Catching Up

[ManofTheAtom]

A friend lent me their trades, so I'm catching up on what I missed. I'm up to 2019. Just finished Forgotten Queen yesterday.

[Ize]

What did you think of it?

[ManofTheAtom]

What did you think of it?

I wish it had been more focused on the reveal that she is an Anni-Padda rather than left that for infodump at the end.

She really didn't come off as the protagonist of the mini-series, that role went to the scientist looking for the armor. And the connection between the present day and backstory wasn't really that strong.

This should have been a story of self-discovery for Vexana (I think that's her name without checking), but the information was just given to her, it wasn't really earned.

You?

[Ize]

What did you think of it?

I wish it had been more focused on the reveal that she is an Anni-Padda rather than left that for infodump at the end.

She really didn't come off as the protagonist of the mini-series, that role went to the scientist looking for the armor. And the connection between the present day and backstory wasn't really that strong.

This should have been a story of self-discovery for Vexana (I think that's her name without checking), but the information was just given to her, it wasn't really earned.

You?

To be fair it has been a while sine i read the story, but i i found it so-so.

I agree that they should of focused more on her being an Anni-Padda. It would of been more interesting if she knew that earlier in the series.
I found her history over the ages and the link to Unity pretty cool.

The story could've been executed better. I wasn't hungry for more after reading it. But i had this feeling with most characters during DMG Valiant period.

Was good to see her again in Eternal Warriors, before Ivar ended that

[ManofTheAtom]

What did you think of it?

I wish it had been more focused on the reveal that she is an Anni-Padda rather than left that for infodump at the end.

She really didn't come off as the protagonist of the mini-series, that role went to the scientist looking for the armor. And the connection between the present day and backstory wasn't really that strong.

This should have been a story of self-discovery for Vexana (I think that's her name without checking), but the information was just given to her, it wasn't really earned.

You?

To be fair it has been a while sine i read the story, but i i found it so-so.

I agree that they should of focused more on her being an Anni-Padda. It would of been more interesting if she knew that earlier in the series.
I found her history over the ages and the link to Unity pretty cool.

The story could've been executed better. I wasn't hungry for more after reading it. But i had this feeling with most characters during DMG Valiant period.

Was good to see her again in Eternal Warriors, before Ivar ended that

Haven't read that one yet.

Honestly, not a big fan of VEI's Unity team, particularly the multiple incarnations.

[grendeljd]

What did you think of it?

I wish it had been more focused on the reveal that she is an Anni-Padda rather than left that for infodump at the end.

She really didn't come off as the protagonist of the mini-series, that role went to the scientist looking for the armor. And the connection between the present day and backstory wasn't really that strong.

This should have been a story of self-discovery for Vexana (I think that's her name without checking), but the information was just given to her, it wasn't really earned.

You?

To be fair it has been a while sine i read the story, but i i found it so-so.

I agree that they should of focused more on her being an Anni-Padda. It would of been more interesting if she knew that earlier in the series.
I found her history over the ages and the link to Unity pretty cool.

The story could've been executed better. I wasn't hungry for more after reading it. But i had this feeling with most characters during DMG Valiant period.

Was good to see her again in Eternal Warriors, before Ivar ended that

Haven't read that one yet.

Honestly, not a big fan of VEI's Unity team, particularly the multiple incarnations.

I enjoyed the Unity series up to a point - but I also wasn’t really a fan of the echoes of unity teams in the past, and while I do enjoy Matt Kindts stories in general, when he started doing too much word-play with established names like Unit-Y and Ninja-K it was getting to be a bit much.

[ManofTheAtom]

What did you think of it?

I wish it had been more focused on the reveal that she is an Anni-Padda rather than left that for infodump at the end.

She really didn't come off as the protagonist of the mini-series, that role went to the scientist looking for the armor. And the connection between the present day and backstory wasn't really that strong.

This should have been a story of self-discovery for Vexana (I think that's her name without checking), but the information was just given to her, it wasn't really earned.

You?

To be fair it has been a while sine i read the story, but i i found it so-so.

I agree that they should of focused more on her being an Anni-Padda. It would of been more interesting if she knew that earlier in the series.
I found her history over the ages and the link to Unity pretty cool.

The story could've been executed better. I wasn't hungry for more after reading it. But i had this feeling with most characters during DMG Valiant period.

Was good to see her again in Eternal Warriors, before Ivar ended that

Haven't read that one yet.

Honestly, not a big fan of VEI's Unity team, particularly the multiple incarnations.

I enjoyed the Unity series up to a point - but I also wasn’t really a fan of the echoes of unity teams in the past, and while I do enjoy Matt Kindts stories in general, when he started doing too much word-play with established names like Unit-Y and Ninja-K it was getting to be a bit much.

While reading the Ninja-K stuff, the one thought that kept coming to mind was how much better it was than what Busiek did with VH-2 Ninjak and the dozen video game-inspired villains, though.

I kept, and still keep, thinking that it was the kind of creative approach that would have been considerably far more beneficial to the series in the '90s that turning it into a video game.

I think I recall Busiek's justification for adding the K at the end of ninja as the guy who designed the games told Denny being fairly absurd. Something to do with making the games more commercial or something, no?

In fact, while reading the current series I keep thinking that it would be fun if Denny Meechum was one of the new ninjas.

Maybe he could be Ninja-L, Colin's would-be successor after he walked away from MI6 -- or, better yet, Ninja-M...

[ManofTheAtom]

So, the fourth Quantum & Woody series just stopped at four issues. Is it going to continue?

I liked Visitor and Psi-Lords, and would like to see more.

I think I recall there being some backlash to Psi-Lords when it came out due to the four leads more closely resembling Green Lanterns.

I'd say that the important thing to keep in mind is that these four are NOT THE Psi-Lords, who have been elevated to Godhood.

There is no reason to think time travel couldn't have been involved to retain the Psi-Lord's connection with the HARD Corps.

Any updates on Final Witness? It looks interesting.

[Chiclo]

I liked … Psi-Lords, and would like to see more.

Somebody had to, I guess.

[ManofTheAtom]

I liked … Psi-Lords, and would like to see more.

Somebody had to, I guess.

It was good. A lot of cool mythology, and making Scion Ravenrok's flunkie IS accurate with the original.

[Oxmyx]

So, the fourth Quantum & Woody series just stopped at four issues. Is it going to...

Any updates on Final Witness? It looks interesting.

Final Witness is the perfect title to be the Final Witness to the end capsizing of DMG Valiant. I'd also love to know if there is any new information. Okay, love is way too strong a word. I'd be mildly curious.

On Q+W I assume you are talking about VEI Q+W? I'd also have loved to see a conclusion. And this time it's the right word. Ecstatic. It was all starting to....stay interesting. The Turkey villain really had my interest. There were some sort of sister villain duo that also really had my interest. Oh, and we got no follow-up on Quantum learning that voodoo magic actually exists.

Depressing lack of follow-up is nothing unusual in comics, I've learned. It's even way worse than other media

[ManofTheAtom]

So, the fourth Quantum & Woody series just stopped at four issues. Is it going to...

Any updates on Final Witness? It looks interesting.

Final Witness is the perfect title to be the Final Witness to the end capsizing of DMG Valiant. I'd also love to know if there is any new information. Okay, love is way too strong a word. I'd be mildly curious.

On Q+W I assume you are talking about VEI Q+W? I'd also have loved to see a conclusion. And this time it's the right word. Ecstatic. It was all starting to....stay interesting. The Turkey villain really had my interest. There were some sort of sister villain duo that also really had my interest. Oh, and we got no follow-up on Quantum learning that voodoo magic actually exists.

Depressing lack of follow-up is nothing unusual in comics, I've learned. It's even way worse than other media

Casanova commented on Facebook that there are no plans for Final Witness at this time.

As for Q&W, I meant the last series, with Doctor -- urgh -- "Toilet"...

[ManofTheAtom]

So far I've seen Trump in three VALIANT comics and that was three too many.

At least it adheres to the "world outside our window" axiom.

I was really looking forward to Savage The Wild after I finished the first, but it is a really bad and poor follow-up all around.

This is the kind of thing why I wanted to catch up before reading the new stuff. Clearly Alien's issues are connected to and follow up from where the previous Rai series left off.

I just hope it continues all the plot threads.

RCO022_w_1608152684.jpg

Then there was this...

463827290_10160346721957267_2248439599329366550_n.jpg

[ManofTheAtom]

The first four issues of the Hopeless X-O series with Aric fighting a warlord in Ukraine while having to start his life from scratch in America had potential, but the execution was just not there.

In some ways it was reminiscent of the final issues of Solar in which we saw him working in a soup kitchen and the like, but while that one felt more grounded this one did not.

The fifth issue of the series feels like an improvement. I do like the Troy character. He really could have been the VEI of Ken Clarkson...

Well, finished the second volume. Whittaker started out okay, but by the end he reminded me of Idea Man from VH 2 X-O Manowar...

[ManofTheAtom]

The Bunn Shadowman series was good. I'm curious to find out if the Blights are connected to Resurgence. They better be.

[ManofTheAtom]

Harbinger was okay. The potential was there, but like with much of the rest it becomes too generic at one point.

[ManofTheAtom]

Book of Shadows was good but too short.

Archer & Armstrong Forever was good.

I do hope Assassin Nation follows up from where it left off.

Prior to reading X-O Manowar Unconquered I had read about the "space Romans" Aric encounters but didn't know where they came from.
Their origin (they were taken by the Vine at the same time as Aric) makes a lot of sense. It works really well.

I see that in this series they went ahead and gave Aric a hand made by the Manowar. I don't recall seeing it before or in the two issues of Resurgence (published subsequent to this) I've read so far.

[ManofTheAtom]

Well, I've finished reading all the DMG-published VALIANT comics and have started with the ones published by Alien Books (X-O Manowar Unconquered #4 and Ninjak Superkillers).

So far I've read the former, which continues from where the series left off, and haven't seen any difference, which is good.

The story continues to build up really well, and the art looks great (contrary to my previous assessment that it didn't).

It can certainly be hard to follow at times due to how dark it is, but it's clear that it's great to look at. I'd even say that, at times, it may look computer-generated, but that may not necessarily be the case.

This particular arc reminds me of when Aric went to space in the original series and encountered an alien race in a silent issue. I wish that had been as good as this rather than the generic mess it was.

[ManofTheAtom]

Finished Ninjak Superkillers.

It was good. My one negative is that I wish that the superkillers in question had been better defined, just as was the case with the twins that took over Daylight.

I'm not a fan of when these sort of characters (particularly the ones that don't look human) turn up without an explanation. That was a problem when it happened in the original Bloodshot series after Birthquake and it's a problem here too.

For instance, Bloodshot Unleashed did it a bit better with the super soldiers even though those issues were mostly extended fight sequences.

[ManofTheAtom]

Scorched Earth was great. Really good balance between grounded and fantastic.

[ManofTheAtom]

The Valiantine's Special (the first VALIANT comic developed by Alien, no?) was good.

It's really deeply rooted in what came before, so reading it without first catching up would have really been confusing, so I'm glad I did just that.

I already knew beforehand that it involved Aric's apparent death, which I figured happened due to the events in Unconquered, but the rest of the chapters follow up on plot threads from the respective characters' series, so catching up first really made sense.

I liked seeing Jessie and Magic, they really should be back in the regular Bloodshot series.

[ManofTheAtom]

The conclusion of X-O Manowar Unconquered was great. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in Invictus.

The art was great. It's too bad that the colors can make the details difficult to see.

[ManofTheAtom]

Britannia The Great Fire of Rome was great.

I really liked seeing other VALIANT characters in it. It was about time.

[ManofTheAtom]

Livewire & the Secret Weapons is another example of a comic that needed catching up to understand what it's about.

Clearly, strong continuity continues to be a part of VALIANT, which is good.

I like how it builds from what came before as well as sets up what comes after.

[ManofTheAtom]

One thing that bugs me about B.O.B., G.A.T.E.'s new HQ, is that they just moved in without any problem.

Since B.O.B. is alien in origin (specifically from The Unknown) like Atlantis in Stargate Atlantis or the SDF-1 in Robotech I wish they had spent more time exploring it to uncover whatever alien secrets it contains.

As is, G.A.T.E. just moved in with no hassle. Something is missing.