt with. My beef isn't about it being a multiverse, it's just with how the whole Valiant universe is being handled.

Chiclo wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 6:29 pm
We are not mad at the introduction of a VEI multiverse. We are upset at the consistent bumbling and poor storytelling. And editorial consistency is not the same thing as quality stories.
Yup. As I've been saying in this thread, it made no sense to do a year of VEI universe comics culminating in Resurgence if the plan was just to do an all new reboot anyway.

I would've been more interested in an Alien reboot a year ago, but after the VEI/Alien/Resurgence era I'm much less interested.

There are so many other approaches to the Valiant characters that would be better. Bringing it back to the beginning again with the same characters and new origins facepalm How many different Bloodshot origins have we gotten just in the last few years? These characters need to progress, not keep restarting with constant relaunches and reboots.

One idea, if it's Valiant Beyond, why not do it like Batman Beyond? Give us the second generation of the main characters. Most Valiant heroes are lineage anyway. That would at least be fresh and show an appreciation for the history. There's countless ways these characters could be done in an interesting way.

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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by ManofTheAtom »

Chiclo wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 6:29 pm
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 12:57 pm Alien didn't bring a multiverse into VEI canon. That was first introduced in the Quantum and Woody Valiant-Sized one-shot.

They're merely using something that was already there.

Multiverses at VALIANT are a bad idea (no pun...) regardless of who comes up with them, be it Nicieza, Shooter, Dinesh, or Hawkins.

But if you're going to rake Alien across the coals and hunt them down with pitches and torches for using one post Resurgence, then you have to do the same to Dinesh for including one in Q&W...
We are not mad at the introduction of a VEI multiverse. We are upset at the consistent bumbling and poor storytelling. And editorial consistency is not the same thing as quality stories.
Sure.
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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by ManofTheAtom »

Ryan wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 8:01 pm So you're not cool with it. Well the multiverse cat's been out of the bag for a long time, the question now is how it's going to be dealt with. My beef isn't about it being a multiverse, it's just with how the whole Valiant universe is being handled.
That doesn't excuse misreading what Alien is doing, which is publishing two different versions of the VALIANT Universe set in two distinct realities.
Yup. As I've been saying in this thread, it made no sense to do a year of VEI universe comics culminating in Resurgence if the plan was just to do an all new reboot anyway.

I would've been more interested in an Alien reboot a year ago, but after the VEI/Alien/Resurgence era I'm much less interested.

There are so many other approaches to the Valiant characters that would be better. Bringing it back to the beginning again with the same characters and new origins facepalm How many different Bloodshot origins have we gotten just in the last few years? These characters need to progress, not keep restarting with constant relaunches and reboots.

One idea, if it's Valiant Beyond, why not do it like Batman Beyond? Give us the second generation of the main characters. Most Valiant heroes are lineage anyway. That would at least be fresh and show an appreciation for the history. There's countless ways these characters could be done in an interesting way.
It's not a reboot since VEI still continues. Beyond is not like VH-1.
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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by Ryan »

ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 9:53 pm That doesn't excuse misreading what Alien is doing, which is publishing two different versions of the VALIANT Universe set in two distinct realities.

It's not a reboot since VEI still continues. Beyond is not like VH-1.
I'm not misreading anything. You're the one who's been proven wrong multiple times about DMG and Alien.

From your own link:
Screenshot 2025-04-20 220246.png
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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by ManofTheAtom »

Ryan wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 10:06 pm
ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 9:53 pm That doesn't excuse misreading what Alien is doing, which is publishing two different versions of the VALIANT Universe set in two distinct realities.

It's not a reboot since VEI still continues. Beyond is not like VH-1.
I'm not misreading anything. You're the one who's been proven wrong multiple times about DMG and Alien.

From your own link:

Screenshot 2025-04-20 220246.png
It is a reboot in the style of Absolute DC and Ultimate Marvel. It does not replace the VEI canon like VH 2 did VH 1.

Beyond is not replacing VEI either as canon or as the publisher's only output.

In addition to the Beyond series, they've made it clear that they also intend to publish at least one series set in the VEI canon, the Resurrection event.

We don't yet know what form that event will take. Is it a four issue weekly series? Is it a six or eight issue monthly series with ancillary one-shots and/or minis focused on different VALIANT characters?

We don't know.

What we do know is that Alien has made it clear that both versions of VALIANT are valid.

The part I think causes conflict here is a misreading or misunderstanding of their reasoning for doing Beyond.

Narratively, I'd agree that it is a mistake to do any kind of reboot, whether it is separate from main canon or as a replacement of it. By their own statements comparing it to DC's Absolute and Marvel's Ultimate lines, it sounds as it is being done exclusively for the sake of marketing by creating something they believe (based on feedback) is more likely to attract a larger audience to VALIANT than doing an X-O Manowar series that continues plot threads established 10 years ago.

At the same time, they haven't said that they have no intention of ever publishing more VALIANT comics set in the VEI canon. The fact that everything announced as part of Beyond thus far has clearly been labeled as being limited to a one-year experiment of sorts makes it more likely that they might, not less.
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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by Ryan »

ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 10:36 pm It is a reboot in the style of Absolute DC and Ultimate Marvel. It does not replace the VEI canon like VH 2 did VH 1.

Beyond is not replacing VEI either as canon or as the publisher's only output.

In addition to the Beyond series, they've made it clear that they also intend to publish at least one series set in the VEI canon, the Resurrection event.

We don't yet know what form that event will take. Is it a four issue weekly series? Is it a six or eight issue monthly series with ancillary one-shots and/or minis focused on different VALIANT characters?

We don't know.

What we do know is that Alien has made it clear that both versions of VALIANT are valid.

The part I think causes conflict here is a misreading or misunderstanding of their reasoning for doing Beyond.

Narratively, I'd agree that it is a mistake to do any kind of reboot, whether it is separate from main canon or as a replacement of it. By their own statements comparing it to DC's Absolute and Marvel's Ultimate lines, it sounds as it is being done exclusively for the sake of marketing by creating something they believe (based on feedback) is more likely to attract a larger audience to VALIANT than doing an X-O Manowar series that continues plot threads established 10 years ago.

At the same time, they haven't said that they have no intention of ever publishing more VALIANT comics set in the VEI canon. The fact that everything announced as part of Beyond thus far has clearly been labeled as being limited to a one-year experiment of sorts makes it more likely that they might, not less.
You're reading a lot into the press releases and assuming intentions to get your conclusions.

All I'm going off of is 48 announced Beyond comics vs 1 announced VEI Zombies comics. That tells me they are putting all of their resources into Beyond, hoping it will take off and be the replacement. But they're hedging by keeping the other universe around just in case Beyond doesn't catch on.
What we do know is that Alien has made it clear that both versions of VALIANT are valid.
Where did VH2 ever say that VH1 wasn't valid? They were planning for the VH1 versions to come back almost from the beginning.
The part I think causes conflict here is a misreading or misunderstanding of their reasoning for doing Beyond.
Ok, so what am I misunderstanding about Alien's reason for doing Beyond? You think it's just intended to be a little side project, and after the 48 issue run they're going to be done with it and go back to the VEI universe?

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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by ManofTheAtom »

You're reading a lot into the press releases and assuming intentions to get your conclusions.

All I'm going off of is 48 announced Beyond comics vs 1 announced VEI Zombies comics. That tells me they are putting all of their resources into Beyond, hoping it will take off and be the replacement. But they're hedging by keeping the other universe around just in case Beyond doesn't catch on.
It's not ONE VEI Zombies comic; it's a preview/lead in to an EVENT published as part of FCDB. An event we yet know nothing more about.

You're making assumptions about their intent for Beyond that is not based on anything they've actually said about it.
Where did VH2 ever say that VH1 wasn't valid? They were planning for the VH1 versions to come back almost from the beginning.
They were planning to have people vote for which version of which character from which universe would stick around after 1999.
Ok, so what am I misunderstanding about Alien's reason for doing Beyond? You think it's just intended to be a little side project, and after the 48 issue run they're going to be done with it and go back to the VEI universe?
Based on what they've actually stated about it, there has been no reason to believe otherwise.

Why declare that Beyond is a finite project before it's even published otherwise?

You think DC's Absolute line will still be around a year or two years from now?
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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by Ryan »

ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 10:58 pm
It's not ONE VEI Zombies comic; it's a preview/lead in to an EVENT published as part of FCDB. An event we yet know nothing more about.

You're making assumptions about their intent for Beyond that is not based on anything they've actually said about it.
I'm only counting what's actually been announced/solicited. But sure, they probably wouldn't do a FCBD if there wasn't a plan to follow it up with something else.
They were planning to have people vote for which version of which character from which universe would stick around after 1999.
Exactly, so VH2 is more like a side universe than a fully intended replacement.

Based on what they've actually stated about it, there has been no reason to believe otherwise.

Why declare that Beyond is a finite project before it's even published otherwise?

You think DC's Absolute line will still be around a year or two years from now?
It all depends on the success of the comics.

I don't believe that any comics business is investing in producing 48 comic books (48 x $20,000 = nearly a million - a very conservative estimate) in a line of books that they plan from the beginning on abandoning after one year.

It could very well end up that they abandon it after 12 or even before it gets to 12 issues due to lack of success. But I don't think they intend to create this new universe only to abandon it.

Same with DC Absolute or Ultimate, etc. Those are different than Valiant though, because they actually have a core universe that has been successful for many decades and continues to publish many more books than these 'alternate reboot' universes do. Valiant doesn't have that.

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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by ManofTheAtom »

I'm only counting what's actually been announced/solicited. But sure, they probably wouldn't do a FCBD if there wasn't a plan to follow it up with something else.
You're discounting their announcing a Resurrection EVENT, which, using common sense, dictates will be at the very least similar to Resurgence in terms of publication.
Exactly, so VH2 is more like a side universe than a fully intended replacement.
Incorrect since VH 2 did in fact replace VH 1 both in terms of narrative and output. Acclaim stopped published any VH 1 comics once VH 2 began.
It all depends on the success of the comics.

I don't believe that any comics business is investing in producing 48 comic books (48 x $20,000 = nearly a million - a very conservative estimate) in a line of books that they plan from the beginning on abandoning after one year.

It could very well end up that they abandon it after 12 or even before it gets to 12 issues due to lack of success. But I don't think they intend to create this new universe only to abandon it.

Same with DC Absolute or Ultimate, etc. Those are different than Valiant though, because they actually have a core universe that has been successful for many decades and continues to publish many more books than these 'alternate reboot' universes do. Valiant doesn't have that.
Okay, my mistake.

"We're aiming for at least 12 issues per Valiant Beyond series, split into 3/4-issue arcs that combine to tell a larger story," explains Alien Books Art Director Martin Casanova. "We're optimistic that fan and retailer support will help us expand this line further with more mini-series and specials."

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/reboot- ... -solicits/

Whether Beyond continues beyond the initial 12 will depend on how it performs commercially. Editorially, they do seem to be committed to just the 12 issues for now. That does not mean they don't intend to continue publishing more comics set in the VEI continuity.
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Re: "We Anticipate Being Able to Focus on Expanding": Valiant Publisher Breaks Down New IDW Deal

Post by Ryan »

ManofTheAtom wrote: Sun Apr 20, 2025 11:25 pm You're discounting their announcing a Resurrection EVENT, which, using common sense, dictates will be at the very least similar to Resurgence in terms of publication.
Fair enough, there are plans for an event. So let's say planned comics (so far) Beyond 48 - VEI 6 (fcbd + 5 issue mini)
Incorrect since VH 2 did in fact replace VH 1 both in terms of narrative and output. Acclaim stopped published any VH 1 comics once VH 2 began.
That's technically true, again it depends on success. If Vh2 had been a hit, it would've continued indefinitely and maybe been seen as the 'true' Valiant. As it turned out at only a year and half or so of comics it looks more like side universe in hindsight.

Okay, my mistake.

"We're aiming for at least 12 issues per Valiant Beyond series, split into 3/4-issue arcs that combine to tell a larger story," explains Alien Books Art Director Martin Casanova. "We're optimistic that fan and retailer support will help us expand this line further with more mini-series and specials."

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/reboot- ... -solicits/

Whether Beyond continues beyond the initial 12 will depend on how it performs commercially. Editorially, they do seem to be committed to just the 12 issues for now. That does not mean they don't intend to continue publishing more comics set in the VEI continuity.
Thanks for looking that up, I missed that quote. At the end of the day, we all just want good Valiant comics. What I've seen from Alien hasn't inspired confidence so far. And now a reboot, whether side or main universe, going back over the same ground with more alternate versions, just isn't the direction I'd like to see it go.


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