Valiant Comics hosted their live #ValiantSummit 2015 Event at Twitter’s headquarters, broadcasting a slate of news through Twitter’s Periscope application.
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On-hand were Valiant Comics’ Editor In Chief Warren Simon, Dr. Mirage writer Jan Ven Meter, X-O Manowar writer Robert Venditti, Valiant’s Cheif Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani, and Valiant’s marketing maestro Hunter Gorinson.
The panel kicked off with Dinesh explaining Valiant’s storied history, dating back to the 1980s. Venditti then began explaining one of Valiant’s most iconic characters, X-O Manowar, describing the character as a “great high concept.” Having just turned in the script for his 40th issue, Venditti described his experience on X-O as one of his favorites in comics.
Simmons then took the floor to describe another popular Valiant property, Harbinger. Simmons charted the characters’ history since Harbinger’s relaunch in 2012. Simmons and Shamdasani says that Hrbinger challenges readers’ “moral compass,” forcing them to ask questions about their own perceptions of right and wrong.
“It’s strange for a comic book company to explore how fascism could work. But this is an approach that Valiant has really embraced,” Shamdasani elaborated.
Van Meter then took over, explaining her Valiant miniseries The Death Defying Docotr Mirage. She explained the title as a “heroes journey” that also blended romance and interpersonal relationships.
“It’s a downer to explain the book as five issues about dealing with grief,” she said. “But I found it uplifting, because it really explores the work involved with love.
Van Meter also expressed her appreciation for Dr. Mirage’s snarky humor and abbrasive attitude. She found it refreshing to write a protagonist with that chaffing attitude, saying that she could only do that with villains before.
“I’ve really enjoyed writing it,” she said.
The conversation took a lighter ton from there, appropriately, as Shamdasani broke-down one of Valiant’s more humorous titles, Quantum and Woody. Shandasandi explained the book’s core concept, foundations, in humor, and the series’ goat. Seriously. A goat is one of the book’s main stars.
But enough joshing around, folks. Gorinson took the panel back to Valiant’s recent prestige format series, The Valiant. Written by Jeff Lemire and Matt Kindt, and illustrated by Paolo Rivera, it was one of the best-reviewed books of 2014 and early 2015. Simmons explained how The Valiant was a huge status-quo changer for The Valiant Universe and Valiant’s other big character, Bloodshoot.
After The Valiant’s events ripped Bloodshot’s iconic nanites out of his body, Bloodshot becomes a mere mortal in Bloodshot Reborn. The book, written by Lemire and illustrated by Mico Suayan, finds a broken Bloodshot.
“But he has to shake out of this daze,” explained Simmons.”He has to decide if he wants to stay a man, or become Bloodshot again.”
Shamdasani then spoke about the relaunched Valiant’s first original title, Divinity. Divinity is a brand-new character to the Valiant Universe; a Communist cosmonaut who gains superpowers while out in deep-space. With the powers of a god, he finally returns back to present-day Earth after his 30-year journey.
“Divinity is our first major push on a character,” Shamdasani said.
Shamdasani said the book has been a massive success, revealing that Divinity #1 had just received its sixth printing.
Speaking of printings, Gorinson then announced Valiant’s upcoming “One Dollar Debuts” intitative. Starting in November, Valiant will republish several of the first issues to the best titles for just one dollar.
“Valiant’s number one priority is finding new readers and introducing them to the most acclaimed line-up of superhero titles on the stands today,” Gorinson said. “With initiatives including one dollar reprints of our best jumping-on points, line-wide $9.99 volume one trade paperbacks, and generous incentives for retailers on all of Valiant’s new series, we’re creating a new legion of fans one reader a time.”
Valiant then announced that Book of Death #1, the publisher’s upcoming fall event, is currently the highest-selling independent comic of 2015. The first issue already has 70,000 orders copied, according to Gorinson.
After the massive news, Valiant debuted a special trailer for the event before breaking down the series’ premise. Venditti, who will write Book of Death, said that the series will feature very engaging dynamics between Valiant’s Unity team.
Gorinson said that each book will run at extra length, with bonus pages illustrated by Doug Braithwaite. Braithwaite will illustrate the series future sequences, which will have a Bloodshot Dinosaur, a Ghost Dr. Mirage, and a Beast Brigade.”
It’s the largest aount of content I’ve created for one single title,” Venditti explained. Gorinson said that Valiant and Comics fans should pay special attention to the future sequences, as they’ll foretell
“I hope readers treat the book of death like a checklist,” Venditti said.
“This is a book that readers will return to for years,” Shamdasani said. “We’ve had a great time constructing a universe here.”
Gorinson took the cue to announce Valiant’s latest title, Wrath of the Eternal Warrior. Venditti will write the book, which will spin out of Book Of Death’s events. Raul Allen will illustrate, as Valiant’s latest exclusive artist.
Valiant then announced their next new series to come this fall, The Death Defying Dr. Mirage: Second Lives. The series will launch in Decemeber, with Jen Van Meter returning to write. The new mini is a direct follow-up to the original Death Defying Dr. Mirage. “It’s going to be a much happier book than the first one,” Van Meter teased about the sequel.
