4001 AD #4 Discussion

[Keith]

Huh... ok, well, that was nice. Kinda feels like a ton of seeds were just planted, and no indication of how they might payoff. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this marked the end of Kindt's run on Rai. It has that feel of "wrapped up" that Valiant goes for in other 25 issue runs.

I'm also left wondering if this event could've been equally as served as Rai #13 - #16. My feeling is that the level of story told in just the 4001 AD issues could've just been issues of Rai. On the other hand, we wouldn't have had the tie in issues.

Ranking of events so far:

1) Armor Hunters
2) Harbinger Wars
3) Book of Death
4) 4001 AD

nonplayer won't be thrilled with the lack of Momo.

[nonplayer]

Huh... ok, well, that was nice. Kinda feels like a ton of seeds were just planted, and no indication of how they might payoff. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this marked the end of Kindt's run on Rai. It has that feel of "wrapped up" that Valiant goes for in other 25 issue runs.

I'm also left wondering if this event could've been equally as served as Rai #13 - #16. My feeling is that the level of story told in just the 4001 AD issues could've just been issues of Rai. On the other hand, we wouldn't have had the tie in issues.

Ranking of events so far:

1) Armor Hunters
2) Harbinger Wars
3) Book of Death
4) 4001 AD

nonplayer won't be thrilled with the lack of Momo.

I love you man thanks for the shout out. that was the first thing I thought of half way reading your post. I am disappointed. Momo is Rai's love interest they just expressed their feelings for one another and she dies in a lame way. With out certainty. I guess shes dead. It's sad new love lost. Will Rai find another. Momo was my favorite of the series.

[greg]

I love you man thanks for the shout out. that was the first thing I thought of half way reading your post. I am disappointed. Momo is Rai's love interest they just expressed their feelings for one another and she dies in a lame way. With out certainty. I guess shes dead. It's sad new love lost. Will Rai find another. Momo was my favorite of the series.

First rule of comic book character deaths... if you don't see the death, it didn't happen.
Second rule of comic book character deaths... if you do see the death, it won't stick.

[Brapbrap]

what was the point of having sunlight on snow in this story...

[nonplayer]

I love you man thanks for the shout out. that was the first thing I thought of half way reading your post. I am disappointed. Momo is Rai's love interest they just expressed their feelings for one another and she dies in a lame way. With out certainty. I guess shes dead. It's sad new love lost. Will Rai find another. Momo was my favorite of the series.

First rule of comic book character deaths... if you don't see the death, it didn't happen.
Second rule of comic book character deaths... if you do see the death, it won't stick.

Vcr hasn't said anything about her. I read the comic and very depressed now. I've taken the rest of the day off from work to morn. Hopefully Atom let's me know if she is infact dead.

[Keith]

what was the point of having sunlight on snow in this story...

Fan-gasm and (hopefully) setting up a fascinating story explaining how he got imprisoned by Father and what he does in the year of 4002.

[greg]

what was the point of having sunlight on snow in this story...

Fan-gasm and (hopefully) setting up a fascinating story explaining how he got imprisoned by Father and what he does in the year of 4002.

There was a theory that Father was some future version of the artificial intelligence that was Sunlight on Snow.

The fact that Sunlight on Snow is still around in 4002 means that is still a possibility. Imagine believing that Father has finally been destroyed, when he's actually the gold robot hiding in plain sight right beside you.

Or... alternatively... Father imprisoned Sunlight on Snow because he/it was afraid of Sunlight on Snow's knowledge/ability to stop him.

[nonplayer]

Sunlight on snow I doubt is capable of that. He's also alot more humble.
If anyone goes to a comicon and you see Valiant reps. Please ask about Momo?

[grendeljd]

If anyone would like to hear our OTV:VCR podcast discussing/reviewing this issue (& XO #49, & Bloodshot: Reborn #16), please follow the link;

http://onlythevaliant.com/episodes/vcr80/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks to any who listen in

[jmatt]

Fantastic wrap up. Poetic, poignant and gorgeous. This is some of Crain's best work.

I guess the big mystery still stands: Who was Father? But perhaps it wasn't a mystery at all. A lot of us speculated that it was Harada. It may simply be the case that Father had no connection to previous VEI characters other than being the creation of livewire particles. If there was some big reveal to be had, we'd have seen it by now.

Great issue.

[mateo107]

well, I thought as an event 4001 was kind of underwhelming.

2 pages of recap, then 6 pages wrapping up the final battle. The rest of the issue was an epilogue.
Rai just beats Father by hitting him with his sword. It wasn't a memorable fight, there wasn't any plan, strategy, or defining moment to it.
Did Eternal Warrior even need to be there for any reason? Same for Sunlight on Snow.
We never even saw any of the characters from the one-shots.
All the questions from before this series are still unanswered.

It set up a new scenario for 4002, but all it did was move pieces around. It didn't really feel like there was any payoff to reading it.

[nonplayer]

well, I thought as an event 4001 was kind of underwhelming.

2 pages of recap, then 6 pages wrapping up the final battle. The rest of the issue was an epilogue.
Rai just beats Father by hitting him with his sword. It wasn't a memorable fight, there wasn't any plan, strategy, or defining moment to it.
Did Eternal Warrior even need to be there for any reason? Same for Sunlight on Snow.
We never even saw any of the characters from the one-shots.
All the questions from before this series are still unanswered.

It set up a new scenario for 4002, but all it did was move pieces around. It didn't really feel like there was any payoff to reading it.

Thank you for saying this. First off I love Valiant and won't complete quit supporting them. I only buy one other comic TWD. What you mentioned here is something that's bugged me for a wile. In general alot of the recent stories have been underwhelming. It seams like they purposefully make alot of new and unanswered questions. What I liked about old Valiant was the connection to other titles and the wow moments through out.
I need pay outs. Not just a big lead up to nothing then another big huge lead up to something that ends in nothing.
Personally the 4001 arc didn't really do it for me. And it all has to do with Momo.

[jmatt]

Rai just beats Father by hitting him with his sword. It wasn't a memorable fight, there wasn't any plan, strategy, or defining moment to it.
Did Eternal Warrior even need to be there for any reason? Same for Sunlight on Snow.

I think it was memorable, with the loss of Lemur and the final confrontation on that deck being fairly dramatic. And there certainly was an ad-hoc plan, using the X-O Knight to get back and releasing the captive warriors like SoS and the Warmarines; not to mention the bomb Lula planted earlier on.

But I will agree that Rai's victory with his sword was rather simple. It could have been more dramatic if he summoned the spirits of former Rais to form a spiritual sword that enabled him to do so.

"Father, many generations of Rai have merge-traveled through New Japan over the last thousand years doing your bidding. I know, because each time I did so, I could feel their presence. They are here, with us now, watching.

I call upon the Rai spirits to join me in defeating this oppression. Coalesce, now, in the form of ... Odachi!"

There's a tremendous flash and a sword hovers horizontally in the air before Rai.

Rai steps forward and wields the sword in the classic tonbo-no-kamae stance. He steps forward and with a single blow, cleaves Father in two.

"You are defeated. By all of us."

Now the character has a magic-imbued signature weapon going forward. Perhaps it talks to him. Perhaps it argues with him. Perhaps it guides him.

[greg]

Rai says "Two thousand years is long enough" for Father's control.

That means Father is already in the present Valiant Universe.

[Keith]

Missed it before... The last image of Rai fighting a dragon, with 2017 under it. No big shock, but seems to confirm more Rai on the way next year.

[QUARTZ]

Missed it before... The last image of Rai fighting a dragon, with 2017 under it. No big shock, but seems to confirm more Rai on the way next year.

I took that as more of an end-cap, but I like your take better! I want more Rai!

[nonplayer]

I want the story "rise of new Japan" if Rai's in it fine.
And I'm still peeved about Momo.

[ShadowTuga]

I really liked it, but can not shake the feeling this was just another Rai arc, although an important one, of course. Loved the Future Force, btw.
Entertaing stuff, but VEI better give us something more ALL OF THE VEI UNIVERSE IS HERE in 2017. Am I the only one who wants to see Harada and Darque together???

[Tony_H]

well, I thought as an event 4001 was kind of underwhelming.

2 pages of recap, then 6 pages wrapping up the final battle. The rest of the issue was an epilogue.
Rai just beats Father by hitting him with his sword. It wasn't a memorable fight, there wasn't any plan, strategy, or defining moment to it.
Did Eternal Warrior even need to be there for any reason? Same for Sunlight on Snow.
We never even saw any of the characters from the one-shots.
All the questions from before this series are still unanswered.

It set up a new scenario for 4002, but all it did was move pieces around. It didn't really feel like there was any payoff to reading it.

Yep. I completely agree.

[jeremycoe]

I really liked it, but can not shake the feeling this was just another Rai arc, although an important one, of course. Loved the Future Force, btw.
Entertaing stuff, but VEI better give us something more ALL OF THE VEI UNIVERSE IS HERE in 2017. Am I the only one who wants to see Harada and Darque together???

Kindt stated in the Valiant panel at Rose City CC that it started out as an arc of Rai, before the editors proposed to expand it.

[nonplayer]

I really liked it, but can not shake the feeling this was just another Rai arc, although an important one, of course. Loved the Future Force, btw.
Entertaing stuff, but VEI better give us something more ALL OF THE VEI UNIVERSE IS HERE in 2017. Am I the only one who wants to see Harada and Darque together???

Kindt stated in the Valiant panel at Rose City CC that it started out as an arc of Rai, before the editors proposed to expand it.

I like it expanded. And if they didn't expand it then we wouldn't have had a Valiant summer event

[jmatt]

I like it expanded. And if they didn't expand it then we wouldn't have had a Valiant summer event

Same here. Or the 4001 tie in books like future Bloodshot and War Mother.

[nonplayer]

I like it expanded. And if they didn't expand it then we wouldn't have had a Valiant summer event

Same here. Or the 4001 tie in books like future Bloodshot and War Mother.

Exactly.
In Valiant I trust
Not to mention the 4001 time capsule was awesome.

[QUARTZ]

I just can't wait for more War Mother. Rogue Trooper is one of my favorite comics ever and I definitely got those vibes from it.

[Dallow Spicer1]

I thought this was an enjoyable wrap up and the fact new Japan is scattered all over earth bring endless story opportunities for the future so I think Kindt did an excellent job.

Having seen Cafu draw Rai, I think I prefer his clearer art to Crain's (which can lack clarity sometimes) so hopefully that change remains for whatever comes next.

4/5

In terms of events I'd go...

Armor Hunters
Harbinger Wars
4001ad (one shots not as good as BOD though)

Big gap...
The Valiant (issue #3 - worst issue ever)

Bit more of a gap.....
Book of Death (although the one shots were superb!)