One Step ‘Beyond’: Matias Timarchi talks Valiant’s new heroes, future prospects

[ManofTheAtom]

One Step ‘Beyond’: Matias Timarchi talks Valiant’s new heroes, future prospects

Oh, but wait, there’s even more in the form of Valiant Zombies: Resurrection. Bumped from May to later this year (more on that in the actual Q&A), the title (either a one-shot or the start of a limited series) follows Valiant heroes after they’ve discovered the secrets of the “Undeadside” and how it will reshape and/or alter the very Valiant-verse. (Editor’s Note: We’ve been told Resurrection isn’t under the Valiant Beyond banner, but does add context to this overarching story.)

we are always looking at other ways to re-release previously published material in new formats, like with artist’s editions, facsimiles, and omnibuses, as X-O has a particularly rich history all on his own and it deserves to be appreciated and showcased.

AIPT: Speaking of legacies, Beyond really kicked off with Valiant Zombies: Resurrection, where we saw the characters as we knew them through Resurgence. Why is it important to have that connection back to the “old” Valiant, and do you think there’s more to explore with this “Zombies line”?

MT: When we ended the Resurgence event, we knew we wanted to open up a pathway for the birth of a new universe, but we also didn’t want to “throw away” everything that led to that moment. How can we clear the deck for Valiant Beyond while also providing a path to follow for the previous characters that everyone has been following for years? Well, what if we had them survive Resurgence only to wind up stranded in a universe full of flesh eating zombies with superpowers?

That’s where the idea for Valiant Zombies: Resurrection came about, and we’re looking forward to publishing the story, originally set for Free Comic Book Day, later this year a bit closer to Halloween. It’ll stand alone from Valiant Beyond but will still be a fun story for all readers to get invested in. Plus, it’s got zombies! Everybody loves zombies still, right? HAHA.

AIPT: What comes after Beyond, and what do you think is the long-term future for Valiant if you had your way? More events, new titles, other line-spanning initiatives?

MT: You already want to know what’s coming beyond Valiant Beyond? Can we get the first issues out before we do that?

HAHA.

You’ll get a clearer picture of what’s coming next as we get closer to revealing our Fall titles, which will include the Valiant Zombies storyline, a new anthology series, and new collected editions. We might even be working on a crossover with…oops, I’ve said too much!

[syzhang28]

He sounds clueless.

[leonmallett]

He sounds clueless.

How so? He is trying to outline future plans against a very uncertain backdrop for indy publishers following Diamond's demise, which must be a tricky line to walk.

[ManofTheAtom]

He sounds clueless.

How so? He is trying to outline future plans against a very uncertain backdrop for indy publishers following Diamond's demise, which must be a tricky line to walk.

Indeed.