Spoke with Dark Horse

valiantdude · Post by **valiantdude** » Wed May 19, 2004 2:57 pm

I spoke with a a rep. from DHC the other day on the phone. to make a long story short, the Magnus HC will be released in Oct. the HC will be a limited edition with a softcover to follow. I begged him for some kind of reall nice version with a low(500) print run, he thought that that would be a good idea. But just to stress, the HC will be limited, and then replaced by a TPB. Based on the sales of the Magnus HC , it will determine, if they will reprint the old solar and turok. But they said they were probably going to do it anyway. They are going to get Jim to write the intro. and try to get Russ amnning to do some *new* art for the HC. Pretty cool huh?

whetteon · Post by **whetteon** » Wed May 19, 2004 3:29 pm

Freaking awesome news bro. Well done.

qrnd · Post by **qrnd** » Wed May 19, 2004 3:43 pm

New Manning Magnus art will be a real treat.

sonicdan · Post by **sonicdan** » Wed May 19, 2004 7:07 pm

Sounds great and I can't wait!

I work at a bookstore and we carry a lot of TPBs.
(I get a nice discount on 'em too!

)
I'll be sure to order some extras for store stock
and suggest sales.
DAN

cinlach@aol.com · Post by **cinlach@aol.com** » Wed May 19, 2004 9:38 pm

<drool>
how much are the hardcovers gonna run?
i would love to own one for sure. i love those old gold key/whitman books...they're the reason i'm into valiant today.
awesome stuff.

magnusr · Post by **magnusr** » Thu May 20, 2004 1:00 am

valiantdude wrote:I spoke with a a rep. from DHC the other day on the phone. to make a long story short, the Magnus HC will be released in Oct. the HC will be a limited edition with a softcover to follow.

I'm sure gonna buy both of them.

I begged him for some kind of reall nice version with a low(500) print run, he thought that that would be a good idea.

I agree.

But just to stress, the HC will be limited, and then replaced by a TPB. Based on the sales of the Magnus HC , it will determine, if they will reprint the old solar and turok. But they said they were probably going to do it anyway. They are going to get Jim to write the intro. and try to get Russ amnning to do some *new* art for the HC. Pretty cool huh?

Unfortunately Russ Manning will not be able to do new art, may he rest in piece, but maybe they can dig up some of the sketches that's been seen in fanzines.

I am looking forward to this.

/Magnus

valiantdude · Post by **valiantdude** » Thu May 20, 2004 2:30 pm

Actually, the DH rep. told me that Russ Manning is still alive, because i thought he was dead too. Still kicking,thats what they say. I'd imagine that it'll cost around $50 for the HC. I just think its way cool that someone is finally realizing the sales potential of these books. The rep. told me he knows that there is still a core base for these charachters, which he told me was about 10-20,000. I asked them(just like i asked checker) about reprinting old Valiants. He told me the rights for those charachters are as he put it "in legal limbo hell", and who owns what will probably be always up in the air. It would be impossible to reprint comics with characters owned by Random House, and Acclaim, in the same comic. So they could probably reprint Magnus 0-4, and Solar 0-4, and that is about it on the Valiant end. Which would still be cool if done in high quality. I also think it is cool that they are reprinting the old Solar, and Turok. When ibooks drops the ball, which they will, i hope someone realizes, based on the sales of the new reprints, that there is still a market for Valiant if it is done correctly.

Steve Topper · Post by **Steve Topper** » Fri May 21, 2004 8:20 am

According to http://www.angelfire.com/trek/erbzine16/erbz830.html,

Russ's work on Star Wars was brought to a disappointing halt when he was diagnosed with cancer and was forced to turn the project over to Al Williamson. He spent his final year battling the disease and experimenting with a variety of leisurely paced art pursuits for his own enjoyment and relaxation. Russ Manning died at the Long beach Veteran's Hospital on December 1, 1981. He was 52.

So if the Dark Horse rep thinks he's alive, he's mistaken.

Steve

shaxper · Post by **shaxper** » Fri May 21, 2004 8:32 am

Didn't Captain Joner and the Aliens have original Russ Maning art? Did they just use art he created for a comic that never was??

myron · Post by **myron** » Fri May 21, 2004 8:35 am

shaxper wrote:Didn't Captain Joner and the Aliens have original Russ Maning art? Did they just use art he created for a comic that never was??

AFAIK they were complete reprints of mannings, just recolored by Carol Van Hook...they were originally secondary stories in magnus issues(?) ...little help here guys

Steve Topper · Post by **Steve Topper** » Fri May 21, 2004 8:48 am

Captain Johner and the Aliens compiled the Magnus backups. They had previously been compiled by Gold Key into a comic called the Aliens around 1967 (if I remember correctly.) So the Valiant book was, in fact, a reprint of the Magnus backups and did not contain (to my knowledge) any new Manning art.

Steve

rf1 · Post by **rf1** » Sat May 22, 2004 5:25 am

I seem to also recall reading that after Russ Manning passed away, one of the Comic Artist conventions in LA set up a Russ Manning prize or award for artists. I am afraid he is gone.

Did anyone ever figure out who drew the covers on the old Gold Key Magnus'? I don't think it was Russ.

magnusr · Post by **magnusr** » Sat May 22, 2004 5:39 am

rf1 wrote:Did anyone ever figure out who drew the covers on the old Gold Key Magnus'? I don't think it was Russ.

The drawn ones I don't know. The painted ones often by George Wilson. It is however said that Russ Manning did the layout for some of them.

/Magnus

VanHook · Post by **VanHook** » Sat May 22, 2004 10:54 pm

When we published the Valiant Comics, and they were successful, we sent a percentage of profits as a courtesy/thank you to Russ Manning's widow or estate.

He has most definitely passed away, sad to say.

Best,
KV

cinlach@aol.com · Post by **cinlach@aol.com** » Sat May 22, 2004 11:08 pm

i didnt know that kevin...that makes me feel good to know that by buying the valiant magnus issues i was supporting the family of the man who hooked me on the character to begin with.
so many of those early guys were forgotten...damn nice gesture.
hats off to you and all involved.

ManofTheAtom · Post by **ManofTheAtom** » Sun May 23, 2004 1:34 pm

When are these coming out and how much are they gonna cost?

I doubt I'll be able to buy them now, I'm gonna have to wait till the end of the year.

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