It’s no secret that Valiant Entertainment has been having troubles. Last August the publisher began layoffs on the editorial team, including publisher Fred Pierce who had been with the brand since 2009. This year alone has seen Valiant publish only a handful of comics, including X-O Manowar Unconquered and Book of Shadows, with only a few others planned at all. Now Valiant has announced plans for a different published to pick up their comics, with international comics publisher Alien Books set to pick up the baton and carry the Valiant Universe into its next form.
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Valiant and Alien Books announcement was confirmed in a press release release today, touting “eyes towards a vibrant and voluminous 2024 publishing schedule.” They add that while publication on X-O Manowar: Unconquered and the upcoming Ninjak Superkillers are still in the cards for 2023, Valiant notes that will “will be working hand in hand with the Alien Books team to shape the Valiant publishing line.”
Alien Books and it’s Director Matias Timarchi said: “Being able to collaborate on the creation of new stories with Valiant, the third largest connected superhero universe, is truly a dream come true. As a lifelong superhero fan and self-professed geek, the opportunity to work with these incredible characters fills me with boundless enthusiasm. Our goal is to expand the entire Valiant universe by crafting new books that will delight longtime fans while also innovating to engage a new generation of readers interested in webtoons, manga, and digital storytelling experiences. We are immensely proud that Valiant has selected us as their new partners for this thrilling venture, and we are excited to embark on a new chapter in Valiant’s illustrious history.”
Valiant’s President of Consumer Products, Promotions & Ad Sales, Russ Brown, added: “We remain fiercely committed to publishing Valiant comics and expanding our publishing line in ways we’ve never seen before. In partnership with Alien Books, we see an opportunity to push the boundaries of comic book publishing to help develop our incredible IP in exciting new ways for a rapidly expanding global audience.”
Home to characters like X-O Manowar, Quantum & Woody, Harbinger, Faith, Ninjak, Rai, Shadowman, Archer & Armstrong, and Bloodshot, Valiant has had a turbulent existence. This includes filing for bankrupty twenty years ago only to be revived in the summer of 2012 with a critically acclaimed reboot of their entire line. Renewed interest in the characters resulted in feature film and television deals being made over the years. At any given point from 2015 to now, there was a Valiant title in the works at one of the major studios in Hollywood, with plans for a full cinematic universe ala Marvel Studios considered at one point.
