As if we needed to be convinced.

Bloodshot Interior Page by Arturo Lozzi

Bloodshot Interior Page by Arturo Lozzi

The pages by Arturo Lozzi shown above give the first hint about the split art chores we’re gonna see on this book. The male character looks like Bloodshot, aside from the red eyes, stripes in his hair, black hair, and pearl white skin.

Could this be a flashback to the time that Bloodshot believes he was Raymond Garrison? It looks like the images are going to show Bloodshot in the present by Manual Garcia, and maybe past memories, or a past character, by Arturo Lozzi.

Speaking of Bloodshot in the present, I thought it would be fun to show the pencils (that were previewed before) and the inked and colored pages side by side:

Bloodshot Interior Page by Manuel Garcia, pencils and finished art

An Explosive Bloodshot page by Manuel Garcia

Those Bloodshot pages look pretty action packed and, well, explosive.

Before I had said that I was looking forward to Bloodshot the least, because Valiant Comics hadn’t released too much information about the book. Now that info is starting to leak out, my anticipation is building, to the point that I am really looking forward to this book.

My hunch is that Bloodshot will be the least like the original incarnation, out of all the titles that Valiant is launching this summer.

No matter what, those pages look pretty great. I can’t wait to get my hands on this book!

These auctions end on Sunday, May 20th.

All of the proceeds of these auctions go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, so bid early, often, and generously!

Now, on to the auctions!

Emma Frost by Greg Horn

First up, Greg Horn, well known for his cover art and drawings! He did this head sketch of Emma Frost, the White Queen of the X-Men:

Emma Frost sketch by Greg Horn

Spawn by Brian Haberlin

Brian has penciled Spawn comics, and has done colors for a ton of Spawn comics. In addition, he’s been a penciler, colorist,a dn cover artist for a ton of other books. He drew a cool spawn drawing to be auctioned for charity:

Spawn sketch by David Haberlin

All proceeds go to charity

A big thank you to Greg Horn and Brian Haberlin for donating their time and effort to create these sketches for the CF cause. We appreciate their time and work to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!

For more information about these charity auctions, check out Elveen’s charity original art site for these auctions: FightingCysticFibrosis.com.

And remember, it’s for charity, so go Bid on eBay now!

The good old days of first issues

It was a quick read, and there wasn’t quite as much story as I was hoping for. I read it again though, and I noticed a lot of stuff the second time, that I didn’t notice on my first read. I noticed how the the battle with the Romans helped to set up the stakes, and establish the brash part of Aric’s character. The portion with his father deepened the connection with his father. The scenes with the Vine established who they are and what they are about much more than the original Spider Aliens ever were.

I’ve read a few comics recently like this, where my opinion of the issue didn’t solidify until a second reading.

The first issue of Mind The Gap required a re-read. I sort of knew what was going on, and sort of followed along with the issue, but wasn’t really hooked until the reveal in the last couple panels, and the editorial at the end of the book, that put into place that the book was a mystery, and clues were scattered around. On my second read, I knew what I was looking for, knew who the characters were, and enjoyed it a whole lot more.

Danger Club #1 rewarded a second read through as well, since the book starts out appearing to be a superhero sidekick adventure, and quickly morphs into something much more dire. On a second read through, the beginning of the story was set against a different context, and I appreciated more about it.

I also just read Flex Mentallo, Grant Morrison’s bizarre journey through comics, and his psychadelic analogy for the future of comics. The first read through is tough, the book has multiple levels of narrative, and they weave and fold into each other. Just last night I picked it up again for a second read through, and I am getting a lot more out of it this time through.

I was rewarded for reading all of these books a second time with a richer, more thorough understanding of what the story was about. Also, when I finished all of these books, I had a feeling that I should read them again.

On the other hand

I’ve been comparing this to some other first issues that I really enjoyed, right from the get go. Saga #1. Irredeemable #1. Moriarty #1. Daredevil #1. The Killer. I read the first issue of these books once, and I was hooked. Also, interestingly, most of these aren’t as good on the second read through (except possibly Moriarty). A re-read of these issues is retread, I’ve seen it before, and I got it all. I don’t need to read them again.

This begs the question (and it has been begged of me), should the first issue of a comic require a re-read? If the first issue is better after a second read, has it succeeded in doing what a first issue is supposed to, ie. buy the second issue?

A year ago, I probably would have said, “yes, absolutely, the first issue fails if you can’t get everything you would want out of it in the first read.” That first issue is a sales pitch for the series, and if it doesn’t make the sale right away, I’ll move on to something that does.

Lately, however, fewer and fewer first issues hook me right off the bat, and it hasn’t been for lack of trying. Ultimate SPider-Man #1. Winter Soldier #1. Uncanny X-Force #1. A vs. X #1. About 45 of the new DC 52 titles. None of these captured my attention and made me feel that, yes, I needed to buy the next issue.

It’s getting harder and harder for me to be able to move on to something that will grab my attention right away, because statistically speaking, other comics don’t.

Change in the air

I’ve become a bit more patient with my comics, and maybe a bit less judgmental too. When I read something that doesn’t immediately strike me (but doesn’t immediately turn me off), or that I feel like I would get more from with a re-read, I’ve been giving books a chance. I don’t mind the re-read, and I’ve been relaxing a bit with my reading, adn taking a little more time with my books.

In the last few years, I developed a bit of a huff when reading comics, I would race through my reading, glancing at the images, and pouring through the dialogue as quickly as possible. I don’t think it is entirely my fault, the decompressed storytelling that has become so popular in the last decade has taught me that comics are somethign that can be raced through without missing much, or anything at all.

It’s nice to have some comics in my hand that reward taking a little more time with, and reading once, and maybe reading again. I’ve been enjoying comics more since I started to slow down and give comics a chance.

And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Enjoying comics. That’s why we read them, talk about them, and love them.

What do you think? How do you judge first issues? Does it need to capture your attention right away? Do you give books a chance to grow on you?

Leave a comment, and let me know!

So, have you checked out the Blog Of Heroes? It’s a great Valiant Comics blog. Go read!

Monday:

• CBR has a commentary track of X-O Manowar #1 with Robert Venditti
• Robert Venditti appeared on War Rocket Ajax to talk about his career path of breaking into comics to writing X-O Manowar
• A copy of the QR variant of X-O Manowar #1 sells for over $200 on eBay!

Tuesday:

Archer and Armstrong 1 Cover

• Hot off the crazy high prices for the QR variant, a copy of the classic X-O Manowar #1 sold for #115. Wow! Though this sale seems to be the exception, not the rule.
• The Totally Rad Show reviewed X-O Manowar, which is pretty cool, regardless of the fact that the guy who “loved Valiant” thought that Ultraverse was a part of Valiant (hate Ultraverse)
• Scripts and Scribes has a cool video interview with Joshua Dysart about writing superhero comics

Wednesday:

• The internet revealed the cover to Archer & Armstrong #1, and some interior pages. Check it out at right! Looks good!

Thursday:

• …
• [crickets]
• …
• (Thursday was a slow news day)

Friday:

• Stash My Comics podcast, episode 12 has a nice segment on X-O Manowar

May your weekend be full of reading Valiant back issues!

That’s only in two auctions, and the price seems to have settled a bit since then, but WOW! The QR Variant of X-O Manowar is bashing its way through the secondary market.

Two Hundred and Two bucks, the highest sale price so far

Multiple recent finished auctions on eBay indicate that this book is settling down around $90 to $100, for the time being.

When this book first started hitting eBay, the going price was $40 to $50, and by Saturday of last week (Free Comic Book Day), it was hitting close to $100. Those two $200 sales are likely a fluke, a bit of a spike to get the book, but one thing is certain, this book is in demand!

Similarly, the 1:20 variant by David Aja roughly doubled in price, when copies first hit eBay, it was selling for around $15, it seems to have settled at roughly a $30 price, based on recent eBay auctions that have closed over the last several days.

O.G. X-O

Interestingly, copies of the original X-O Manowar #1 have hit a bit of a surge as well.

Copies of issue #1 in graded 9.8 condition have been a $100 book for a while now, and copies not stuck in a CGC slab have been selling for about $15 to $20. Within the last week, raw copies, unslabbed by CGC, have sold for over $100. Only two copies have sold at this price, but that is a rather quick price hike. These $100 sales for unslabbed books is probably a bit of a spike, like the $200 sales for the QR variants.

All in all though, it means that there is a bit of attention on Valiant books in the secondary market. It’s a good sign that people are paying attention.

Want to know who it is?

Seriously, it’s not a huge spoiler, but it is a tiny one.

Once you see it, it can’t be unseen.

Ok, here it is…

Down here…

Just a bit…

It’s coming…

Last chance to back out…

Because…

Well,

Gilad, the Eternal Warrior appears in the first issue, as one of King Alaric’s advisors/soldiers.

Eternal Warrior appears in X-O Manowar 1, Yes, My King

How do we know this is him?

Dinesh, Valiant Comic’s Chief Creative Officer, confirmed that Eternal Warrior appears in the issue.

Next, check out the Eternal Warrior image from the FCBD issue. Big scars on Eternal Warrior. Just like this guy.

Eternal Warrior speared in X-O Manowar 1, -URK-

So, I was wrong. I was hoping that Gilad was the guy that gets decapitated by Aric after he spears Aric’s father.

Just another post brought to you by Captain Spoilers

Instead, he gets speared by a Roman.

The question in my mind, will Aric and the Eternal Warrior have known each other, and will they recognize each other in the present day?

This sort of guest appearance is definitely a very “Valiant” sort of thing to do.

We do not shy away from spoilers!

We will travel to any length to make sure you notice everything in your Valiant Comics!

Every detail!

With hawk-like scrutiny!

We will spoil!

And spoil!

And spoil!

We are channeling the spirit of…

Captain Spoilers!

If you read the Valiant Comics Free Comic Book Day issue, you saw it.

Eternal Warrior image from Valiant FCBD 2012 Preview

Eternal Warrior, Winter 2012

Bam! With just a single image, Valiant gave us a glimpse into the future. It won’t be too much longer after Archer & Armstrong hits stores, the fourth comic in Valiant’s new line up, that we’ll be getting the fifth comic, Eternal Warrior.

We don’t know the creative teams yet, or exactly when it will launch, all we have to go with is the awesome, and ferocious drawing of Eternal Warrior by Lee Bermejo.

When I see “Winter 2012″, I think December. If this book will indeed be launching in December, We can expect to see it solicited in October, and probably the advance solicitations as early as September.

It looks like Valiant won’t be waiting too long before expanding their universe of comic book titles.

We’ve got nothing to go on about this title now. Prudent eyes saw Gilad, the Eternal Warrior, in issue #1 in X-O Manowar, and I remember some interviews that spilled that Gilad would also be seen in Archer & Armstrong. By the time the title comes out, we’ll probably know a bit more about the character, but for now, it’s anyone’s guess.

But then, there’s also…

Rai, Spring 2013

Rai from Valiant FCBD 2012 Preview

Bam! Another single image with a single phrase, “Rai, Spring 2013″, drawn by David Aja.

This one is interesting to me for a couple reasons that are tied together.

First, that gun in Rai’s hand, and the guns all around his feet, look awfully modern. These aren’t from hundreds of years ago, and I wouldn’t expect them to be around hundreds of years from now.

I don’t think we can expect Rai to be set in the distant future, or the distant past. In fact, it looks like it will be set pretty much in the modern day, plus or minus 50 years or so (after all, how long has a Beretta pistol, or M1911 pistol, looked modern?). I wouldn’t be surprised if Rai takes place in the near past, or near future. I also wouldn’t be surprised if it takes place in the present.

Second, Rai looks an awful lot like Bloodshot. Conspicuously so. In the classic Valiant, the Japanese Rai legacy was based on the legend of Bloodshot, hence the similarity. This incarnation of Rai looks like it will be closely related to the current Bloodshot, but in a totally different way.

How closely will this comic book tie into Bloodshot? Will it spin out of the title? Will we see Rai in Bloodshot before we see him in his own title?

I don’t know. More than anything, these pictures raised a lot of questions, and I don’t think we’ll know the answer until these titles hit the stands later this year and next year.

If Valiant threw these images in the Free Comic Book Day book to increase anticipation, mission accomplished.

A.

Week!

We’ve been waiting for this for a while here at OTV, and I’ve personally been waiting a long time. We started this site, and the OTV podcast, in March of 2008. Back then, the Harbinger hardcover book had come out, the X-O Manowar hardcover book was on its way, and the rumblings from Valiant seemed to be that comics would be coming in late 2008 or early 2009.

That plan got interupted, and there were set backs on the way. It seemed like the team at Valiant Entertainment took every set back and turned around to take a bigger and better step forward.

Valiant 2012 - Free Comic Book Day

They brought the right people on board, and took their time. Now, it is here. Valiant Comics are again on comic book stands.

On top of that, it’s Free Comic Book Day! I hope you are either getting ready to go, or are on your way back from your local comic shop to pick up the Valiant FCBD issue!

Enough basking in fandom joy, on to the week in review!

Monday

• More reviews of X-O Manowar #1 keep showing up, like this one from Comic Book Critic, this from ComicBook.com, and this one from Inside Pulse

The thing that impresses me is that I haven’t read a bad pre-release review of X-O Manowar #1. Usually there is a curmudgeon somewhere, but I haven’t found one.

Tuesday

The calm before the storm. Not too calm, there’s tons of chatter, more reviews (too many to link to), and noise around the internet, all waiting for Wednesday…

Wednesday

X-O Manowar #1 hits the stands!

Thursday

• Comics Alliance posted a Interview with Rian Hughes about designing the new Valiant logo and corporate identity
• TFAW hosted an interview with Joshua Dysart about the upcoming Harbinger comic, plus they’re hosting a contest when you preorder Harbinger
• IGN teamed up with Midtown Comics and Valiant to bring a Valiant Live, a panel discussion of the new books with Robert Venditti (X-O Manowar), Fred Van Lente (Archer & Armstrong), Warren Simons (Executive Editor) and Dinesh Shamdasani (Chief Creative Officer). It was pretty cool! The replay is now available.

Friday

Friday was a pretty quiet day. Everybody was recovering from the launch of X-O, and gearing up for Free Comic Book Day!

It’s become almost cliche to say, but it’s the 90s all over again.

Valiant and Image, making the best comics, just like in 1992

Except, it’s not.

Last weekend I went in to my Local Comic Shop (LCS), and opened up a pull box. For a long time, I’ve been buying my comics through DCBS, ever since my last LCS, the one right between where I live and where I work, closed down. I’m a good Valiant minion fan, so opening a pull box and signing up for the pull box variants seemed like the right thing to do.

It doesn’t hurt that the comic shop I now call home is one of the coolest comic shops in the country.

I opened my pull box, and added X-O Manowar, Harbinger, and Bloodshot to it, and I’ll add Archer & Armstrong when it is solicited. Those four aren’t really enough though, so I figured I should add a couple more titles to the list as well. I can’t open a pull box with just four comics!

The first thing that came to mind was, of course, Saga. When I read the first issue, I loved it. It was so weird and compelling. I knew this was something I wanted to read. That goes on the list.

I picked up the first issue of Danger Club a couple of weeks ago, and it was fantastic. It was exciting, full of action, and didn’t waste any time setting up a story that is far more interesting than I expected. This was a surprise.

What else? I’ve heard some good things about Mind The Gap, so I put that on the list. The preview seemed intriguing, and the cover is beautiful. I’ll check it out! Also, Epic Kill looks pretty interesting. What’s not to like about Samurai School-girl Assassins?

Last of all, I can’t pass on The Massive. The previews in Dark Horse Presents, and available digitally, were compelling hooks. Combine that with something about a boat trapped up in the arctic, and I’m sold. (I have a weird fascination with the arctic and antarctic)

I’ve got 4 Valiant Books, 4 Image books, and a Dark Horse book on my pull list. I’m telling you, it’s just like 1992.

In 1992, I was buying Solar, Man of the Atom, Archer & Armstrong, Eternal Warrior, Harbinger, and X-O Manowar, and I bought Spawn and W.I.L.D.Cats when they came out. Sometimes I bought an Aliens or Predator book too, and I stopped buying Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine, G.I. Joe, etc.

In 1992, I was buying Valiant, Image, and the occasional Dark Horse book. Now, in 2012, I’m buying Valiant, Image, and the occasional Dark Horse Book. 20 years later, the same buying habits.

Except, as I said before, it’s not the same.

Over the last couple years, I’ve noticed my interests change. I thought I wasn’t as excited about comics as I used to be, it turns out that I just wasn’t as excited about the same comics that I used to be.

Superheroes just don’t do it for me any more. I’ve read tons of Marvel and DC over the years, but these days, watching Captain America punch Cyclops doesn’t interest me like it once did.

I may go into it a bit more in a future Compost Pile, but for now, suffice to say that “big 2″ superheroes don’t do it for me any more.

While I may not be into superheroes like I used to be, I am still interested in extraordinary characters with extraordinary abilities or circumstances. I do love fantasy and sci-fi, after all.

That’s what I feel like I’m getting with the new Valiant and Image books hitting the stands, really good stories with really good characters. Some of the characters are extraordinary, X-O, after all, a Visigoth with a futuristic alien battle armor, is pretty out there. Same with Saga, or Mind the Gap, and from what I have seen, I expect with Harbinger, Bloodshot, and Archer & Armstrong.

Marvel and DC haven’t evolved much. They are still the same characters, in similar circumstances. Image, Valiant, and several others have evolved as I have evolved as a reader. The names of the companies are the same, but the style and quality of the books has increased drastically.

It’s the same companies, but the comics are completely different. they’ve evolved, just like I have. And realizing this, it makes me excited about comics again.

I plan on highlighting some of my favorite Valiant books and moments for you to enjoy in my The Best of Valiant series. So please enjoy my first offering.

The are many Key books in the Valiant Universe, but one of my favorites has to be Shadowman #8. The main reason why this book is so great……. it features the big reveal of one of the most important and coolest characters in Valiant Universe, Master Darque.

Now the first inclusion of Master Darque in a Valiant book is actually Shadowman #7, he is in the back n a limo, he is unseen, but speaks in the book. In Shadowman #8 we get our first shots of ole Pinky. We first see his hand holding a newspaper reporting about the “Blood Runners”, which of course he has caused.

Who reads a newspaper anymore?

And then we quickly learn just what Master Darque is about. He states that 27 people are going to die. Clemenceau (his “right hand man”) seems unsure about the proposed deaths, and Darque coldly replies “Does that disturb you Clemenceau?”. This is the first look we get into the character and mind of Darque. 27 people dying for his needs mean nothing to him. But it is the way he states it, so matter of fact that really set the tone for the character.

SM #8 Darque #2

The next image that stood out to me of Darque is a silhouette of him in one of the pictures Devon took at the graveyard. Even the small image of him, looking on as the dug up the bodies is chilling.

At least Darque has nice posture

Up next is when the action explodes.
Jack tells his junkie friend that he needs a fix so they set up a meet with the supplier at a dark warehouse…….. I wonder what is going to happen…….

Jack gets there and we see…… Darque!

Darque’s reaction to Jack, not ask questions, not share his evil plan to take over the world, not a long, drawn out monologue…. Just a simple instruction, “kill it”.

A dramatic action sequence takes place including instructions from Darque to Clemenceau to get in the car and run down Jack. No matter that many of Darque’s minions are in the way, the instructions are to run them all down to get Jack. Of course this happens, but during the drive Clemenceau becomes a “Blood Runner” but he dies without getting Jack.

Then we get to the REAL good part of the book. Master Darque takes center stage. Darque has some of his men bring back the body of Clemenceau to a table. Next a truly creepy scene takes place. Darque brings a girl over to the body of Clemenceau dumps some powder on him the slices the girls throat….. (mad props to the artist Yvel Guichet, the inker John Dixon, and the colorist Carol VanHook for this scene)

Does something smell like chicken?

Then the we really see the power of Darque. Clemenceau rises! Zombie time! A GREAT end to a GREAT book.

Shadowman #8 is one of my favorite Valiant books, great action, Blood Runners, and most importantly…….. Darque!