What.
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!
May 5, 2012, 9:37 am
Kimo comments:
Keep it coming Sean! I love all these updates to the site!
So exciting to see new postings every time I check. I cant keep up with all the activities going on with Valiant but really appreciate you summarizing events here, and its even in a Valiant style time line format!
May 5, 2012, 12:53 pm
Justin comments:
FCBD had a 1 page preview for Eternal Warrior and Rai as the next lines to drop. Exciting news. 1st issue was sold out at my shop.
May 5, 2012, 1:35 pm
Sean comments:
@Kimo, Right on! Glad you’re digging the new written content!
@Justin, I just got back from the two shops I visited for FCBD. Those preview images look sweet! They might be the subject of the next post…
The first shop I went to, my regular LCS, was all out of X-O #1. The second shop I went to had 10 copies of X-O #1 left on the shelf.
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May 5, 2012, 4:27 pm
Jason comments:
Man, I wish Valiant would have released this on comiXology. I noticed several FCBD books on the site, just no Valiant.
Oh well, I still thrilled about getting to read the new books. Can’t wait for next month.
May 5, 2012, 4:31 pm
bummer comments:
my comic shop was out of Valiant FCBD Previews by the time I got off work today.
May 5, 2012, 4:51 pm
Sean comments:
It would be nice if they made it available on Comixology. I wonder if we’ll get it there eventually.
It seems like the distribution of the Valiant FCBD issue is a lot like the distribution of X-O #1. Some stores have plenty, some stores are really short on them.
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May 7, 2012, 4:19 pm
Assbeard1013 comments:
I thought the best part of the FCBD offering was the teaser image of The Eternal Warrior. Still looks like Gilad but man he looks ferocious. Can’t wait to see designs on Boniface and Darque.
May 8, 2012, 7:27 am
Sean comments:
No kidding! Eternal Warrior looks a lot different with those scars. He looks pretty gnarly. Lee Bermejo really drew the hell out of that.
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May 8, 2012, 1:17 pm
Joe David Soliz comments:
The Valiant FDCB offering was one of the more impressive offerings of the day. It not only had previews for TWO of the upcoming books but had some great extras like the Valiant characters poster as well as teases for the upcoming Eternal Warrior and Rai titles. I am stoked to be here at the genesis of the new Valiant! Aric does indeed rule!