VALIANT Comics Apr 2013 solicits

[rasx]

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/vali...citations.html

[BugsySig]

Woo-hoo...Six VALIANT books for me in April!

Still waiting for the first indication of a Rai appearance...we only have May now to fulfill the Spring 2013 teaser. Maybe they will do a surprise last page reveal in one of the Harbinger Wars books, stir up some discussion and interest, then hype the hell out of an official "first" appearance after? We got EW in Winter 2012 like they promised...now give me Rai!

[rasx]

I'm getting:
Harbinger wars#1
Bloodshot#10
Shadowman#6, another great villain appears.

[BugsySig]

I'm getting:
Harbinger wars#1
Bloodshot#10
Shadowman#6, another great villain appears.

If you are getting the other two, might as well pick up Harbinger #11, too...C'mon...you know you want to...all the cool kids are doing it...

[TehJofus]

Just Shadowman #6 for me! Going to be collecting all the other series in TPB. The first X-O and Harbinger trades were great.

[BugsySig]

Just Shadowman #6 for me! Going to be collecting all the other series in TPB. The first X-O and Harbinger trades were great.

Nice...I'm really interested to see how the books do in trade. It's such a big business today and can really expand VALIANT's readership. Glad to see they read well in trade...not that I would expect anything less, of course.

[rasx]

If you are getting the other two, might as well pick up Harbinger #11, too...C'mon...you know you want to...all the cool kids are doing it...

Maybe after Harbinger Wars#1, the books I'm really following are Bloodshot and Shadowman, getting XO in trades.

[oldforce]

All . . . mine.

[Captain Craig]

I'll be getting all of them but the TPB.

So Harbinger Wars will end in about July, right?

Should we increase our anticipation of our first '13 new ongoing title to be announced during the HW event or after? Are we thinking HARD Corps is the likely candidate still?
I'm thinking if they give us 2-3 new titles this year, with the HW mini as a substitute for an ongoing then we'll need to have at least one title out by August or September at the latest. So that still leaves the 4Q for a debut like Shadowman which I think should be either Ninjak or Eternal Warrior.

[BugsySig]

I'll be getting all of them but the TPB.

So Harbinger Wars will end in about July, right?

Should we increase our anticipation of our first '13 new ongoing title to be announced during the HW event or after? Are we thinking HARD Corps is the likely candidate still?
I'm thinking if they give us 2-3 new titles this year, with the HW mini as a substitute for an ongoing then we'll need to have at least one title out by August or September at the latest. So that still leaves the 4Q for a debut like Shadowman which I think should be either Ninjak or Eternal Warrior.

I think we will get one (possibly two) new series spinning out of Harbinger Wars, and maybe one out of Planet Death. Dinesh mentioned on twitter that the "Summer of Valiant 2012" was not a coincidence when someone asked about new titles. I also think it's interesting that Planet Death and Harby Wars end at the same time (June/July). That's why I think we may see more than one.

Things have been so quiet surrounding Rai after all those innitial teasers, much like Shadowman last summer, so that is my favorite for the next book. And while I think HARD Corps could be a great concept in the right hands (like Dysart), and I am pretty sure they will debut during Harbinger Wars, I am not sure if VALIANT should stray from those top 8 IPs yet (Current 5 + Rai, EW, Ninjak). I think a "Ninjak & Secret Weapons" or "Secret Weapons featuring Ninjak" would be an awesome addition. Ninjak + Livewire and others (Mary-Maria, maybe) in a full-fledged espionage book? Yes, please!

I then suspect another book in Winter 2013, similar to Shadowman as you said. It is worth noting that Warren Simons said they did not plan to launch Shadowman until December, but the creative team came together very quickly, so they debuted in November. Because of that, I think we may not see book 7/8 until Dec or Jan (2014). I'd look for that one to be Eternal Warrior, with the new Geomancer playing a large role.

[Captain Craig]

I'm torn over the idea of Kay our Geomancer as a full fledged tag-a-long in an Eternal Warrior book. Not only does it handicap stories with Gilad but it essentially makes for another buddy book, an Immortal + one.
What about if Kay is given an 8 page back up in an Eternal Warrior book? Build her up slowly via the flip book concept(except we don't' actually flip it this time). I'd pay any reasonable extra for that.

I am hoping the whereabouts of Mary-Maria, her state of mind and future in the VU are revealed after the current A&A arc. Was really liking her and then things went wrong to the point where it's not certain she's still the same. Just how changed is she? For better or worse....that last shot of her makes me think the latter unfortunately. I'll take your starting lineup for a Secret Weapons book right there, those plus use it as a chance to introduce all new VEI characters like Mary-Maria!!

Rai, bring it!!

[BugsySig]

I'm torn over the idea of Kay our Geomancer as a full fledged tag-a-long in an Eternal Warrior book. Not only does it handicap stories with Gilad but it essentially makes for another buddy book, an Immortal + one.
What about if Kay is given an 8 page back up in an Eternal Warrior book? Build her up slowly via the flip book concept(except we don't' actually flip it this time). I'd pay any reasonable extra for that.

I am hoping the whereabouts of Mary-Maria, her state of mind and future in the VU are revealed after the current A&A arc. Was really liking her and then things went wrong to the point where it's not certain she's still the same. Just how changed is she? For better or worse....that last shot of her makes me think the latter unfortunately. I'll take your starting lineup for a Secret Weapons book right there, those plus use it as a chance to introduce all new VEI characters like Mary-Maria!!

Rai, bring it!!

I wouldn't make Kay a full-time "side-kick" in the book, but obviously given EW's status quo she would still be important to the book. Like Geoff in the VH1 Universe, she could really appear in any book at any time, but would also send Gilad for specific missions as her "Fist & Steel".

I read an interview with FVL where he said we'd be seeing Mary-Maria soon, likely in the next arc. I am also hoping for some more Timewalker soon.

It also can't be long until we see the Armorines show up. At some point someone is going to try to manufacture their own power-suits to take down XO.

[oldforce]

I think you guys are spot on in your assessment of when/what the next Valiant books are coming. One in the summer out of Harbinger Wars. One in Winter 13/14. Any more than that might be a mistake (maybe two out of HW if it gets good numbers, but I suppose they already have an idea of where it'll land).

However, I wouldn't be surprised if one of those books is something totally unexpected. They seem to have set up Ninjak/Secret Warriors (what with the latest in XO), and Eternal Warrior. But neither of those makes sense of out Harbinger Wars. Which is why: Rai. But it all makes too much sense.

[BugsySig]

I think you guys are spot on in your assessment of when/what the next Valiant books are coming. One in the summer out of Harbinger Wars. One in Winter 13/14. Any more than that might be a mistake (maybe two out of HW if it gets good numbers, but I suppose they already have an idea of where it'll land).

However, I wouldn't be surprised if one of those books is something totally unexpected. They seem to have set up Ninjak/Secret Warriors (what with the latest in XO), and Eternal Warrior. But neither of those makes sense of out Harbinger Wars. Which is why: Rai. But it all makes too much sense.

Part of what I love about VALIANTs publishing strategy is that it is staying fluid. So while they may have plans for, say, 8 titles by the end of year 2, what those titles will be remains to be seen.

So the current writers introduce and set up characters like Eternal Warrior, Ninjak, The Geomancer, Timewalker, etc, then they are willing to wait for the right pitch and the write team to come along and plug into the next slot in the line up.

I firmly believe (and have it on some good authority) that this is what happened with Shadowman and, up until that book came together, they were ready to go with Eternal Warrior as the 5th title.

It's very refreshing to see a publisher a) not stay rigid in their plans and miss out on a creative opportunity, and b) not be greedy to the point of over-saturation.

[rasx]

I think we'll get a Rai book coming out of HW involving the Bleeding Monk in some way, by August. Then later we'll get an Avengers type team involving Ninjak and others( maybe: EW, Geomancer, Livewire, Stronghold, XO).