The DBS Collection Gallery

[DirtbagSailor]

Britannia #3 (Gorham Variant) (2016) Original Cover Art framed with all four original preliminary cover sketch concepts by Adam Gorham.

[DirtbagSailor]

X-O Manowar #44 (Segovia 1:20 Variant) (2012) Original Cover Art by Stephan Segovia.

[DirtbagSailor]

Archer & Armstrong #11 (Perez Variant) (2012) Original Cover Art by Pere Perez.

[DirtbagSailor]

Harbinger: Bleeding Monk #0 (2014) Page #22 Original Interior Page Art by Mico Suayan.

[DirtbagSailor]

Bloodshot: Reborn #1 (LaRosa Variant) (2015) Original Cover Art by Lewis LaRosa.

Is that Kay McHenry?

Is that Magic?

I was talking with Lewis in early 2015 about purchasing his original cover art for Divinity #1 (LaRosa 1:40 Variant), Divinity #2 (LaRosa 1:30 Variant), Ninjak #1 (LaRosa Regular), Unity #17 (LaRosa Regular), and Imperium #2 (LaRosa 1:25).

While LaRosa offered a compelling and/or fair price, I was unable to financially justify buying all of his covers (at that time) and made the decision to NOT purchase the original cover art for Divinity #1 (LaRosa 1:40 Variant) and Divinity #2 (LaRosa 1:30 Variant). CLEARLY, I regret the decision to not purchase both Divinity covers as they would have later been the perfect compliments in completing my Divinity collection.

While completing our deal for Ninjak #1, Unity #17, and Imperium #2, Lewis offered to include this Bloodshot: Reborn cover as part of a four cover package deal. At the time, it appeared that this was going to be the cover for Bloodshot: Reborn #2; however, I was pleasantly surprised to later discover that this cover would be not only used for Bloodshot: Reborn #1, but also for the Bloodshot: Reborn #1 (LaRosa 1:100 Sketch Variant).

[DirtbagSailor]

Harbinger #18 (Robinson 1:20 Variant) (2012) Original Cover Art by Andrew Robinson.

I watched this cover go unsold for YEARS, but was unable to justify purchasing it whenever I would think about it (I usually had another art deal pending). However, over time this piece really grew on me, as it is not only a visually stunning, iconic and memorable Harbinger cover that perfectly represents that period of Valiant history, but also because it features Pete, Faith, and Flamingo in action with the Bleeding Monk watching in the background.

And that shoe.

That shoe is awesome.

In the final published version, the shoe was altered to be a solid and plain color, and a floating/meditating image of the Bleeding Monk was super imposed over the face of the Bleeding Monk as seen on the original cover art. Additionally, bullets were super imposed later as well in the final published version.

It is also interesting to note that this cover was listed for sale initially as the cover for Harbinger Wars #1 which was released in 2013 several months prior to the release of Harbinger #18. Was this cover intended to be used for Harbinger Wars #1? Highly possible.

[DirtbagSailor]

Shadowman #1 (Johnson 1:20 Variant) (2012) Original Cover Art by Dave Johnson.

I was scanning the internet for available Valiant original art, when I stumbled across Johnson's cover for Shadowman #1!

This was a few years after it's release, and to be honest, I was shocked that it was still available. I immediately purchased it.

Since then, a number of collectors have told me that had they known this cover was available, they would have snagged it up years ago without hesitation.

[DirtbagSailor]

X-O Manowar #11 (Nord Pullbox Variant) (2012) Original Cover Art by Cary Nord.

SOLD TO A SUPER FAN!

[DirtbagSailor]

War Mother - Original Character Design Art & Creator Notes by Andres Guinaldo.

Ana (War Mother) first appeared in Book of Death #1 as a cameo character the background of a double page spread that also featured the first appearances of a significant number of characters.

However, the War Mother that would later be published did not appear until 4001 A.D. War Mother #1, which used Guinaldo's version of Ana depicted below.

[DirtbagSailor]

The Life and Death of Toyo Harada #6 original cover art by Mico Suayan.

[DirtbagSailor]

The Life and Death of Toyo Harada #1 Page #1 original art by Mico Suayan.

[DirtbagSailor]

The Life and Death of Toyo Harada #1 original cover art by David Baron.

[DirtbagSailor]

Psi-Lords #1 original cover art by Alan Quah.

[DirtbagSailor]

The Life and Death of Toyo Harada #1 original cover art by CAFU.

[DirtbagSailor]

The Life and Death of Toyo Harada #4 original cover art by Mico Suayan.

[cthulhu73]

Man you have some GORGEOUS stuff. Especially like that X-O cover by LaRussa.

Hard to believe Savage was 2016 and nothing since, basically. I thought that was supposed to be a key new character.

[DirtbagSailor]

Man you have some GORGEOUS stuff. Especially like that X-O cover by LaRosa.

The story behind this one was pretty sweet. I attended NC Comic Con during the Fall of 2016, and met up with Dinesh who was talking to fans at the Valiant booth. I was dressed up as Woody (from Quantum and Woody) and stopped by to shoot the breeze with him about comics, artwork, and whatever.



Dinesh tells me that exciting things are coming, and that Lewis LaRosa was drawing the cover for an upcoming X-O Manowar #1 that would be released in 2017. That it would look similar in style to the classic Star Wars, Dune, Battle Star Galactica, etc. epic movie posters.

Well, I IMMEDIATELY shot Lewis LaRosa a message; possibly standing right there at the Valiant booth lol!

I told Lewis that "IF" by some random chance (wink wink) that he was working on any ***NEW*** X-O Manowar covers, I would love the opportunity to have 1st dibs one it. Turns out that I was the 1st guy to ask, so I got the 1st shot.

Because the trade dress on the cover was HUGE (like 40% of the cover) Lewis had to add an extra inch of artwork to each side to extend the width of the page and make it fit. This is also why Aric's energy sword overlaps into the trade dress, as 1.) it looks cool, and 2.) the alternative was to re-draw the cover or to cut off most of Aric's energy sword.

It wasn't cheap, and others later told me that they too had contacted Lewis for the cover. Certainly one of my favorite pieces.

Hard to believe Savage was 2016 and nothing since, basically. I thought that was supposed to be a key new character.

Not sure what happened with Savage. He was a big deal, but then, nothing (last seen exiting the Faraway through a portal into London). I suspect that plans did exist, however, with the DMG craziness and re-shuffling at Valiant it is likely that Savage plans were simply overlooked, ignored, or put on hold.

We know that Savage will appear again in 2020, so we will finally see what Valiant plans to do with the character soon enough.