Divinity - first new title character from Valiant gets its own CGC forum topic

[sonicdan]

 

Here's the original art to the character design by Lewis LaRosa. Also used as the 1:20 cover First appearance?

[jaybes]

I loved the first 1.5 issues of this book. It was the first Valiant book I've ever bought. As soon as I realized it tied into the larger Valiant universe I dropped it. I like the character and I love Matt Kindt, but I've got no interest in the Valiant universe. If this would have been a stand alone series I would have bought it for a long time to come. Did anyone else feel this way or no?

That's like saying, "when I realized that Hershey is all about chocolate, I quit eating it."

 

Valiant is a connected universe. Everything else... isn't. (thumbs u

 

You must have missed the part where I said it was my first Valiant purchase.

 

Not every Marvel or DC book is a "team up" book. And when other characters from the universe are introduced or appear, it's generally one or 2 at a time, which is easier for a new reader to handle. In Divinity #2 there was all of the sudden a whole team of characters that I was expected to know. I found it overwhelming so I stopped buying the book.

[GeeksAreMyPeeps]

I loved the first 1.5 issues of this book. It was the first Valiant book I've ever bought. As soon as I realized it tied into the larger Valiant universe I dropped it. I like the character and I love Matt Kindt, but I've got no interest in the Valiant universe. If this would have been a stand alone series I would have bought it for a long time to come. Did anyone else feel this way or no?

You mean you would have followed it for the remaining 2.5 issues? It's a mini.

[jaybes]

I loved the first 1.5 issues of this book. It was the first Valiant book I've ever bought. As soon as I realized it tied into the larger Valiant universe I dropped it. I like the character and I love Matt Kindt, but I've got no interest in the Valiant universe. If this would have been a stand alone series I would have bought it for a long time to come. Did anyone else feel this way or no?

You mean you would have followed it for the remaining 2.5 issues? It's a mini.

 

Sure. Again......first Valiant purchase, came in with no background and no information other than I like Kindts writing.

[GeeksAreMyPeeps]

I loved the first 1.5 issues of this book. It was the first Valiant book I've ever bought. As soon as I realized it tied into the larger Valiant universe I dropped it. I like the character and I love Matt Kindt, but I've got no interest in the Valiant universe. If this would have been a stand alone series I would have bought it for a long time to come. Did anyone else feel this way or no?

You mean you would have followed it for the remaining 2.5 issues? It's a mini.

 

Sure. Again......first Valiant purchase, came in with no background and no information other than I like Kindts writing.

I've only read the first issue so far. Was it really that confusing for existing characters to pop up? If you're into Kindt, he's writing quite a bit for Valiant right now. Maybe take a wait and see approach?

[krighton]

when I read books, I just rip out the chapters of characters I don't like or understand.

[valiantman]

I loved the first 1.5 issues of this book. It was the first Valiant book I've ever bought. As soon as I realized it tied into the larger Valiant universe I dropped it. I like the character and I love Matt Kindt, but I've got no interest in the Valiant universe. If this would have been a stand alone series I would have bought it for a long time to come. Did anyone else feel this way or no?

That's like saying, "when I realized that Hershey is all about chocolate, I quit eating it."

 

Valiant is a connected universe. Everything else... isn't. (thumbs u

 

You must have missed the part where I said it was my first Valiant purchase.

 

Not every Marvel or DC book is a "team up" book. And when other characters from the universe are introduced or appear, it's generally one or 2 at a time, which is easier for a new reader to handle. In Divinity #2 there was all of the sudden a whole team of characters that I was expected to know. I found it overwhelming so I stopped buying the book.

(thumbs u

Gotcha --- that's interesting that Divinity was your first taste of Valiant... it's the "exception" to the Valiant universe so far (2012 to present) because it isn't a previous Valiant 1990s title.

Valiant's claim is that they're the 3rd largest connected universe in comics, after Marvel and DC.

Rather than needing to know decades of backstory (like Marvel and DC), there's only 3 years of Valiant interconnectedness... and all of those books are constantly in print (as trades, after monthlies.)

Valiant is "3rd" for universes, but they're only 1% of the market right now.

 

Divinity was originally planned as a four-issue arc in the Unity title.

Those characters that showed up out of nowhere were from Unity (the name of the team).

X-O Manowar (has his own title), Eternal Warrior (has had his own title), Ninjak (has his own title), and Livewire (a key character in the Harbinger title).

 

They were sent to investigate the new "Divinity" situation in Australia on behalf of Western government/military/intelligence.

[valiantman]

August 2015 solicitations just released show Divinity appearing in Imperium #7 with Harada.

That's the first confirmation of exactly where his story continues after the mini-series.

[gaz2810i]

Really wish I picked this series up when it launched...

[vaillant]

I just received (and browsed) #1-3. Covers and overall editorial format are super-sweet. Art has some flaws to me, both in page layout and pure and simple drawings, but it is pretty good anyway.

 

As a "non-Valiant" reader I can see jaybes' point, but the idea is enough intriguing for me to follow.

Since I’ve never actually read any Valiants except some Magnus and Solar, the appearance of the Valiant characters as a team did not disturb me much, but from a quick browse/read I have to say I do not find Kindt's prose particularly thorough: some dialogues do not seem fit to the historical periods he is addressing.

 

I’ll probably wait to have #4 to read them, anyway. (thumbs u

 

@valiantman: About Defiant: enough entusiastic to buy several copies of Dark Dominion (and just because I loved it and wanted to support Defiant) but also be disappointed when Shooter clashed all his characters into an inextricable "universe", as he usually does…

I loved Dark Dominion but at some point I dropped them all. And I still don’t know what to do of the batch of Broadway books I have…

[vaillant]

Here’s my #1 third printing… Looks like a NM+ in hand.

 

Love the use of blue instead of red for the Valiant logo, as it also fits with the color scheme and gives each issue a distinct color palette.

 

[valiantman]

Here’s my #1 third printing… Looks like a NM+ in hand.

 

Love the use of blue instead of red for the Valiant logo, as it also fits with the color scheme and gives each issue a distinct color palette.

 

Each of the later printings, second through fourth, had to be allocated to shops because the production of Divinity (prestige format) requires additional time.

Valiant puts in the order, guessing how many will sell, and then when too many are ordered through Diamond, they have to allocate.

 

My guess is that these printings are 1,200 to 2,500 copies... probably on the lower end.

[vaillant]

Forgive my ignorance, but what does it mean they "have to allocate"?

I understand you are saying certain following printings have probably smaller print runs, but what does "allocate" precisely mean?

[vaillant]

BTW, I loved the fact they have used a "matt gloss" for the covers.

They are robust books, not like Marvels which now have covers printed on the same paper stock of the insides, which unavoidably get damaged when you read them.

[valiantman]

Forgive my ignorance, but what does it mean they "have to allocate"?

I understand you are saying certain following printings have probably smaller print runs, but what does "allocate" precisely mean?

It means that Valiant announced that the first printing was sold out, so they would offer a second printing.

Retailers could order the second printing through Diamond, but Valiant had to guess what the final number would be in order to have the books printed on time.

 

Valiant didn't guess high enough because Diamond got a larger order, so the retailers who ordered 5 copies of the second printing might have only received 4.

Maybe Valiant guessed they would sell 1,500 of the second printing and they ordered 1,500 to be printed, but when the final total came in, it might have been 1,700.

Diamond had to allocate them because they couldn't supply the whole amount to everyone.

 

When Valiant announced a third printing (because the second printing sold out), something similar happened.

Valiant had to get the third printing ordered before the total number sold was known.

Retailers who ordered 5 copies of the third printing might have only received 4... another allocation.

[vaillant]

Thanks! So I guess those who ordered, say, five of the first printing and only got four, were already "allotted" to have a copy from the second printing?

Or did they simply reset the orders each time, so in most cases various dealers received less than ordered and had to re-order the following printing?

 

I’m very happy with the third printing, anyway, the second printing has this review text placed upon the image that clutters it.

[valiantman]

Thanks! So I guess those who ordered, say, five of the first printing and only got four, were already "allotted" to have a copy from the second printing?

Or did they simply reset the orders each time, so in most cases various dealers received less than ordered and had to re-order the following printing?

We need a retailer to tell us for sure, but I would assume it's up to the retailer to re-order the following printing (if they want it).

I’m very happy with the third printing, anyway, the second printing has this review text placed upon the image that clutters it.

Good point, I hadn't noticed the quote on the second print. It's not ugly, but it does add some clutter.

[vaillant]

The review text quote is also on all the regular printings of #2, but less annoying as the cover is not so atmospheric as the one of #1. The idea of making the title logo so small (and typographic) is very original. The graphic designer is doing quite a nice job with these.

 

[vaillant]

And my issue #3 (the 1:20 variant) – this one seems a NM+ as well…

 

[sharkbait]

I have to agree.