X-O Manowar 1 cover by Esad Ribic.

Valiant Entertainment has announced the creative team for its first title, “X-O Manowar,” to be released on May 2.  The writer will be Rob Venditti (“The Surrogates”), and the artist is Cary Nord (“Conan”).

This is a solid announcement: both of these are talented, Eisner-nominated creators.   Comic Book Resources has an interview with Venditti and editor Warren Simons.

“X-O Manowar” will be a reboot, but follow the basic concept of the original series: a barbarian who receives a scientifically advanced suit of armor.

- Matt Price

IGN has the first look at the new X-O Manowar from Valiant Comics.  This Valiant 2012 issue is set to debut on Free Comic Book Day 2012.    According to IGN, the publisher also has plans for Bloodshot and Harbinger.  The cover for the FCBD issue is by Jelena Kevic-Djurdjevic.   Free Comic Book Day is set for May 5, 2012.

Other comics already announced for Free Comic Book Day include the comics from the 10 Gold Sponsors: Avengers 12.1, Bongo Free For All, DC Comics – The New 52 FCBD Edition, Image 20, Mega Man: Let the Games Begin; Mouse Guard, Labyrinth and More HC Flipbook; Peanuts/Adventure Time Flip Book; Star Wars/Serenity Flip Book; Transformers 80.5; and Yo Gabba Gabba: Free Comic Book Time.

There will be 35 silver sponsors for Free Comic Book Day in 2012, so more announcements on coming books are no doubt on the way.

- Matt Price

Valiant Comics were huge in the 1990s, and their focus on storytelling was a big part of that success.  I recently re-read the first 15 issues of one of Valiant’s hits that also was very critically acclaimed: Archer & Armstrong.

The origin story of the offbeat buddy duo of Archer and Armstrong, originally featured in issues #0-6, was re-colored and put into a hardcover edition by the new Valiant Entertainment in 2009.    Jim Shooter and Barry Windsor-Smith were the creators behind the characters: Armstrong, an immortal alcoholic with a heart of gold (we think), and Archer, the naive, conservative … well, archer … whose arch-conservative, but crazy, parents tried to kill him.   Barry Windsor-Smith is the writer/artist who makes these characters come to life, with great characterization, beautiful art, and top-notch storytelling.  Armstrong is on the run from a group called The Sect, who believe him to be the devil, and the pair get dragged into all sorts of adventures, including “Unity,” the early 1990s time-tossed Valiant crossover.   This was one of my favorite stories back in the day, and it holds up well today.  My favorite issue is issue #5, in which Archer & Armstrong visit the Riveira, where Armstrong owns a private island, and meet up with Armstrong’s stunningly beautiful wife, which reduces Archer to babbling.  It’s got humor and adventure, and stands out as a comic worth seeking out.  The story with Archer, Armstrong, and Mrs. Armstrong continues in issue #6.

Issue #7 gives a look at each character as Armstrong gets into a barroom brawl.  In issue #8, a double issue, revisits the tale of the Three Musketeers, with Archer, Armstrong and the Eternal Warrior, Armstrong’s brother, in key roles.

In Archer & Armstrong #9, Bob Layton and Bernard Chang are the creative team for the first non-Barry Windsor Smith issue of “Archer and Armstrong.” (BWS will return for issues 10-12.)   Armstrong is hypnotized by an agent of Darque.  Under the spell, he is compelled to seek out and kill his brother Gilad, the Eternal Warrior.  Archer must try to stop him.  Layton has the voices of Archer and Armstrong down pretty well; Chang seems to be drawing closer to a BWS style than usual.  Good standalone issue.

In Archer & Armstrong #10, Archer and Armstrong meet up with the time-travelling Ivar in London.  But a group of timelost characters kidnap the trio.  Meanwhile, the kid who stole Armstrong’s satchel starts to realize its power – and runs into someone else who wants it.  BWS on writing and art.

In Archer & Armstrong #11, Ivar is put on trial at Stonehenge by the group of timelost travelers. (The group appears to include Jimi Hendrix among them.)  Solar confronts the bandaged man with Armstrong’s satchel, which leads him to Archer, Armstrong and Ivar, all at Stonehenge with the group.  Solar helps the situation get sorted.  Good characterization by BWS, who writes and draws.

And in Archer & Armstrong 12, Armstrong confronts the bandaged man with his satchel; Archer confronts his past.  Great humor and action throughout, mixed with drama in Archer’s situation.  Fantastic close to the BWS run.

A new team is on board with Archer & Armstrong 13.
Mike Baron (“Nexus”) and Rags Morales (“Identity Crisis”) take over from Barry Windsor-Smith on the title.  Archer and Armstrong are in L.A., and Armstrong decides Archer needs a woman.  They rent out a house next to hotheaded actor Bobby Ripp, who gets into conflict with both Archer and Armstrong.  It’s a change of pace from the BWS issues, but it has a little bit of a “Badger” feel.  Offbeat, but not clear if it’s going anywhere.

Archer & Armstrong 14 is written by Mike Baron; art by Andrew Wendel and Carlos Garzon.
The Sect wants Armstrong dead; Archer meets the pair’s neighbor on the other side of the house; Bobby Ripp is killed and Armstrong is a suspect.  It’s certainly zany, but it’s not as enjoyable as the run preceding it.

Also read from Valiant:

The Second Life of Doctor Mirage #1
Hwen Mirage and Carmen Ruiz are paranormal investigators with a little bit of a “Thin Man” vibe, though the straight-laced Dr. Mirage isn’t quite the charming scoundrel Nick Charles is.  He’s a meticulous researcher who doesn’t enjoy when their investigations run into the “gooey stuff.”  Two bodies in the New York City morgue seem to still be pulsing with a kind of energy.  Carmen and Hwen check it out, and find themselves pulled into a scheme of Master Darque.  They track him from New York to New Orleans to Ladakh before finding themselves in over their heads.  Good cliffhanger, fun story, mixes horror and humor to good effect.  Written by Bob Layton; pencilled by Bernard Chang.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 1,897. Still to go: 114.

I’m continuing to work in some Valiant Comics from the 1990s in my attempt to read 2,011 comic books in 2011.

Solar, Man of the Atom #4 (Valiant, 1991) wraps up the “Second Death” storyline that kicked off the Solar relaunch with Valiant.  In the insert, it also continues the “Alpha and Omega” story that gives the backstory of the alternate-world Phil Seleski.  (This story, which features the art of Barry Windsor-Smith, continues through issue No. 10 and is compelling throughout.)    While there’s still quite a bit to be explained, the end of “Second Death” has this former Gold Key character modernized for the 1990s and ready for a long, successful run.

Solar, Man of the Atom #5 (Valiant, 1992) Alpha and Omega continues in the center section.  In the lead story, Solar encounters the Spider Aliens that will be a big part of the overarching Valiant storyline.  He’s still struggling to deal with his new self, with the assistance of his psychiatrist.  He’s trying to avoid mistakes he made in his previous life. Love the cover to this issue.

Solar, Man of the Atom #6 (Valiant, 1992) Solar goes into space to battle the Spider-Aliens. While attempting to free the human hostages, he manages to further offend the Spider-Aliens.  Deciding that there can be no peace with them, he declares war.   I felt like I noticed the traditional Valiant grid more this issue than I had in previous.

Solar, Man of the Atom #7 (Valiant, 1992) Solar goes into all-out war with the Spider-Aliens, who send a champion against him with X-O armor that will continue to play a role in the Valiant Universe.  Largely a big battle issue, but a cool one, with another great Barry Windsor-Smith cover.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 841 Still to go: 1170

Warren Simons

Warren Simons, the former Marvel Comics editor who is now the executive editor at Valiant Comics, took some time to answer some questions for Nerdage about the company’s upcoming plans.   A version of this interview ran in Friday’s Weekend Look; the full Q&A is included here.

NERDAGE: What about today’s market do you see as favorable to a relaunch of the Valiant properties?

Warren Simons: The Valiant characters had an incredible impact on the market when they first launched, and we see similar opportunities today. These characters still resonate.  Many of the core concepts driving them are brilliant and timeless.  And we think there’s tremendous potential to tell incredibly exciting stories with these characters. Valiant has a reputation for breaking molds and avoiding clichés, and we intend to continue pushing Valiant storytelling to the next level.

NERDAGE: How do you plan to reach out to comic-book stores?

Warren Simons: As a company, we’re about comic books first, and comic book stores are the best way to reach our readership. Stores and retailers will be our most important fans and advocates. We plan to work with them through traditional channels, but also to develop and maintain relationships through new vehicles, like social media. There are many different ways we can communicate and stay in touch with our fans and retail partners, and we intend to make use of all of them.

NERDAGE: How do you plan to attack the digital marketplace?

Warren Simons: Because Valiant is re-launching at a time of unprecedented media channels, we have a unique opportunity to produce comics across multiple platforms with forethought and consistency. We’re excited for the possibilities in the digital space.

NERDAGE: Can you talk about what characters will play a role in the new Valiant line?

Warren Simons: We can’t get into details just yet, but we some of our most beloved characters will be playing key roles.  There are a number of great characters worthy of the spotlight, including X-O

Shadowman from the original Valiant line

Manowar, Bloodshot, Harbinger, Archer & Armstrong, Eternal Warrior, Rai, Ninjak, and Shadowman, to name a few.

NERDAGE: Will the Valiant line be set in one coherent universe, and what will set that universe apart from other superhero universes?

Warren Simons: Jim Shooter, Barry Windsor-Smith, Bob Layton and all the talented writers and artists who first introduced the Valiant characters built a three dimensional universe that readers could dive into headfirst. They did this with a set of great ideas that we intend to honor and update.  Chief among these is a coherent universe with strong interconnectivity and clear continuity.  The Valiant characters will continue to be unique creations with realistic goals and aspirations and motivations. We’re going to bring all these great characters together under one roof and tell some incredibly compelling stories, with clarity a key element of our universe.

NERDAGE: Will previous Valiant continuity or storylines be referenced?  Will more classic reprints be part of the company’s plan going forward?

Warren Simons: The classic books and the universe they described will serve as the backbone for new storytelling, but everything will be reenergized and updated for the modern world.  The successes of Valiant’s past will be a guiding force behind our new stories.

Bloodshot from the original Valiant Comics

NERDAGE: Have creative teams been set for any titles, and if so, can you offer any hints about what direction those are going?

Warren Simons: The original Valiant comics are so loved and touched the lives of so many talented artists and writers that we’ve been inundated with people reaching out to us.  We’re not ready to announce the teams behind the books just yet, but we’ve got some remarkable talent here and we’ll announce them down the line.

NERDAGE: Is there still an ongoing plan for a “Bloodshot” film, and are either of you involved in those discussions?

Warren Simons: We have a number of film projects in various stages of development.  We can’t discuss them just yet, but fans should stay tuned for upcoming announcements!

- Matt Price

In the heady comics boom days of the early 1990s, Valiant Comics were among the hottest properties, with titles including the mysterious Shadowman, the armored barbarian X-O Manowar and the superpowered teens of “Harbinger.”

The new Valiant Entertainment recently announced plans to return to comic book stores in 2012. Warren Simons, former editor of Marvel Comics titles including “Invincible Iron Man” and “Thor,” will bring his skills to the revamped Valiant. Last week, Simons was named executive editor of the company.

In an interview with The Oklahoman, Simons says the company’s focus will be on comic books, though a number of film properties are also in development.

“As a company, we’re about comic books first, and comic book stores are the best way to reach our readership,” Simons said. “Stores and retailers will be our most important fans and advocates. We plan to work with them through traditional channels but also to develop and maintain relationships through new vehicles like social media. There are many different ways we can communicate and stay in touch with our fans and retail partners, and we intend to make use of all of them.”

Simons said he sees a chance for the Valiant characters to make an impact on the modern comic book market.

“These characters still resonate,” Simons said. “Many of the core concepts driving them are brilliant and timeless. And we think there’s tremendous potential to tell incredibly exciting stories with these characters. Valiant has a reputation for breaking molds and avoiding cliches, and we intend to continue pushing Valiant storytelling to the next level.”

And while comic book stores are seen as a focus, Valiant won’t ignore the emerging digital marketplace.

“Because Valiant is relaunching at a time of unprecedented media channels, we have a unique opportunity to produce comics across multiple platforms with forethought and consistency,” Simons said. “We’re excited for the possibilities in the digital space.”

Simons said title announcements weren’t ready yet, but some of the company’s “most beloved characters” will be key to the relaunch.

“There are a number of great characters worthy of the spotlight, including X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, Harbinger, Archer & Armstrong, Eternal Warrior, Rai, Ninjak and Shadowman, to name a few,” he said.

He said the coherent Valiant Universe will be among the selling points for the new line.

“Jim Shooter, Barry Windsor-Smith, Bob Layton and all the talented writers and artists who first introduced the Valiant characters built a three-dimensional universe that readers could dive into headfirst,” he said. “They did this with a set of great ideas that we intend to honor and update. Chief among these is a coherent universe with strong interconnectivity and clear continuity.”

He said the classic Valiant universe will be the “backbone” of new storytelling, but that everything in the line will be re-energized and updated for modern audiences.

“The successes of Valiant’s past will be a guiding force behind our new stories,” he said.

- By Matthew Price
WORD BALLOONS
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Valiant Comics, which recently announced plans to return to comic-book publishing in a major way in 2012, has announced the publisher and executive editor for their enterprise.

Valiant has named Fred Pierce, the former President and COO of Wizard Entertainment, as publisher.  Pierce was part of the management team for the original Valiant.

Former Marvel editor Warren Simons has been named Executive Editor.  He edited Marvel books including The Invincible Iron Man, Spider-Man, Thor, Daredevil, and The Immortal Iron Fist.

My immediate response to this is a good one; both men have been involved with successes in the past, and seem like positive selections for the new Valiant.    Come back next week for an interview with Pierce and Simons about their Valiant plans.

Click past the cut for the full news release.

- Matt Price

VALIANT EXPANDS MANAGEMENT TEAM; PREVIOUS WIZARD PRESIDENT BECOMES PUBLISHER

AND CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FORMER MARVEL EDITOR BECOMES EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Company Taps Highly Accomplished Industry Figures Fred Pierce and Warren Simons

New York, NY, June 9, 2011 – Valiant Entertainment, the character-based entertainment company with more than 1,500 characters in its library, today announced the further expansion of its management team.  Former Wizard Entertainment President Fred Pierce has been appointed Publisher and critically acclaimed former Marvel Editor Warren Simons has been appointed Vice President – Executive Editor of Valiant.  They join Peter Cuneo, the former Marvel CEO and Vice Chairman, who was recently appointed Chairman of Valiant.

During a distinguished career in the comic book industry, Pierce has served as a senior leader of two major companies guiding them to huge success during his tenure.  He was a key member of the management team of the original Valiant as Vice President of Operations and Manufacturing during its period of unprecedented growth. At Valiant, he was actively involved in all aspects of the company and was instrumental in building it into the third largest company in the industry after only Marvel Entertainment and DC Entertainment until its successful sale to video game company Acclaim Entertainment in 1994.

Following Valiant’s sale to Acclaim, Pierce was appointed President and COO of Wizard Entertainment, the leading comic and pop culture magazine and convention company.

While leading Wizard for 14 years in this position, Pierce helped grow the company from a single entertainment magazine to a line of entertainment magazines, each of which was dominant in their respective industries, including Wizard, ToyFare, InQuest and Anime Insider. He was also responsible for starting Wizard World conventions in a number of locations, such as Chicago (the second largest comic and pop culture convention behind the San Diego Comic Con), Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Dallas.  Pierce guided the company into profitability in his first two years and then led a decade of unrivaled growth before leaving Wizard in 2008 to join printing company The Ensig Group as President.  He now joins Valiant as Publisher.

“Fred is a highly successful publisher who played an important role in Valiant’s history.  I’m pleased to have him back at Valiant to give him the special opportunity to rebuild the legacy he helped create,” said Jason Kothari, CEO of Valiant Entertainment.
“Valiant has been quietly putting the key building blocks in place for a major reemergence in the entertainment industry.  I’m very excited to be a part of it,” said Fred Pierce. “I’m proud of what we accomplished at the original Valiant and the opportunity to be back allows me to come full circle, making this very important to me.”

One of the most critically acclaimed editors in the industry, Warren Simons is an expert at revitalizing classic characters to large creative and commercial success in today’s market.  During his seven years at Marvel, he relaunched or edited some of the industry’s most iconic characters and titles, including The Invincible Iron Man, Spider-Man, Thor, Daredevil, and The Immortal Iron Fist. Simons’ books were frequently best-sellers and were nominated for 11 Eisner Awards and 10 Harvey Awards.

Simons played a major role in discovering new creative talents and revitalizing some of Marvel’s most prominent characters, including overseeing the relaunch of The Invincible Iron Man, the 2009 Eisner award-winner for Best New Series, and the relaunch of Thor, the 2009 Eisner nominee for Best Ongoing Series. Simons oversaw the comic book redesign of Thor in advance of the hit Marvel Studios movie.

“I’m excited to announce Warren as Valiant’s Executive Editor,” said Jason Kothari. “Warren is an expert at revitalizing classic characters and has a tremendous track record of creating books that are both award-winning and best-selling.   He is the creative force that will ensure the new Valiant Universe is a sophisticated superhero universe that will powerfully resonate with today’s extremely intelligent readership, whether they are familiar with Valiant or not.”

“I’m excited to have been chosen for this important position,” said Warren Simons.  “The Valiant characters are one of the most beloved universes of characters ever created and have the potential to be icons like Iron Man, Thor and others of that class.  I look forward to working alongside some incredibly talented creators and amazing colleagues to help rebuild Valiant into a world-class creative company again.”

Simons and Pierce join a Valiant management team that recently announced investors Peter Cuneo and Gavin Cuneo of private investment company Cuneo & Company, LLC and co-founder Dinesh Shamdasani on the Board of Directors.  Gavin Cuneo, Principal of Cuneo & Co., was an investment banker with Bank of America Merrill Lynch and spent over ten years working in investment banking and investment management.  He was appointed to Valiant’s Board of Directors.

“We are pleased to have such accomplished industry figures as Fred and Warren on our management team,” said Director Gavin Cuneo. “Their additions further our goal to attract the best business and creative talent for Valiant’s return.”

Chairman Peter Cuneo added, “The nucleus for Valiant is strong and growing.  We look forward to updating you as we continue to progress towards our return in 2012.”

Valiant Entertainment, publishers of characters including “Archer and Armstrong” and “X-O Manowar,” have announced plans to return with print and digital comics in 2012.  Oklahoma comic-book retailers say it could be a tough road ahead for the publisher, which in its previous incarnation sold millions of comic books.

Former Marvel CEO Peter Cuneo has become chairman of Valiant.

Gavin Cuneo, principal of Cuneo & Co., has been appointed to Valiant’s board of directors.

“I am excited to be partnering with Peter and Gavin,” said CEO Jason Kothari in a news release. “Peter’s decade of leadership at Marvel, Gavin’s decade of experience on Wall Street and their highly active roles with Valiant will be integral to our expansion.”

Valiant Comics were extremely popular in the 1990s, featuring characters including Bloodshot and Shadowman. The “Harbinger” series about superpowered teens became a hot collectible in the early 1990s.

“When they first started, people were gung-ho,” said Bart Bush, manager of Atomik Pop comic book store in Norman. “We were selling amounts that were just unheard of. … At one time, that stuff was very popular.”

What happened

After peaking during the comic book boom of the early 1990s, Valiant was later sold to video game maker Acclaim; the Valiant properties were later auctioned off after that company’s bankruptcy.

Valiant Entertainment has been publishing hardcover collections of the original Valiant properties over the past few years and now is set to return with new comics.

“We have been planning the reintroduction of the Valiant titles for some time, and I’m excited to announce our scheduled launch for 2012,” Director Dinesh Shamdasani said in a news release. “Cutting-edge characters and stories were the core tenants of the original Valiant and are the core tenants of the new Valiant.”

Tough market to crack

Buck Berlin, of New World Comics in Oklahoma City, said the company might have a chance to make an impact again.

“Good for them for trying something that worked out really well way back when,” he said.

Berlin said the comics market is tough to crack but thinks Valiant Comics may be able find a way to stand out — and overcome some fan resistance from the latter days of its previous incarnation.

Bush said it was unfortunate the revamped company wouldn’t retain the rights to some characters it published in the 1990s, including Magnus, Robot Fighter and Turok.

Kothari said in an interview with Comic Book Resources that even without those characters, originally published by Gold Key, Valiant has a wealth of characters available.

“Valiant has a huge library of characters, and we have the Valiant Universe, which is larger than any one character as it plays an invaluable role in supporting and strengthening all the characters within it,” he said. “The Gold Key characters are part of our past, but they are not important to our future. Within the Valiant Universe framework, we are initially focusing on nine or 10 of Valiant’s A-list characters, such as X-O Manowar, Bloodshot and Harbinger, and the interactions between them.”

Peter Cuneo said the Valiant characters still have energized fans despite the characters’ absence from comic shelves for most of the past decade.

“Valiant owns and controls a universe of some of the most recognizable characters in the comic world,” Peter Cuneo said in the release. “To this day, despite interruptions in its history, Valiant has retained an extremely passionate fan base. We are keenly focused on bringing the original Valiant Universe back for these fans as well as introducing these powerful characters and stories to new readers.”

- By Matthew Price
From Monday’s The Oklahoman

Kyle Roberts and Matt Price have a giveaway of “Thor: Tales of Asgard” with this week’s Planet 46 Comics podcast. Just leave a comment below with your favorite Thor character.

Also this week:
Matt and Kyle discuss the DC Comics relaunch (we say “reboot” a few times because we filmed this before the “this is not a reboot” e-mail). We look at the Marvel Comics death in Fear Itself #3 and its possible impact. We discuss the planned 2012 return of Valiant Comics with former Marvel Comics CEO Peter Cuneo. And we discuss X-Men: First Class.

REVIEW FILE: Flashpoint #2, Amazing Spider-Man #663, Criminal: Last of the Innocent #1

Comics read in 2011: 741. Still to go: 1270

In an interview with Comic Book Resources, this image of Bloodshot by David Aja is revealed as the first piece of promotional art from the company’s planned relaunch of its properties.

New Valiant Chairman Peter Cuneo shares some of his thoughts on the core beliefs of the new Valiant in the CBR interview:

Some of our central beliefs at Valiant are worth mentioning. We think the comic book industry is the best means to nurture and grow characters that can expand into other mass media channels. We recognize that comic book retailers are the key ingredient for success. They are the blood that runs through the veins of this industry. We believe that this can only be achieved if our content is highly imaginative and is unafraid to explore new creative approaches. We do think film is the best way to promote and create excitement for our characters with consumers worldwide. Most important, we will be focused on aligning Valiant with the best talent, old and new, to accomplish our goals.

Valiant CEO Jason Kothari gave a tease about what characters the planned 2012 launch might involve:

We are initially focusing on 9 or 10 of Valiant’s A-list characters, such as X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, and Harbinger, and the interactions between them.

Check out the full interview at Comic Book Resources.

- Matt Price

A news release from Valiant Entertainment announces the company’s plans to return with print and digital comics in 2012.  Former Marvel CEO Peter Cuneo has become chairman of Valiant.

Gavin Cuneo, Principal of Cuneo & Co., has been appointed to Valiant’s board of directors.

“I am excited to be partnering with Peter and Gavin,” said CEO Jason Kothari in a news release. “Peter’s decade of leadership at Marvel, Gavin’s decade of experience on Wall Street, and their highly active roles with Valiant will be integral to our expansion.”

Valiant Comics were extremely popular in the 1990s, featuring characters including X-O Manowar, Bloodshot and Shadowman.

“We have been planning the reintroduction of the Valiant titles for some time and I’m excited to announce our scheduled launch for 2012,” said Director Dinesh Shamdasani. “Cutting-edge characters and stories were the core tenants of the original Valiant and are the core tenants of the new Valiant.”

The original Valiant Comics heroes sold more than millions of comics in its heyday.

“Valiant owns and controls a universe of some of the most recognizable characters in the comic world,” added Peter Cuneo in the release. “To this day, despite interruptions in its history, Valiant has retained an extremely passionate fan base. We are keenly focused on bringing the original Valiant Universe back for these fans as well as introducing these powerful characters and stories to new readers.”

- Matt Price
Click past the cut for the full news release.

New York, NY – June 2, 2011 – Valiant Entertainment, the character-based entertainment company with more than 1,500 characters in its library, announced it will reintroduce the critically acclaimed Valiant Universe in print and digital comics in 2012. Valiant has hired accomplished industry executives and creative talent to expand its management team. The first announcement is that former Marvel CEO and Vice Chairman Peter Cuneo has assumed the role of Chairman of Valiant.

Valiant Entertainment, co-founded by Jason Kothari and Dinesh Shamdasani, has received a capital infusion from private investment company Cuneo & Company, LLC. Peter Cuneo, Managing Principal of Cuneo & Co., recently concluded ten years of leadership at Marvel Entertainment, which achieved one of the most extraordinary turnarounds in entertainment history during that period. His tenure with Marvel concluded with Marvel’s sale at the end of 2009 to The Walt Disney Company for over $4 billion. Gavin Cuneo, Principal of Cuneo & Co., was an investment banker with Bank of America Merrill Lynch prior to the founding of Cuneo & Co. He has spent over ten years working in investment banking and investment management and has been appointed to Valiant’s Board of Directors. Peter and Gavin Cuneo are working closely with Valiant’s expanded management team to usher in the new era of Valiant.

“I am excited to be partnering with Peter and Gavin,” said CEO Jason Kothari. “Peter’s decade of leadership at Marvel, Gavin’s decade of experience on Wall Street, and their highly active roles with Valiant will be integral to our expansion.”

“The strength of the management team which Jason has created and the quality of the characters owned and controlled by the company have made this an extremely attractive and exciting investment,” said Peter Cuneo.

“We see a great opportunity in today’s comic book industry for the emergence of a brand that combines the power of a strong legacy with a first-class creative and business team,” said Gavin Cuneo.

Originally founded in 1989, Valiant Comics quickly became one of the most successful comic book publishers by creating unique and compelling heroes and villains and focusing on storytelling. Valiant characters have been written and illustrated by many of the industry’s most famous creative talents, including Jim Shooter, Bob Layton, Barry Windsor Smith, Joe Quesada, Jim Lee, Frank Miller, Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis, Bryan Hitch, Steve Ditko, Mike Mignola and Neal Adams, among many others. Previously named Publisher of the Year by Diamond Comics Distributors, Valiant characters have sold over 80 million comic books. After creating some of the most popular comic book characters, Valiant was acquired by video game company Acclaim Entertainment. Acclaim used the characters as the basis for a number of successful video game franchises. Acclaim went out of business in 2005 due to issues unrelated to Valiant, including the loss of key sports video game licenses. This enabled Valiant Entertainment to acquire all the rights to the Valiant Comics library at the end of 2007. Valiant Entertainment began operations in 2008 and has made significant progress in the licensing and development of major motion pictures that will be communicated in the coming months. Valiant now expands into publishing.

“We have been planning the reintroduction of the Valiant titles for some time and I’m excited to announce our scheduled launch for 2012,” said Director Dinesh Shamdasani. “Cutting-edge characters and stories were the core tenants of the original Valiant and are the core tenants of the new Valiant.”

“Valiant owns and controls a universe of some of the most recognizable characters in the comic world,” added Peter Cuneo. “To this day, despite interruptions in its history, Valiant has retained an extremely passionate fan base. We are keenly focused on bringing the original Valiant Universe back for these fans as well as introducing these powerful characters and stories to new readers.”

About Valiant Entertainment

Valiant Entertainment is a character-based entertainment company that owns and controls some of the most cherished comic characters ever created across all media, including film, television, video games, new media, publishing, and consumer products. Since their creation in 1989, Valiant characters have sold 80 million comic books and have been the basis of a number of successful video game franchises. Valiant’s extensive library includes over 1,500 characters, such as X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, Harbinger, Shadowman, and Ninjak. Visit www.ValiantEntertainment.com.

Batman: Shadow of the Bat 1

A rundown of some of this week’s comic books read!

Batman: Shadow of the Bat 1-4
The swan song of Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle on Batman.  In “The Last Arkham,”  Batman gets himself interred in Arkham Asylum to track down a murderer.   This series introduces  Mr. Zsasz, Jeremiah Arkham and Amygdala.   Grant and Breyfogle are one of my all-time favorite “Batman” teams, so I’d recommend tracking these issues down.  The comic features fantastic covers by Brian Stelfreeze.

Bloodshot 1-12
Sort of a high-tech mix between Wolverine and the Punisher, Valiant’s “Bloodshot” became a hit in late 1992. Written by Kevin VanHook with art by Don Perlin,

Angelo Mortalli is a former mobster, framed by a rival, who is sold to a Japanese syndicate who uses him as a test subject for an experiment that is intended to be fatal. The nanites he’s injected with resurrect him, though he’s lost all memory of his former life. Rescued from his captors, he takes the name Michael Lazarus and begins working on the side of the law.

The first issue of “Bloodshot” was actually released the same day as “The Death of Superman,” “Superman” #75 from DC Comics.

Darklight Prelude 1-3
Teri Sue Wood (now Resa Challender) followed up on “Wandering Star” with this paranormal mystery series featuring sisters who move into an apparently haunted house, rented to them by immortals.   It’s a really good-looking book with an intriguing storyline.

Detective Comics 875
Scott Snyder and  Francesco Francavilla create a great issue delving onto the past of Commissioner Gordon and his son.   As Gordon tracks down the Peter Pan killer, he’s forced to ask questions about his own family.   Highly recommended issue.

Hardware 1-8
This flagship title of Milestone Media in 1993 introduces Curt Metcalf, a genius inventor who discovers his employer is deeply involved in illegal activities.   Metcalf creates the Hardware armor and persona to battle his employer, businessman Edwin Alva.    These 8 issues were collected for the first time in 2010 in the trade paperback, “Hardware: The Man in the Machine.”   Dwayne McDuffie and Denys Cowan did a great job of creating a flawed, realistic hero in this series.

Incredible Hulks 623-625
Greg Pak and Dale Eaglesham send Hulk and his group to the Savage Land to help Ka-Zar.   When there, Hulk discovers an enemy with a personal connection from his World War Hulk days, and is forced to confront his own inner demons.   Greg Pak absolutely has a great feel for the Hulk, and the wrapup issue, 625, showcases how Hulk and his son, Skaar, have differences both in personality and behavior.

Robocop 1-4

Rob Williams and Fabiano Neves resurrect Robocop for Dynamite Entertainment.   It’s set after the events of the first “Robocop” film, and fits in that world, but where this fits with the continuity of the other films or comics is anybody’s guess.    The story isn’t bad, but the art is a little inconsistent.

Comics read in 2011: 591.  Still to go: 1422

X-O Manowar 2

Steve Englehart and Jim Shooter took elements of the barbarian adventures like “Conan” and high-tech action like “Iron Man” and mixed them together for an original whole in “X-O Manowar,” Valiant Comics’ fourth title, beginning in 1992.

Aric, a Visigoth warrior, was captured by the Spider-Aliens.  Once he manages to break free, he fights his way through to recover the sentient X-O armor.  Taking the armor and escaping the aliens, he discovers 1600 years have passed.

Returning to earth, it’s the 1990s, where the spider-aliens have made inroads into earth society via stealthily invade earth via members of their race altered to look human.

Aric, with his ally of sorts, Ken, seeks revenge on the aliens, his X-O armor a powerful ally.   There are hints that this is part of a larger universe, and fans who read the entire Valiant line would pick up on several crossovers and cameos.

Ultimately, Aric and Ken take over the aliens’ Orb Industries, setting themselves up as high-rolling businessmen.  Ken’s desire for power forces Aric to take action in issue 6, making it impossible for Ken to betray him.

“X-O Manowar” is a strong series concept that, if its publisher had survived, would likely still be around, as the engine behind the story is perfectly sound.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 249. Still to go: 1762

Continuing the “Second Death” storyline from Valiant Comics’ 1991 series “Solar: Man of the Atom,” the third issue introduces Toyo Harada and the Harbinger Foundation, who would play a huge role in future Valiant Universe stories.

When the split-off Solar seeks to determine his purpose, he comes into conflict with Harada and the Harbinger foundation, who are collecting data on humans with extraordinary powers.

We also find out about Solar’s possible origin, and its relation to the Doctor Solar of the 1960s comics.

Meanwhile, the Phil Seleski from the alternate universe returns.

In the “Alpha and Omega” origin portion, we learned that Seleski survived despite his injuries.

Overall, this is another really good issue from the pre-Unity era of Valiant Comics.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 165. Still to go: 1846.

Magnus, Robot Fighter #5-8 from Valiant Comics in 1991 featured the first appearance of Rai, the guardian of Japan, who appeared in flip-books numbered #1-4 on the back side of the issue.  The two storylines start separately, then come together in “Invasion.”

After the events of “Steel Nation,” Magnus temporarily finds himself among the Gophs, who live at the lower-class ground level of North Am in the 41st century.

An ambassador from Japan seeks his help; he is trying to end the Japanese dependence on “Granny,” a sentient computer that controls much of Japan.  Fifty million Japanese live inside Granny’s host body. 

Rai is Grandmother’s defender, and serves as the immune system for the giant robot, chasing away or destroying entities that would harm her.   The role of Rai is passed from father to son, with powers granted by Grandmother.

The anti-Grannies have a weapon that will release Granny’s control of Japan, but too late they discover it’s meant to destroy her. They’ve been fooled by the spider aliens, who see Granny as the only thing standing in the way of their conquest of earth.

Magnus, Rai, and Solar, who appears to warn Magnus of the threat, must try to repair Granny and stop the invasion.

This is a pretty strong story overall, with interesting sci-fi concepts like a sentient nation-robot.   The art is along the relatively clean and simple look that marked the Valiant “house style” at the time.   Writer Jim Shooter manages to present information from each of the sides in the conflict in a compelling way, so that the reader is forced to think beyond the surface of the issue.

Another recommended story to search for in the back-issue bins from Valiant.

- Matt Price
Comics read in 2011: 80. Still to go: 1,931.

In the back up story included in each issue of the comic, the origin of this other Seleski is explained.   While it probably wasn’t intended at the time, the flashing back and forward done in each comic made me think of it along the lines of an episode of “Lost,” where something revealed in the past would have resonance in the present.

In the second issue, the Phil from the original universe splits, with Solar, Man of the Atom being created from within Phil.  He’s based on the comic books Phil loved as a kid (which I assume would be the original Gold Key adventures of Doctor Solar).   So far, another Valiant title off to a strong start – I’d recommend tracking these issues down as well.

Comics read so far in 2011 – 13.  1,998 to go!

- Matt Price

My 2011 comics challenge – to read 2,011 comics in 2011 – kicked off shortly after midnight.

I started the challenge with “Magnus Robot Fighter” 1-4, the “Steel Nation” storyline from Valiant Comics,

Magnus Robot Fighter #1 (from ValiantFans.com)

written by Jim Shooter.  The first Valiant Comics series, “Magnus Robot Fighter” is a revival of the Gold Key character and features a man trained from a young age to fight rogue robots in the future of 4001 AD.

The art is by Art Nichols and Bob Layton, and has a feel reminiscent of the earlier Gold Key “Magnus” issues.   But the story was modernized for the 1990s – while the original Magnus fought “evil” robots, this version explains their motivations.  These “freewill” robots have simply broken free from their programming. Magnus has to determine if fighting, and destroying them, means he’s eliminating a malfunctioning machine or destroying something that has a life of its own.

I’d recommend reading these if you get the chance – meanwhile, let me know if you’re taking on the comic-book reading challenge, and if so, what you’re reading!

- Matt Price

 The artistic team of Sal Velluto and Bob Almond create a new “Archer & Armstrong” story for the hardcover “First Impressions,” which will collect the earliest stories of the odd couple of adventurers from the Valiant Comics line.  Earlier this summer, the artists talked to The Oklahoman about the characters, Valiant Comics, and their artistic collaboration.  They also hint about a possible future collaboration reuniting their “Black Panther” team.

Matt Price: What’s most appealing to you about the characters of Archer and Armstrong?  What interested you most about drawing a new tale featuring these characters?

SAL: In the past I’ve had the chance to work on other characters from the Valiant Universe, such as X-O Manowar (#2-3, 1992), Rai (#3, 5-6, 1992) as well as the revamp of Bloodshot for Acclaim (#1-16, 1997-1998). Archer and Armstrong represents both a return to my own personal “Valiant Era” of comics and a re-discovery of some beloved characters and stories. Working again with Jim Shooter is absolutely a treat, as it is joining forces – again – with my long time art partner, Bob Almond. It is interesting to note that Bob and I started our 10 year plus collaboration on an historic issue of Bloodshot vs. X-O Manowar.

BOB:  Indeed, on Acclaim’s Bloodshot #8 back in 1997. Regrettably, I didn’t get a crack at those original era characters like Sal did…until now! It’s such a hoot for us to further add to the tapestry of the Valiant Universe and history as it’s still so well beloved by the diehard fans after all these years. Plus, some of my first and favorite comics were Jim Shooter’s stories at Marvel from the ‘70s, like the Avengers.

Matt Price: What do you think about the resurgence of Valiant Comics? Why is Valiant still important to people?

SAL:  Since its first inception, Valiant Comics has been a character and story driven publisher. In the old days, as well as today, when you work for Valiant you have to leave at the door a big part of your ego and your temptations to “show off”. This might be a little uncomfortable to admit, for an illustrator such as myself, but it deserves to be recognized. This is a company who could have used the famous Shakespeare motto: “The story is the thing!” I believe the readers have enjoyed and will enjoy Valiant Comics for that very reason: “The story is the thing.”

BOB:  Yes, this challenges an artist’s storytelling chops over the flashy approach. We can do flashy, and have, but Sal is so good when it comes down to the basic foundations of telling a story that he seems like such a good fit for the new Valiant.

With all the publishers that have come and gone, Valiant was among the best when it came to planning, execution, and quality by an all-star line-up of greats who created modern legends. Try to recall those other publishers and their titles and characters. While some are still remembered, like CrossGen and Malibu, most are fading memories to the fans.  But it’s a testament to Valiant and its groundbreaking production of art and stories that fans are still fond of the past and eagerly rabid for more new stories.

Matt Price: What can “Archer & Armstrong” fans expect in the new story? 

SAL: I’ve had a lot of fun illustrating this story and really appreciated the great amount of research Jim Shooter has put into it. Luckily, I was quite familiar with most of the historical and geographical settings, since I grew up not too far from where the story takes place and have touched with hand many archeological artifacts of that time period. I think Jim did a wonderful job taking some pre-existing elements from Archer & Armstrong published stories and creating a plausible and interesting prologue. If the fans enjoy it half as much as I did, I think we’ll all be in great shape.

BOB:  I don’t have the same global background and experience as “Indiana” Velluto here, but I could tell that Jim still has a fondness to these characters when I read the script.  He’s still writing epics without having to tell multi-chapter, cross-title ‘events’ like other publishers are doing.

Matt Price: The two of you are best-known as a team for your work on “Black Panther.”  Tell me about working together on that series. 

SAL:  When Bob and I were hired to work on “Black Panther”, the book was slated for cancellation. We started with “unlucky” issue number 13, which was coincidentally titled, “The End.” Well, with the help of the great Christopher Priest  (also a veteran of Acclaim Comics) and the critical support of a wonderful fan base, we ended up prolonging the life of the book for three more years (36 more issues) and smashing Jack Kirby’s record for the most prolific art-team on that particular title. Along with all that, there was a lot of passion and involvement with the Black Panther characters and environments, which resulted in many, many extra hours at the drawing table for me and a strange psychosomatic reaction, developed by Bob, every time he had to ink one of my pages (smiles).

BOB:  Thanks…I think.

Yeah, good times, good times; the series was ‘cancelled’ so many times while we were on it so imagine working on a series with a gun to your head, listening to the chamber and clicks, waiting for it to go off every few issues, and then suddenly three years passed and we had created some of the best work we’d ever produced and it’s still admired by the fans. Hey, that’s an unintentionally nice connection to my analysis of the Valiant books.

By the way, wouldn’t it be so cool for someone to bring back together both Acclaim alumni and award-winning Black Panther creators Priest, Sal & Bob on something in the future?

Matt Price: What other projects do you have in the works?

SAL:  I am currently one of the artists on Lee Falk’s The Phantom, which is printed by Egmont Publishing in Scandinavia and Frew Comics in Australia. Among my other projects, a summer vacation with my family.

BOB:  Vacation?!  What’s a vacation?

I am doing some work for IDW on Star Trek: Year Four – The Enterprise Experiment and I’m even doing something else with Sal that I have to keep discreet about at the moment. Outside of that and lots of commissions, I’m also kept pretty busy with my ongoing pet project and passion, The Inkwell Awards at http://www.inkwellawards.com/.

According to MTV, Adam Beach (“Flags of Our Fathers”) is developing a movie based on the dinosaur-fighting American Indian character, Turok.  Turok was a popular Gold Key and later Valiant Comic before becoming an Acclaim video game in 1997.

“He’s the first Native American superhero that I ever looked up to,” Beach said. “He basically [comes from] a family where they’re protecting our universe from an alternate universe that wants to take it over. He uses his wits, and his might, and his special bow and arrow to take over the world.”

– Matt Price

“Archer and Armstrong” may have been my favorite Valiant Comics title, so I was very pleased to receive this e-mail from Valiant Entertainment today.
From Valiant Entertainment:

New York, NY – Following the successes of its first two deluxe hardcover edition releases, Harbinger: The Beginning and X-O Manowar: Birth, Valiant Entertainment will release its third hardcover edition, Archer & Armstrong: First Impressions, on September 24.

Archer & Armstrong: First Impressions hardcover edition will contain issues #0-6, digitally recolored and wrapped in a brand new dust jacket cover by legendary artist, Michael Golden. Like their previous two hardcover releases, Archer & Armstrong: First Impressions will contain an all-new story written exclusively for this edition. “The Formation of the Sect”, by original series creator Jim Shooter and artists Sal Velluto and Bob Almond, tells the long-awaited story of how and why Armstrong has been pursued by this secret organization all these years.

“Our first two hardcovers have been big hits with Valiant fans both new and old,” said Walter J. Black, Senior VP & Publisher of Valiant Entertainment. “We expect this new one will be received just as well. We’ve put together a solid package highlighted by the all-new Jim Shooter short story. If you’re new to the series, this is a great way to get involved. If you’ve read it before, this new story alone will make picking it up worthwhile.”

Considered “the superhero buddy book of the decade” by Wizard Magazine, Archer & Armstrong tells the story of comics’ most unlikely traveling companions. When Archer’s preacher parents betray and try to murder him, he goes in search of enlightenment returning as the world’s greatest hand-to-hand fighter seeking revenge. Instead of revenge he finds Armstrong, the centuries old immortal wanderer who spends his time drinking, fighting and spinning tales of his hedonistic adventures throughout history. Together they span the globe facing down a threat that could destroy the world.

Archer & Armstrong: First Impressions will be available to order through Diamond Comic Distributors in their July 2008 issue of Previews which reaches comic stores on June 25.

For more information on the Valiant Universe and its characters, please log on to their website at www.ValiantEntertainment.com. While you’re there, be sure to join the mailing list to receive future updates in your inbox. Or visit Valiant Entertainment on ComicSpace at www.comicspace.com/ValiantEntertainment.

The fourth series to come out from Valiant Comics in the 1990s, “X-O Manowar” mixed the barbarian archetype with the idea of a high-tech hero for “X-O Manowar.” Aric is a Visigoth, captured long ago by the spider-aliens. He finally breaks free, stealing the Manowar armor and returning to earth. But more time has passed than Aric realizes — 1600 years. He’s now in 1990s earth, as the spider-aliens stealthily invade earth by means of members of their race altered to look human.
Aric and the X-O armor seek revenge on the aliens, with few allies and less knowledge of the workings of the modern world. Valiant’s interconnected universe shows up in “X-O,” though it’s not necessary to understanding the story. Aric fights the Harbinger kids, and briefly crosses paths with Solar. A not-yet Shadowman, Jack Boniface, shows up in a New Orleans scene.
This book collects issues 0-6 of the original series, and adds a new story by Bob Layton detailing the rise of Lydia, the spider-alien running Orb Industries before Aric’s return.
Writers include Jim Shooter, Steve Englehart, Bob Layton and Jorge Gonzales.
Pencillers include Barry Windsor-Smith, Sal Velluto, Mike Leeke, Mike Manley, Steve Ditko and Joe Quesada; Layton is among the inkers.
Despite the “many hands” approach, “X-O” is thematically consistent (at least through the course of this collection), and worth a read.

– Matt Price 

Not the singer or the wrestler, this is Pete “Sting” Stanchek, the lead character of “Harbinger,” my favorite of all the Valiant Comics properties.

Brian Cronin, as part of his “Valiant Alphabet of Cool,” profiles the character here.

Things do go downhill in the series after “Harbinger” No. 25, but a really good series up to that point.  And early work by David “Stray Bullets” Lapham.

– Matt Price 

The return of Valiant Comics’ X-O Manowar is this week, with a hardcover collecting his earliest adventures, along with a new story.  Josh Howard collects his three Dead@17 miniseries into one compendium with some new artwork.  “Countdown” wraps up with “Countdown to Final Crisis” No. 1.   And the Winchester brothers return to comics with “Supernatural: Rising Son” No. 1.   Full commentary and list after the break.

1001 ARABIAN NIGHTS ADVENTURES OF SINBAD #0 (MR)

ARMY OF DARKNESS XENA WHY NOT #2 (OF 4) (MR)

BART SIMPSON COMICS #41

BATMAN #675

BETTY & VERONICA #235

BIRDS OF PREY #117

CHECKMATE #25

CONAN LEGACY FRAZETTA COVERS #2 (OF GOD IN THE BOWL

COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS 1

DARKNESS VS EVA #2 (OF 4) (MR)

DEATH OF THE NEW GODS #8 (OF

DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES VOL 3 ROBERTS CVR A #10 (OF 12)

DYNAMO 5 #12

EVERYBODYS DEAD #2

FABLES #72 (MR)

FALL OF CTHULHU #11 CVR A

FALL OF CTHULHU #11 CVR B

FALLEN ANGEL IDW #26 (MR)

GENE SIMMONS ZIPPER #5

GODLAND #22

GOOD & EVIL #3 PART 1 THE BEGINNING

HACK SLASH SERIES #11 MCKELVIE CVR B (MR)

HACK SLASH SERIES #11 SEELEY CVR A (MR)

HULK #3

HULK #3 FINCH VAR

HULK VS HERCULES WHEN TITANS COLLIDE

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF

MAC BOLAN THE EXECUTIONER DEVILS TOOLS #1 (OF 5)

MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #35

MARVEL ILLUSTRATED PICTURE DORIAN GRAY #5 (OF 6)

MICE TEMPLAR #4

MIGHTY AVENGERS #12 SI

MS MARVEL #26 SII

NEOZOIC #4

NEW EXILES #5

NORTHLANDERS #5 (MR)

NUMBER OF THE BEAST #2 (OF 6)

NUMBER OF THE BEAST #2 (OF 6) VAR ED

POWER PACK DAY ONE #2 (OF 4)

RETURN O/T GREMLINS #2 (OF 3) (RES)

SADHU WHEEL OF DESTINY #1 (OF 5) (MR) (C: 0-0-1)

SCOOBY DOO #131

SECRET HISTORY THE AUTHORITY HAWKSMOOR #2 (OF 6)

SHADOWPACT #24

SHE-HULK 2 #28

SIMPSONS CLASSICS #16

SONIC X #32

SPAWN #177

SPAWN GODSLAYER #8

SPIRIT #16

ST TNG INTELLIGENCE GATHERING #4 (OF 5)

STAR TREK NEW FRONTIER #2

STAR WARS DARK TIMES #10 (C: 1-0-0)

STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF

STAR WARS LEGACY #22 (C: 1-0-0)

SUPER FRIENDS #2

SUPERMAN BATMAN #47

SUPERNATURAL RISING SON #1 (OF 6)
DCComics.com says: Picking up several years after Supernatural: Origins, the boys are now old enough to join John on his cross-country “hunting trips.” Amid the carnage and violence, John’s seeking something specific: any information on why his wife was murdered.

SUPERNATURAL RISING SON #1 (OF 6) VAR ED

TALES OF TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #45

THOR #8
Danger finds Thor in the Oklahoma heartland in this second of a two-part story arc by writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Marko Djurdjevic.

TRANSFORMERS SPOTLIGHT GRIMLOCK

ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #53

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #121

UNCANNY X-MEN #497 DWS

WITCHBLADE #117 ROSS CVR B

Top Cow says: Dani meets a handsome stranger who sweeps her off her feet. But Sara’s police instincts kick in and she suspects there is more to Dani’s new paramour than meets the eye.

WITCHBLADE #117 SEJIC CVR A

WOLVERINE FIRST CLASS #2
The first issue was a fun launch for an all-ages Wolverine title.  Kitty provides a birthday surprise for Wolverine — but what she doesn’t realize is that Sabretooth is planning to crash the party.

WORMWOOD CALAMARI RISING #4

X-FORCE #3 DWS

X-MEN FIRST CLASS VOL 2 #11

YOUNG AVENGERS PRESENTS #4 (OF 6)

GRAPHIC NOVELS

AVENGERS TP KREE SKRULL WAR NEW PTG
The classic cosmic tale with art by Neal Adams.  Should be especially important as “Secret Invasion” heats up.

BATMAN CHRONICLES TP VOL 05

BEAU SMITHS NO GUTS NO GLORY TP (RES) (C: 0-1-2)

COMPLETE TERRY AND THE PIRATES HC VOL 03 1939-1940
If you haven’t looked at this artwork, you’re missing out.

DAREDEVIL TP VOL 02 HELL TO PAY

DEAD AT 17 TP COMPENDIUM ED (MR) (C: 0-1-2)
Featuring all three original miniseries with new and retouched art.

DEADPOOL CLASSIC TP VOL 1
Collecting the Joe Kelly comics recently named one of the top 100 comic book runs of all time by Comic Book Resources.

DEADPOOL VS MARVEL UNIVERSE TP

HAUNTED MANSION HC VOL 01 WELCOME FOOLISH MORTAL

JOHNNY DELGADO IS DEAD TP VOL 01

JONAH HEX TP VOL 04 ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG

JSA HC VOL 02 THY KINGDOM COME PART 1

LIVING WITH THE DEAD TP (C: 0-1-2)

LOVE THE WAY YOU LOVE SIDE A TP

QUEEN & COUNTRY DEFINITIVE EDITION TP VOL 02

Greg Rucka’s top-notch spy strip gets collected in new, smaller-size paperbacks.

SPEED RACER CHRONICLES OF THE RACER TP

SUPREME SET RETURN & STORY O/T YEAR PX LEATHER ED (C: 0-1-2

TEAM ZERO TP

X-MEN TP EMPEROR VULCAN

X-O MANOWAR BIRTH HC

Collects issues 0-6 and a new story by Bob Layton.

Cronin kicks off the alphabet with “Archer and Armstrong,” a Valiant title that, when it was written and drawn by Barry Windsor-Smith, was one of my favorites.

Cronin writes:

The basic concept of the book is simple to anyone who’s read Chuck Dixon’s Green Arrow – a devoted young martial artist travels the world with a brutish world-weary lout.

In this case, Archer was a young man who was perhaps the world’s greatest martial artist. He had been left for dead by his own parents, who turned out to be majorly evil, so he devoted himself to ridding the world of evil. During his quest to do so, he was suckered into working for a group that was designed to kill off an evil demon, who turned out to be Armstrong.

Armstrong (otherwise known as Aram) was an immortal who had lived since the mid 5400s BC (or around there). He was a lot like Hercules, in that he’s had a ton of battles over the years, but he also enjoys having a good time.The unlikely pair are really locked together when Armstrong has a bag of magical items stolen from him, as a result of Archer’s ignorant meddlings. To make it up to him (and the world), Archer travels with Armstrong to get all the items back (and, of course, along the way, they become good friends).

Cronin is working pretty hard (without his knowledge or anything) on becoming my favorite blogger.

– Matt Price

Those of you who, like me, were fans of the 1990s Valiant Comics created by Jim Shooter and company, will be excited by this recent promotional item at CBGextra.

The X-O Manowar collection was announced at November’s Big Apple Con, with a new story by Bob Layton. More info is at www.myspace.com/orbindustries.

Valiant Entertainment published the recent “Harbinger: The Beginning” hardcover collecting the early “Harbinger” tales as well as a new story from Jim Shooter.

I think the early Valiant Comics are currently critically underrated, so I’ll be glad to see them in print again.

— Matt Price