The Subversive Naming Conventions of Early Valiant Titles

[Ryan]

Hmm, it is only said that the one (Bloodshot) awakened by Geoff('s touch) is the first to survive the nanite infusion, however, it is never really explained why.....except for, maybe, being touched by Geoff.

The hero with both Harbinger abilities and the Blood is Takao Konishi, the Last Rai. His Harbinger ability let him force his will and motivation onto others. Again it was Geoff who talked to the Earth to find the spot where Grandmother's vault had crashed upon the Earth so that Takao could become the Last Rai (aka True Rai); at the end of Rai #0. He first uses his Harbinger ability during his Trump-like (:bugeyed:) "Greatness" speech at the beginning of Rai and the Future Force. It is then revealed as Harbinger ability a few issues later, when they're trying to save South Am.

Ahh thanks, I had it messed up. Interesting theory regarding Geoff, I think you're on to something there. It's too bad Geoff didn't appear more in Bloodshot.

[magnusr]

I seem to remember it being explained that Bloodshot (Mortalli) only survived the process because he was a latent Harbinger.

That's what it says in Secrets of the Valiant Universe. Written as Geoff McHenry presenting his own theory to Neville Alcott. Including the claim that the ability to control machines was Bloodshot's own Harbinger power.

/Magnus

[Ryan]

I seem to remember it being explained that Bloodshot (Mortalli) only survived the process because he was a latent Harbinger.

That's what it says in Secrets of the Valiant Universe. Written as Geoff McHenry presenting his own theory to Neville Alcott. Including the claim that the ability to control machines was Bloodshot's own Harbinger power.

/Magnus

Boom! That's what I thought I remembered, just wasn't sure where that was. Have to dig that one out. Thanks Magnus

[Ryan]

One of my favorite aspects of the early VH1 titles was how they weren't named after the actual main characters and/or the titles were actually antithetical to the main characters themselves—basically establishing the tone, before the first issues had even been released, of how Valiant would be openly defying established comic book tropes/conventions right from the outset.

Solar: Man of the Atom: Later in the series he reluctantly adopts the “Solar” name (perhaps because that’s what other people keep calling him) but he was always Phil Seleski, whereas “Solar: Man of the Atom” was always just a comic book character within the comic (with the possible exception of a brief time when part of Phil’s mind manifests itself physically in the form of the character).

Magnus Robot Fighter: The only early pre-Unity VH1 title specifically titled after the main character, yet the first storyline establishes very early on that he’s no longer a “Robot Fighter” but essentially the complete opposite.

Harbinger: While the protagonists are “Harbingers”, and they eventually come to be referred to as the “Harbinger Kids”, the title of the series is not “Harbingers” or “Harbinger Kids” but simply “Harbinger”, thus establishing that it’s named after the villainous Harbinger organization that they oppose, rather than the protagonists.

XO Manowar: The name of the type/class of armor the main character wears, as opposed to the character himself (despite—as was the case with Solar—other characters eventually referring to him as “XO”).

Rai: This one is debatable since the main character is indeed a Rai, but his name is Tohru Nakadai and he’s just one of dozens of Rai’s who have come before (and will come after) him. I supposed if it had been titled “The Rai”, it could be said that the title is specifically referring to him and only him, but instead they chose to title it as just “Rai”, i.e. the role rather than the character.

And, of course, if you compare the above to the VH1 titles which came afterwards, the difference is stark, with almost all subsequent titles following “standard” comic book naming conventions (with the possible exception of Geomancer, which also follows the “Rai” naming convention).

another one:
Dark Dominion - The protagonist is named Michael Alexander aka Glimmer.

Here's a quote from Shooter's blog explaining some of his thought process behind the name:

Anyway, I came up with Michael Alexander, custom designed for Steve Ditko. Since “Michael Alexander” didn’t seem to be a compelling enough title for the series, I called it Dark Dominion.I used the Nine Choirs of Angels as a structural model:1. Seraphim
2. Cherubim
3. Thrones
4. DOMINIONS
5. VIRTUES
6. Powers
7. Principalities
8. Archangels
9. Angels
There was never meant to be a direct religious inference, though one of the characters, “Mercy” was fond of quoting the Bible, especially the Book of Job. The idea was that these Angelic Ranks were states attainable by human beings. There also weren’t meant to be armies of such people, not even one of each. Very rare.

It was a science fiction take on a Biblical paradigm.

The antagonist, Charles Mal, called Chasm was a “Dominion,” and not nice, therefore a “Dark Dominion.” Michael Alexander was never in any way labeled as such, but I saw him as a “Virtue,” one power level below Mal.

I think its safe to say Shooter put a lot of thought into the book titles, beyond just slapping the protagonist's name on it. Thus the subversive naming conventions of early Valiant titles.

[leonmallett]

How ironic that the actual Rai 0 depicts the creation of Rai "the Last".

Also ironic is that Rai 0 marks the point where Valiant goes from subversive, intelligent title naming to the cringiest of all titles, Rai and the Future Force

How the configuration of that title for a book came to pass baffles me.

[Ryan]

How ironic that the actual Rai 0 depicts the creation of Rai "the Last".

Also ironic is that Rai 0 marks the point where Valiant goes from subversive, intelligent title naming to the cringiest of all titles, Rai and the Future Force

How the configuration of that title for a book came to pass baffles me.

You're not kidding. It sounds like a bad Golden Age sci-fi name designed for 8 year old kids. Not to mention obviously the characters wouldn't see themselves as being in the 'future', so they would never be able to use that name in the actual stories.

One of the other great things about the 'subversive' titles like Dark Dominion, Harbinger, X-O, Star Brand, etc. is that if the books continued over many years they could easily survive the protagonist(s) dying or switching protagonists altogether, since the title of the book is about something broader.

[ManofTheAtom]

Regarding the Post-Unity solicits from Previews May 1992, my discussion with Jim Shooter from some years back revealed the following:
Jillian Alcott
While Unity #0 ("Ends Of The Earth") made it clear Gilad understood Jillian Alcott was almost certainly dying as he was summoned to Geoff, he did toss her the gun as he vanished. This would seem to suggest she was going to survive. Shooter has stated the reason for this is because he intended for her to be a romantic interest for Gilad, eventually. No "till death do us part," because, unlike Aram, Gilad couldn't deal with partners who passed away in, to him, a blink of an eye.

Andar the Geomancer and Geoff McHenry's death?
Regarding Andar potentially planned to replace Geoff McHenry as Geomancer, members here might remember in Solar, Man of the Atom #14, it was claimed "Solar brings Andar, the new Geomancer, into modern day Earth and sets out to right the ravages of UNITY." Prior to Dark Key, Shooter rewrote what Faye Perozich wrote for Magnus, Robot Fighter #12 ("Stone And Steel"), and he felt no need for Andaar to have a role in the Unity crossover at that point, and he was only there because Turok came to our time.

X-O Manowar
In Rai #0, Shooter had Aric Dacia send his X-O armour into space. He apparently had a plan for where it would end up, who would find it and when.

Solar's stalker
Shooter has stated that the character called Zachariah Muldoon who was stalking Solar had nothing to do with him.

Project: Rising Spirit
He didn't intend the character Bloodshot, but that Project: Rising Spirit would instead culminate in a new character, Jōshō Seishin (imbued with The Blood of Heroes). If the character wasn't going to be equivalent to what we saw with Bloodshot (basically the Punisher driven by nanites), the jury is still out on what powered Jōshō/Rai. Rai in Japanese is the masculine for trust, lightning and thunder, so a thunder god of sorts?

The Blood of Heroes
How could it be so valued over 2,000 years into the future (i.e. 4,100AD) when technology would have become so much more advanced in the interim? Otherwise was the original power not from our era but somewhere else?

Rai
Tohru Nakadai could use his Rai power to form weapons, which seemed beyond the capability of The Blood of Heroes. If not nanites, and more thunder, how?

Grandmother
Shooter saw Grandmother as similar to 1-A, a robot who achieved freewill by means of some disruptive event that broke down programming. His origin story, Magnus #0, he wrote for Dark Horse, never published, gave sense to his inclinations.

Eternal Warrior
He didn’t intend for Gilad and Aram to have a third brother, i.e. Ivar, believing the character violated established continuity.

The Harbinger strain
Shooter has stated he had no such plan to reveal Gilad as the forefather of all Harbingers or simply the first one, so what the solicit means is still a mystery.

Laugher in the Dark
He never intended the Laugher in the Dark/Master Darque to be revealed as a big bad in Rai #0.

Shooter did have vast and far-reaching plans for Valiant, which we sadly were prevented from seeing (same as Chris Claremont’s intended Dark Wolverine & Shadow King Sagas).

Very cool!