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The Origin of Rampage Revealed in Bloodshot Salvation #4 – On Sale December 13th!

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aliant is proud to present your first look inside Bloodshot Salvation #4 – AN ESSENTIAL ORIGIN ISSUE revealing the roots behind the much-demanded return of Bloodshot’s most unrelenting nemesis… On December 13th, New York Times best-selling writer Jeff Lemire and explosive artist Mico Suayan present, for once and all time, the brutal genesis of the man-turned-machine called Rampage in a brutal tour-de-force led by two of Valiant’s most masterful storytellers!

This is the story of two brothers, who were born into nothing and reaped an inheritance of anger… This is the story of Rampage – an imperfect reflection of Bloodshot’s potential, one enhanced by the very same nanite technology, but fueled by an inextinguishable furnace of hate… This is the story of the Valiant Universe’s most terrifying new villain and a preview of the pain he has yet to inflict on an unsuspecting world…

Featuring covers by Mico Suayan, Juan José Ryp, Khari Evans, Roberto de la Torre, and Cully Hamner!

Review: X-O Manowar #9

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XO2017_009_COVER-A_LAROSA

“With his throne attained and his enemies defeated, Aric of Dacia is not only the undisputed emperor of the war-shattered world of Gorin… He is one of the most feared warlords in the known galaxy! But as this former hero of Earth grows more confident with each brutal campaign, he’ll soon discover that his greatest enemy is…himself. Can Aric and the ultra-powerful X-O Manowar armor that he wields peacefully sustain such unyielding amounts of power…or will the thirst for war inside him consume everything he’s fought for?”

Aright, let’s talk about this comic. Or rather, why don’t I talk about it and because you’re (hopefully) curious, why don’t you keep reading?  Yeah, look I clearly blew my intro. I’m sorry. I was a mite distracted by how fucking gorgeous the opening double page spread is, but it’s okay now. I’m good. I promise.

Okay, I’m not. Why don’t you just spend a minute ogling this with me? Seriously, look at it below!

Imagine this is print. It’s going to be so awesome. But now my eyes are back in my skull and my jaw is no longer on the floor, it’s time to get into the review proper.

XO2017_009_001

X-O Manowar #9 finds Aric as the defacto emperor of a planet in the far reaches of the galaxy after having recently overthrown the former ruler, but in a rather interesting move Matt Kindt focuses the story less on the title character and more on the results of his actions over the past eight issues as told by those affected. It’s a point of view you seldom see in comics, the fallout of the big victory, and Kindt shines a light on the struggles faced by the three factions impacted. Just because the war is won, doesn’t mean the struggle to survive is over.

Clayton Crain (with special thanks to Khari Evans) delivers a comic  that is nothing short of jaw droppingly beautiful (but you already knew my thoughts on the art). The pages are darkly atmospheric, giving you as much a sense of the planet’s situation as Kindt’s words do – and much faster if you’re paying attention to the art as a story telling device.

Ultimately, while X-O Manowar #9 is a powerful look at the effects war has on people, cultures, and their way of life, this issue is a bridge from the previous three arcs (Soldier, General and Emperor) to the upcoming Bounty Hunters. And while one could say that Lemire could have made that bridge with a paragraph (hell, even a sentence) in the first few pages of that arc, had he done so we would have missed out on an incredibly dark comic that deserves to be read by anybody who visits a comic shop (or digital storefront) this Wednesday.

Story: Matt Kindt Art: Clayton Crain with special thanks to Khari Evans
Story: 8.5 Art: 9.75 Overall: 9.25 Recommendation: Buy

Valiant provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review, but I’ll be buying this Wednesday anyway.

Preview: Harbinger Renegade #0

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HARBINGER RENEGADE #0

Written by RAFER ROBERTS
Art by JUAN JOSÉ RYP
Cover A by CLAYTON HENRY ( SEP172034)
Cover B by ROBERTO DE LA TORRE ( SEP172035)
Cover C by JUAN JOSÉ RYP ( SEP172036)
Variant Cover by KHARI EVANS ( SEP172037)
Variant Cover by BEN TIESMA ( SEP172038)
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | On Sale NOVEMBER 8th (FOC – 10/16/2017)

An essential prelude to HARBINGER WARS 2 – the seismic 2018 crossover event at the epicenter of the Valiant Universe!

Beneath the wreckage of the Harbinger Foundation, there is a secret that even Toyo Harada grew to fear. A secret simply known as…the Stormbringer.

And Alexander Solomon is about to set it free.

Out of the ashes of “MASSACRE,” the march toward the most consequential Valiant event of all time continues with an epic revelation at the heart of the Harbinger mythos – as told by Harvey Award-nominated writer Rafer Roberts (Plastic Farm) and incendiary artist Juan José Ryp (BRITANNIA)!

 

Review: X-O Manowar #8

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XO2017_008_VARIANT_ICON_JONES“War has returned to the world of Gorin – but, this time, the planet’s ravaged armies face a threat from the stars, not within! Now, as the intergalactic assault reaches a critical peak, it falls to Gorin’s newly coronated emperor, Aric of Urth, to fortify not just a kingdom, but an entire world! With his sentient armor to aid him, the earthborn warrior once known as X-O Manowar will confront the conquering force known as the Mono Men on the field of battle…but if he doesn’t act fast, his reign will end just as quickly as it began!”

I’ll be honest with you: I’ve never been partial to stories set in the far reaches of space. It would be fair to say that for the most part I’ve actively avoided them (I really only saw the Star Wars movies properly in the last couple of years), especially when it comes to comics. The reason I tell you this is because I hope that it provides a little context when I express my feelings toward this series.

There will always be one Valiant comic a month that I’ll forgo reading the review copy and wait for the print version from my LCS (hey, I buy most of the comics Valiant puts out, why not actually read them once in awhile?), and this month the comic I physically read was X-O Manowar #8, written by Fred Van Lente with art by Clayton Crain and Renato Guedes with special thanks to Khari Evans. I’ll  be completely honest with you: I don’t know specifically the contribution of each artist to the comic, only that the final product is remarkable.

Although the issue details the end of the planet encompassing war that Aric has become embroiled with as he rose through the ranks from soldier to captain to general, the war itself isn’t the main focus of the comic – but rather a fantastic backdrop to an intense character study as the most powerful man in the war discovers more about who he is.

X-O Manowar has been one hell of a ride so far as Van Lente and the art team give us a comic where the story is just as exemplary as the art work in each issue. Truly one of the best series on the shelves right now.

Story: Fred Van Lente
Art:  Clayton Crain and Renato Guedes with special thanks to Khari Evans
Story: 9 Art: 10 Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

Preview: Ninjak #0

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NINJAK #0

Written by MATT KINDT with CHRISTOS GAGE
Art by FRANCIS PORTELA with MJ KIM, KHARI EVANS, ROBERTO DE LA TORRE, SIJA HONG, JUAN JOSÉ RYP, and TOMÁS GIORELLO
Cover A by DAVID MACK (JUL172260)
Cover B by CLAYTON HENRY (JUL172261)
Cover C by YAMA ORCE (JUL172262)
Variant Cover by PETER BAGGE (JUL172264)
Variant Cover by JAVIER PULIDO (JUL172265)
Ninjak Vs. The Valiant Universe Variant Also Available (JUL172263)
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | On Sale SEPTEMBER 13th

AN ALL-NEW JUMPING-ON POINT! AN EXPLOSIVE 40-PAGE MILESTONE! Ninjak’s past and future – in the crosshairs!

Behind the years of training… Underneath the high-tech gadgetry… MI-6’s most experienced operative is still flesh and blood. So just how is a mortal man like Colin King able to survive in a world filled with telekinetic psiots, eternal warriors, and sentient suits of alien armor? The key to Ninjak’s survival is buried deep in the past…and today, the world’s most dreaded super-spy prepares to reveal his most closely guarded secrets!

FIRST: Superstar writer Matt Kindt concludes his masterful, record- setting run alongside fan-favorite artist Francis Portela (FAITH) and an all-star cast of special guests with an essential and revelatory tale of Ninjak’s deadly beginnings!

THEN: The gauntlet is passed to acclaimed writer Christos Gage (Netflix’s Daredevil) and blockbuster artist Tomas Giorello (X-O MANOWAR) as they prepare a startling introduction to Colin King’s next mission with a shocking prelude to NINJA-K #1, a riveting new ongoing series beginning in November!

 

Valiant’s Newest Villains Strike Back in Bloodshot Salvation #4 and X-O Manowar #10 – Coming in December!

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Valiant has announced that Bloodshot Salvation #4 and X-O Manowar #10 are two essential introductions to the next insidious enemies that will soon threaten Valiant’s most formidable heroes in 2018 and beyond! Designed as self-contained entry points, jump on board here to the witness the dawn of the new unrelenting forces at the heart of Valiant’s unfolding mythology with two must-read, single-issue salvos from the premier creative talents in comics today!

The introduction of characters is part of the publisher’s ongoing effort to expand the universe. The company has found success in doing so with Divinity, Savage, Britannia, Generation Zero, Punk Mambo, and War Mother.

FIRST: New York Times best-selling writer Jeff Lemire and explosive artist Mico Suayan present, for once and all time, the brutal genesis of the man-turned-machine called Rampage in Bloodshot Salvation #4 – a self-contained origin issue revealing the roots behind the much-demanded return of Bloodshot’s most unrelenting nemesis…

This is the story of two brothers, who were born into nothing and reaped an inheritance of anger… This is the story of Rampage – an imperfect reflection of Bloodshot’s potential, one enhanced by the_very same nanite technology, but fueled an inextinguishable furnace of hate… This is the story of Valiant’s most terrifying new villain, and a preview of the pain he has yet to inflict on an unsuspecting world…

The issue features covers by Mico Suayan, Juan Jose Ryp, Khari Evans, Roberto de la Torre, and Cully Hamner!

THEN: Valiant’s alien-armored conqueror is wanted dead or alive by the galaxy’s deadliest band of bounty hunters in X-O Manowar #10 – an all-new interlude bridging the events of “Emperor” and “Visigoth”… featuring the first of appearance of Aric of Dacia’s most deadly opponents yet!

Meet the most fearsome band of bounty hunters that the Valiant Universe has ever known right here as writer Matt Kindt and blockbuster artist Renato Guedes present a bruising, standalone interlude.

One does not rise to power without making enemies along the way…and for X-O Manowar, the armored emperor of the planet Gorin, those enemies’ grievances have now come due. To end his reign, Aric of Dacia’s adversaries have paid a blood-fueled bounty to a ragtag assemblage of cosmos’s most feared undesirables and cutthroat killers – alien beings whose viciousness is matched only by their greed. And their hunt starts…now.

Featuring covers by Lewis LaRosa, Kenneth Rocafort, and Felipe Massafera!

Valiant’s Ninjak #0 Expands with Kindt, Gage, Portela, Giorello & Five Special Guests

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Valiant has unveiled the complete cast of sensational guest artists joining September’s Ninjak #0 – AN EXPLOSIVE 40-PAGE JUMPING-ON POINT and ALL-NEW VALIANT MILESTONE chronicling the final chapter of writer Matt Kindt’s record-setting run on the adventures of England’s dreaded super-spy…and passing the torch to the incoming creative team of writer Christos Gage and artist Tomas Giorello in advance of November’s Ninja-K #1!

On September 13th, Colin King’s life as MI-6’s most elite operative finally comes full circle as New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt and acclaimed artist Francis Portela reveal a never-before-told secret at the heart of Ninjak’s training and origin! Told in an innovative storytelling style, Ninjak #0’s lead story will feature Portela joined by one of five guest artists – including Roberto de la Torre, Khari Evans, and Juan Jose Ryp alongside newcomers Sija Hong and MJ Kim – as they juxtapose moments from Ninjak’s present and past side-by-side for an action-packed tour de force!

Behind the years of training… Underneath the high-tech gadgetry… MI-6’s most experienced operative is still flesh and blood. So just how is a mortal man like Colin King able to survive in a world filled with telekinetic psiots, eternal warriors, and sentient suits of alien armor? As a result, the key to Ninjak’s survival is buried deep in the past…and today the world’s most dreaded super-spy prepares to reveal his most closely guarded secrets!

Then, after Ninjak #0’s main feature, steel yourself for Ninjak’s launch into a brand-new ongoing series this November in the pages of Ninja-K #1 as Christos Gage and artist Tomas Giorello takes the reins of Colin King’s death-defying escapades with AN EXCLUSIVE PRELUDE TALE that directly sets the stage for the winter’s most anticipated new series!

In addition, the issue features covers by David Mack, Clayton Henry, rising star Yama Orce, Peter Bagge, and Javier Pulido!

Ninjak #0 is on sale September 13th!

 

Review: Bloodshot’s Day Off #1

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BSDO_001_COVER-B_EVANS“Even killing machines need a day off!

For the first time in over 30 years, two nanite-enhanced soldiers once controlled by Project Rising Spirit – codenames: “Tank Man” and “Viet Man” – have finally earned their freedom and some government-sanctioned downtime, courtesy of Uncle Sam. After enduring a lifetime of war, blood, and gore, all these two semi-retired commandos want is a little vacation. But how long can this pair of highly trained tourists unwind and enjoy the sights of New York City… before they find trouble in the city that never sleeps?”

When you see Eliot Rahal‘s name on a cover, then there’s a reason to get excited. Rahal wrote one of the best tie in issues to Divinity III in Escape From Gulag 396 where he showed an uncanny understanding of the relationship between Archer and Armstrong, despite giving them very little time together in the comic. He also co-wrote The Paybacks with Donny Cates, a seminal series about superheroes and their debt that you probably didn’t read yet (but you really should).

This standalone issue acts as an epilogue of sorts for two of the characters from the Bloodshot Island/U.S.A. story line, Tank Man and Viet Man, and follows them as they get some much deserved time off. Boodshot’s Day Off is essentially a story about two soldiers returning home from a war to a world that has moved on without them – it could just as easily feature Captain America finding his way after dethawing from his icy prison. As such, there’s not really much to say specifically about the story, other than Rahal has once again delivered a fantastic oneshot story for Valiant. The sooner the publisher lets him loose on a full arc, or an ongoing series, the better.

Khari Evans is mostly solid here, with only a couple of missteps artistically where the line weights are a little heavy causing some of the detail to get a little lost – honestly it’s nothing that will prevent you from enjoying the issue, but it isn’t up to the artistic standard set in previous Bloodshot comics.

Whether you’re going to pick this issue up ultimately depends on whether you’re already a fan of Bloodshot; if you are, this is a fun interlude that adds some background to some characters that previously hadn’t had as much time devoted to them. If you’re not already a fan then you can still enjoy this issue because Rahal’s take on the men-out-of-time angle pulls at the heartstrings in more ways than one. Despite this being a oneshot in the Bloodshot world, it’s still a really well written story that stands on it’s own remarkably well.

Story: Eliot Rahal Artist: Khari Evans
Colour Artist: Andrew Dalhouse Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Story: 8.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy

Valiant provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Preview: Bloodshot’s Day Off #1

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BLOODSHOT’S DAY OFF #1

Written by ELIOT RAHAL
Art by KHARI EVANS
Cover A by KANO (MAY171971)
Cover B KHARI EVANS (MAY171972)
Variant Cover by BEN TIESMA (MAY171974)
Variant Cover by RENATO GUEDES (MAY171975)
NINJAK VS. THE VALIANT UNIVERSE Variant Also Available (MAY171973)
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | ONE-SHOT | On Sale JULY 5th (FOC – 6/12/17)

Even killing machines need a day off!

For the first time in over 30 years, two nanite-enhanced soldiers once controlled by Project Rising Spirit – codenames: “Tank Man” and “Viet Man” – have finally earned their freedom and some government-sanctioned downtime, courtesy of Uncle Sam. After enduring a lifetime of war, blood, and gore, all these two semi-retired commandos want is a little vacation. But how long can this pair of highly trained tourists unwind and enjoy the sights of New York City… before they find trouble in the city that never sleeps?

Leave the selfie stick at home as rising star Eliot Rahal (DIVINITY III: ESCAPE FROM GULAG 396, The Doorman) and Harvey Award-nominated artist Khari Evans (HARBINGER, Harley Quinn) give these old soldiers the danger-filled day off they deserve…and celebrate Bloodshot’s silver anniversary with an action-packed tribute to the original BLOODSHOT #12!

Valiant Celebrates 25 Years of Revenge (and Relaxation) in Bloodshot’s Day Off #1 – Coming in July!

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Valiant has announced Bloodshot’s Day Off #1 – a standalone one-shot special celebrating 25 years of Valiant’s hard-coded commando from rising star Eliot Rahal and explosive artist Khari Evans! On July 5th, the Bloodshot Squad rockets out of the pages of Bloodshot Reborn and onto the streets of Manhattan for some hard-earned R&R in Valiant’s next special issue commemorating the greatest Valiant tales of past and present with an action-packed tribute to the original Bloodshot #12!

For the first time in over 30 years, two nanite-enhanced soldiers once controlled by Project Rising Spirit – codenames: “Tank Man” and “Viet Man” – have finally earned their freedom and some government-sanctioned downtime, courtesy of Uncle Sam. After enduring a lifetime of war, blood, and fire, all these two semi-retired commandos want is a little vacation. But how long can this pair of highly trained tourists unwind and enjoy the sights of New York City… before they find trouble in the city that never sleeps?

Featuring covers by Kano, Khari Evans, Ben Tiesma, and Renato Guedes!

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