Induction
Moderators: Daniel Jackson, greg
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Johnseye
- Is it Dee-no or Die-no? Dunno.
- Posts: 524
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 9:00:22 am
- Valiant fan since: I think it was 1991
- Favorite title: Rai
- Location: Third Coast
Induction
I've been wanting to tell my story for a little while but keep getting sidetracked reading others.
I was a late bloomer to comic books. I had a few here and there as a kid but I didn't get hooked until I was 22. I was living in downtown Chicago and a comic shop opened up around the corner. I would walk by all the time and check out the cool art in the window. Then one day I thought I'd pop in for a closer look. This was 1992. I started chatting with the owner picking his brain for what was what and trying to get a handle on the vast worlds out there. I was particularly interested in his stories about artists and execs from Marvel and DC starting new companies. This was the dawn of a new age in comic books. I picked up a few Valiant and Image books, I don't remember the issues but one was a Solar and another Spawn. After reading those books I returned to the store and picked up different titles and more Solar issues. I did read a few more Image books but really wasn't drawn to the stories or art the way I was to Valiant. Valiant's colors were really brilliant and the story lines much more mature. After reading the latest issues of most Valiant books I began looking at the back issues and man were they pricy. I remember paying $75 for a Solar #2. At that point I was hooked. It was the most I'd paid for a comic and a hard decision but I wanted to read the story.
Then the Comicon came to Chicago. I was truly excited. I put all my first issues in my backpack and headed off to get them signed. There I shook hands with Shooter, Windsor Smith, Lee, McFarlane and many many more. They were signing books, giving speaches and pushing their fledgling companies. It was an amazing experience. I kept buying books, mostly Valiant but some others as well for another two years. Then I stopped buying comics. I think it was because some of the women I was dating at the time thought it was childish. Years went by and I forgot about the comics as they sat in a box in the closet. The women drifted away, I got married and the comics sat in the closet. Then a couple months ago we moved. When we were unpacking it came time to put the comics back in the closet I thought it would be good to revisit the stories. It had been over ten years since I read them so it is almost like reading them for the first time.
So, here I am re-reading the Valiant stories, filling in the gaps that were left before. Now I can read the entire Solar and Harbinger runs, which were my favorites. I'm also reading the first several books of other titles and picking up some rare issues as I have caught the collecting bug. A lot has changed since 1992. It's a tragedy that Valiant and Image didn't make it to the Marvel and DC level. It's a bigger tragedy that other companies haven't taken their place. I've taken a look at a few Marvel and DC titles but there's nothing like Valiant and nothing like jumping into a brand new comic universe from its birth.
John
I was a late bloomer to comic books. I had a few here and there as a kid but I didn't get hooked until I was 22. I was living in downtown Chicago and a comic shop opened up around the corner. I would walk by all the time and check out the cool art in the window. Then one day I thought I'd pop in for a closer look. This was 1992. I started chatting with the owner picking his brain for what was what and trying to get a handle on the vast worlds out there. I was particularly interested in his stories about artists and execs from Marvel and DC starting new companies. This was the dawn of a new age in comic books. I picked up a few Valiant and Image books, I don't remember the issues but one was a Solar and another Spawn. After reading those books I returned to the store and picked up different titles and more Solar issues. I did read a few more Image books but really wasn't drawn to the stories or art the way I was to Valiant. Valiant's colors were really brilliant and the story lines much more mature. After reading the latest issues of most Valiant books I began looking at the back issues and man were they pricy. I remember paying $75 for a Solar #2. At that point I was hooked. It was the most I'd paid for a comic and a hard decision but I wanted to read the story.
Then the Comicon came to Chicago. I was truly excited. I put all my first issues in my backpack and headed off to get them signed. There I shook hands with Shooter, Windsor Smith, Lee, McFarlane and many many more. They were signing books, giving speaches and pushing their fledgling companies. It was an amazing experience. I kept buying books, mostly Valiant but some others as well for another two years. Then I stopped buying comics. I think it was because some of the women I was dating at the time thought it was childish. Years went by and I forgot about the comics as they sat in a box in the closet. The women drifted away, I got married and the comics sat in the closet. Then a couple months ago we moved. When we were unpacking it came time to put the comics back in the closet I thought it would be good to revisit the stories. It had been over ten years since I read them so it is almost like reading them for the first time.
So, here I am re-reading the Valiant stories, filling in the gaps that were left before. Now I can read the entire Solar and Harbinger runs, which were my favorites. I'm also reading the first several books of other titles and picking up some rare issues as I have caught the collecting bug. A lot has changed since 1992. It's a tragedy that Valiant and Image didn't make it to the Marvel and DC level. It's a bigger tragedy that other companies haven't taken their place. I've taken a look at a few Marvel and DC titles but there's nothing like Valiant and nothing like jumping into a brand new comic universe from its birth.
John
Last edited by Johnseye on Mon Jun 20, 2011 2:01:29 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Rufusharley
- donkey-shorts!..uhh i mean..danke schön!
- Posts: 6431
- Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:49:32 am
- Location: Charleston, SC
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Rufusharley
- donkey-shorts!..uhh i mean..danke schön!
- Posts: 6431
- Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:49:32 am
- Location: Charleston, SC
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Elveen
- I sell comics, I collect Valiant.
- Posts: 25252
- Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2006 2:44:48 am
- Location: Educating the future of America, or something like that
Hola Compadre....
how cool to be reading those VALIANTS for "the first time..."
I spent my summer reading my VALIANTS and trying to finish my VH1 run... so I have read a bunch of "new" VALIANTS this summer.
there are so many dudes here that will help you get the books you need...
read the old threads and post often.....
welcome to the madness.......
how cool to be reading those VALIANTS for "the first time..."
I spent my summer reading my VALIANTS and trying to finish my VH1 run... so I have read a bunch of "new" VALIANTS this summer.
there are so many dudes here that will help you get the books you need...
read the old threads and post often.....
welcome to the madness.......
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96Valiantfan
- You gotta have Faith!
- Posts: 817
- Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:06:09 am
- Location: Waterbury CT.
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ibreakhorses
- ...it has been down hill ever since.
- Posts: 3988
- Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:18:44 am
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Second_Death
- Clinkin' bottles with Aram
- Posts: 2589
- Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 11:59:45 pm
- Location: A little south of sanity.
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cobra_commander
- Dude...one word - Pterodactyls!
- Posts: 7105
- Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2006 7:38:45 am
- Location: In front of my xbox 360
...just kidding)
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betterthanezra
- Wanna see an unpublished Shadowman page?
- Posts: 12342
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 12:18:28 am
- Valiant fan since: 1991
- Favorite writer: Josh Dysart
- Location: Scoot over, I have to get in behind you.
Welcome Nice story..
-Brian
-Brian
I'm on Twitter follow me
https://twitter.com/#!/shadowsip" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
My Valiant story here
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=6932" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://twitter.com/#!/shadowsip" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
My Valiant story here
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=6932" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;