Valiant Market - Harbinger #8 (2012) #8 1 in 125 line wide variant by Jeff Lemire

Valiant is massively successful at the moment. Breaking sales records left and right, winning critical acclaim and awards every year, inspiring major Hollywood talent to come onboard their movies, and really just making some of the best damn comics anyone has seen in a long while. It should come as no surprise then that many of their high end variants (especially those featuring first appearances) from the last several years are starting to become very in demand and therefore...very expensive. Just last week I wrote about how popular, hard to find and, therefore, expensive some of the new VEI variants have become. I spotlighted two books in particular - Eternal Warrior (2012) #5 1 in 50 variant and Harbinger Wars #3 1 in 25 variant. Today, I'm going to tackle another - Harbinger (2012) #8 1 in 125 line wide variant by Jeff Lemire.

First, what is a line wide variant? It's a variant tied to the number of copies a retailer orders of not just the regular cover of the same book but the regular covers of every Valiant book from that same month. The month Harbinger #8 went on sale I believe there were a total of 5 Valiant books (X-O Manowar, Harbinger, Bloodshot, Archer & Armstrong and Shadowman). So while 1 copy for every 125 ordered sounds like a high threshold it really isn't. It's 1 copy for every 125 copies of any Valiant comic ordered that month OR 1 copy for every 25 copies (125 ÷ 5 titles) ordered on average of each Valiant book that month. Not so bad really.

But then you have to factor in all the positives. This book is the  first appearance of Torque in VEI continuity and the  first appearance of Torquehalla anywhere. It's also one of the coolest variant covers every produced. The story behind the variant goes that superstar writer Jeff Lemire was a huge fan of the 2012 Harbinger comics and expressed his love for the book at a DC Comics panel. Valiant heard about this and so Valiant Chief Creative Officer, Dinesh Shamdasani, and Valiant Editor-in-Chief, Warren Simons, approached Lemire about collaborating. The collaboration started with a cover. Lemire pitched a bunch of ideas including one for a ball point pen image drawn on actual lined notebook paper. Valiant loved the crazy idea and thus was born one of the coolest variants ever created! Valiant knows how cool it is too, they've produced a ton of merchandise featuring this art including sweet tee shirts!

Adding to the books desirability is that it's very hard to find! No one knows for sure but estimates of the print run for this book are as low as 1,000 copies. The copies that were available when the book was first released went into the collections of the Valiant faithful and have stayed there. Only a handful of copies have returned to the marketplace since. Those copies that did come up for sale again have been the subject of slowly intensifying bidding wars as the Valiant fan base continues to grow. In the last 12 months, three copies have popped up on eBay. All were ungraded copies that were advertised as NM. The first finished at $109! The second finished higher at $153! The most recent, ending on eBay just today, finished at $207! This one is one to keep watching.

UPDATE: Looks like these articles are popular. We averaged about one copy for sale on eBay a year before I posted this. In the last 2 months we've seen 6 copies trade hands. The two raw auction copies finished at $208 and $213! Two raw Buy It Nows finished at $225 and $300! And two CGC 9.8 copies finished at $409 and $393. Looks like this book is settling in at $200-ish for raw mint copies at $400-ish for CGC 9.8s.

Bleeding Cool Magazine: TOP 100 MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN COMICS

The Bleeding Cool Magazine debut issue arrived in comic stores around the world this week and featured a rather interesting article entitled "The Top 100 Most Powerful People in Comics". Why is this pertinent to you, the die hard Valiant Comics fan? Because two Valiant Comics executives and one writer made the list! But we'll get to that in a minute...first the full list:

1. Jim Lee

2. Isaac Perlmutter

3. Robert Kirkman

4 Geoff Johns

5. Joe Quesada

6. Brian Michael Bendis

7. Dan Didio

8. Thomas Tull

9. Kevin Feige

10. Eric Stephenson

11. Mark Millar

12. David Steinberger

13. Dan Buckley

14. Bob Harras

15. Axel Alonso

16. Joss Whedon

17. Tom Brevoort

18. Grant Morrison

19. Mike Richardson

20. Bill Schanes

21. Bob Wayne

22. Jeph Loeb

23. Ruwan Jayatilleke

24. Jonah Weiland

25. Ted Adams

26. Jeff Robinov

27. Stan Lee

28. Neil Gaiman

29. Diane Nelson

30. Alan Moore

31. Nick Lowe

32. David Gabriel

33. Brian K. Vaughn

34. Nick Barrucci

35. William Christensen

36. Jason Kingsley

37. Alex Ross

38. Steve Wacker

39. Pendleton Ward

40. Marc Toberoff

41. CB Cebulski

42. Micah Baldwin

43. Rob Pereyda

44. Nick Landau

45. Mark Waid

46. Todd McFarlane

47. Ross Richie

48. Scott Snyder

49. Bill Willingham

50. JMS

51. Jonathan Hickman

52. John Rood

53. Garth Ennis

54. Matt Fraction

55. Mike Mignola

56. Mike Marts

57. Steve Geppi

58. Scott Kurtz

59. The Anonymous Comic Shop Clerk with a Scanner

60. Karen Berger

61. Midtown Collective

62. Fred Pierce

63. Roger Fletcher

64. Bobbie Chase

65. David Bogart

66. Dinesh Shamdasani

67. Warren Ellis

68. Jim Valentino

69. Harris Miller III

70. Joe Field

71. Marc Silvestri

72. Mimi Cruz

73. Cindy Fournier

74. Chuck Parker

75. Bryan Lee O'Malley

76. Erik Larsen

77. Ken F Levin

78. Richard Johnston

79. J Scott Campbell

80. Kate Beaton

81. Chris Staros

82. Fae Desmond

83. Seiji Horibuchi

84. Lance Festerman

85. George RR Martin

86. Gary Groth

87. Jonathan Goldwater

88. Stephen Christy

89. Scott Allie

90. James Lucas Jones

91. Scott Morse

92. Kevin Eastman

93. Milton Griepp

94. Chris Ryall

95. James Parker

96. Scott Dunbier

97. Liam Sharp

98. Bob Schreck

99. James Killen

100. Howard Chaykin

There you have it. Fascinating stuff but even more fascinating is the full list in the magazine with commentary. I urge you to pick up a copy (which also has a pretty snazzy Shadowman article). Here's a scan of the cover:

Now on to the Valiant crew that made the list - Valiant Publisher, Fred Pierce (#62), and Valiant Chief Creative Officer & Founder, Dinesh Shamdasani (#66). Check out scans of the commentary below:

Also, recently announced Shadowman screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski made the list at number 50. Check out the commentary below:

And just because I know you're interested, here a few more notable entries:

Marc Silvestri (#71): Image Comics founder and creator of Witchblade, Darkness and Cyberforce

Warren Ellis (#67): Creator of Transmetropolitan & The Authority, and writer of Judge Dredd, Iron Man and Fantastic Four 

George RR Martin (#85): Creator of Game of Thrones

Gold logo program returns!

At the San Diego Comic-Con this year Valiant Chief Creative Officer, Dinesh Shamdasani, announced the return of the famous gold logo program. The program rewards fans who promote Valiant Comics with limited edition gold logo versions of the comics. The first comic to receive the gold logo treatment is X-O Manowar #1:

Everyone who attended the panel at the San Diego Comic-Con received a copy! Three copies are being auctioned on eBay with all proceeds being donated to the Wounded Warrior Project. The first of the auctions has finished at a whopping $306.76 (plus $10.40 shipping).

UPDATE: The next auction finished at over $600!

Sony developing Bloodshot Movie?

Looks like Valiant hasn't just been secretly busy all these years making comics but also taking their time and developing big screen versions of the Valiant characters.  Check out the press release:

Columbia Pictures is closing a deal to acquire the rights to adapt Bloodshot, the bestselling Valiant comic book character, into a feature film to be produced by Neal H. Moritz through his Original Film banner and Jason Kothari and Dinesh Shamdasani on behalf of Valiant Entertainment, it was announced today by Hannah Minghella, president of production for Columbia Pictures. Jeff Wadlow will write the screenplay.

Bloodshot first appeared in Valiant comic books in 1992 and quickly became one of the comic world’s most popular characters. Appearing in over 70 issues, the character sold seven million comic books globally and was a cornerstone of the Valiant Universe, which sold more than 80 million comic books, third only to Marvel and DC. As Valiant re-launches in 2012, the Bloodshot character will return to shelves as well.

Commenting on the announcement, Minghella said, “The Bloodshot character has been a fan favorite for nearly two decades, selling approximately 7 million comic books globally. Because there have been more than 1,500 pages of storylines published, there is a rich legacy to draw from as we develop the screenplay. Neal is one of the best action producers working today and we know he is the right filmmaker to take on this potential franchise.”

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, Kevin VanHook, Don Perlin and Neal Adams, among many others; in addition, Valiant was previously named Publisher of the Year by Diamond Comics Distributors. Valiant is returning to comic books in May 2012 and has a number of movie projects in development based on its characters involving some of the industry’s top business and creative talent.

Neal Moritz and Original Film are currently in post-production on four films: 21 Jump Street and Total Recall for Columbia Pictures, R.I.P.D. for Universal, and Warner Bros.’ Jack the Giant Killer. He is entering pre-production on the sixth entry in the Fast and Furious franchise as well as on Dead Man Down, starring Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace. With over 40 films to Moritz’s credit, past titles include Battle: Los Angeles, The Green Hornet, The Fast and Furious series, I Am Legend, XXX, S.W.A.T.,Gridiron Gang, Sweet Home Alabama, Click, Vantage Point, Blue Streak, Cruel Intentions, I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Skulls, Volcano, Urban Legend, and Juice. Original Film’s box office is north of 2 billion worldwide.

Last we heard Matthew Vaughn was in line to direct the movie and a script was being written. No word on if Vaughn is still involved but they have a blockbuster producer in tow now and a major studio. A Bloodshot movie could be a massive franchise if done right. Excited to see how this one pans out.

World's First Talking Cover: X-O Manowar

Talk about innovating! I love that Valiant is coming out of the gate with amazing looking comics and now amazing new ideas. Check out the video and press release below.

Valiant is proud to announce the X-O Manowar #1 QR Voice Variant – the world’s first QR code-augmented, talking comic book cover! And, starting this February 29th, the only place to see this comic milestone live and in action will be in local comic shops nationwide when Valiant ships thousands of interactive, retailer-exclusive posters previewing this innovative comics breakthrough. 

“We want fans worldwide to know that something special is happening in their local comic shop during the build-up to May 2nd and the launch of the new Valiant Universe,” said Valiant Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani. “Valiant’s QR Voice Variant is not only a new innovation in comics and a true incentive for retailers, but an enhanced and immersive experience for fans as well.By merging elements of print and digital, we’ve hopefully created something that fans will just have to see in person!”

Illustrated by fan favorite artist Jelena Kevic-Djurdjevic, scripted by Robert Venditti and animated by New York’s Continuity Studios, both the cover and promotional poster will direct smartphone users to a video of X-O Manowar delivering a speech directly to comic fans across the world. On sale May 2nd — from the creative team of New York Times bestselling author Robert Venditti and Eisner Award-winning artist Cary Nord — X-O Manowar #1 begins the journey of Valiant’s greatest hero anew, when a Visigoth warrior dons an alien-armored weapon of incalculable destruction, igniting the Valiant Universe in the process. 

“From a storytelling standpoint alone, the technology we’re employing here holds enormous potential,” said Valiant Executive Editor Warren Simons. “For the first time anywhere, and exclusively on the printed page, Valiant can literally give its characters a voice.” 

Retailers are encouraged to prominently display their X-O Manowar QR Voice posters to showcase this unique promotional item. Valiant will be also be making print-ready PDFs of the posters, as well as the code itself, available to shop owners for promotional use via their retailer portal on ValiantUniverse.com. This is the second innovative promotion Valiant has announced in as many weeks for the release X-O Manowar #1; earlier this month, the publisher unveiled its Pullbox Exclusive Variant program to reward comic shop patrons who open a subscription for X-O Manowar at their local store with a special edition Cary Nord cover.

X-O Manowar #1 ComicsPro Lithograph

Just saw this pop up on the official Valiant Comics Twitter feed (@ValiantComics).  It's a photo tweeted by Valiant Comics Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani (@dinesh_s).

The tweet that accompanied it reads as follows:

@ValiantComics is ready for ComicsPro part 1! #comicmarket #valiant #wariscoming pic.twitter.com/QrlaDIWZ

So what can we deduce from all this?  According to the internets, ComicsPro is "the only trade organization dedicated to the progress of direct market comic book retailers". They just happen to have their annual meeting of retailers and publishers in 4 days. I'm guessing that Valiant is going to be there and they are bringing these hand numbered (out of just 400) lithographs (which feature the Esad Ribic cover to X-O Manowar #1) to give to the retailers.

But the tweet also says that this is "part 1". What else do they have planned?  I'll post more when I know more.

No posts for a while as I see if I can open a comic store and fly to the ComicsPro quick enough to get one of these bad boys.

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

Valiant Comics FCBD 2012 Edition Announced!!!!

so tired...but this just popped up online. IT. IS. AWESOME!

analysis coming later

VALIANT COMICS Announces FREE COMIC BOOK DAY Special

Valiant Entertainment is proud to announce its first ever Free Comic Book Day release – the Valiant Comics FCBD 2012 Edition!

On May 5th, get the inside track on the year’s most groundbreaking comic book event with this exclusive look at the all-new Valiant Comics! X-O Manowar! Bloodshot! Harbinger! Some of the best-selling heroes of all time return this Free Comic Book Day, just as all-new #1 issues of Valiant Comics begin arriving in stores!

"This has been an event a decade in the making, and we're approaching this with dedication, passion and a commitment to excellence," said Executive Editor Warren Simons. "We've lined up some colossally talented colleagues – both new and old friends alike – and if you have a love for great comics and innovative stories, we've got some great stuff in store for you.”

Featuring a cover of the brand new X-O Manowar by superstar artist Jelena Kevic-Djurdjevic, this sneak peek into Valiant’s extraordinary first year comes packed with never-before-seen stories, character redesigns, and interviews with Valiant’s team of visionary creators.

"We couldn't be happier to be partnering with comics retailers, Diamond and ComicsPro for Free Comic Book Day 2012, the most exciting day in comics," said Publisher Fred Pierce. "In 2012, fans and retailers can expect some of the best books in all of comics to be shipping monthly from Valiant."

Valiant's Free Comic Book Day special edition is just the first title that the publisher has lined up for the month of May. Look for announcements regarding the full array of new titles, creative teams, and shipping dates to be released in the New Year.

"Free Comic Book Day is just the beginning," said Valiant Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani. "For anyone who loves comics and top-notch storytelling, the return of the Valiant Universe will be an event not to be missed."

Valiant Entertainment is a character-based publishing and licensing company that owns and controls some of the most cherished comic characters ever created across all media worldwide. 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:
ValiantUniverse.com.
www.facebook.com/ValiantComics
www.twitter.com/ValiantComics

Secret Valiant Production Blog?

Now this is very interesting!

We know that Valiant Comics will be publishing new stories in 2012 and we have a good sense that they will be rebooting the Universe thanks to a quote from Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani.

“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 Dinesh Shamdasani. “Cutting-edge characters and stories were the core tenets of the original Valiant and are the core tenets of the new Valiant.”

But we've heard little since then, other than some surprising rumors about certain big name creators being involved and a steady yet vague stream of social media posts on Twitter and Facebook.

Now comes the exposure (or perhaps planned leak?) of an anonymous Tumblr named Man Of War which contains some very juicy and hastily taken (or meticulously planned to look hastily taken?) photos that look very much like the inner workings of the Valiant Comics offices.

At first glance the photos look pedestrian - shots of an average looking office, text book pages, boxes of tee shirts and even what appear to be previously released images. But upon closer inception we find a wealth of new information and imagery not previously released or even meant to officially exist!

Take a look for yourself at Man Of War or at the example below (more thorough analysis of all the pictures will follow in a subsequent post).

This was posted on October 7th, a full 4 months after the below image accompanied the initial announcement that Peter Cuneo had come on board as Chairman of Valiant and that Valiant would return in 2012.

They look the same, don't they? That's because they are. However, look closely and you'll notice that there are not two copies of that image in the Tumblr photo. The one underneath is slightly different. In that one you can see the white of a hand and the blood splatter sword. Did David Aja draw a reveal to go along with the Rai #0 homage silhouette? Tres interesting no?

So who is leaking these photos?

• A freelancer who occasionally visits the Valiant offices? 

No, the posts are too consistent and look to be shot after hours (see the night sky in the photos with windows?)

• How about an overly excited intern? 

Possibly, but then why haven't they been taken down now that the Tumblr has been exposed?

• Valiant Comics themselves?

Also, possible. If it is them then this is very cutting edge tech they are using (they've already showed that they are more than adept with Twitter and Facebook, racking up thousands of followers without any real announcements or images). I can't recall another comic book publisher that uses Tumblr. I hope it is Valiant and I hope they keep using cutting edge resources like this.

UPDATE: An eagle eye'd reader pointed out that the Tumblr's name, Man Of War, is clearly a link to the Valiant character, X-O Manowar. Don't know how I missed that!

Valiant Comics returns in 2012!

For my first update in quite a while I give you the best news you've heard since you were told about All Things Valiant: Valiant Comics will return to publishing comic books in 2012!

Now we don't know exactly when, which titles (though we can guess) or with which creative teams but we do know that a formidable team of executives have come together to make this happen - Peter Cuneo (former Marvel CEO and Vice Chairman), Fred Pierce (former Wizard Entertainment President), Warren Simons (critically acclaimed former Marvel Editor) and co founders Gavin Cuneo, Jason Kothari and Dinesh Shamdasani. Check out the press releases here and here. As well as the homage to Rai #0 that accompanied the release:

Now for several years we've been hearing rumblings of work being done behind the scenes and the founders wanting to take their time and bring Valiant Comics back to publishing in the strongest fashion and give it the best chance of sticking around. We've heard that Bill Jemas (former Marvel Vice President), Jim Shooter (former Marvel & Valiant Editor-in-Chief), Jeff Gomez and Bob Layton were all involved at various times. I don't like to post rumors, press releases or management announcements and avoided those updates but this, this is too exciting! The greatest universe of comic book characters to hit the stands in 40 years is now on its way back and we fans have cause to believe that its coming back with enough talent to set off the second Valiant big bang!!

Just check out these quotes:

“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 Dinesh Shamdasani. “Cutting-edge characters and stories were the core tenets of the original Valiant and are the core tenets 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.”

And to top it all off we have a hint of the potential caliber of artists and writers that will help bring us new Valiant Comics in the above image by none other than superstar artist David Aja (who just happened to have been the artist on the seminal and very acclaimed Immortal Iron Fist with a certain editor named Warren Simons).

Bring me back to the Valiant Era baby!!

Valiant Market - Magnus Robot Fighter #2 page 1

Here is another post in my series on recent interesting Valiant sales (you can find the first in the series here and the second here). Original art pages from "Steel Nation" (the story that takes place in Magnus Robot Fighter issues #0-4) are very rare in the open market largely because the story is so beloved and collectors hold onto whatever pages they get their hands on. Recently, however, two "Steel Nation" pages came up for sale on eBay from the same seller. Of the two, Magnus Robot Fighter #2 page 1 is the beauty. It's a great example of the Valiant page 1 splash (of which I also have a series of articles posted), seems to have no aging or yellowing and has a level of detail usually reserved for covers. Check it out:

Final sale price: $517 (+$10 shipping). Nothing outrageous but still a very healthy price.

UPDATE: I have learned that the buyer was Valiant Comics Chief Creative Officer, Dinesh Shamdasani