Top 10 Valiant covers

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magnus20009
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Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by magnus20009 »

I was trying to think about what are the tile 10 most collectible VEI issues or to put it another way what are the top 10 VEI covers. I won’t list mine as I don’t want to spoil the lists (although I will have a hard time accepting any list that doesn’t include the Dauterman/Wilson Shadowman 16 cover)

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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by Juki »

magnus20009 wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 10:33:17 am I was trying to think about what are the tile 10 most collectible VEI issues or to put it another way what are the top 10 VEI covers. I won’t list mine as I don’t want to spoil the lists (although I will have a hard time accepting any list that doesn’t include the Dauterman/Wilson Shadowman 16 cover)
That “first Punk Mambo on cover” book is awesome. Maybe, we should expand and have you do a list of 25 based solely on covers. Top 25 VEI covers?

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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by magnus20009 »

Juki wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 10:43:30 am
magnus20009 wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 10:33:17 am I was trying to think about what are the tile 10 most collectible VEI issues or to put it another way what are the top 10 VEI covers. I won’t list mine as I don’t want to spoil the lists (although I will have a hard time accepting any list that doesn’t include the Dauterman/Wilson Shadowman 16 cover)
That “first Punk Mambo on cover” book is awesome. Maybe, we should expand and have you do a list of 25 based solely on covers. Top 25 VEI covers?
Sounds great. I would love to see your Top 25 covers

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Juki
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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by Juki »

magnus20009 wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 10:53:34 am
Juki wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 10:43:30 am
magnus20009 wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 10:33:17 am I was trying to think about what are the tile 10 most collectible VEI issues or to put it another way what are the top 10 VEI covers. I won’t list mine as I don’t want to spoil the lists (although I will have a hard time accepting any list that doesn’t include the Dauterman/Wilson Shadowman 16 cover)
That “first Punk Mambo on cover” book is awesome. Maybe, we should expand and have you do a list of 25 based solely on covers. Top 25 VEI covers?
Sounds great. I would love to see your Top 25 covers
Oh, wow. That would be really hard for me. I really like so many of the covers. My problem is that it is hard to be totally objective strictly on “cover art.” I am totally influenced by key/first appearances that I would feel bad about not bumping those up on the list. So, should the list be “best covers” or “most collectible/key” or “most collectible best covers.” It all runs together for me.

magnus2009, apparently I misread your initial post above. I now see that you wrote “I won’t list mine...” I was thinking that you were listing.

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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by nycjadie »

Such a tough place to easily show images.

One of my all time favorites is Mico Suayan's Ninjak 6 cover.

I really like the Armor Hunters megacover, by Diego Bernard. I have the original inks for that one. 4 panels big.

The Ninjak vs. Valiant Universe poster is also a favorite. It finally made it to be the A cover of the #1 issue. I bought the original art for that one as well.

I love, love, love Dave Johnson's Ninjak and Bloodshot covers. Some of the most original and creative. I think they are right up there with some of the great Steranko covers.

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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by battlepark »

some of those Early Ninjak covers are sweet!

#1 LaRosa
#1 Sausage
#4 Jelena Kevic-Djurdjevic
#9 Mico Suayan
I hoard Newsstand Editions facepalm

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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by Juki »

O.K. magnus20009.... My current top ten fav covers are:

10) Shadowman 16 Dauterman/Wilson cover
(I do luv this cover... and ,magnus20009, you did say it should make the top 10... so there ya go... first Punk Mambo cover appearance is totally awesome)

9) Ninjak (2015 series) 23 Cover F 1:50 Incv Templesmith
(This is my favorite cover from The Seven Blades of Master Darque arc #s 23-26. Unbelievably the use of 3 main colors.... blue, black and pale yellow makes this cover pop. The other covers from this arc which I dig are #24 1:20, #26 cover c, and #26 1:20)

8) X-O Manowar (2017 series) 1 Cover F 1:500 Incv Metal Var Palosz
The Holy Grail. This was such a smart choice by Palosz.... simply the X-O helmet floating in space....letting all that metal on the cover do the talking. First metal cover ever with over a handful of character first appearances. Crazy.

7) Ninjak (2015 series) 1 1:60 black and white variant AND Ninjak (2015 series) 1 GOLD variant
I can’t make up my mind which cover of Ninjak #1 is my favorite. So, I’m gonna call it a tie. The gold or the black and white? You tell me. But, LaRosa’s artwork for both of these is terrific. Oh, forgot to mention comic features first appearance of Roku...as if you didn’t know. Note: Some may favor the Sauvage Ninjak#1 variant over these covers since Roku is on the cover. Roku on the cover of her first appearance issue is cool.... but LaRosa’s cover art of Ninjak is cooler.

6) Imperium 1 Cover G 1:40 Incv Braithwaite
(This 1:40 cover boasts the first appearance of Sunlight on Snow (Mech Major). The art is crazy unique with Harada using his flying skills, while dressed in a suit, while bombs are dropping all around. Braithwaite really comes through on this one. It is an instant classic for me)

5) X-O Manowar (2012 series) 15 Kotaki 1:50 Variant
(This cover is really off the chain with the first appearance of Col.Capshaw. And, the cover art is totally computer generated by Kotaki. Too cool. It doesn’t hurt collectibility that there are only 400 printed issues which are split down even further with some error copies)

4) Savage 4 (of 4) Cover E 1:50 Incv B/w Sketch Var Larosa
I really enjoy all of the black and white 1:50 covers from this series. LaRosa is the man... with only black and white colors he translates to paper the feeling that a boy has become like a feral cat. Conventional wisdom says that issue #1 of this comic should go in this slot due to his first appearance. But, my favorite cover by far is issue #4 with Kevin Sauvage, AKA SAVAGE, clutching upside down from the underside of a cliff with his right hand.....dangling with raptor talon in his left hand waiting to mount a Pterodactyl in mid flight..... insane art in my opinion)

3) Shadowman (2012-2014) 13 Davis 1:50 Variant
(This cover is awesome. Shane Davis is the man coming through with this cover on the 1:50 book that has Punk Mambo’s first appearance. It is almost as if you can see Shadowman nonchalantly walking away with blood dripping from his sickle after causing mayhem. It is too bad that Shane didn’t do any more Shadowman covers. He just popped in and did one of the best and most important of all time)

2) Divinity (2015) 1 1:40 variant
(Of all the artists that have been lost/moved on from Valiant....I will miss Lewis LaRosa the most. This cover with Abram Adams with his imperfect teeth heading to the unknown is fantastic. It is almost as if you can see the spaceship shaking. How did LaRosa do so much on the cover with just a face shot and 3 fingers in a glove? Not to mention all the first appearances in this comic book)

1) Eternity 1 Cover E 1:40 Incv Massafera
(I would never in a million years think that my favorite VEI cover would have mostly the girly colors of purple and pink and WOULD NOT have Shadowman or X-O on the cover. What the heck? Damn you Massafera and whoever the colorist was! David Baron? Colorist? This fantastic cover has such great potential in the Valiant world as well with so many first appearances in that beautiful blue UNKNOWN of the front and back covers. This cover gets my attention every time I see it. How many covers can you say that about? Yep....#1.

Ok.... I’m flexible. Y’all can start making me rethink all of thee above.

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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by Juki »

Bump.... no replies to my top ten cover list? I thought this was an interesting discussion. Of course everyone’s opinions will vary greatly. Anyone else want to give it a go?

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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by DirtbagSailor »

I’ll give it a go. Need a few min to get my thoughts together and research.

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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by Juki »

DirtbagSailor wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2020 8:48:59 pm I’ll give it a go. Need a few min to get my thoughts together and research.
:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:
This should be good. I’ve got my money on Unity #5.

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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by DirtbagSailor »

Harbinger Wars Interlocking cover by Clayton Henry and Brian Reber
Bloodshot. Generation Zero. Toyo Harada leading The Harbinger Foundation. Pete Stancheck leading The Renegades.

I challenge you to find a cover that better represents the magic of those first two years following Valiant's re-launch.

Life and Death of Toyo Harada #6 by Mico Suayan
Toyo Harada has been featured on many fantastic covers; however, of them all, none truly capture the heart of who Toyo Harada is.

Then ONLY man who can save the world (in his mind). The weight of the world on his shoulders, and yet, somehow he is almost as large as the earth itself. He sits alone, thinking. There is no room for anyone else in this image. The burden cannot be shared. The vision cannot be understood.

This image captures it ALL.

Imperium #2 by Lewis LaRosa
This cover is actually a homage to WW2 Nazi propaganda artwork, depicting Toyo Harada instead of Adolf Hitler. Toyo is prepared to lead his army of Harbingers to triumphant victory, holding the Harbinger Foundation flag high as a peaceful dove soars high in the sky above, as rays of sunlight break through the clouds to almost show the world that Toyo is God's chosen leader, ready to usher in the new age of mankind.

How Toyo sees himself in his own mind.

Unity #5 by Mico Suayan
In a alternate dimention, this was the cover to Ninjak #1.

Unity #10 by Mico Suayan
Livewire and Gin-Gr. Armor Hunters. This cover depicts the beginning of what was to come, and continues to be.

Harbinger #18 by Andrew Robinson
So iconic, visually appealing, and good. This cover was even used for the Delux Hard Cover Edition Vol. 2.

Note: The original artwork did not have the Bleeding Monk levitating, but instead depicted his eyes watching Pete, Faith, and Flamingo. Additionally, in the original artwork, Pete's shoes were supposed to be black & white checkered Vans; however, this was changed likely to draw the viewer's eyes up to the action as opposed to Pete's shoes.

X-O Manowar (2017) #1 by Lewis LaRosa
There are dozens of covers from X-O Manowar that could be mentioned here. However, THIS is the one that most people will recognize and remember.

Divinity #1 by Lewis LaRosa
1st appearance of Divinity. This cover is the most successful aftermarket comic VEI has produced since 2012.

Eternity #1 by Felipe Massafera
In a different world, this might actually be the BEST cover of any Valiant comic. Yet, here we are...

Bloodshot Reborn #1 by Cary Nord
Say what you will, but THIS cover was the inspiration behind the 2020 Bloodshot Movie Poster, which reached FAR more people than ANY other Bloodshot cover has.

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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by kjjohanson »

battlepark wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 8:24:36 pm some of those Early Ninjak covers are sweet!

#1 LaRosa
#1 Sausage
#4 Jelena Kevic-Djurdjevic
#9 Mico Suayan
Mmmmm… sausage
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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by Juki »

Great covers on your top 10 list DBS! :clap: I enjoyed the rational and comments for each.

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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by Sunlight on Snow »

Okay, trying to pick 10 covers from 10 different artists here.

I like minimalism!

David Baron
Tough decision. This one wins over the variant for Knowhere Comics feat. Harada.

Image

JKD
It shouldn't be an easy decision because all her covers are great but it has got to be this one...

Image

Mico Suayan
Image

Lewis LaRosa
This one because of the view.....
Image

Tula Lotay
Masterpiece!
Image

There's got to be some Shadowman and David Mack on this list, too.
I wish there was a limited edition set of the four background Shadowman as virgin covers.
Image

Doug Braithwaite
Image

Travel Foreman
Image

Emanuela Lupacchino
FLAMINGO! (Beating Zonjic's Alyssa Myles. I'm sorry Alyssa!)
Image

Last not least.....Sina Grace's Broken Angel (beating Kano's).
So simple yet so elegant and beautiful.
Image

Honorable mention....Dave Johnson, Raul Allen, Trevor Hairsine.
I just couldn't make decision for one of their covers right now.

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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by Sunlight on Snow »

DirtbagSailor wrote: Sun Jul 12, 2020 2:44:45 pm Imperium #2 by Lewis LaRosa
This cover is actually a homage to WW2 Nazi propaganda artwork, depicting Toyo Harada instead of Adolf Hitler. Toyo is prepared to lead his army of Harbingers to triumphant victory, holding the Harbinger Foundation flag high as a peaceful dove soars high in the sky above, as rays of sunlight break through the clouds to almost show the world that Toyo is God's chosen leader, ready to usher in the new age of mankind.

How Toyo sees himself in his own mind.
I'm just glad they didn't make this Cover A of the debut issue.

That would have been absolutely borderline, shocking, and I would have never picked up a single issue of Imperium.

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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by Sunlight on Snow »

DirtbagSailor wrote: Sun Jul 12, 2020 2:44:45 pm Unity #10 by Mico Suayan
Livewire and Gin-Gr. Armor Hunters. This cover depicts the beginning of what was to come, and continues to be.
This one was on my mind, too. That adorable giant robot! :thumb:

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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by kjjohanson »

I love some of Jim Mahfood's covers. I bought the original art for his Q&W cover.

Was going to add the image, but imgur is being a *SQUEE* and that was how I shared images here.

Would love to see a Mahfood Punk Mambo cover.
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Re: Top 10 Valiant covers

Post by Sunlight on Snow »

Someone else posted images via https://postimages.org/ the other day.

Not a cover but since I didn't use any of Raul Allen's covers in my top 10......

https://i.postimg.cc/VNBJWFyZ/RAI-PROTECTS-YOU.jpg

Image


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