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Will We See a Valiant Cinematic Universe? (& First Appearances to Buy Now!)

So, we’re getting a Bloodshot movie. If Vin Diesel delivers on what he is known for, we will have an action packed movie with lots of visual spectacle. Like him or not, the Fast and Furious and Riddick have had several movies made and have built quite a franchise.

Could this film mark the beginning of a Valiant Cinematic Universe at Sony? If so, what titles do we want to own before they are too hot to touch? But first, a little about Valiant…

The History of Valiant, from 1989 to Today

Where do we begin? Here is the fast version: after a failed attempt to purchase Marvel Entertainment (when the company fell on hard times financially), former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter and lawyer/businessman Steven Massarsky founded Valiant Comics in 1989. In 1992, Valiant’s Editor-In-Chief Jim Shooter was given the Lifetime Achievement Award for co-creating the Valiant Universe, However, Shooter left Valiant by the end of 1992. According to Massarsky, “Jim had a different idea as to the direction of the company, and he was asked to leave.”

In 1994, American video game developer and publisher Acclaim Entertainment (based in Glen Cove, New York) purchased the company. But after some poor financial returns, they filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2004.

In 2005, a group of entrepreneurs led by Dinesh Shamdasani and Jason Kothari raised financing and acquired the rights to the Valiant Comics library from Acclaim Entertainment’s estate, forming Valiant Entertainment. In 2007, Valiant hired former Valiant Editor-In-Chief Jim Shooter to write new short stories that would accompany hardcover reprints of classic Valiant Universe stories. Two of the three collections were named among “The Ten Best Collected Editions” of their respective years of publications.

In an event dubbed “The Summer of Valiant” in March 2012, Valiant Entertainment launched the Valiant Comics universe with four ongoing titles: X-O Manowar, Harbinger, Bloodshot, and Archer & Armstrong. Each one launched each month for four months. X-O Manowar premiered May 2, 2012, with the creative team of writer Robert Venditti and artist Cary Nord. The first issue of X-O Manowar received over 42,000 preorders, making Valiant the largest new publisher launch in over a decade.

In 2015, Valiant announced they had partnered with Sony Pictures to produce five films based on the Bloodshot and Harbinger comic books.

For the Summer of 2015, Valiant announced the event miniseries Book of Death, accompanied by one-shots Book of Death: The Fall of Bloodshot, Book of Death: The Fall of Ninjak, Book of Death: The Fall of Harbinger and Book of Death: The Fall of X-O Manowar and the miniseries Book of Death: Legends of the Geomancer. Book of Death was one of the best-reviewed comics of the year and the biggest selling independent crossover event of the decade. Spinning out from Book of Death, the ongoing series Wrath of the Eternal Warrior launched in November 2015.

DMG Entertainment made a huge investment in Valiant Comics in an effort to support their desire to build a cinematic universe based on their own comic book characters. It seemed like Sony Pictures would become the home for this cinematic universe since they picked up the rights to Harbinger and Bloodshot, and those two movies would eventually lead into a crossover event movie called Harbinger Wars. But unfortunately, it sounds like Sony has dealt a blow to yet another cinematic comic book universe.

What’s the Deal with Sony and Valiant?

While Sony Pictures still has a Bloodshot movie on the way in February 2020 with Vin Diesel in the lead role, they are selling off the rights to make a Harbinger movie to Paramount Pictures, and the key talent involved behind the scenes will follow.

There is still a possibility for a Valiant Universe without Bloodshot or possible character-sharing options — similar to what we see between Sony and Marvel with Spider-Man and the MCU. Regardless, this definitely feels like another stumble for the Valiant Universe.

Speculate on these Valiant Titles

As the publisher heats up again, here is a list of first appearances and mentionable books from the Valiant Universe for you to speculate on.

We want to focus on first appearances. If you have faith in Paramount, then the characters they have movie plans for are a good bet. Here are a few options:

RAI No. 0

Fun Fact: RAI #0 had a print run of 150,000 copies. Of those, 3,829 have been CGC graded and slabbed, and of those ONLY ONE “PERFECT 10” has ever been found!

Harbinger No. 1

Harbinger #1 was listed on the top ten list of Wizard Magazine for a record eight consecutive months and was eventually named “Collectible of the Decade” while Rai No. 0 appeared on Wizard’s top ten list for a new record nine consecutive months.

Harbinger #1 in CGC 9.8’s had 51 copies sold in 2019 with a High of $1,100 and a Low of $698. Current trending sales are around $700 this is the First appearance of Harbinger. This is a book that you want in 9.8. Also, make sure the mail away coupon is still intact.

Bloodshot No. 0, 6, and 7

Rai No. 0 is the first appearance of Bloodshot. We know this character is tied up with Sony, but if the first movie does well and we have millions of new Bloodshot fans, there is still potential for this book. I would only invest in this book in 9.8 condition, either the glossy or matte cover variation. There has been 292 CGC 9.8 sales in 2019 with a High of $400 and a Low of $75. This book has current sales in CGC 9.8 around $120.

Bloodshot #6 and #7 are the First appearance of Colin King and as Ninjak in costume. This is another book for investment purpose. Due to print run and availability, we want to focus on 9.8 condition. Issue #6 in CGC 9.8 condition has 82 sales in 2019 with a High of $90 and a Low of $30 with current sales at between $40 and $50. Issue #7 in CGC 9.8 has 35 sales in 2019 with a High of $188 and a Low of $40 with current sales averaging between $40 to $60.

Archer & Armstrong No. 0

Archer & Armstrong’s first appearance is in issue #0 of their own self-titled book. This is rumored to be in development, and you can still grab 9.8 copies for a reasonable price. In 2019 there has been 28 sales of this book in CGC 9.8 with a High of $125 and a Low of $32 current sales are trending at $40 – $50

Only Time Will Tell What Happens with Valiant

The valiant Universe has even more characters to offer like Shadowman, Ivar Timewalker, and X-O Manowar. The question is will they ever get out in front of the world to really have the opportunity to be exposed to millions of viewers and acquire a new fan base? It would be amazing to see these characters back from the pages of 1990s comic books break into a new time and medium of story telling.

What is a Trade Dress, Store Exclusive, and Virgin Variant?

The comics community has so many subcultures. As the owner of Secret Society Comics and a collector, I’ve always been fascinated by the lingo we use. I also know that for people just getting into comics, it can be really confusing.

So that’s what this blog is for. It’s the first article in a series designed to educate the community about collecting, and other parts of the comics world.

We’ll discuss these Trade Dress, Store Exclusives, and Virgin Variants, and how they relate to comic book collecting.

What is a Trade Dress?

Trade Dress is a form of intellectual property.

I like to think of it as a brand logo, like the iconic Coca Cola design. Comic book titles each have developed a specific style that showcases the book. In that way, the graphic design of the Trade Dress conveys the tone, imagery, and general feel of the series.

Often you will even see original cover art with no Trade Dress, like the sketch by John Buscema.

The cover would then be drawn and inked and the logo would be cut out and pasted on to the artwork — that way they could keep the consistent looking title or Trade Dress. This Conan the Barbarian #171 is an example.

What is a Store Exclusive?

Comic book shops all order the same books from the publisher of their choice via Diamond comics. We often have the option to order a Cover A or a Cover B. Cover A is the regular cover that all comic book shops have access to. It often features the Trade Dress artwork that is attached to that comic book.

Some shops work out deals with a publisher, who will create an exclusive cover for the store. Often, the store gets to choose the artist for that particular cover. These are known as Store Exclusives or Exclusive Variant Covers.

Store Exclusive Variants are often only available from the store that has created the Exclusive. There are quite a few online comic stores that may band together to create an Exclusive variant, which explains why you sometimes see the same cover featured by different online retailers. Typically, however, Store Exclusive Variants are not sold through Diamond and are not available for every shop to order.

These Store Exclusive covers have lower print runs. Most stores will have different versions of the cover that may include the Trade Dress on the variant. This version is often the larger print run in the group.

What is a Virgin Variant?

Store Exclusive Variants are often accompanied by a Virgin Variant, which is the same cover without the trade dress.

Here is an example of a Store Exclusive Variant cover with two versions. One displays trade dress, while the other was printed without the trade dress. This second type is known as a virgin variant.

For example, these Web of Venom: Funeral Pyre variants above are advertised to have a print run of 1,000 copies featuring the Trade Dress (left), versus 600 copies for the Virgin Variant (right).

Summary

A variant describes any comic book cover that isn’t the main Cover A or Cover B.
Store Exclusives are unique covers made for a specific comic retailer.
- If these store exclusives have the trade dress, then they’re called Trade Dress Variants.
- If the comic shop sells the same store exclusive cover, without the trade dress logo, then it’s called a Virgin Variant.

Store Exclusives always have smaller print runs than the Cover A of the title, and are divided into different levels of rarity.

For example, Store Exclusives will be available in different versions featuring the same cover art — such as a black and white cover, or Sketch Cover, or even a negative cover all with different rarity attached to it. The rarity completely depends on how many copies of that version were printed.

The Venom books above have print runs of 3,500, 1,500, and 500 respectively.

Stay tuned for our next educational article: “What is an Incentive Cover/Allocated Variant?”

Stay tuned for our next educational article: “What is an Incentive Cover/Allocated Variant?”

Disclaimer

Though about the comics industry as a whole, this information is from one person’s point of view.
In other words, this isn’t hard fact. This is the opinion of one collector.
So, basically, this post doesn’t directly express the viewpoint of Secret Society…
It’s intended to help create an informed comic book community.

If you feel that information stated does not accurately describe the subject, please contact reece@secretsocietycomics.com with your thoughts using the form below.

Review of FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #1

Written by Tom Taylor, FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN takes the “Neighborhood” part of his nickname and plays within that world.

The first issue of the currently ongoing series opens up with a great sequence where Spidey saves a father and daughter from a potentially fatal car accident by backflipping through the window and pulling them out to safety. After saving them, he offers some advice on how to more effectively navigate rush hour in Queens, reinforcing the idea that this Spider-Man is just being the most perfect ambassador of his neighborhood.

Right after that heroic act, he helps an elderly woman named Marnie bring groceries up to her apartment. (He’s such a good kid.) Peter continues to just be generally helpful and nice to all those whom he encounters.

One of Peter’s neighbors asks him to contact Spider-Man to assist her with a problem that can’t be solved through the police. Peter says he will pass the message along, then goes out for some hot dogs. On his way back, he sees two strange cars double parked outside the apartment building and it triggers his Spidey senses. He rushes to help, and gets knocked out instead.

Overall, this issue does a great job of world-building an intimate community and making every person Peter comes across seem like a potentially important character. I know I was a bit late in diving into this series, but I hope to be caught up soon because it looks to be a wonderfully endearing tale of Peter Parker — and, I mean, who doesn’t love that?

Galactus Keys to Consume..

Marvel Already Has Plans for Fox Characters Galactus and Silver Surfer…

Formerly a mortal man, Galactus is a cosmic entity who originally consumed planets to sustain his life force, and serves a functional role in the upkeep of the primary Marvel continuity. First appearing in Fantastic Four #48 and #49, the anticipation of this big baddy joining the MCU has driven prices out of this world. Now that Thanos has been dealt with the question on everyones mind is who will become the next threat to the universe. Which leads us to looking at some recent purchases, disney spent $71.3 billion in a acquisition of Fox’s entertainment assets. What are some of those properties you might ask. One of marvels greatest teams Fantastic Four along with Silver Surfer and lets not forget GALACTUS!

Now these issue have some heavy buy ins at high grades, Fantastic Four #48 in CGC Grade 9.4 has a last sale of $14,000 and FF #49 in 9.4 $5,850 in my opinion these prices will only continue to rise and will most certainly pay off in the long run. If you asking yourself what are some affordable Galactus appearances your in luck.

THE MIGHTY THOR #160-162 – Thor VS Galactus this could be a great way to introduce the Planet eater into the MCU we know that Thor has been established as a intergalactic hero and will be in the next Guardians of the Galaxy film. This could be the story arc they pull from.

THE MIGHTY THOR #168-169 – This story arc features the Origin of Galactus and as most collectors begin to start collecting a character the only thing close to the first appearance is the Origin story of that character.

FANTASTIC FOUR #74 and #75 – Not really considered key issues but none the less early cover appearances of Galactus and most definitely good additions to the collection.

EXCELLENCE #1 by Skybound Comics and Image Comics

BY : Reece Guida

Rating: 9/10

EXCELLENCE is an action-fantasy story about a young man, his complicated relationship with his father, their magical lineage, and the complications that legacy brings.

Spencer Dales is a descendant of one of the original ten magical bloodlines. After a youth spent struggling to master magic (and disappointing his father), he is finally a rising member of the Aegis — a sacred order of black magicians who secretly protect the “deserving” people of the world.

But Spencer finds himself at odds with the obligation of his heritage and their questionable guiding principles.

The rock-solid world-building in book one lays the foundation for writer Brandon Thomas to ask tough questions. Why does the Aegis only protect “the deserving,” and not the vulnerable? Why aren’t females allowed to use magic? The art is also masterfully done. Khary Randolph renders mind-blowing action sequences alongside quieter expressions of pain, making every panel feel raw and personal.

Brought to life by a creative team consisting entirely of people of color, EXCELLENCE dares to question why things are the way they are, and proposes that what is doesn’t have to be.

Review of ELECTRIC BLACK #1: Creepy Pawn Shop Deals Haunted Relics to the Greedy

Haunting Anthology by Scout Comics Raises Unsettling Questions

Review By : Reece Guida

Eccentric shopkeeper Julius Black may be evil as hell, but at least he knows the customers of the Electric Black as well as he knows his haunted inventory.

In book one, we meet Julius Black, the sinister shopkeeper of the Electric Black antique store, where “every customer gets what they deserve.” In the first page, we see that the shop is just floating in space — until a crystal ball summons the Electric Black back to earth to greet its next customer.

After the crystal ball emits its eerie purple glow, Julius sends his bored and buxom assistant, June Bug, to run errands. In the city streets of some dark corner on earth, she is mugged by an addict named Sully. As Sully hides out and waits to pawn the purse for his next score, the Electric Black shop appears from thin air and beckons him with its neon red hue.

Inside, Julius regales Sully with tales of two cursed objects on display in the shop, and he will never be the same.

Immersive mini comics give THE ELECTRIC BLACK depth

Joseph Schmalke and Rich Woodall take turns spinning yarns of strange objects inside Julius’s house of wonders. The creative duo’s writing and drawing styles in this anthology are distinct, and that is precisely what gives each object in the Electric Black a life of its own.

Julius shares the origin story of a golden compass Sully picked up in Woodall’s “The Rat Ship.” Aboard the Orion Sky ship in the stormy Bering Sea, Captain Fortier and his crew answer a distress call, find treasure, and meet their untimely fate. The killer, body-invading swarm of red-eyed rats in this story made me dread going underground to catch a subway out of fear that I’ll also become a vessel for whatever the hell their nefarious agenda may be.

In “Bixby’s Miracle Drops” by Schmalke, Julius tells the tragic tale of Bixby and his life’s work: to create medicine that heals the masses…and brings him fame. This mini comic had moments of tenderness and vulnerability that were otherwise absent in the issue, and I appreciate that Schmalke wasn’t afraid to go there. After failing to master medicine, Bixby finds a book of “devilry, rituals, and forbidden rites” in the hands of a rotting gypsy. He tests an eternal youth potion on a sickly, green dog, who becomes his fast friend. The concoction brings Bixby the success he craves, and that’s precisely what kills him.

Sinister, dark imagery brings the stories together

The consistent pallet of deep red, green, blue, purple, and brown heightens the intensity of book one, and bridges Schmalke and Woodall’s different styles. I admire the attention to detail: the sneaky middle fingers, the many objects in the shop, the speckles of blood and mist, and especially the intricate costumes — which play a big role in characterization.

ELECTRIC BLACK PREVIEW
EC HOMAGE COVER LIMTED TO 600
ELECTRIC BLACK #1
1:10 VARIANT

THE ELECTRIC BLACK is a lethal concoction of horror, occult, and supernatural genres

Rating 8.5/10

I’m impressed with how the author-writer duo gave me three comics for one, and made me really impatient for the next issue to just come out already. Book one of THE ELECTRIC BLACK has all the elements that make a reader want to come back for more: intrigue, violence, humor, and tragedy. The influences of Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King are readily apparent, and yet THE ELECTRIC BLACK felt like something I’ve never encountered before. I can imagine Netflix optioning this wickedly good series for October streaming.

The suspense that Schmalke and Woodall create with the questions raised in this issue might just kill me, along with whatever else lurks in the Electric Black shop.

What evil forces and unsavory events tether June Bug, Julius, Jack, and Roy to the Electric Black? Why do they have to feed customers to Roy?
What happened 300 years ago, when Julius and Jack last saw the symbol tattooed on Sully’s body?

While the main characters at the Electric Black shop look really cool, I lacked the emotional connection with them that I had with the doomed characters in the mini comics. But good things take time, and as Julius says, time is relative…

I can’t wait to see how Schmalke and Woodall explore these questions in the books to come. Until then, I’ll be sleeping with the light on.

ASCENDER #1 (MR) sold out!

The Followup Story Continues from Descender

GOES TO SECOND PRINT!!!

This is a solid pick up Jeff Lemire is one of the top writer of current comic books and with the trends of Magic and Mystical stories making their way to the screen I wouldn’t wait on picking up a first print of this… Also let’s not forget Lemire’s Black Hammer has been optioned for film and TV development by Legendary Entertainment

The all-new fantasy series ASCENDER—from New York Times bestselling writer Jeff Lemire (Gideon Falls, Sweet Tooth, The Underwater Welder, Black Hammer) and artist Dustin Nguyen (Batman: Little Gotham)—is immediately being rushed back to print to keep up with customer demand.

“We didn’t want it to end,” the writer says of the science fiction galaxy he and artist Dustin Nguyen built together in the critically acclaimed Image Comics series.

This new adventure from the powerhouse creative team behind the bestselling, award-winning Descender, provides readers with the perfect jumping on point and requires no knowledge of the previous Descender series.

Set ten years after the conclusion of Descender, in Ascender the machines have gone away, and in their absence magic has reclaimed the universe. Now one girl must embark on an epic quest to find robotkind and its fabled boy messiah, TIM-21, before it’s too late…

The Descender series launched in 2015 to massive critical acclaim. The series was recognized as an NPR “Best Book of the Year” in 2015, was listed four years in a row by the American Booksellers’ Association’s Young Adult Library Services Association’s “Great Graphic Novels for Teens” round-up, and made Newsweek’s “Best Comics Books of 2018” round-up.

LESBIAN SEX, THE OCCULT, AND THE DEVIL STAR IN FAITHLESS #1

BOOM! STUDIOS’ EROTIC NEW SERIES FEATURES MESMERIZING ART, WITTY DIALOGUE, AND CONTROVERSY

Review By : Reece Guida

On April 10, BOOM! Studios introduced Faith, a young woman exploring her sexuality and the forces of nature…with a little help from the devil. New York Times bestselling author Brian Azzarello and artist Maria Llovet will make you question what is and isn’t dark magic in their gripping, fast-paced introduction to the very promising FAITHLESS arc.

Faith is into the occult. She draws spells and runes in her notebook to conjure magic, connect to energy, and influence things. She flaunts a pentagram necklace, and doesn’t care that her friends don’t take her magic seriously.

In the opening pages, Faith tries and fails to make herself orgasm, immediately setting the pace for what follows. Later, we find Faith in a cafe drawing a money and sabotage spell. As Faith leaves the cafe, she collides into the mysterious and beautiful Poppy, spilling coffee all over her. She remarks, “If that’s not an omen, I don’t know what is.”

The two instantly connect and embark on a series of adventures that manifest peril and pleasure in the world.

THE PERFECT COMIC FOR 2019

Let’s address the elephant in the room: FAITHLESS is a comic about female sexuality written by an old, white, heterosexual male. Brian Azzarello also happens to be an industry veteran with a proven track record, but that’s not what impresses me. Here, he takes on a challenge that few in his position would feel comfortable pursuing, and executes with witty dialogue and tight storytelling.

The writing is charged with empathy for the struggles women face in sex and relationships, like having difficulty orgasming and dealing controlling boyfriends. When Poppy’s ex-boyfriend, Michael, aggressively chases her down to win her back, Faith intervenes. Watching the usually timid Faith step up for Poppy is almost as satisfying as witnessing Azzarello and Llovet briefly, but gracefully, depict the confusion and frustration of young white men today.

THE ART IS SEDUCTIVE

The cover artists and Maria Llovet bring the controversial topics and sexual energy behind this issue to life. I read the Erotica Cover variant by Tula Lotay, and found her provocative and brilliant art set the tone for Llovet’s enticing, dynamic visuals.

FAITHLESS #1 proves that when you balance gender on a creative team and combine writing experience with a fresh visual perspective, readers everywhere can enjoy a revolutionary comic.

THEMES: FAITH, SEX, AND THE DEVIL

The debut of the FAITHLESS arc is inherently controversial. The themes and subject matter of this issue show that like Faith, Azzarello and Llovet aren’t afraid to indulge in the taboo. In just one issue, they touch on lesbian sex, dark magic, suicide, and the elusive female orgasm.

FAITH

Faith (the protagonist) and FAITHLESS (the title) create a curiously tense and ambiguous dynamic that the series is poised to explore. Faith is also the motif in The Inferno, Dante’s divine comedy about a soul’s journey through hell to paradise. The the series claims to pay homage to the tradition of the divine comedy, and the parallels are clear in FAITHLESS #1

SEX

This issue plays with the “demonization” of female sexuality, especially lesbian sex. It was refreshing to see Poppy and Faith have sex as two women actually do, and I applaud Llovet for putting the “scissoring” myth to bed with her tasteful images of oral sex.

Thematically, FAITHLESS explores sex as the conduit to another spiritual or mystical realm. I am excited to see how Faith will continue to pursue the link between her sexuality and the occult, and how that will wreak havoc on the material world.

THE DEVIL

The devil is Faith’s constant companion throughout the issue. Although he was entirely offscreen, it seemed that his influence increased with each page.

After Faith casts the sabotage and money spell in her notebook, strange coincidences pile up. As she and Poppy day drink and play pool in a bar, they witness Michael jump to his death from a building on TV. Moments later, Faith stumbles upon good fortune when a stranger gives her a $100 bill for returning his wallet after they collided while crossing the street.

The tag line for FAITHLESS is “An erotic depiction of faith, sex, and the devil in the tradition of the divine comedy,” and the creative team delivers on what it promises.

FAITHLESS #1 is a refreshingly unique take on horror and erotica Rating 9/10

Faith practices the dark arts to unfuck the world and herself, and transfixes us in the process. This is the first story I’ve read that embraces sexual fluidity as I’ve experienced it, and treats its characters like they’re people living in the world who we just happened to walk in on. However, I felt that the pacing was very fast, and that there were a lack of establishing details, such as city this occurs in, or how Faith spends her time when she’s not summoning satan to do her bidding.

I anticipate that the creative team behind FAITHLESS will continue to deliver a seductive, dark narrative that will terrify me, turn me on, and make me laugh.

Little Bird goes to a 3rd Printing!!

Little Bird proves to be a fan favorite with first and second printings selling out and Little Bird goes to a 3rd Printing!

MINISERIES PREMIERE! Director/screenwriter DARCY VAN POELGEEST boasts a long list of awards and accolades for his storytelling prowess and brings the same writing finesse to IAN BERTRAM’s breathtakingly detailed artwork in the gorgeous, hyper-detailed miniseries LITTLE BIRD.

With the same limitless scope as a new EAST OF WEST or SAGA and the drama and surrealism of Akira, LITTLE BIRD follows a young resistance fighter who battles against an oppressive American Empire and searches for her own identity in a world on fire.

The Journey Begins

Thanks for joining me!

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Secret Society Comics is located in Ft. Lauderdale, with a focus on silver age comics and key issues. We have over 50 CGC Graded Signature Series Books on display and lots of back issues, But don’t worry we also carry the newest releases. New comics go on sale every Wednesday, and we even offer a discounted subscription services for readers looking to stay current.