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Post by Batflunkie on Feb 5, 2018 20:36:06 GMT -5
With Valiant's recent buyout, I've been compelled to re-read a good handful of their 2012 launch books. When I first got into modern Valiant (after excessively binge-reading the older stuff), I really strongly disliked the rebooted Harbinger and Bloodshot books. Dysart's take on the book felt less like group of troubled teens taking on the most unstoppable force imaginable and more like Scarface but with Tony Montana replaced with an elderly Asian technocrat with a god complex. Bloodshot felt more or less like something to prop Harbinger up with. Yeah, Bloodshot did mainly go after Psiots in the original, but the book didn't feel like it was totally constrained to it (which is probably why H.A.R.D.Corps came along, which I loved btw)
Still have no plans to touch Pak's Eternal Warrior, that was a tar fire that even I don't have enough strength to stomach twice
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2018 1:27:15 GMT -5
What do you get when you mix Appalachia during Prohibition, bootleggers, New York city gangsters and werewolves?  Moonshine by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso from Image Comics. I just read the first volume (collecting 1-6) and I may have actually found something by Azzarello I like enough to keep reading. I've always liked Risso's art, but Azzarello's writing never hooked me, great ideas but I always found the execution lacking and bogging down after a strong beginning. I'm only 6 issues in (I kept bogging down in volume 2 of 100 Bullets and after the first new52 Wonder woman trade) so I won;t know for sure until Vol. 2 hits, but for now, I am interested enough to keep reading. A couple of sample pages of Risso;s work...   -M |
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Post by hondobrode on Feb 7, 2018 4:03:38 GMT -5
With Valiant's recent buyout, I've been compelled to re-read a good handful of their 2012 launch books. When I first got into modern Valiant (after excessively binge-reading the older stuff), I really strongly disliked the rebooted Harbinger and Bloodshot books. Dysart's take on the book felt less like group of troubled teens taking on the most unstoppable force imaginable and more like Scarface but with Tony Montana replaced with an elderly Asian technocrat with a god complex. Bloodshot felt more or less like something to prop Harbinger up with. Yeah, Bloodshot did mainly go after Psiots in the original, but the book didn't feel like it was totally constrained to it (which is probably why H.A.R.D.Corps came along, which I loved btw) Still have no plans to touch Pak's Eternal Warrior, that was a tar fire that even I don't have enough strength to stomach twice I've read every Valiant book since they started and have to disagree with you here. The current version is the best ever. I know Eternal Warrior didn't last long but I still found it quite enjoyable, yes by Greg Pak. Haven't read Britannia yet, but it looks good. Not sure how it's going to fit into the Valiant U though. |
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Post by brutalis on Feb 7, 2018 7:37:41 GMT -5
What do you get when you mix Appalachia during Prohibition, bootleggers, New York city gangsters and werewolves? -M Talk about synchronicity. Just bought this TPB last weekend. Looking forward to it. Looked interesting enough with the prohibition setting and Risso's art. Flipped through and saw "werewolf" and instant buy for me. Never read Azzarello's Wonder Woman and enjoyed 100 Bullets even if it wandered and lost a bit of itself along the ride. |
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Post by Batflunkie on Feb 7, 2018 10:54:49 GMT -5
I've read every Valiant book since they started and have to disagree with you here. The current version is the best ever. I know Eternal Warrior didn't last long but I still found it quite enjoyable, yes by Greg Pak. Haven't read Britannia yet, but it looks good. Not sure how it's going to fit into the Valiant U though. My biggest issue with Harbinger was and still is Faith. I know she wasn't the most well rounded (pun not intended) character in the original, but I don't think making her oversexed was a good idea. That being said, all the other characterizations/adaptations of the originals were great I thought. I still feel like they focused maybe a little too much creative attention on Harada, but that's just me And what they did with Torque was interesting, even if Torquehalla was a bit much Also been reading X-O, Shadowman and Archer & Armstrong. X-O started out strong but once it got into the Unity tie-in stuff, it just felt like it was grasping at straws creatively. I mean the Vine were over and done with after Planet Death and that was just an utter travesty. You had so many opportunities for stuff like in ROM or Secret Invasion where you're constantly guessing who has allegiances to who. They also killed off Ken's analog, Adrian, pretty early in. Kind of left a bad taste in my mouth Shadowman more or less had the same issue. Started out great, but once Darque was killed off, the book seemed pretty directionless. As much as I loathed Milligan's run, Punk Mambo was a pretty great replacement for Nettie |
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Post by hondobrode on Feb 7, 2018 15:38:36 GMT -5
I've read every Valiant book since they started and have to disagree with you here. The current version is the best ever. I know Eternal Warrior didn't last long but I still found it quite enjoyable, yes by Greg Pak. Haven't read Britannia yet, but it looks good. Not sure how it's going to fit into the Valiant U though. My biggest issue with Harbinger was and still is Faith. I know she wasn't the most well rounded (pun not intended) character in the original, but I don't think making her oversexed was a good idea. That being said, all the other characterizations/adaptations of the originals were great I thought. I still feel like they focused maybe a little too much creative attention on Harada, but that's just me And what they did with Torque was interesting, even if Torquehalla was a bit much Also been reading X-O, Shadowman and Archer & Armstrong. X-O started out strong but once it got into the Unity tie-in stuff, it just felt like it was grasping at straws creatively. I mean the Vine were over and done with after Planet Death and that was just an utter travesty. You had so many opportunities for stuff like in ROM or Secret Invasion where you're constantly guessing who has allegiances to who. They also killed off Ken's analog, Adrian, pretty early in. Kind of left a bad taste in my mouth Shadowman more or less had the same issue. Started out great, but once Darque was killed off, the book seemed pretty directionless. As much as I loathed Milligan's run, Punk Mambo was a pretty great replacement for Nettie Faith oversexed ? Is that a typo, cause that's a news flash to me. Yes they focused quite a bit on Harada, but he's a huge character. Honestly, I'd like to see more of the character. Imperium was one of the best titles ever. Every issue was fantastic. I've heard people grumble about Venditti's X-O but it made sense to me and felt very organic all the way up to # 50. There have been a couple of average issues, not many, but the only issues I didn't like were the horrible Dead Drop mini by Ales Kot. I'd heard good things about Zero, his Image series. One of the worst things I've ever read. I still picked up Dead Drop hoping it would be better and it was pretty bad. Much as I love Valiant, my hate for his writing is even stronger. I will never buy anything by him again unless he has a co-writer then maybe. Dead Drop is the only thing I haven't liked. The rest has gone from good to fantastic. |
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Post by brianf on Feb 7, 2018 16:26:03 GMT -5
Recently finished the final Slott / Allred SILVER SURFER story - What a wonderful run of comics.
Literally brought a tear to my eye.
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Post by hondobrode on Feb 8, 2018 2:00:37 GMT -5
I'm looking forward to reading that.
I haven't read Slott's Spider-Man yet, but it looks pretty good too.
I see he's taking over Iron Man.
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Post by rberman on Feb 8, 2018 14:42:33 GMT -5
I've read two related series recently. First, this eleven issue run from 2014:  It's a very plot driven sci-fi story that starts with the Avengers instructing Carol Danvers to go have some space opera adventures for the next year. She hangs out some with the MCU edition of the Guardians of the Galaxies, discovers that her cat is actually an egg-laying alien, and saves a helpless civilization from getting kicked off their planet when the evil emperor wants to strip-mine it. There are some fanservicey references (her cat is named Chewie, and her ship is named Harrison), and the tone is light, as is the color palette.  Character development was minimal, and I didn't know Carol any better at the end than at the beginning. Continuity was also too tied into the Marvel Universe overall. Upside: The art was fine, and I liked the alien designs. Still, I wouldn't really recommend this series, and I'm glad I only paid $8 for this trade edition, which closes with a bizarre story in which Carol is rescued from her enemy by Santa Claus. Second, this one, also starting in 2014:  This was delightful. It's about Kamala Khan, a second generation Pakistani-American kid who gets Inhumanized (because mutants are out, and Inhumans are in, as an origin story right now) and decides to follow in the footsteps of Carol Danvers, her favorite superhero. Her nerdy interests make her a much more sensible fan stand-in than former Air Force officer Danvers can be, so the fandom jokes aren't nearly so forced.  She has interesting relationships with her concerned parents and devoutly Muslim older brother, all of whom are making their way in a foreign culture and trying with varying levels of interest and success to hold on to their traditions. Along the way, Khamala gets to hang out with the likes of Iron Man, Spidey, Wolverine, Captain Marvel, and Lockjaw, but in ways that complement continuity without requiring a Master's degree in it. The scene gets stolen repeatedly by a hilariously impish version of Loki that has me wishing that the MCU version wasn't such a mustache twirler.  I'll be looking forward to seeing what happens next to Ms. Khan, but Ms. Danvers may as well stay in orbit. |
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Post by Batflunkie on Feb 9, 2018 14:04:48 GMT -5
Faith oversexed ? Is that a typo, cause that's a news flash to me. There were some brief moments of sexual undertones, but I think they only happened during the first time Peter met Faith and the first time Kris met Faith Yes they focused quite a bit on Harada, but he's a huge character. Honestly, I'd like to see more of the character. Imperium was one of the best titles ever. Every issue was fantastic. Agreed, it feels like Dysart wanted to write Imperium first, but was hog-tied into writing Harbinger instead I've heard people grumble about Venditti's X-O but it made sense to me and felt very organic all the way up to # 50. There have been a couple of average issues, not many, but the only issues I didn't like were the horrible Dead Drop mini by Ales Kot. IDK, I think a lot of the problem of early Valiant was that the respective series dragged on too long and they've since started limiting on-goings to 20 issues or so, which is good. Because a lot of the top talent over there have numerous other books that they're working on, mainly Kindt Second, this one, also starting in 2014: This was delightful. It's about Kamala Khan, a second generation Pakistani-American kid who gets Inhumanized (because mutants are out, and Inhumans are in, as an origin story right now) and decides to follow in the footsteps of Carol Danvers, her favorite superhero. Her nerdy interests make her a much more sensible fan stand-in than former Air Force officer Danvers can be, so the fandom jokes aren't nearly so forced. She has interesting relationships with her concerned parents and devoutly Muslim older brother, all of whom are making their way in a foreign culture and trying with varying levels of interest and success to hold on to their traditions. Along the way, Khamala gets to hang out with the likes of Iron Man, Spidey, Wolverine, Captain Marvel, and Lockjaw, but in ways that complement continuity without requiring a Master's degree in it. The scene gets stolen repeatedly by a hilariously impish version of Loki that has me wishing that the MCU version wasn't such a mustache twirler. I'll be looking forward to seeing what happens next to Ms. Khan, but Ms. Danvers may as well stay in orbit. Was not my particular cup of tea, but it was a very cute book from what I read of it |
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Post by Batflunkie on Feb 12, 2018 14:49:58 GMT -5
So I've been going through my huge bundle Valiant TPBs and decided to give Quantum & Woody the "old college try". Much like Archer & Armstrong, I had large reservations about a "comedic superhero book" since the comic version of Deadpool left a pretty rancid taste in my mouth (really, really liked the movie though). It's about an average joe with aspirations that he consistently fails to reach and his asshole foster brother who become bonded by brass bracelets. Said bracelets also give them superpowers I don't think the comedic value of the book fully set in until issue three where this happens   I haven't laughed that hard in a good long while |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2018 22:23:49 GMT -5
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Post by Arthur Gordon Scratch on Feb 15, 2018 10:42:50 GMT -5
I've just read The Walking Dead #169-175, and I must say it's IMHO the most enjoyable the series has been in years. You can see big but gradual changes coming, and the perspectve of having actual surviving celebrities take part in the action is a wellcome trick.
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Post by Batflunkie on Feb 15, 2018 11:20:13 GMT -5
Sidways #1. Has an interesting concept going for it as a more inventive spider-man knock-off, but the first issue really didn't have much substance to it, especially considering that they showed off half the book in various previews. Guessing they're twiddling their thumbs waiting for Morrison to start on it?
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Post by String on Feb 16, 2018 11:11:16 GMT -5
So I've been going through my huge bundle Valiant TPBs and decided to give Quantum & Woody the "old college try". Much like Archer & Armstrong, I had large reservations about a "comedic superhero book" since the comic version of Deadpool left a pretty rancid taste in my mouth (really, really liked the movie though). It's about an average joe with aspirations that he consistently fails to reach and his asshole foster brother who become bonded by brass bracelets. Said bracelets also give them superpowers Hm, Q & W was okay, it had it's moments for me but I never got caught up in all the hype when they finally brought them back because I never read the original. Now, Van Lente's Archer & Armstrong (which lead into Ivar, Timewalker) was my favorite nu-Valiant run. The dynamic between the two, the comedic situations, the zany conspiracies involved and the outlandish cults and sects they encountered, it was all madly brilliant. I enjoyed V-Ditti's X-O Manowar. I know some fans thought it was a slow burn but I liked the pace he set and how he gave equal time to both the present and the past and how together, it influenced Aric's goals and decisions. His Armor Hunters event was great, my favorite of this time. Dysart...Dysart had ambitions, I'll give him that. Harbinger was interesting, gave us a character death that actually mattered, and had impact on the Valiant world as a whole. But I do think Imperium was what he really wanted to do, and while it was decent, it wasn't able to sustain my interest. Bloodshot was okay despite the different directions they wanted to take the character. I was rather surprised by how much I enjoyed Shadowman overall in despite of what many fans claimed as Milligan derailing the character. Unity was the biggest letdown. For a team with that name (and can we forget the Unit-Y pun please?),they never were together that much and the book felt aimless for quite a bit of it's run. I enjoyed Pak's Eternal Warrior too. He had some very interesting ideas within it that for whatever reason, Valiant just didn't want to follow up on. But after the whole debacle with the Legend of the Geomancer mini, I stopped reading them. |
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