I suppose it was official when I bought runs of Bloodshot, X-O Manowar, and Ninjak a couple weeks ago…but I think some part of me at that point was still thinking “just these series and maybe a couple more.”
BUT, with a deal at the local comic shop and a Fill-a-Longbox Sale at another nearby shop, I’ve jumped fully in: I want to track down a full reading copy of the Valiant Universe from the 1990s. I’ll settle for reprints/collected volumes if needbe–In 20+ years I’ve managed to never pay more than $10 before tax on any single comic issue…and I’d prefer to keep to that. Especially since I want to READ all the stories.
I feel like I’ve already learned a great deal about Valiant just in the past few days–both in-continuity stuff (Rai #0 in particular) as well as the comics themselves (thanks to listening to old episodes of a podcast: Only the Valiant).
While it would be interesting to try to chronicle my Valiant reading issue by issue (like my recent review treatment of Bloodshot #0 last week), I think that’d be folly–and I’d almost certainly “burn out” on it. So instead, I’ll probably just post here and there with random thoughts about the Valiant reading, and the occasional “coverage” of what I’ve been reading.
To that end, on the current journey thus far, I’ve read:
– Bloodshot #0
– Bloodshot #1
– Bloodshot #2
– Rai #0 (in the Rai TPB)
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: Bloodshot, collecting, comics, Rai, reading, Valiant, Valiant Comics | Leave a comment »
Family Blood
I’m continuing to get drawn in, and the odd vocabulary elements are feeling a bit more normal. I’m liking the flashbacks that are fleshing out the present, and beginning to get a sense of the continuity that’s been built from the start of this series. You know something’s being done right when I’m interested in going back to re-read the issues so far just to appreciate the world that’s been built in such a short span of time. The story is engaging and the characters are easy enough to identify with. The art continues on a high note as well. Though I saw this issue’s end coming a couple pages early that ramped up the tension which made the cliffhanger both that much more appreciable and a bit anticlimactic, as if it ended a panel or two too soon.
Three issues in, and I’m quite enjoying this series. Having figured out the art style for the flashbacks vs. the present, I quite enjoy the shifts, as we follow Bloodshot on his quest to find out the truth about his past. While he seeks his past, Project Rising Spirit is determined to remove him from the field permanently. The story kinda sucked me in on this issue; as said, recognizing flashbacks made this a much more enjoyable read and didn’t seem disruptive at all. I like both visual styles as presented here. As I keep saying, I’m enjoying this new take on a “classic” character; even knowing this isn’t the original “version” doesn’t bother me. Sort of a cross between Marvel’s Ultimate Comics line and DC‘s New 52, with the best of both worlds. Definitely looking forward to the next issue.
The cover to this issue puts me in mind of a cover from the early issues of the Wolverine relaunch back in ’03 or so, where we see grumpy Wolverine on the ground, a line of bullet-holes across the wall–and him; and just looking at it, you know someone’s in for a world o’ hurt. Here, we get a look at the two title characters and a scene that kinda plays on the state of things, and (at least to me) comes off as rather amusing. Archer with a crossbow, pondering the Armstrong, who he’s shot umpteen times but calmly (cheerfully, even!) drinking a beer. With his parents’ reality revealed, Archer breaks from them and decides to join Armstrong, and the two begin their quest for the parts of The Boon that are scattered throughout the world. Of course, it wouldn’t be a quest if it was easy, and things sure don’t start easy for the pair. I really like this new take on the characters–it’s fresher and somehow seems a bit more realistic than the classic. I also like that the title characters don’t spend the entire first arc or two against each other–I’m far more interested in how they handle things as a “team,” with such drastically different backgrounds, personality, and abilities. The story keeps me interested, and I like the art–and the character designs. This Armstrong looks younger–and more presentable–than the classic, and somehow, that brings more of a sense of “fun” to the title, amidst the darker, more serious elements.
This issue introduces us to the Fugitoid–an alien scientist in a robot body. This issue as a whole is “the origin issue” for the Fugitoid, detailing the robot as well as Dr. Honeycutt, and the motivations that led to the Fugitoid’s situation. While the essense of the original origin is present, details have obviously been changed–and it works really well for me. The art’s pretty solid, and pulls off the “alien, yet similar to Earth” vibe. The story itself is good, though I found out after reading this that the issue spoils something from the next issue of the main TMNT title–though I didn’t feel like there was anything particularly revelatory, and actually thought this played off stuff we’ve already seen. We get a glimpse of an entire culture that works far better for me than their use in the classic cartoon–taking a campy, goofy concept and making it a valid, reasonable element for the current continuity. The issue ends with no ad for a next issue, and I’m unsure if there will be any more–the first collected volume was 4 issues, and this is the 8th–making another complete 4-issue volume. I hope these continue; as I’ve indicated before–I’d gladly keep buying this companion series to the main title, with different creative teams and spotlight characters.
While the turtles are out searching for Splinter, they are ambushed by the Foot, who want revenge for the death of Shredder. While battling the ninjas, the turtles come across a strange building marked with the letters “TCRI”–which they recognize as the same as what was on the canister of goo that mutated them. When they investigate the building further, they find plenty of oddities, including the inhabitants of the building, and an alien device they’ve built that spells major issue for the turtles’ future. The story is fairly simple, and things kinda scoot along quickly. This is still early in the existence of the TMNT, so for me it’s more the ideas that were put forth than actual grace in execution of the story. The art’s solid, and quite a contrast to contemporary takes on the characters. Still, I like it, and it’s really cool to see this colorized in a single-issue format; if I didn’t know it started out black-and-white and had no attention called to it, I’d have a hard time believing this wasn’t a color comic to begin with. Despite the various collected volumes already out, I hope this Color Classics series lasts long enough to re-present the entire Mirage vol. 1 TMNT series…though I wouldn’t entirely mind if it skips a bunch of the middle stuff and just re-presents the “core” Eastman/Laird stuff of the first 11 issues, Micro-Series, Return to New York, and City at War arcs.
I picked this up because it was a new #1, a new start on a new Gambit series. I loved the original ongoing from ’99-’01 by Nicieza, and figured I’d check in on the character here. The issue itself is pretty good–we see Gambit in full thief mode, having fun with what he does, and while I can’t quite place all of his apparent motivations as being “fitting,” they work here, and I once again can totally “buy” Gambit as a solo act without needing the other X-Men. The art’s solid, though there’s something just a little bit “off” for me. Unfortunately, with other problems I’m having with Marvel lately–particularly the pending Marvel Now renumbering/relaunching of so many books; even if this stays at $2.99, it’s not enough and too late for me to truly care to “invest” in a long-form limited series right now. I’ll catch up in collected volumes or bargain bins if anything much pans out for this book. (8/10)
Normally I’m not a fan of decompression, especially lately…certainly not in a $3.99 book. But I’m loving this new X-O Manowar series. The story’s still seeming very familiar, keeping the basics of the character (as I recall ’em, anyway) pretty close to the classic version, just updated quite a bit to present-day comic sensibilities. The art’s a bit rough, but somehow fits the tone of the comic and the character in a way that works. I’m not all that familiar with characters’ individual names and such yet, but the issue works well for me just enjoying the story in and of itself. (7.5/10)
Perhaps I’m over-simplifying a bit, but this (like its predecessor, the over-hyped #100) is a strong “next chapter” of the ongoing Walking Dead story. The art’s solid as always, maintaining the usual consistency–it looks and feels like an issue of The Walking Dead. The story moves forward, as the various characters react to what happened last issue, and begin to figure out what to do next. And of course, “to be continued.” I don’t know how much longer I’m going to stay on the “singles” bandwagon this time–I’m trying to tell myself to go back to the trades after this arc…but we’ll see. (7/10)
I was surprised when the LCS owner mentioned this title to me when I recently revised my pull-list, as I had completely forgotten about it. I mean…it didn’t even ring any bells at all. So when I got it, I realized where it had come from: I must’ve requested it based on the Free Comic Day issue back in May. And for $1, figured I’d give it a shot. The art’s not bad, though it has that certain luminescent effect, a lightness even to the dark images, that so often makes me think “adaptation of something from TV” or some such, and the story (while it pulled me through the issue) is ultimately kinda forgettable, and I kept thinking as I read how this really seemed like something intended more for TV but relegated to comic book form. It’s also kinda telling that the selling point (which is what caught ME) is that it’s got Gale Anne Hurd‘s involvement, somehow…and that none of the actual creators who worked on story or art are even listed on the cover. I haven’t 100% decided either way on this title…I’ll probably give it another issue or two to really wow me, but at the moment I don’t see staying with this long. (6/10)
Comic Reviews by Walt 