Harbinger #5

It has all led to this. Peter Stanchek tried find peace within the Harbinger Foundation, but instead has found the ultimate betrayal. In their crusade to control Peter’s untold power, the foundation’s psychic shock troops have spilled innocent blood. Now Peter will unleash his full potential against their leader and the most powerful harbinger of all, Toyo Harada. Will this unavoidable collision transform Peter into a great destroyer – or will he be the tempest that finally topples Harada’s dominion over the human race?

The first four issues of this series have all been a set up to this. Here’s where the series really seems to be taking off in it’s long term direction. The series so far has been interesting, with some nice small touches such as bringing up the idea of these super beings controlling mankind’s direction. But it’s all felt like a set up. That’s good and bad, because as you get to this issue, you really realize that’s what’s been going on.

This all has very much been set up, where the series goes from here is key. The dominoes are in place and where it falls and goes we’ll see. The bigger is what the greater implication for the Valiant universe will be.

Story: Joshua Dysart Art: Kharie Evans with Matthew Clark and Jim Muniz

Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Buy

X-O Manowar #6

Aric of Dacia has been disarmed — and now Ninjak is about to deliver the incalculably powerful X-O Manowar armor into the hands of The Vine’s earthly agents. Trapped thousands of feet above the Atlantic and at the mercy of the Valiant Universe’s most feared mercenary, Aric now has only one chance to recover his prize. With only brute force to aid him, can Aric — unarmed and untested in the 21st century – teach the man called Ninjak the true meaning of Visigoth might? Or will Ninjak’s cold precision win him control of the awesome weapon that all of Earth will soon come to fear?

X-O Manowar has been a slow start for me. The mix of the old and the new with the aliens and now Ninjak seems like a lot of different genres put together. It’s tough to pull off, and there’s some stumbles. But, this issue is starting to get the pieces together with Aric now having to prevent an alien invasion.

So, lets overall look at this. We have a Visigoth, in alien army, on modern day earth, fighting a ninja and having to prevent an alien invasion. That’s a lot there to take in and make work together. The series has been good, and getting better as it’s been going on. I think this issue is the strongest and really gets the story moving forward, something that seems to be a pattern with a lot of the Valiant comics.

Story: Robert Venditti Art: Lee Garbett

Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Buy

Valiant Entertainment provided Graphic Policy with FREE copies for review