Tag Archives: divinity III: stalinverse

Real! Live! Cats! Seattle’s Comics Dungeon is Hosting a Valiant Cat Cosplay Signing

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Across the millennia-spanning arc of human history, mankind has celebrated many triumphs. But, from the pyramids to the moon landing, they all now pale in comparison to the landmark achievement that Valiant has bequeathed unto civilization…with Valiant Cat Cosplay Covers!

To mark this most momentous occasion, Seattle’s Comics Dungeon will be officiating the December release of this all-new line of shelf covers with a live, in-person signing featuring stars (and real-life felines) Fawkes and Nak, alongside Freyu – creator of the Cat Cosplay of the Feline Variety blog and trusted human – on Saturday, December 17th! From 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm PT, meet the stars behind the purr-aculous covers gracing each of Valiant’s releases throughout December, pose for photos, and get your Valiant Cat Cosplay Covers paw-printed for all eternity by the legends themselves!

A portion of the proceeds from all Valiant Cat Cosplay Covers sold will benefit the Brooklyn Animal Rescue Coalition (BARC), a New York-based non-profit that operates a beloved, no-kill shelter for cats and dogs in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood. BARC’s mission is to provide a safe haven for abandoned animals – with quality food, shelter, medical attention, and the love they deserve – and to find permanent loving homes for them.

Available as “order-all” covers across all of Valiant’s December 2016 series, each Valiant Cat Cosplay Covers will be available for retailers to order in unlimited quantities at the standard suggested retail price:

  • A&A: The Adventures of Archer & Armstrong #10
  • Bloodshot U.S.A. #3 (of 4)
  • Britannia #4 (of 4)
  • Divinty III: Stalinverse #1 (of 4)
  • Faith #6
  • Generation Zero #5
  • Harbinger Renegade #2 
  • Ninjak #22
  • Savage #2 (of 4)
  • Wrath of the Eternal Warrior #14

They’re intrepid! They’re fearless! They’re cats!

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Read the First Half of Divinity III: Stalinverse #1

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Valiant has released an extended advance preview of Divinity III: Stalinverse #1 (of 4) – the FIRST ISSUE of Valiant’s startling, event-level blockbuster from the visionary creative team of New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt, blockbuster artist Trevor Hairsine, Harvey Award-nominated inker Ryan Winn and master colorist David Baron!

At the height of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were racing to the stars. But, while America was aiming for the moon, Russia had its eyes on the cosmos. In secret, they launched a three-man mission into the far reaches of space. In the depths, they discovered something Unknown. Something that…changed them. Imbued with god-like powers, the long-lost cosmonauts returned home…only to discover that their old ideology, communism, lost the war to western capitalism in the decades since their journey first began. But now they have the power to change it all…

Earth has a new god. The world you know is gone. Welcome to the Stalinverse, comrade.

On December 21st, witness a disturbing new vision of the world as it now stands! One where the Cold War was won long ago and a global Soviet empire now rules the world… Where the Iron Curtain extends across oceans and continents, subsuming freedom and liberty in its wake… And where the Russian communist super-state rules the world not only with an iron fist, but with ultimate power far beyond the comprehension of mortal men.

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Divinty III: Stalinverse #1 – Matt Kindt & Trevor Hairsine Lead the Most Explosive Comics Event of 2017!

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This winter, the Valiant Universe you once knew is no more… Only the Stalinverse remains!

Valiant has released a first look inside Divinity III: Stalinverse #1 – the FIRST ISSUE of Valiant’s all-new event-level epic from the seven-time Harvey Award-nominated creative team of writer Matt Kindt, artist Trevor Hairsine, inker Ryan Winn, and colorist David Baron!

On December 21st, the sold-out sci-fi saga that redefined the Valiant Universe begins a reality-shattering comics event that will collide the world’s most formidable heroes with a disturbing new vision… One where a worldwide Soviet empire now rules a world order… The Iron Curtain extends across continents, shattering governments and armies in its wake… And the communist global super-state rules not only with an iron fist, but with powers far beyond the comprehension of mortal men.

Earth has a new god. The world you know is gone. Welcome to the Stalinverse, comrade.

Then: the revolutionary upheaval continues on December 28th as New York Times best-selling writer Jeff Lemire and comics superstar Clayton Crain present a blood-curdling examination of the Stalinverse’s ultimate state-sponsored assassin in Divinity III: Komandar Bloodshot #1 –  the first of four essential specials revealing the super-powered Soviet regime behind the winter’s most incendiary comics event!

He’s put down protests, led the purge of political undesirables, and executed dozens of traitors to the Soviet super-state. His name is KOMANDAR BLOODSHOT…and his existence is a hushed whisper among the terrified populace of the 21st century’s global Soviet Union. But just who is this unrelenting enforcer of state superiority… and what is the shocking truth about his power, his allegiances, and his true identity?

Featuring an iron-clad line of covers from Clayton Crain, Ryan Bodenheim, Greg Smallwood, Trevor Hairsine, and Kano!

Plus: The Staliverse’s subversive spread continues in Divinity III: Aric, Son of the Revolution #1! On January 18th, join acclaimed writer Joe Harris and Valiant-exclusive superstar David Lafuente as they reveal what happens when Valiant’s leading legend – the unstoppable X-O Manowar – becomes the supreme fighting force of the CCCP in the next must-read one-shot!

From bustling urban centers to the collective farms of the countryside, men, women, and children alike all idolize the same hero of the global Soviet republic: ARIC, SON OF THE REVOLUTION! Returned to Earth from the stars with the ultimate nuclear deterrent – the indestructible X-O Manowar armor – the champion of socialism has singlehandedly consolidated the state’s military and political superiority at home and abroad. But when a surprise attack from the Deadside shines an untoward light on the modern-day Soviet Union’s darkest secret, will Aric pursue his mission…or justice for the quiet dead of an empire’s oppression?

Featuring covers by Clayton Crain, Diego Bernard, CAFU, Trevor Hairsine, and Kano! Don’t miss the next riveting moment of the winter’s most mind-shattering comics event when Joe Harris and David Lafuente present an empire-breaking tale of sins, secrets, and tragedy for the global hero of the worldwide communist state!

DIVINITY III: STALINVERSE #1 (of 4)
Written by MATT KINDT
Art by TREVOR HAIRSINE
Cover A by JELENA KEVIC-DJURDJEVIC (OCT161948)
Cover B by TOM MULLER (OCT161949)
Variant Cover by JEFFREY VEREGGE (OCT161952)
Variant Cover by GREG SMALLWOOD (OCT161953)
Variant Cover by ADAM GORHAM (OCT161954)
Valiant Cat Cosplay Variant Also Available (OCT161951)
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | VALIANT PRESTIGE | On Sale DECEMBER 21st (FOC – 11/28/16)

DIVINITY III: KOMANDAR BLOODSHOT #1
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by CLAYTON CRAIN
Cover A by CLAYTON CRAIN (OCT161955)
Cover B by RYAN BODENHEIM (OCT161956)
Cover C GREG SMALLWOOD (OCT161957)
Character Design Variant by TREVOR HAIRSINE (OCT161958)
Variant Cover by KANO (OCT161959)
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | ONE-SHOT | On sale DECEMBER 28th (FOC – 12/5/16)

DIVINITY III: ARIC, SON OF THE REVOLUTION #1
Written by JOE HARRIS
Art by DAVID LAFUENTE
Cover A by CLAYTON CRAIN
Cover B by DIEGO BERNARD
Cover C by CAFU
Character Design Variant by TREVOR HAIRSINE
Variant Cover by KANO
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | ONE-SHOT | On sale JANUARY 18th (FOC – 12/26/16)

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Kindt & Hairsine Rewrite Reality for Divinity III: Stalinverse #1 – An Event-Level Epic Beginning in December!

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In 2015, Earth prepared to meet a new god…a lost Communist cosmonaut known only as Divinity.

In 2016, the nations of the world bent before Divinity II.

This December, a new world order takes control as Divinity III: Stalinverse rewrites the fabric of reality itself!

Valiant has released a first look inside Divinity III: Stalinverse #1 (of 4) – the FIRST ISSUE of the event-level epic from the visionary Divinity creative of writer Matt Kindt, artist Trevor Hairsine, Harvey Award-nominated inker Ryan Winn and colorist David Baron!

This winter, the sold-out sci-fi saga that redefined the Valiant Universe begins a reality-shattering comics event that will collide the world’s most formidable heroes with a disturbing new vision… One where a worldwide Soviet empire now rules a world order… The Iron Curtain extends across continents, shattering governments and armies in its wake… And the communist global super-state rules not only with an iron fist, but powers far beyond the comprehension of mortal men.

Earth has a new god. The world you know is gone. Welcome to the Stalinverse, comrade.

Featuring covers by Jelena Kevic-Djurdjevic, Tom Muller, Jeffrey Veregge, Greg Smallwood, and Adam Gorham!

Plus: stay tuned as the Stalinverse spreads with four top-secret Divinity III one-shots detailing the redacted history of the Soviet Union’s most notorious patriots, agitators, and outcasts in December and beyond!

DIVINITY III: STALINVERSE #1 (of 4)
Written by MATT KINDT
Art by TREVOR HAIRSINE
Cover A by JELENA KEVIC-DJURDJEVIC
Cover B by TOM MULLER
Variant Cover by JEFFREY VEREGGE
Variant Cover by GREG SMALLWOOD
Variant Cover by ADAM GORHAM
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | VALIANT PRESTIGE | On Sale DECEMBER 21st (FOC – 11/28/16)

divinity-iii_001_cover-a_djurdjevic

Valiant Wins the Internet with Cat Cosplay Covers & It Helps Raise Money for Charity

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First came fire… Then the wheel… Now, after centuries of struggle, the most acclaimed publisher in comic books today is proud to present the next great advancement in human civilization: the Valiant Cat Cosplay cover!

Valiant is bringing the three capital Cs of popular culture – cats, comics, and cosplay – together for the first time anywhere in December as ordinary, household feline companions are transformed into the world’s most valiant heroes for a fur-bulous new line of shelf photo covers spanning 10 best-selling series! From teenage martial arts master Archer to reality-warping cosmonaut Divinity to sky-soaring sensation Faith and MI-6 super-spy Ninjak, each Valiant Cosplay Cover cover captures a furried friend pouncing into action as one of Valiant’s leading heroes inside a custom-built costume – tailor-made and photographed by the minds behind the Cat Cosplay of the Feline Variety blog.

Available as “order-all” covers across all of Valiant’s December 2016 series, each cover will be available for retailers to order in unlimited quantities at the standard suggested retail price:

  • A&A: The Adventures of Archer and Armstrong #10
  • Bloodshot U.S.A. #3 (of 4)
  • Britannia #4 (of 4)
  • Divinity III: Stalinverse #1 (of 4)
  • Faith #6
  • Generation Zero #5
  • Harbinger Renegades #2 
  • Ninjak #22
  • Savage #2 (of 4)
  • Wrath of the Eternal Warrior #14

A portion of the proceeds from all Valiant Cat Cosplay covers sold will benefit the Brooklyn Animal Rescue Coalition (BARC), a New York-based non-profit that operates a beloved, no-kill shelter for cats and dogs in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood. BARC’s mission is to provide a safe haven for abandoned animals – with quality food, shelter, medical attention, and the love they deserve – and to find permanent loving homes for them.

They’re intrepid! They’re fearless! They’re cats! (Lint roller not included.)

Valiant Summit Reveals More Diversity and Divinity

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FUTURE-OF-VALIANT_001_FAITHFollowing the Valiant Summit presentation, I got to talk with Tom Brennan, one of Valiant’s associate editors, about the newly announced titles. Our conversation focused on diversity and representation. Valiant’s new line-up features female characters more prominently than ever before, and the summit also drew attention to several characters of color, a same-sex romance that serves as an emotional linchpin, and of course the body positivity for which Faith has been widely praised.

Brennan is particularly proud of Generation Zero, one of Valiant’s first team-driven titles, because it centers around female characters. In general, the ensemble-oriented titles that Valiant announced seem aware of avoiding the Smurfette Principle, making sure there are multiple distinct women whose emotions and growth are important in their own right. He pointed out that several female characters are responses to character types that we normally associate with male heroes. For example, he sees Faith as a Peter Parker figure – witty and upbeat, taking her powers as a blessing and trying to make the most of them.

FUTURE-OF-VALIANT_002_GEN-ZEROI also chatted with Matt Kindt, the writer of the Divinity series, whose Divinity III will premiere this fall as part of Valiant’s new slate. The premise of Divinity III builds on the previous installments, which center around Soviet cosmonauts who return from a secret deep-space mission with godlike powers. Divinity III will be set in a reality constructed by one of those cosmonauts, in which an oppressive Russian regime reigns supreme over the world. During the panel presentation, Kindt stressed that this “Stalinverse” was not an alternate universe or an illusion, but a real episode within Valiant continuity.

In our conversation, Kindt gave me more insight about how that will work. The Stalinverse will, of course, not be permanent. Ninjak, one of the core Valiant superheroes, will remember what the world is supposed to be like and will lead an effort to restore life as he knows it. But Ninjak and the other characters will remember the Stalinverse, and Kindt hopes that it will have repercussions on the greater continuity for a long time to come.

We don’t see a lot of comics influenced by Russian culture, so I asked Kindt how he’d become so captivated with it. He said he was inspired by the looming threat of the Cold War when he was growing up in the 1980s, going through nuclear bomb drills and being urged by adults to fear Russia as a looming enemy. Thirty years later, that threat has looped around, and people now ask him whether Putin is a real-life supervillain. He says he avoids direct comparisons like that one, or specific statements about Russian politics, but it’s always present in Divinity.

FUTURE-OF-VALIANT_007_DIVINITY-III-STALINVERSEOne of the strengths of Divinity is Kindt’s research into Russian culture and his avoidance of romanticized or exoticized representations. It sounds like this refreshing approach will continue in Divinity III, although with more opportunities for sci-fi in-jokes and playfulness as Kindt reinvents places and characters for the series.

Another element present in this chapter of Divinity is the influence of Philip K. Dick. Kindt says that Dick’s genes contribute not only to the political alternate reality of Divinity III but also to the pattern of altered minds and wills. He says Ninjak’s role in Divinity III will be reminiscent of many of Dick’s heroes, who have to prove they aren’t crazy in order to restore reality.

Talking with Kindt made me eager to dive into Divinity III, and not just because it’s easy to lure me in with a high-concept alternate universe. It sounds like this is a low-key way to develop an event that resonates across Valiant’s entire superhero universe without demanding lots of crossover reading. Throughout the Valiant Summit presentation, the editors and creators described the new titles as “entry points” for new readers to get excited about Valiant’s characters and mythos. While I’m uncertain of how effective some of the new titles will be in that respect, I’m optimistic that Divinity III will have enough standalone potential to attract new fans, not only to the Divinity series but to Valiant’s approach to superhero comics in general.

Valiant Announces Lots During Their 2016 Valiant Summit

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From the Upright Citizens Brigade theater in New York City, Valiant Entertainment had a slew of announcements during their 2016 Valiant Summit!

After a description of Valiant’s history they company revealed the “future of Valiant” which takes place in 2016 with seven new series.

First up Jody Houser to discuss the Faith new ongoing series. The series spins out of the limited series which saw five reprintings for the first issue and received global recognition for the break through character. The series is the lead book in the initiative and that’s not a coincidence. The Valiant team feels the comic defines what the company and their line of comics is about, entertainment that you can’t get anywhere else. The first issue arrives in July!

Fred Van Lente was up next to discuss an ongoing Generation Zero series beginning in August. Francis Portella will provide art for the series. The team has been raised as weapons, so this series focuses on their figuring out what to do now they’re on their own.

The series is a new one for Valiant as it’s a team book with teen characters, led by a teen girl of color.

Writer Peter Milligan and artist Juan Jose Ryp tackle a brand new series and character in Britannia which is about “the worlds first detective.” He’s the first psychologist and detective in ancient times.

The series will take place in a world that existed by with a supernatural spin. It comes out in September.

britanniaIn October, the “biggest, brashest” series, Bloodshot USA is by writer Jeff Lemire and artist Doug Braithwaite. They see it as a treatise on violence and why we’re so obsessed with violence as a culture. The story has Project Rising Spirit dispersing nanites on the street of New York City. It features Bloodshot teaming up with a team to stop the virus from spreading and stop Project Rising Spirit who are war profiteers.

It’s a stand alone event similar to last year’s The Valiant where new readers can jump in and not need to know what has come before.

B. Clay Moore and Clayton Henry and Lewis Larosa bring a new character Savage to the Valiant Universe in November. The series starts 15 years ago as a Football player and his model wife’s airplane crashes. Now, it’s the present, and is this character their child? The series sounds like a new spin on Tarzan.

Savage Savage_1The series is about a teenager living on his own on an island.

Harbinger Renegades was announced, written by Rafer Roberts with art by Darick Robertson. It’s two years after the end of the previous series. Chris, who was sent to jail, is out and trying to put her past behind her. Peter is off to who knows where and is trying to get his mind right after the last conflict. Torque is part of the establishment and on a reality tv show. Faith is doing her thing. They come back together realizing the world is in a worse place due to their actions and now they’re trying to right things and help people.

The series will feature the four main characters from the previous team, but also a new member, Jay, who they didn’t say much about. “Mind” was mentioned as a villain they will face.

They described the main character Pete Stanchek as “Jack Kirby’s Trainspotting.” Harbinger Renegades is out in November.

In December Valiant will be releasing a new series from Matt Kindt, Divinity III: Stalinverse. The series features art by Trevor Hairsine and features the Valiant Universe if the Russians had won the Cold War. It will include “Russian” versions of the characters of the Valiant world. What longer impact will the Stalinverse have on the Valiant Universe? We’ll find out, but Kindt says there’ll be a “real impact.”

divinity_III_#3_artThe Future of Valiant begins in July.

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