Valiant Market - Secret Weapons #1 cover

The imminent return of the Valiant Universe this year beginning with Cary Nord and Robert Venditti on  X-O Manowar #1 is starting to drive prices of old Valiant comics and art through the roof.

Just this week I featured the original art to the cover of Secret Weapons #1, and now that piece has sold for $550. I'd like to think that the sale was because I showed off the cover but it probably has more to do with the fact that the book has sold millions.

X-O Manowar #1 announced with Cary Nord!

Valiant Comics has finally announced the creative team for the first book in the new Valiant Universe and it's a doozy!  Are you ready?

CARY (oh my god he's perfect!) NORD & ROBERT VENDITTI on X-O MANOWAR!

The press release is below as well as some of the most beautiful art I've ever seen:

Cover by Esad Ribic 

Pages and cover by Cary Nord

VALIANT Launches X-O MANOWAR With NYT Bestseller ROBERT VENDITTI & Eisner Winner CARY NORD

On May 2nd, New York Times best-selling author Robert Venditti (The Surrogates, The Homeland Directive) and Eisner Award-winning artist Cary Nord (Conan) launch X-O Manowar #1, the debut issue of the all-new Valiant Universe!

“Cary is knocking it out of the park with this book. His pages look incredible and Rob’s pitch is one of the best I’ve ever read,” said Valiant Executive Editor Warren Simons. “These guys are putting together a remarkable #1 issue.”

Born into battle and raised under the oppressive thumb of the Roman Empire, Aric of Dacia is a beloved figure among his men and a leader of the Visigoth people. But when he’s taken prisoner after a brutal encounter with an alien strike force, he must capture the X-O Manowar armor – the most powerful weapon in the universe – if he’s to save his family and return to his people. But when he arrives he finds 1,600 years have passed and the most primitive man on Earth – a man out of time – now wields a weapon capable of incalculable destruction

“Some may consider him a barbarian, but Aric is a seasoned battlefield tactician and a warrior capable of taking down some of the world’s greatest adversaries with only his wits and a broadsword,” said Venditti. “So what happens when you hand this so-called primitive the universe’s most powerful weapon and drop him in the modern day? It’s a recipe for one of the most compelling action stories you’ll see on the stands in 2012.”

“I’m having a blast working on X-O Manowar,” added Nord. “I’ve tackled warring barbarian hordes, alien armadas and destroyed pretty much everything in between. This is going to be an epic in every sense of the word.”

During X-O Manowar’s initial run, the smash hit series sold over 8 million copies and featured work from a distinguished roster of comics luminaries including current Marvel Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada, former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter, and comics legends Barry Windsor-Smith and Bob Layton.

“Powerful storytelling has been our first priority since day one and, together, Rob and Cary are proving to be a truly visceral combination,” said Valiant Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani. “Together, their work on X-O Manowar is defining the size, scope and intensity of the Valiant Universe.”

“X-O Manowar was one of the many reasons that Valiant became a legend in its time,” added Valiant CEO Jason Kothari. “This is an all-time classic character and we have big plans not just for him, but the rest of the Valiant Universe.”

X-O MANOWAR #1

Written by ROBERT VENDITTI

Art by CARY NORD

Covers by ESAD RIBIC & CARY NORD

ON SALE MAY 2nd

www.ValiantUniverse.com Launches

I'm a little behind but trying to catch up. Valiant Entertainment have launched a new website in anticipation of the new comics they are releasing this May. Head over to www.valiantuniverse.com to check it out. There is some sick looking new art to be seen! Analyse will follow.

Original Art - Secret Weapons #1 cover

In my never-ending quest to present you dear reader with scans of the original art to every Valiant comic book cover I present Secret Weapons #1 by Joe St. Pierre.  Check it out.

Now compare it to the printed version.

I've always liked this cover. I'm not sure why. Maybe because when it was released there was so much fanfare around it. It was Valiant's Justice League or Avengers and they meant to great lengths to promote it. What's interesting is that the background is so detailed (especially the ceiling) but so much is lost or covered by the colors and logo.

X-O Manowar: War Is Coming poster

Looks like the return of Valiant Comics continues to move forward (I can't wait!!!). This new poster promoting X-O Manowar is now in stores:

Great logo, design and art! Love what I'm seeing. No word on creative teams yet but War Is Coming is very intriguing. X-O ManoWAR or actual WAR with the aliens? Maybe both!

Predator vs Magnus Robot Fighter #2 Un-Used Cover

Just found this un-used cover to Predator vs Magnus Robot Fighter #2 a.k.a PvsM by Barry Windsor-Smith a.k.a BWS at Romitaman.com a.k.a. Romitaman.com! Check it out:

Pretty nice huh? The website tells us

Check out this very nice 1992 drawing of Magnus Robot Fighter Cover which was penciled and inked by the great Barry Windsor-Smith, and used as the concept for the Predator vs Magnus Robot Fighter #2 cover! This nice fully penciled and inked 11 by 17 inch piece features a very nice profile view of Magnus Robot Fighter! Barry Smith used the concept of this very piece and added the Predator to make the final cover. Compare this nice art to the published comic book in the red link above!

The piece has already been sold and I can't find the sale price. If you know the price or own the art let me know.

Valiant Market - Archer & Armstrong #2 page 19

The imminent return of the Valiant Universe this year is starting to drive prices of old Valiant comics and art through the roof. Another Barry Windsor-Smith original art page has just sold for big money. The previous sale is documented here.

This time the page is from Archer & Armstrong #2 and is page 19 featuring Archer, Armstrong, Turok and Mothergod. Check it out:

The page, signed by Barry Windsor-Smith sold for $700. A great price but just half of the price of the X-O Manowar #1 sale because the seller had a fixed price not an auction.

Shadow Man Tattoo 3

People LOVE Shadow Man!

So far I've profiled two people that have Shadow Man tattoos and today I've found a third! I'm not even looking for these guys!! You can see the first two here and here.

Today, we have another Mask of Shadows tattoo from the Shadow Man video game (always surprises me just how popular those Shadow Man video games are). Check it out:

The tattoo owner explains on his blog:

I wanted a good rendition of the below images so started a competition on facebook where only 2 of my friends competed, Charlie and Maddie both drew very good designs and both were taken and used as well as Jeff the Tattooist's own horror genre to the free hand piece.

His tattoo is based on the Mask of Shadows from the video game:

For the tattoo owners sake, I hope they keep the mask in the new comics!