Divided but not yet conquered, Livewire and the Harbinger Renegades are making their last stand for the fate of their fellow psiots! Targeted by X-O Manowar and the governmental forces of the H.A.R.D. Corps, the most powerful players behind the cataclysmic conflict that has torn America asunder are about to converge in a violent conflict where the ultimate fate of the Valiant Universe will be decided… And Ninjak and Bloodshot are about to get a crucial new role in the heart of it all!

Dispensing with any real introduction to this review beyond the above blurb, let’s dive right in, shall we?

Valiant have been hyping this event for a long time, and with this issue we finally see what side of the coin the publisher falls on as two characters face off in a small yet important altercation amidst the larger scale war that is encompassing almost all your favorite Valiant characters. But as the tensions ramp up, the comic starts upon a near nonstop thrill ride from the first panel to the last, with either the physical or psychological action at the forefront of each page.

It’s the escalated tensions that lead to my only problem with the book, and it’s one that has appeared earlier in the series as  once again Bloodshot’s nanites are manipulated in new and unique ways that took me out of an otherwise fantastic story. Whether that’s because of my own feelings based upon the use of Bloodshot in this way, or that the usage felt too much like a convenient way to have the character appear that much more threatening, I’m not sure. Either way, the sequence produced some fantastic visuals.

And that, honestly, is where this book shines, because Harbinger Wars 2 #3 looks incredible. Which is hardly surprising given then pedigree of the artists working on this book (full details below).

As the third chapter in the four issue event, we’re left with a lot of the plot addressed, or set up for closure in the fourth, but there’s very little to make this comic an absolute must read; oh it’s good, it’s very good, but without the context of the other two issues it falls a little shy of the “oh my shit, you have to go buy this yesterday!”… but if you’re already invested in the series, you won’t be disappointed here.

Story: Matt Kindt Art: Tomas Giorello and Renato Guedes
Colours: Diego Rodriguez Letters: Dave Sharpe
Story: 8.7 Art: 9.3 Overall: 8.9 Recommendation Buy

Valiant provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review