Bob Layton Comments On Working For The NEW Valiant

[Vault-Keeper]

Bob makes a comment on working for the New Valiant in his September Letter's Page Update. You can read it here:

http://www.boblayton.com/sept05letterspage.htm

[magnusr]

Bob makes a comment on working for the New Valiant in his September Letter's Page Update. You can read it here:

http://www.boblayton.com/sept05letterspage.htm

Thanks, Steve. Found it at the bottom of the middle column. Interesting comments from Bob in several ways.

/Magnus

[Vault-Keeper]

Bob makes a comment on working for the New Valiant in his September Letter's Page Update. You can read it here:

http://www.boblayton.com/sept05letterspage.htm

Thanks, Steve. Found it at the bottom of the middle column. Interesting comments from Bob in several ways.

/Magnus

I'm sure Dino is on great terms with Bob since the Magnus #0 Project. I'm surprised that it appears that they haven't been in contact since...

[Schmakt]

yeah, cool... thanks. I hadn't read the "Ding-Dong" article before either... very interesting.

[k_c_collectibles]

WOW - Bob stated that:

As the unofficial Valiant "Anti-Christ", I'm not holding my breath waiting for the phone call.

That is pretty harsh! I do not consider Bob to be that way at all! I think he did a good job with the hand he was dealt and many of the bad decisions done at the company were not by his choice. An example of this would be Deathmate. He did not want to do that mini-series, but was told to do so by his boss so he did the best he could with it.

I still consider Jim Shooter, Barry Windsor Smith and Bob Layton to be the founding fathers of Valiant and would welcome any contributions from them in the new company. I am also a realist and know there is no way that Jim and Bob would work together on a title, but why couldn't they work on their OWN titles? Bob could work on X-O Manowar and Jim could work on Harbinger or whatever title he wanted to. Barry could work on an Eternal Warriors title that incorporated tales of all 3 brothers along with Archer. That would be a best case scenario at least in my opinion.

I realize this is probably not going to happen, but I can dream can't I?
Chris

[Vault-Keeper]

WOW - Bob stated that:

As the unofficial Valiant "Anti-Christ", I'm not holding my breath waiting for the phone call.

That is pretty harsh! I do not consider Bob to be that way at all! I think he did a good job with the hand he was dealt and many of the bad decisions done at the company were not by his choice. An example of this would be Deathmate. He did not want to do that mini-series, but was told to do so by his boss so he did the best he could with it.

I still consider Jim Shooter, Barry Windsor Smith and Bob Layton to be the founding fathers of Valiant and would welcome any contributions from them in the new company. I am also a realist and know there is no way that Jim and Bob would work together on a title, but why couldn't they work on their OWN titles? Bob could work on X-O Manowar and Jim could work on Harbinger or whatever title he wanted to. Barry could work on an Eternal Warriors title that incorporated tales of all 3 brothers along with Archer. That would be a best case scenario at least in my opinion.

I realize this is probably not going to happen, but I can dream can't I?
Chris

That's a damn good idea, & I hope Dino takes note of it...

[Todd Luck]

WOW - Bob stated that:

As the unofficial Valiant "Anti-Christ", I'm not holding my breath waiting for the phone call.

That is pretty harsh! I do not consider Bob to be that way at all!

I think Layton's done very good job of establishing on here and on his website that the vast majority of persecution he claims to be under has very little to do with reality. Interesting he says he no longer has much interest in doing main stream comics.

[IMissValiant]

Bob's comment is assuming there is a "new Valiant." We still haven't heard anything more than it than it was bought, unless there's a post somewhere I missed. Anyone know?

[Unblessed]

WOW - Bob stated that:

As the unofficial Valiant "Anti-Christ", I'm not holding my breath waiting for the phone call.

That is pretty harsh! I do not consider Bob to be that way at all! I think he did a good job with the hand he was dealt and many of the bad decisions done at the company were not by his choice. An example of this would be Deathmate. He did not want to do that mini-series, but was told to do so by his boss so he did the best he could with it.

I still consider Jim Shooter, Barry Windsor Smith and Bob Layton to be the founding fathers of Valiant and would welcome any contributions from them in the new company.

I realize this is probably not going to happen, but I can dream can't I?
Chris

I'm with stoopid. I mean Chris. He said everything I wanted to, and more. *goes to look at his Magnus #1 signed by Bob*

~The Unblessed Soul

[ManofTheAtom]

If anyone has an alternate email for Bob Layton, could you send this his way? I keep trying but it keeps bouncing back.

Thanks!

Hi:

I had some questions about the litho you did for Dynamic Forces. The curiosity is killing me, heh.

How is it possible that you were able to use Geoff McHenry and the VALIANT version of Solar in it?

Even if Random House (I believe they own Gold Key's Dr. Solar now) owns the VALIANT iteration of the character, do they also own Geoff and the Geomancer concept?

I know that both Geoff and Clay McHenry made their first apperances in VALIANT's Solar, MOTA #10, but I thought they were part of the Eternal Warrior concept and not Solar.

And does Random House also own the MotherGod character?

Was the litho produced in conjunction with the new owners of the VALIANT Universe and Random House and that's why you were able to use Geoff? Or did the new owners just approve its use?

Thanks!

Mike Sacal

[k_c_collectibles]

Bob is having problems with his website. I received an bulk email from him earlier today stating that and that it would hopefully be fixed by this weekend. I also tried to send him an email and had the same problem as you - it was bounced back to me. I'm sure it is all part of his website issue.

Chris

[Daniel Jackson]

This is just typical Bob Layton....

Not that I wouldn't consider doing something for the new Valiant, but I've gotten the impression that I'm the last person on Earth that they would ask. (the 'word on the street' is that their mindset falls into the "Shooter School of Revisionist Valiant History" category.) As the unofficial Valiant "Anti-Christ", I'm not holding my breath waiting for the phone call.

He just can't let this grudge with Jim fade away. It's a shame really; the man is a very talented artist and co-creator of some great books. Yet he wastes time worrying about how we perceive Jim Shooter.

Let's look at it this way... since all is said and done with VH1, 2 &3 what stories are held in the highest regard? When Jim was in charge and writing books, Valiant comics were second to none. Bob takes the helm and everything slowly starts becoming mediocre, gimmicky and finally the books turn into pale shadows of their former glory.

No revision necessary.

Valiant with Jim in charge = greatness
Valiant with Bob in charge = slow spiral to the bottom.

[putz]

He just can't let this grudge with Jim fade away.

hummm..
Not letting stuff go.
....
sounds like some people on this board.

hhehheeh

ops.
Maybe i should not have wrote that.

[cinlach@aol.com]

you know you really are a putz.

i'm kidding!

laugh dammit!

seriously, i wuz just trying to be a humorous little slag...meant no offense.

you live too close to me for me to *SQUEE* you off. i can talk smack to kc, mota or unblessed all day long. they're WAY to far from here for any serious repercusions.

north carolina though is a little too close for comfort.

[putz]

I wuz kidding also.
Thats about the limit of my funnyness ( if thats a word) at this time in the morning.

[dave]

shooter refers to himself as the "pariah" of the industry and now bob is calling himself the ac...that's really too bad...you think that 2 guys who have been as successful as they have been ESPECIALLY when working together could find a way to "get over it".

[VanHook]

No one's taller...than the last man standing.


I think Jim would still be taller, either way. He's like 6'7"!!!
KV

[k_c_collectibles]

No one's taller...than the last man standing.


I think Jim would still be taller, either way. He's like 6'7"!!!
KV

[cinlach@aol.com]

is there anything to report on the new owners and their plans?

i haven't seen anything lately and i'm just wondering.

i really wish there was something we as a community could do...i can only imagine how difficult the task is they have in front of them.

[wrunow]

Well, I think in the past a few members here on the board may have treated Bob with what he felt was a little bit of a lack of respect and in his opinion, unprofessional comments. I personally think it is unfortunate that he seems to think the entire board feels this way about him, when many of us who understand what happens sometimes in business, money, partnerships, and friendships, are ambivilant about what may have happened in the past and are just hoping for some kind of future for the VALIANT characters we enjoy. I mean many of the creators and professionals "who were there" must get a pretty good laugh out of some of the rumors and stories that come up on the boards at times, and probably don't need some guy or lady from east whereever telling them how things happened and what they suposedly did wrong.

I don't think the new guys would not consider using Bob or whoever if they could afford it and it was the best thing to do for any books they may want to publish, it would be crazy not to. They ultimately are running a business and not a popularity contest for us boardmembers, although I have some faith they will do the right thing.

Mark

[Vault-Keeper]

From all the correspondence I've had with Bob, he knows that the majority of board members here are nice people. He has also made it plain to me that if any of those nice people want to correspond with him, please go to his website & write him a letter.

He tried to share quite a bit with us last year, & everytime he was slammed by a select few. I don't blame him for not wanting to deal with crap like that.

[myron]

poop...links busted....little help steve??? (or is Bob's site still down)

[magnusr]

poop...links busted....little help steve??? (or is Bob's site still down)

Hmm, maybe they reorganised the site. This link seems ok:
http://www.boblayton.com/letterspage.htm

/Magnus

[myron]

thanks magnusr

[SiBill]

This is just typical Bob Layton....

Not that I wouldn't consider doing something for the new Valiant, but I've gotten the impression that I'm the last person on Earth that they would ask. (the 'word on the street' is that their mindset falls into the "Shooter School of Revisionist Valiant History" category.) As the unofficial Valiant "Anti-Christ", I'm not holding my breath waiting for the phone call.

He just can't let this grudge with Jim fade away. It's a shame really; the man is a very talented artist and co-creator of some great books. Yet he wastes time worrying about how we perceive Jim Shooter.

Let's look at it this way... since all is said and done with VH1, 2 &3 what stories are held in the highest regard? When Jim was in charge and writing books, Valiant comics were second to none. Bob takes the helm and everything slowly starts becoming mediocre, gimmicky and finally the books turn into pale shadows of their former glory.

No revision necessary.

Valiant with Jim in charge = greatness
Valiant with Bob in charge = slow spiral to the bottom.

Jim Shooter routinely and loudly refers to the "survivors" at Valiant as thieves and underhanded scoundrels - who hijacked his company and vision. It makes sense then that Layton defends himself with sarcasm. The only thing that can unite these two giants in Comic Book history is the lure of big money. They did their best work (along with BWS) when they found common ground - so the feud is a shame. I have had dealings with both and they are both gentlemen. There is no denying their talent and it makes no sense for us to "choose sides". They're the Scottie and MJ of the medium- can't win without each other.