Only The Valiant

In anticipation of the upcoming X-O Manowar series from Valiant Comics, we discuss the “greatest hits” from the previous X-O Manowar books from the first incarnation of Valiant.

Before we get to the meat and potatoes of the episode, we also discuss some recent Valiant news (minus yesterday’s exciting announcement), including recent images from Valiant’s Tumblr, the Valiant christmas card, and The Vine.

Some of the greatest hits we cover:

• Lotsa love for Pre-Unity X-O
• X-O #0
• X-O’s Unity arc
• Aric returns to 400 A.D.
• Seed Of Destruction
• Teaming up with Turok
• Destruction of the armor, and the new armor
• Wolfbridge Affair
• The Grand Finale (last three issues)

Also:

• No good guy buttons
• We recap Secret Weapons
• Socrates talks to us about time
• Wyld Stallyns Rule!
• Nobody likes Turok
• Yellow stain of fear
• Buried in Rome, unearthed in the Northeast
• Feel my power!
• Master Darque’s terrible return
• suffering from aBendisitis
• We balance Plato with them not so smarts
• Somehow, more Shadowman controversy
• Some love for Operation Stormbringer
• They all fight nazis, even in the future
• If you like Youngblood, you’ll love the last 20 issues of X-O

The news we’ve been waiting forever for is here, Valiant Comics is launching on Free Comic Book Day 2012. Even more exciting than that, this FCBD issue will be the launch of a new line of Valiant comics, with X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, and Harbinger leading the pack.

We are all pretty darn excited, so of course we discuss this news as much as possible. Listen now!

Also:

• We argue over the efficacy of lightning swords
• homonyms vs. heteronyms, though there’s nothing wrong with that!
• Grandpa tells a story that will “peak” your interest
• Stan Lee principles are applied! You new folks will not be lost!
• Harbinger Hangups, and the lack thereof
• Craigslist, new weapon of the Harbinger foundation
• The fate of the local comic shops
• Comparison of the New Valiant publishing schedule and the Dark Horse Gold Key publishing schedule
• A new “Unity” type crossover? How likely is this?
• Cops love Amarillo
• Mullets – a pretty bad disability
• Is bloodshot without lightning bolts still Bloodshot?
• Aric on the moon! Or in cotton land…
• Obligatory Star Trek reference, and a good alternative
• We introduce a new way to get off track: James Bond
• …then things go Youngblood, and we call it quits

Nazi Werewolfs! Psychopath children! Right Wing Militias! Eternal Warrior takes them all down in the Acclaim era.

In this episode, we discuss the Eternal Warrior 27 – 50, Wings Special, Fist and Steel, and Yearbook 2. There are some hits, and a few more misses, we discuss our thoughts on these so-so issues about this great character.

In addition:

• We don’t need no stinking intros!
• The Force! Not just for Star Wars anymore
• Your daily dose of decapitation
• All my children… are psychopaths
• Without the Geomancer, things fall apart for Gilad
• Bridges with piles of dead bodies, take the next bridge, Attila
• Back you Dogs! Or I’ll litter the street with your bones!
• Tiny moments of depth. And hoochie dresses.
• Newt Gingrich, radical right terrorist!
• Boba Fett, also radical right terrorist!
• And Jackson Guice, Eternal Warrior penciller, also radical right terrorist!
• First Hand, West Texas encounters with the radical militias
• Gilad misses out on many valuable trademark and copyright oppurtunities
• Meet the pirate Darth Vader, who wields a mighty bat’leth
• Little known fact, Gilad is also Bigby Wolf
• Magic v. Micro-Circuitry
• TUFF
• The REAL secret of Chiclo
• Legacy, and how it defines the Valiant universe

Some notes:

Wiki on the real-life Orval Faubus (as referenced in Eternal Warrior 43).

Fixed! The episode has been re-posted Monday, November 14. If you had some problems with the audio file before, please re-download.

Sorry for the inconvenience!

The Only The Valiant crew is stranded on a desert island, with nothing but a few comics, and hopefully a Starbucks and internet cafe.

Luckily, we were able to package up a few of our favorite comics before our boat crashed during what was supposed to be just a three hour tour.

The professor quickly put together a podcast recorder out of a couple coconut shells, so we’re able to record this podcast message and bring it to you, straight from the comic-filled desert island

We’ve got our three favorite runs of comics, and one of those runs is a Valiant Comics run. Between the four of us, we’ve got a ton of reading material on this island.

Tune in now to learn what we brought with us, and why! This is a long one, with tons of great comics talk.

DC’s “New 52″ relaunch occurred last month, and the OTV crew was excited enough about it to read the whole bunch of comics. In this episode, we take a look at this publishing initiative as a whole, to give our overall thoughts on these books and this effort by DC.

We’ve taken a step away from the usual Valiant discussion for this episode, to talk about this event, because it is has been a huge event for the comic book industry.

In addition to our thoughts on this exciting event:

• Each book reviewed with the Official OTV ranking system, Yes/Meh/Sucks
• Throw your hands in the air for the Ladies! Or, was this all just atrociously done and disrespectful to women readers?
• What reading these books tells us about what we like
• Burn out!
• Nobody agrees on ratings, ie. there’s something for everyone
• and 357 other things!

Some notes:

Justice League #1 Edited

DC Comics is bad at Math

Super Friends for the win!

Shadowman: jazz saxophone playin’, and Master Darque slayin’. This episode is a shadow energy charged discussion of Shadowman Comics issues 30 to 43, the conclusion of Bob Hall’s fantastic run.

This is another episode in a series of discussions about the comics published by Valiant in the later years of their publishing tenure. Shadowman is one of the gems of the “Birthquake era” of Valiant Comics.

In addition to our overall discussion, we cover:

• The TWO Shadowmans!
• Villains: Blister! Night Monster! Ishmael! Sandria? Where is Master Darque?
• Birthquake – what the heck was it?
• Details that made the book work
• Supporting cast: Nettie, Maxim, Marcia

This episode is a musical jam fest, with musical interludes, including:

• Hard Bop Jazz
• Zydeco Jams
• and the OTV Rap Crew!

Musical notes:

Rap interlude is the OTV Rap Crew, The Shadowman Rap

Jazz interlude is Wayne Shorter, JuJu, from the album JuJu

Zydeco interlude is Boozoo Chavis, Paper in my Shoe

Continuing our discussion of the later years of Valiant Comics, we discuss the last year and a half of Bloodshot comic books, issues 34 to 51.

Mobsters! Rampage! Other fake Bloodshots! Deathangel! Guns! Creepy babies! These issues are loaded, but are they loaded with the goods, or do they fall flat? Opinions vary (as always), and we hash out what we liked, and what we didn’t like about these issues.

Pick up your issues, read along, and listen.

• Chiclo has become… Electronic. Supersonic.
• Do you use a “90′s filter”?
• Senseless violence! Or is throwing a man in a trash compactor perfectly reasonable?
• Nothing stands out
• Bimbo? Or competant MI-6 agent?
• Everybody gets a drug lord!
• What books to avoid, unless you want to stab yourself with a pencil
• Once again, Ultraverse leads the way down a path of badness
• Creepy babies (worth mentioning twice)
• Bangs make a book great

Show links/notes:

Zlad: Elektronik Supersonik

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: Why is Chiclo so happy?

Are you subscribed to the best Valiant Comics podcast on iTunes? Search for “Only The Valiant” on iTunes and subscribe!

The OTV contingent discuss the later Harbinger comic books, Harbinger 26 through 41. The epic showdown between Pete Stanchek and Toyo Harada is over, and Faith must pick up the pieces. In these issues, Faith joins the Harbinger Foundation, the organization of her former enemy, and joins a group of new Harbinger kids.

We discuss the good and the bad of these Valiant Comics issues, and as always…

• We’re starved for Valiant merchandise
• Valiant Comics kills folks! Says it right here..
• One Valiant comic book hero has the unfortunate nickname of “sloppy seconds”, find out who!
• Code names v. real names – this isn’t the X-Men
• That number is nothing but wood, Butch
• Is Harada the greatest character, or just a run of the mill sociopath? Opinions vary
• Obligatory Star Trek reference
• Sorry about the chaos (effect)! or – when crossovers titles are better as descriptions
• If you go back to junior high to settle your debts, you might be a creep, or this Valiant Comics character
• Listen here Marvel and DC, this crossover shows how to do crossovers right
• Listen here Marvel and DC, this series shows how to do diversity right
• The best zero issues, and our personal favorites

We also discuss listener emails, voicemails, and talk about what we have been reading recently!

San Diego Comic-Con happened, and it happened in a big way. We recap our experiences from the show, and the good times we had.

We also caught up with the folks from Valiant Entertainment to talk about their plans for new comics, and the relaunch of all your favorite Valiant characters.

And of course, plenty more:

• Don’t tell ‘Veen what to do!
• Twilight fans are dedicated
• The coolest new SDCC bar, the Tr!ckster bar and symposium
• The ups and downs of collecting sketches for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, plus, a Watchmen coup
• Marvel’s monument to Marvel v. DC’s invitation to hang out
• Are video games the big new thing at SDCC?
• Crack, heroin, MMO’s, the most dangerous substances
• Venturing into the small press area
• Everybody loves Jennifer Connelly
• Insider info on the mess that was Acclaim comics
• Always remember, Walking Dead is like printing money
• Once again, we talk about Axe Cop
• The loudmouth gets the chip
• Three of us are all in on DC, the fourth is no-in
• “Great Deals” on Valiant Comics
• It’s not a tumor!

San Diego Comic-Con is coming up this week. Elveen and Sean are gonna be there, Chiclo and Jonesy will be with us in spirit. Or something like that.

We discuss all things Comic-Con in this episode, the artists we are excited to meet, the panels we want to see, the cool exclusive merchandise that we most want, and everything else about SDCC that we are most excited about. Of course, this leads in to tons of other related comic book discussion, news and happenings.

This episode is a long one, so crank it up on your drive down to San Diego!

In addition to this madness:

• How one co-host combines fun at the convention with charity work for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
• Erik Larsen defies gravity
• Good things always happen at the Gumby booth
• A how-to session on walking through the small press section of Comic-Con (or any other con)
• …and Kang joins the avengers!
• In this modern day and age, gender is a flexible concept, even for the most sinister of villains
• Will First Comics be another First Comics, or are they doomed to be just another Atlas?
• How to ask the best question at a DC panel, and get that black Wayne Casino chip
• What to expect from Valiant at this year’s SDCC
• Learn which former Valiant creators will be attending. Bring your Armorines!
• No auto-correct on this podcast…
• Smut with demons, smut with Vampires, smut with werewolves – or – how to sell anything
• Gleekers are gonna get run over, it’s just the way it is
• Can Robert Kirkman tame the wild stallion?
• …and the rest!

We’re back for another comic book and Valiant Comics discussion, packed with odds, ends, bits, pieces, snippets and other such vocal sundries. We share some of your emails, which prompts some discussion:

How can the new Valiant Comics launch a universe without Magnus, Robot Fighter, or Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom? They were cornerstones of the original Valiant, after all.

Can the recent lawsuits over Superman, Angela, and Medieval Spawn help us understand anything about derivitave work and copyrights?

What ever happened to CGC graded books anyway? We never seem to discuss them anymore.

• We leave out pointless stories (sure we do…)
• Bloodshot, New Valiant super star!
• Could Solar ever get up and at them?
• In case you don’t remember, Ultraverse sucks (down with OTU)
• Solar may have more in common with Neil Gaiman’s and Todd McFarlane’s fued than you know
• Superman vs. a cheap plot device! MHHHTRRRPLLLS!
• A SECOND co-host admits they enjoy Psi-Lords
• The MAN wants us to have BAD VISION. Consipiracy! Contrails! (We might get a little coocoo)
• A sure fire way to make tens of dollars! TENS!
• The cat is fat and gluttonous
• Lowest on census – A book to be proud of
• Tens of protesters! TENS!
• Walking the (creepy) line
• Tremble at the sight of Man Faye

If you haven’t already started to download and listen, you’re doing it wrong!

By the way, are you subscribed to OTV through iTunes or your favorite podcatcher? Subscribers get the episodes earlier, quicker, and more easily. Click here to subscribe now.

Valiant Entertainment released a slate of news, Peter Cuneo is the new Chairman, Fred Pierce is Publisher, and Warren Simons is Executive Editor, and they have a new capital infusion that will allow them to publish new Valiant Comics in 2012!

… rather exciting news.

We hash out our thoughts about this news, and what it may mean for the future of Valiant.

In addition to all that discussion:

• Farewells
• Green Lantern – the movie review
• Venture capital: evil, or blessing?
• Will the Marvel model work for Valiant?
• In a world overrun by monsters, Charles Barkley is our only hope
• Sandwich ads make great comics (a grab for free food)
• A possible boon to the pouch industry
• Valiant’s cross-media action may use this franchise as a model
• Future Ottawans – how do they sound?
• Hard Corpse or Hard Cores
• Named “Palin”? Prepare to be known as SHAZAM!

In addition to all of this, listener emails and recent reads!

Who is… The Visitor?

Why is he here? What does he want?

We discuss the two issue series Visitor vs. The Valiant Universe and the 13-issue series The Visitor. He shows up out of nowhere. Harada goes for his throat and sends the Harbinger after him. Flamingo is drawn to him somehow. And there are… aliens?

Make sure you read these 15 issues first (go ahead, it won’t take long), so you can follow along with our discussion.

Some of us hate it!

Some of us kinda liked it!

Some of us have no strong opinion either way!

Opinions vary wildly on this one, and we get into some heated discussion.

Valiant Comics issues related to this episode:

• Visitor vs. The Valiant Universe 1 and 2
• The Visitor 1 – 13
• Timewalker 6, 7, and 8
• Harbinger Files 2

Plus, we round out the episode with a recent reads segment.

And it came to pass that Only The Valiant discussed Ninjak.

What the hell is a Ninjak?

It’s in-depth character time with Ninjak. We talk about the comics, the stories, his nemesis, and how he fits into the overall Valiant Universe. What if James Bond was a ninja? With a bad wardrobe? Listen and find out.

And of course, in addition:

• A preponderance of Seans
• The model of the new Pierre Cardin line, and Hugh Heffner’s alter ego, with a secret
• Purple and yellow fashion disasters
• One of us has read Harry Potter fan fic – Mary Sue tells this hosts horrible secret
• Awesome panther covers
• Internet rage has been misdirected
• Only The Valiant does not allow double negatives
• Obligatory Star Trek references
• Jacks!
• Battle of ventriloquism
• Torque bends his wookie
• Also, obligatory Buffy the Vampire Slayer reference
• Plus, some recent reads

Sometimes, things take a while to come out. Like this show. It happens, but here we are to talk about comics, conventions, delays, singing, tigerblood, and various other sundries.

A few links we discussed:

In this episode, we talk about cons, Wondercon and SDCC, some recent Dark Horse Gold Key character books, and Wizard’s demise.

• Jim Shooter’s blog

• Jim Shooter’s twitter

Up next is our Ninjak discussion so send in your thoughts about that!

Giant Size! Foil! Chromium! Hologram! Gimmicks galore! The 90s saw a spurt of comics using gimmicks of all sort to stand out and get us kids to buy ‘em.

We discuss the craze, how it started, the heyday, the legacy, and the end of this craze. All that, plus:

• Are there Stargates hidden in the dessert? Theories vary
• We confirm that we are a motorized cart and oxygen tank free crew
• Who got shafted in zip teasin’ Egypt?
• Battletech was so hot a little while ago
• The first chromium cover! First foil! First glow in the dark! First embossed!
• Which of us fell for the gimmick trick?
• Gimmick vs. variant, what’s the difference?
• Marvel goes coocoo for cocoa puffs-err-gimmicky covers
• Actually, Geomancer #1 was the last gimmick (we figure this out eventually)
• Do you care what the last forced gimmick was? Some of us don’t…
• …and our personal favorite enhanced covers

All this and more in the current episode. Get it below!

Back in the swing of things, we discuss a few of the recent books out from Dark Horse. In this episode, we review Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #2, Magnus, Robot Fighter #2, and Turok, Son of Stone #1.

As if that weren’t enough for an action packed episode:

• A less than stellar case is presented to refute claims about a feminine voice
• How Turok, Son of Stone has misleadingly exciting cover art
• Jim Shooter’s secret source of inspiration for a key character in Doctor Solar
• Someone gets caught acting like a typical San Franciscan
• Mighty Samson, gets nothing special to his name
• Invisible, unpronounced commas – they’re everywhere!
• Someone speaks Klingon, 3 guesses who, the first 2 don’t count
• We conject, sure, about the time frame of each Dark Horse series
• Chiclo exclaims, “I’m Christine! I’m Christine!” and Mrs. Chiclo is rather confused
• One fan’s feedback sends the show into a downward spiral of a sing-along.
• Then there is MORE SINGING

Download this episode yesterday!

Download: OTV-episode049.mp3

("right click/save as" on above link)




Total Time: 47 minutes

Posted under: Dark Horse, Doctor Solar, Magnus, Turok


1 Comment »

The Only The Valiant crew talks about the first issue of Magnus Robot Fighter from Dark Horse and Jim Shooter! Plus, some good stuff we’ve been reading recently, and a nice little discussion of the merit of premise vs. execution.

Plus! Action packed with:

• Robot ventriloquism (humanity is doomed)
• Shopping for battle tunics at Macy’s
• vacuums are not robots!
• The Mail damages comics…
• learn the secrets of getting paid to jibber jabber
• how to be a scab and influence people (or not)
• No San Diego variant for Magnus. Poor Magnus…
• Corsets are the secret to character design
• Mispronunciation is not tolerated
• Deep discussion of the virtue of 4 vs. 6! 5 vs. 8!
• Robot impersonations, and tones are not voltages
• Kitchens aren’t the only place for fridges anymore
• Fear of submission (and non sequiturs)
• Beware the Ides of July (no one believes this?)
• Was Siege just forced, or did it just suck?
• Hulk would slap down Juggernaut in a minute
• Without word balloons, it doesn’t count
• Library extortion, as measured in dollars. DOLLARS!
• You’d think it would be, but a premise that makes a woman’s clothes explode off every issue isn’t enough
• Arguments over Watchmen!
• HA! Give me my million
• Princess Mononoke, international success!
• Die cut! Hologram! Double Size! Fancy cover! Special backup! (coming soon)

If you are not listening at this very instant, you’re doing it wrong. Listen now!

After 3 and a half days of the convention, we talk about San Diego Comic-Con from Satuday night of the show. We are joined by Bob B. from the Comic Book Page Podcast and Plan B. to talk about the convention.

In addition to our general views on the convention:

• Steam Punks, or stunkers, what are they? Is it just corsetts and goggles?
• A little Serbocroation, and Yugoslavian history
• Discussion of the best costumes we’ve seen
• A sighting of the scary-to-behold muffin bottom (the muffin top’s more dastardly cousin)
• Best finds and purchases of the convention
• The Mile High Collection at the show, and how to get 60% off at Mile High (only 5x guide prices!)
• The Hall H stabbing! The pen is mightier than the eye
• OTV… after hours
• Saturday is the new Thursday, and vice versa

The verdict of podcasters on this episode was a 9.2 NM- condition for this show. Great condition for a show from 1970!

Only The Valiant brings you the most exciting event at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, the OTV recording from the show floor from Friday afternoon.

We are joined by a number of friends of the show, and we all give our thoughts about the convention, talk about the cool things we have seen and done, and get into a few heated discussions (arguments).

• Football field sizes!
• Native American Comics!
• Controversy in Harbinger #0!
• There are no comics at ComicCon!
• Hugs are to be had!
• Nathan Fillion (almost) makes a guest appearance!
• An infestation of Petrophiles!
• Zangief scares us all!

Doctor Solar 1 is out!

We review the book and give our impressions. We are rather excited about this book. Doctor Solar, a character we have loved for so long, is in print once again. A new story!

We also discuss San Diego Comic-Con, the things that we are looking forward to, and meetup info. We’d love to have you join us, more info about when and where to meet us here.

In addition, our usual:

• Wit!
• Wittisisms!
• Banter!
• Brashness!
• Excitement!

Check out this episode now!

Is it really time for a new episode of Only The Valiant? Yes. The answer is yes. In this episode, we talk about upcoming Dark Horse comics, collecting habits, etc.

In addition, we have our amazing brand of banter, and…

• Will there be a mailed address call for auditions?
• Klingons fighting Star Wars fanboys.. in our dreams
• Will we get to rock, er, I mean, Turok, in September?
• How many comics makes a print run of comics “limited” in today’s comic world
• What should we do when we get down on comics?
• Do you have Comic Addiction? there is a (manga) patch for that
• When was the first appearance of Aliens?
• The best Star Wars movie, and the two best words about Jedi
• Chub Nub… sing it, Ewoks

The Following Speaks for itself:

• Doctor Solar
• Magnus Robot Fighter
• Free Comic Book Day
• Review and discussion

We talk about Free Comic Book Day, and spend plenty of time on the Dr. Solar/Magnus issue that has relaunched those titles at Dark Horse, brought to us by Jim Shooter, Dennis Calero, and Bill Reinhold.

Some things are great! Some things are not so great! This is the first we’ve seen these characters in print in over a decade, so we are rather excited to say the least. Excited like we were for Phantom Menace? Maybe. Excited like we are for the latest Lady Gaga video? Possibly. Excited in another way entirely? Listen and find out now.

When you are done listening, send in your feedback about what you thought of this issue.

What’s this we hear? There are rumors that a Bloodshot movie are in development. How true are these rumors? Who knows! We discuss.

Some news from Wondercon was released about the launch dates of the Magnus and Doctor Solar books coming from Dark Horse. Is this exclusive information to Only The Valiant?

Some CGC comics discussion, and other stuff from Wondercon fill out this episode. Also:

• The 1 person that likes the Punisher movies
• How do you find a wife? Should you start with a fuzzy hat>
• What is the most timeless movie of all time?
• Do ‘splodey movies make great movies?
• Turok: Babysitter
• Arguments! Who’s an apologist? Who’s a realist?
• Doctor Solar is on a cover of Wizard, and nobody cared
• Yawns are inexcuseable

Get your audio action and excitement now!

Sean, Chiclo and Big Daddy get together to discuss the Malev War, the epic story of man versus robot invaders that was published in Magnus, Robot Fighter 21 through 37, and Rai and the Future Force 9 through 22.

This story is one of the epic, quality, post-Unity stories that Valiant produced

We discuss what we liked, what we didn’t like, ties to the rest of the Valiant Universe, plus…

• this episode is certified Vengeance free
• we don’t judge spelling discrepancies
• learn how to – and how not to – serve a Cabernet Sauvignon. Don’t make this mistake at parties!
• find out just how much Valiant retconned their comics. Marvel and DC, step aside
• the Future Force is not like Robin Hood’s Merry Men in one key way. Find out before your friends.
• Would you hook up with a hot (or cold) robot chick?
• we spoil The Exorcist. If you haven’t seen it, too bad.
• “Springtime for Hitler” has nothing on the Nazi silliness in a certain part of the world…
• Are computer viruses like potholes? you decide.

Notes from the show: Malev-6 first showed up in Gold Key Magnus Robot Fighter issues 7, 21, and 24.

We hope everyone’s year has started out right! After taking some time off around the holidays, we’re back to talk about some Valiant news, and some good ol’ comic book talk in general. It’s been a while since we’ve all chatted, so we take some time for you to catch up with us.

Here’s some of the things you can expect to find:

• Nerd levels that approach 11
• Check out the Playing God trade Paperback!
• Who would you want to write the next set of Sandman stories?
• We take a moment to remember Puccini
• Political aspirations are announced!
• Chiclo and Quarter have incorrect opinions about the latest Star Trek movie
• Checking in on the Blackest Siege Nightly Reign Whatever blah blah from Marvel and DC

Also, we’ll be talking about the Malev War storyline in the next episode, so pull out those issues and read along!

On a day for giving thanks, we talk about why we like comics, and what appealed to us about comics in the first place. As usual, we all have a different point of view. We also manage, in our discussion, to talk about comic book movies. We discuss our favorites.

In addition, thrills and chills:

• Interesting parlays with the telecomm industry
• Who is the winner of the Great Texas Nerd Off? Hint: He may be a host on this podcast
• An interesting “alternate use” for those Final Crisis comics you have laying around – and never want to read again
• Horror stories about comics butchery
• Ebay horror stories! Bad sellers! Expensive shipping!
• A young Entrepreneurs dream of making millions by collecting comics is shattered…
• If comics exist just to make movies out of, what’s the point?
• We discuss the manliest movie of ALL TIME

Comics Podcast Theme Week is in full effect! Podcasters around the world are discussing horror in comics, and we’re there with them.

We discuss horror comics in general, touching on the 50′s and the 80′s, some of the best times for horror comics.

Valiant had some horror in their title too, and we discuss the ins and outs of horror in the Valiant universe. In other words, we talk about Master Darque and Shadowman for a bit. There really isn’t much horror in the Valiant Universe actually…

In addition, Voicemails! Listener feedback! Plus, your questions about collecting comics answered 1 by 1.

Tune in, tune out, whatever! This podcast is for you, so enjoy!

Interesting stuff is afoot in the Valiant World.

Valiant Entertainment has filed suit against Jim Shooter for allegedly monkeywrenching their plans to acquire the license to the Gold Key characters and for stealing intellectual property from Valiant.

It turns out that Jim has been the Editor in Chief of Valiant since late 2008, and has been developing stories for new comics in that time. Valiant has also been making moves to acquire the license for Magnus and Solar from Gold Key as a part of that launch.

On information and belief, we share our thoughts on this interesting development.

If you would like to read the complaint VE filed against Jim Shooter, we have a copy of it right here.

Also, exciting news! We now have a voicemail line, so you can call us up and leave us a comment. Share your thoughts on the air with us!

The number is: 270-8-NINJAK

Leave us a message!

The greatest discussion of shared comic book universes continues in this episode! We talk about the history of shared universes, and discuss how shared universes show up in other media other than comic books.

This one is an extravaganza of insight, filled with shocking turns of events, thrills, chills, and mystery.

Here is another reminder to go to FresheVenture.com, click on “Vote For The Best WordPress Design of 2009″, scroll down to OnlyTheValiant.com, and vote for us!

You are in for a senses-shattering good time, so what are you waiting for? Download it, stream it, and listen to it NOW!

Comic Book Universes! What is it about a shared universe as the setting for different stories appeals to us so much? Why do we love the Valiant Universe, Marvel Universe, and DC Universe? (plus all the others too!) We discuss the good side, and the bad side of this phenomenon that occurs mostly in super hero comics. In addition to that topic at large, we’ve got:

• What the recent changes at Marvel and DC mean to YOU, the comic book fan
• Learn when spoiler alerts are required, and when they are not, and hear Sean get spoiled (oh no!)
• The mistake that national celebrities make when on national television, and how you can avoid this one crucial mistake.
• Find out what kind of parking you can expect to find for your horse in Lubbock, Texas.
• A moment of silence for Patrick Swayze, who dirty danced his way into our hearts.
• Michael Jackson jokes!
• The ins and outs of picking a good “safe word”
• Our philosophical and psychological hacks to explain why comic universes are so gripping on our mind.
• Are you just a fair weather comic fan? Or do you know the initial line up of the Defenders?
• Best comic book pick up lines.
• What new comic book shows one of the hard limitations of storytelling in the Marvel and DC Universes

Plus, a reminder to go to FresheVenture.com, click on “Vote For The Best WordPress Design of 2009″, scroll down to OnlyTheValiant.com, and vote for us!

You are in for a mind-bending good time, so what are you waiting for? Download it, stream it, and listen to it NOW!

After a little bit of a break, we are back in full podcasting strength! In this action packed episode, we discuss the big news out of San Diego Comic-Con about the return of the Gold Key Characters, Magnus, Solar, Turok at Dark Horse Comics, helmed by none other than Jim Shooter himself. As always, we are action packed.

• Exciting stories of run ins with the local police department!
• How good are your ears? This information may help you annoy teenagers.
• Is that an elephant in the room? We discuss.
• What would happen to The Sentry if you were to stand next to him and say the word “Kimota”?
• The most frightening video game ever has a strange connection to Valiant Comics. What is it?
• The good old days of eBay are gone… [we shed a tear]
• What can we expect to see at Dark Horse when these comics roll out?

Plus, our unusually sophisticated and entertaining banter, wit, and vocabulary, as you always expect from Only The Valiant. Love us.

Our big recording from the Convention floor is here. We are joined by a number of friends from the Valiant fans forum, the Comic Forums, and other listeners.

We discuss the convention, people watching, good introductory Valiant books, the Valiant Comics for sale at the convention, and a number of other great topics.

San Diego has been a lot of fun, and it is almost over. We hope it has been fun to hear from us straight from the convention.

Another day of San Diego Comic-Con has come and gone, and we sit down and chat about it for a few minutes with some of our friends that we know from Valiant fan forums.

This is a short episode, and it was recorded late, so the standards are low but the spirits are high.

Thursday has come and gone at San Diego. The weather is beautiful, and we are recording from the patio of our apartment. Scott joins Sean and Average Joe for to discuss the long lines, huge crowds, and frustrations of the convention.

Fear not, there is good as well, as we each found great stuff today, and had some cool experiences.

In addition, Scott is the co-founder of Resolution Comics, and we talk a little about what it has taken to start a new comic book label, the difficulties, and the very satisfying rewards. If you have ever thought about publishing your own book, check out what Scott has to say.

In case you missed it check out our show from the Preview Night after party. Check back later in the week for more episodes recorded at San Diego.

If you have any questions about the show, send them to us ASAP at our email address: onlythevaliant at gmail dot com.

After preview night of San Diego Comic-Con 2009, a group of us went out to the Tilted Kilt, a place with tiny skirts and beautiful waitresses.

Sean makes the rounds and talks to folks about preview night, their favorite part of the night, and what they are looking forward to at the con.

We all had a ton of fun at the Tilted Kilt, and we talk about all sorts of stuff, from beer to blackest night, original art, sketches, lines, and Glenn Danzig.

This is a rough, on the fly episode, recorded with the handy dandy super portable OTV recorder. Sound quality may be low, but spirits are high!

Announcement:

Two of us from OTV will be at San Diego Comic-Con, and we will be recording from the convention floor. We’d like to meet you and we’d like you to join us. check out the announcement for more information.

On to the show!

We broke from the Valiant talk for an episode to talk about comic books in general. We each chose a subject we wanted to discuss, and this prompted our conversation. You get Three topics for the low regular price of One podcast!

• Sean brings up Longbox digital comics, which leads into a discussion of digital comics in general. Sides are chosen. Lines are drawn. Some of us are all for digital distribution of comics, some of us will chop off their left hand before switching to digital comics
• Avergae Joe, mascarading as Batman, talks about the distribution of comics, and we talk about ways that this art form that we all love could grow and flourish in the future, and get into the hands (and hearts) of the general public.
• Chiclo brings back the fun and guides us through some good old geeky discussion of comic book villains. We choose our favorites, and talk about this whole “anti-hero” thing that seems to be all the rage with super villains these days.
• As always, we have tons of witty banter, and never miss a moment to give each other a hard time and crack a joke.

Like all our shows, this one is the best one yet! Sit back and enjoy!

We sit down to discuss the result of the greatest idea in comics. In the early 90s, and the height of both company’s popularity, Image Comics and Valiant Comics created a crossover called Deathmate. The result speaks for itself. In addition to the usual rantings and ravings:

• Only 10 words are required to describe Deathmate. Learn these words and sound incredibly smart in your next discussion of inter-company crossovers from the 90s.
• What is the Anti-Unity? We define what this monstrosity is, so you can avoid this dirth of goodness.
• Get a quick history lesson about the founding of Image comics. Impress your friends with this bit of trivia.
• What was the secret of Image’s success, and what does it have to do with selling hamburgers?
• If you are a super powered super dude, learn the best place to go to meet hot, single women that also have incredibly super powers.
• Many of the Deathmate books are not what you might call “good”, but which is the worstest?
• Have you been yearning to make some sense of Deathmate Black? If you are not an Image fan, something is missing to appreciate this book, find out what.
• Next time you want to to be the cool kid in the comic shop that talks smack about Valiant, you will be armed with these 7 distinct criticisms of the books.
• Is this the greatest selling crossover of all time? You are dying to know the answer to this question.
• One Deathmate book in particular is the poster child of the 90′s speculation bubble and crash. Find out which one so you can make your own poster!
• One thing that Armstrong’s contribution to this story gave us that you may never see in another comic book!
• Learn a fun arts and crafts project to do with all of the extra gold variant books in your collection.

If you want a double dose of Deathmate discussion, check out the Image Addiction podcast’s recent review of Deathmate. Click here to check out their site.

Check out these articles we mention in the show:

The Image Story

Valiant Days, Valiant Nights

We return for more of your favorite comic book convention discussion.

• This episode gets 5 out of 5 Entertaimos.
• Learn the nature and characteristics of Heaven (at least for comic geeks)
• Discover an excellent way to hone your ability to read people during negotiations. This is a very explosive technique.
• 5 ways to negotiate for better comic book deals
• We tell you which shows to go to if you want to meet Valiant creators, and which shows to avoid (hint: they won’t be there!)
• Where to find the good Valiant books at conventions
• A sure give away that a Valiant book is overpriced at a convention
• How Free Comic Book Day can turn into 100 Comic Books Day
• A simple conversation to have with a comic dealer that will instantly tell you if they are part of the problem or part of the solution
• The single most fun part of any convention, and how to be a part of it
• Need to meet women at a comic book convention? We discuss the particular t-shirt is proven to bring women to you

Convention season is in full swing, and whether you are a comic convention veteran or have never been to a show, you will get somethign from our discussion of conventions. In addition to a thorough rundown of the what, why, and wherefor of conventions…

• It’s a trap!
• Find out the one thing that makes a panel excellent. Hint: It’s the same thing that makes our episode rock.
• The secret ingredient in a panel that makes it a rich, fulfilling experience (never end up at a boring panel again!)
• Most people wonder how Sith Lords respond to bad panels. Darth (and Chad) Vader give us some hints.
• Learn how to respond when artists actually don’t have a name. A number of artists have this problem, and you will skillfully and tactfully interact with these individuals with this tip.
• How to pick a character when you ask an artist for a sketch to make sure you will love the final product (and don’t end up with something that sucks)
• Where to find comics that are fueled by the creators fire and passion!
• 8 things to do before the convention to make sure you get the most out of the experience.
• Electronic. Supersonic! Yes, it is real.

Part two of our guide will be available in a week, so check back soon!

Mr. and Mrs. Chiclo recently traveled to Denver to check out Starfest, a southwest Sci-fi, horror, and most importantly of all, comic convention. In addition to the recap, and the Valianty goodness at the convention…

• What Valiant comics to give to women to get them hooked!
• How Star Trek: Deep Space Nine can help you find the man or woman of your dreams.
• Greatest American Hero? Yeah, we got that. Get the real deal here.
• The Klingon Empire has a favorite dance, and you can learn it too.
• Have you been abducted by aliens, and don’t even know? Find out what group will convince you that your alien experience was real, whether it actually was or not.
• Inquiring minds want to know, when should I start giving my child Klingon battle lessons?
• The surgeon general warnings about energy drinks are a lie, and we supply proof.
• Find out what the newest medium for comics is. If you say “the internet”, you will be surprised to learn what the latest print medium is. (Hint: it’s wood)
• Tired of hearing about these mythic “quarter bins”, but never finding them? We let you in on a secret location to find these treasure troves. (Warning: You may also get a free henna tattoo also!)
• Why does Chiclo gives a shout out to thecomicbookbroker.com?
• How and when to have “the conversation” with your loved one. You know, the one where you have to discuss PGX vs. CGC.
• Learn the REAL value of comic books from the 1990′s. Hint: It’s not as much as you think!
• Who is Honest Krokus? Learn the history of this fascinating Nexus character in a quick Nexus primer. Heard of Nexus, but never read it? Find out if it is for you.
• The final verdict: Mile High Comics retail stores. Which one is the best? Which is the worst?

It’s time for our 24th episode, and an in-depth look at one single issue, the eponymous Rai #0! We discuss:

• The impact this issue had at the time, and our initial reactions when it came out
• The story nuggets in this book, and where they show up in other Valiant books
• The final fate of Shadowman… or not!
• Inconsistencies between this book and later Valiant material
• The auspicious editor column in this issue
• Our One Year Anniversary! Congratulations us!
• A brand new segment, Recent Reads
• …and a whole lot more! This is a long one, buckle up!

Two of us saw Watchmen, and we’ve got a spoiler free review of the movie, Two of us were at Wondercon, and we talk about the convention, and we discuss the world of 4001 and 4020 as it is portrayed in Magnus, Rai, and a couple other titles.  Onward to the future!

Sean and Average Joe made it out to the New York Comic Con.  We are joined by a slew of guests to join us as we talk about the show and Valiant books.  In addition to friends of the show that show up, we catch up with JayJay Jackson, Bernard Chang, and Jim Shooter!

Welcome to the first episode of Only The Valiant in 2009! We start the year off with a discussion of Archer & Armstrong, quite possibly the best series that Valiant put out. Find out what it was that made this series so great! Also, a review of the Archer & Armstrong hardcover edition.

We take you back to December, 1993, a month when the Valiant Universe celebrated Christmas. We explore the Valiant holiday season. This is the perfect episode to go along with your favorite comics, staying warm by the fire, and enjoying a cup of cocoa (or something stronger!). The weather outside is frightful, but this episode is so delightful. This episode has all the Valiant goodness you could hope for.

We continue our conversation with JayJay Jackson. More Valiant! What she is doing now! Lots of good stuff! Check out JayJay’s design company at http://deathsheaddesigns.com.

JayJay Jackson joins us in this episode for a fantastic discussion! JayJay is most known to fans for her coloring work, but she has done many different jobs in her 15 years of working in the comic book industry. She was part of the Valiant team in the early days, and shares a number of thoughts, recollections, and feelings about the work she has done over the years.

In this episode, we let Chiclo take the reigns and guide us through a discussion of dead universes. We take a step beyond Valiant to discuss Ultraverse, Crossgen, Comic’s Greatest World, Milestone, Comico, etc, etc, etc. If you have ever had an interest in all of the comic universes beyond the big two, sit back and listen in.

In this episode, we discuss the epic storyline, Unity. We talk about the story, the history behind it, and compare it to other crossovers. This story still holds up as one of the greatest comic cross overs ever.

In this episode we welcome our friend, valiantfans.com forum member Jedimarley to discuss Gilad, Ivar, and Aram, or, as they are more commonly known, the Eternal Warrior, Timewalker and Armstrong. We get off track towards the end of this episode, so you are warned now!

This episode is all about the Blood Of Heroes! We talk about Bloodshot, Rai, and Rai, and Rai.

In this episode, Sean, Chiclo and Zeph talk about the news that Dark Horse comics got the licensing rights to the Gold Key Comics properties, including Magnus, Robot Fighter and Doctor Solar. What does this mean for Valiant? Listen in.

Only The Valiant records at the San Diego comic con! We talk about the con, and Valiant comics at the con, cool artwork, shady dealers, and we stop one of the ladies working at the con from throwing my bag of artwork away. It is all very exciting.

Sean, Chiclo, Zeph, and special guest Elveen from the ValiantFans board discuss Shadowman. Also, we will be recording at San Diego Comic-Con, and Playing God is continuing on the Valiantfans board. Listen for details about our first ever contest.

Harbingers! This episode is all about them. We talk about the characters, the stories, and the villains. Also, some exciting Valiant news, VEI has announced the next hardcover edition, and there is a very well done Valiant story being released for free on the web at valiantfans.com. Also, we roll out a new segment, Valiant Market Watch! Thanks to listener Jared for the suggestion for this segment.

Sean and Zeph went to Super-Con in San Jose, and met up with amigo Brian. We talk about the con, the cool finds we got, a look at Valiant books at the con, and some other cool stuff. Also, we talk about the Frank Frazetta signature series, and look forward to San Diego Comic Con. A good time was had by everyone at the con, give it a listen!

So you have decided you want to get some Valiant comics. How should you go about acquiring them? What kind of collector are you? Where are the best places to find the Valiant comics you want? What are the tips that will help you find the diamonds in the rough? In this episode, Sean, Chiclo, and Zeph discuss the fine art of buying Valiant comics. Sit back and enjoy this episode, brought to you by collecting, compulsion, and capitalism!

In this episode, Sean, Chiclo and Zeph discuss the Gold Key 3 – Turok, Doctor Solar, and Magnus, Robot Fighter. We discuss their origins in the 50′s and 60′s, and talk about how Valiant handled the characters, changed them to make them better (in our opinions), and used them to build the Valiant Universe. In the news, Valiant comic back issues are being put up for sale in more and more places.

Welcome back to another fun filled episode of THE podcast that gives you your Valiant fix. In this episode we review the X-O Manowar hardcover collection that hit the streets just a couple weeks ago. We also talk about Free Comic Book Day, Gumby, PLUS Zeph goes on a rant against fraud in the comic hobby. Can’t be beat!

Special Edition! This episode is a result of an impromptu discussion between Sean, Chiclo, and Zeph on the comics industry. This episode goes a little off topic as we discuss what happened to the comics industry for the last 20 years, from boom to bust to scrapping by, plus our visions for the future of the comic book industry.

This episode welcomes new co-host Zeph, as we discuss what would be required for a successful relaunch of Valiant Comics. Opinions abound as we talk about the importance of old continuity for new stories, as well as the different options of how Valiant could start creating new stories about our favorite characters. Joining us for the discussion is guest Michael Sacal, who has populated the informative Valiant Wiki for Valiant Entertainment. The wiki can be found at http://valiantentertainment.com/wiki. Michael knows Valiant continuity and stories through and through.

Valiant history, again! Chiclo and Sean continue there journey of recollection, Starting with the last of the Acclaim comics like Armorines, Shadowman Vol. 3, and Unity 2000. After this, bankruptcy, big sales, shady trademark registration by a secretive company, and the legal battle to end all legal battles (for Valiant characters).

In episode 2, Chiclo and Sean discuss the history of Valiant comics from Jim Shooter’s early days at Marvel up to Acclaim’s final publishing push, Unity 2000. The history of Valiant comics will be continued in episode 3. Also, a mention of valiantcollectorssociety.com, and some clarification and neat stuff about the X-O Manowar hardcover and the Harbinger movie.

Episode 1 now available! In the first episode, Chiclo and Sean talk about how they both became fans of Valiant comics, discuss recent Valiant news including the possibility of a Harbinger movie and the announcement of the X-O Manowar hardcover collection, and discuss what was different about Valiant comics from all other comics, and what made them stand out at the time.