Any love for the Valiant reboot?

[SpaFon]

I do not like "cartoon" elements employed in serious comic book work.

 

DG

 

When was the last time artistic style made your nanite infused superhero less believably serious? Cause, that might be around the same time you stopped enjoying the funny books.

[Bosco685]

Don't care for the Bloodshot "Grampa" cover at all. Not even a little.

 

DG

 

If you look at it as a fun take on a great Valiant character, that cover can be quite enjoyable.

 

Just look at the level of detail with knee pads, elbow pads, samurai sword with cloth binding/end cap/lanyard loop, grenades, fully loaded ammo pouches, and hand weapons gallore. You may as well call this a Bloodshot "go to the mattresses" cover.

 

 

It may be your lack of appreciation for the new material that this cover doesn't come across as strong, or even appear like a fun take on Bloodshot.

 

 

I don't care for this cover at all, and I have every issue of VE1.....some tastes won't appeal to everyone...

 

dgarthwaite seems to be overly unappreciative of Valiant Entertainment. So I'm trying to politely rationalize his view on things to understand better. Would I take this artwork over the Grampa cover? Sure I would.

 

 

But I also like seeing the same character captured by different artists to appreciate the variations and approaches. Of course I may not like them all. The Grampa cover just comes across as modelling old Japanese artwork, so those that appreciate this may like the Bloodshot cover.

 

[dgarthwaite-migration]

When I say I like something, ears perk up and pay attention. If you sift through my comments, my advice is aimed at reaching the largest audience rather than appealing to a few geeks who like one specific artist or writer. VEI is a mess. Show me where there is any ROI for all the money they've pumped into making the valiantfan.com groupies happy! Sales are dropping. Exposure is dropping. The excessive number of variants are a guarantee they won't attract many (if any) completists going forward. Art quality has dropped on the interiors. Paper quality has dropped. I'm thinking they need to print some B&W comics to feign artistic indulgence while saving money on the printing costs. I have no doubt that the line will consume all the funds directed at it like a black hole.

 

Some of the art looks nicer than is present on comics from their peers. Some doesn't. Some is a complete cop out.

 

Here's a book they could use to help make their future covers.

 

DG

 

[dgarthwaite-migration]

I do not like "cartoon" elements employed in serious comic book work.

 

DG

 

When was the last time artistic style made your nanite infused superhero less believably serious? Cause, that might be around the same time you stopped enjoying the funny books.

 

Bloodshot was screwed up from the beginning. Shooter was out the door after he was created and Vanhook took long term plot ideas and squeezed them into a few months worth of books. I can't honestly say I liked anything Valiant ever did with him. I thought the character was great as conceptualized.

 

DG

[Bosco685]

Here's a book they could use to help make their future covers.

 

 

DG

 

 

I think no matter what details someone presents, there will still be a feeling of distrust for you. And I am not attacking your views and opinions as a critic.

 

But I would hope a year from now we are both back on here to discuss the latest hit from Valiant, and you find it in you to post how mistaken you were about this company.

 

[CKB]

Here's a book they could use to help make their future covers.

 

DG

 

Is that book for sale?

[rjrjr]

When I say I like something, ears perk up and pay attention. If you sift through my comments, my advice is aimed at reaching the largest audience rather than appealing to a few geeks who like one specific artist or writer. VEI is a mess. Show me where there is any ROI for all the money they've pumped into making the valiantfan.com groupies happy! Sales are dropping. Exposure is dropping. The excessive number of variants are a guarantee they won't attract many (if any) completists going forward. Art quality has dropped on the interiors. Paper quality has dropped. I'm thinking they need to print some B&W comics to feign artistic indulgence while saving money on the printing costs. I have no doubt that the line will consume all the funds directed at it like a black hole.

 

The excessive variants is why they will never achieve the success they probably deserve. IMHO they messed up when they kept pumping out variant after variant for many of their issues and continue to do so, while their numbers continue to slide month after month. To succeed, you need to appeal to the hardcore reader, the casual reader, the collector, and the completist. They have okay numbers and spike on the events (Harbinger Wars), but it's now just a matter of time before most of the line is selling sub 10,000 copies per issue. If Unity this year doesn't land in the top 100 comics, you can pretty much guarantee this line with these characters has reached its maximum potential in today's market.

 

I love reading the Uber thread as well, because there is another book that has a few die hard fans (i.e. like Valiant) but because of the excessive variants that Avatar has and will pump out, that book will never achieve the success it also might deserve. I'm not surprised Uber 0 sold only 11,000 copies in April with 4 variations.

 

Image is starting to see success with some of their titles. Hot writer and a self contained story with few variants (and definitely not variants for every issue) is proving to be a popular formula. Comic collectors want to own every issue and variant for their favorite titles. Even the Valiant fans want to own every issue. The ValiantFan.com website is popular because of those completist, so it is ironic that VEI went the route they did with the excessive variants per issue.

[Buzzetta]

I know what I enjoy reading... and I like what I have been reading here and have been entertained.

[400yrs]

When I say I like something, ears perk up and pay attention. If you sift through my comments, my advice is aimed at reaching the largest audience

 

All must BOW before the comic book industry savior who performs his miracles via comic book message boards!

 

 

 

 

 

 

VEI is fine. They are actually doing a bit better than I thought they would and the attrition on the books is lower than I expected and lower than most other books on the market.

 

Regarding the covers...... I like that they are trying different things with the covers. The interiors for the most part are clean and pretty similar throughout the books.

[400yrs]

I want some insight into what I will be buying. I want an action scene where something is happening that is relevant to the interior.

 

DG

 

What are you doing in the modern section then?

[400yrs]

 

Image is starting to see success with some of their titles. Hot writer and a self contained story with few variants (and definitely not variants for every issue) is proving to be a popular formula. Comic collectors want to own every issue and variant for their favorite titles. Even the Valiant fans want to own every issue. The ValiantFan.com website is popular because of those completist, so it is ironic that VEI went the route they did with the excessive variants per issue.

 

Different business models entirely.

[Shaven Kev-migration]

What made the old books like bloodshot cool were the connections to the other titles in the timeline of the universe. In the current books there is no future timeline to play with yet. Maybe that is part of what is missing.

 

What made helped make Bloodshot cool originally was that his blood powered Rai in the future.

 

So maybe they will introduce that future timeline with the upcoming Unity stuff...

[Bosco685]

So maybe they will introduce that future timeline with the upcoming Unity stuff...

 

 

Oh - and very nice summary, Kev.

 

[SuperBird]

I keep trying to quit reading Harbinger, but for whatever reason it keeps dragging me back in. Definitely a cool book, and now I guess I'll have to check out Bloodshot, as it's trying together... damn!

[VEI Reborn]

When I say I like something, ears perk up and pay attention. If you sift through my comments, my advice is aimed at reaching the largest audience

 

All must BOW before the comic book industry savior who performs his miracles via comic book message boards!

 

 

 

Just figured I would lift my head up from the bow and say lmao

[VEI Reborn]

What made the old books like bloodshot cool were the connections to the other titles in the timeline of the universe. In the current books there is no future timeline to play with yet. Maybe that is part of what is missing.

 

What made helped make Bloodshot cool originally was that his blood powered Rai in the future.

 

So maybe they will introduce that future timeline with the upcoming Unity stuff...

 

 

 

Personally I dont think anything is missing with it only being a year in.

 

IMO it will takes some time to build the kind of universe they are trying to build and the small corner they have going at the moment is going great.

 

Also on a side note, Valiants market share continues to go up not down so while there are people that for some reason think things are not going well.....there are many that think otherwise

[spreads]

I keep trying to quit reading Harbinger, but for whatever reason it keeps dragging me back in. Definitely a cool book, and now I guess I'll have to check out Bloodshot, as it's trying together... damn!

 

Why are you trying to quit?

[Buzzetta]

The Universe is already shared so that is a good thing. While there has not been any real gratuitous crossovers yet there are small cameos that have been appearing. They are definitely doing a slow build up which is good.

[Mlech415]

Valiant has a lot going for it in terms of quality, I just hope Valiant catches on and finds more readers bc I absolutely love everything they come out with and dont want it to stop anytime soon. From what ive read, the company is doing better than expected and has a nice five year financial cushion.

[Mlech415]

Valiant marketing seems to be doing a pretty good job, but it seems like such a large uphill battle against comic juggernauts DC and Marvel. I feel like a really well made and entertaining feature film can give the brand a nice boost. Wasn't there talks about a Shadowman movie or something?