Special guest writer, Kaos Blac, was able to attend the Valiant Summit earlier today and saw first hand what Valiant was bringing to the masses starting this summer!
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Valiant Entertainment had its golden hour earlier today during the Valiant Summit 2016. Even as one of the smaller independent publishers doing a shared universe the books they put out are highly critically acclaimed. Since Valiant re-launched their universe in 2012 with the publication of X-O manowar #1 they have been consistently pushing boundaries in story telling and content, racking up hundreds of nominations and awards for their output. Keeping their universe small and focusing intently on a limited amount of books published monthly, Valiant has become a powerhouse. The summit held today at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater East, an aptly named venue for a comic book company to present their upcoming books if I’ve ever heard one, highlighted several new books Valiant is publishing in the second half of the year.
The presentation started with the introduction of the editor in chief Warren Simons and Dinesh Shamdasani of Valiant as they discussed an overview of where the universe has been and where the future is taking them. There is no bigger book under the Valiant line of the past couple of months than Faith which thankfully is getting a ongoing series starting in July with writer Jody Houser and art by Pere Perez and Marguerite Sauvage. In addition to further exploring Faith’s exploits in Los Angeles she will also be getting a new villain, “somebody who we may already know.”!
Next to be presented is Generation Zero by Fred Van Lente The book follows some of the Project Rising Spirit kids as they come together and try to be heroes, but being bred to be weapons these kids solutions to problems are going to be extreme.
In September, Peter Milligan is venturing to Valiant’s past with a mini series, Britannia. The book is less of a superhero title but still has supernatural touches. Through the main character we’ll be treated to witnessing the world’s first detective and the realm of psychology as imparted to him by vessel virgins who teach him their ways. This four-issue mini series takes place during the time of the Roman Empire and is said to be a cross between American Horror Story, 300, and Game of Thrones!
October is bloodlusty as Bloodshot USA is released. The book focuses on the Bloodshot nanites being released on the populace of New York City and our hero has to break into the quarantined island and stop the spread of nanites before they infect the country. Project Rising Spirit once again comes out of the shadows to cause problems in this story from Jeff Lemire and Douge Braithwaite.
In November two new books are released. Savage features a new character as he try’s to make his way in a land filled with dinosaurs and other perils. Fifteen years ago a plane carrying a star athlete and and his movie star wife crash lands and the two become lost. The beginning of the book picks up with the lead character who just maybe the child of these privileged people. The books focus is on the human condition and what would it be like to have everything taken away from you leaving you at your most be vie able. Savage will be written by Clay Moore with art by Clayton Henry and Lewis LaRosa!
The second November book is Harbinger Renagades. This book picks up after the last Harbinger series and follows those characters lives as they come to grips with life since the last time we saw them. This will be an ongoing series from Rafer Roberts and Darick Robertson.
Finally in December is the biggest book, and one I’m looking forward to, Divinity III: Stalinverse. Writer Matt Kindt explained that due to events that unfold in Divinity II the world is going to drastically change and we’ll get to see the world with a singular communist world superpower. Also there will be communist versions of various Valiant characters. The mini series is self contained but Kindt would like it if other creative teams could pick up the story at some point. After Divinity III there will be ramifications across the board. I can’t wait to see how this will fit in with everything but I know it will be great.
Old favorites are returning, new characters are brought into the fold, and the Valiant Universe says hello to the Fatherland by year’s end! It’s going to be as exciting as this picture of Kaos Blac with the creative powerhouses from Valiant!
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Kaos Black
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