Why buy the later issues of VALIANT?

[The Mighty Drew]

I'm having a bit of a mental dilemma, because like most comic book readers / collectors, I have something a little bit wrong with me.

I recently discovered this website, and it has been nirvana for me. I had no idea there were this many passionate VALIANT fans out there. Friends from the comic shop used to say that the "Valiant Reader" was a title specifically about me. I was the only one they knew.

Anyway, since discovering this site, I've been obsessed, or re-obsessed with Valiant. The thing is, like many others here, I quit just before the "Chaos Effect". So I really have missed alot.

Or have I?

I've been spending alot of time browsing the Buy / Sell / Trade section of the boards. I've been checking out board members stuff on ebay. I made a list of every little thing I don't have in VH1. (Even variants, which I never cared about before.) But why? Everything else I read on this board tells me it's all crap. I know this. It was becoming crap when I dropped it. Why do I want it? Why?

I have a feeling that this current fever will die down which is why I haven't bought anything yet. I tend to go through "phases" with different things. But man, this is a strong friggin phase right now.

Sorry if this seems like pointless rambling. Just clearing my head.

Does anyone else know what I'm talking about? Any thoughts of any kind?

[magnusr]

So I really have missed alot.

Or have I?

Some titles and some issues are better than others, so you have missed some. You sure have not missed a lot. You've just missed the chance to talk about how bad it was.

Does anyone else know what I'm talking about? Any thoughts of any kind?

Sure do. Sounds to me like you're a fan, but not a junkie. You're a stronger person than I am.

/Magnus

[The Mighty Drew]

Sounds to me like you're a fan, but not a junkie.

You know, that statement is extremely helpful. Seriously. As simple as it is, it kind of puts it in perspective.

Thanks!

[aj583]

Amen borther. I only wanted to collect pre-Unity issues when I started up again (I never could get them back in the mid-90s due to price). Now I'm starting to look at all those later issues....I'm thinking up to Chaos Effect now....dare I go beyond?!?

[The Mighty Drew]

Amen borther. I only wanted to collect pre-Unity issues when I started up again (I never could get them back in the mid-90s due to price). Now I'm starting to look at all those later issues....I'm thinking up to Chaos Effect now....dare I go beyond?!?

This is exactly what I'm talking about. I'm fortunate that I started buying with Magnus #1. Good times throughout the whole Valiant Universe for the next 3 years.

But before the end of those three years, titles started to "jump the shark", and it looks like they never really recovered. So why do I feel like I missed out on something?

[The Mighty Drew]

Maybe I just need a relaunch really, really badly.

[magnusr]

Maybe I just need a relaunch really, really badly.

/Magnus

[slym2none]

Why buy the later issues of VALIANT?

Good question, brother... as a few have said, some series were good or at least got better by the end (of VH-1) but most seemed to not be worth it.

(IMO, of course)



-slym

[Tyrnis]

I would definitely recommend Shadowman even post-Chaos Effect. IMO, it stayed consistently good throughout the run, and even the ending was a good one (albeit a deliberate cliffhanger -- does Jack control his destiny, or is his fate written? One of the big themes of the series, and Jack finds a way to get a decisive answer...) Yes, Jack/Shadowman still fight bad guys, but there's also a lot of character development going on -- Jack/Shadowman's (which is really much more of a distinction in the later issues than the early ones) relationship, their relationship with Marcia, Jack's internal conflict over the fact that he plays his best music at night, Jack's tense relationship with Nettie, and villians that aren't just one-dimensional cardboard cutouts all make the book a good read.

Avoid the later X-O issues unless you've become a determined completist. They're some of the worst of the lot. Even worse than EW, this one devolved into slugfest of the month, and they deliberately killed off the supporting cast for the last stretch, which didn't help -- they took away the relationships that could have made the book about something more than just the fights (not to mention getting somewhat ridiculous and repetitive in the fights they chose.) And, well, Bicycleowar class X-O armor. Need I say more?

I've heard at least some claim Eternal Warrior stayed good, and while I wouldn't go that far, it at least does nothing to ruin the character. I think they did some things right (like getting the Eternal Enemy out of the picture) but a lot of the issues really devolved into little more than slugfests of the month with very little/no character development taking place. Gil vs. humans, mostly, with him getting to show off how badass he is killing the enemy of the issue. The 'Civilizations have fallen before, and it's showing the signs of happening again, so I have to try to hold that at bay' could have been very cool, but ended up coming across fairly 'meh' to me, particularly when they started making up countries that were flashpoints for this final collapse. Still, unlike X-O, it would be very easy for the new Valiant to pick up directly where EW vol 1 left off.

Titles like Geomancer...not really worthwhile, IMO. Geomancers aren't a family dynasty, so making Clay yet another relative of Buck and Geoff struck me as rather silly, and I just didn't care that much for Clay in the first place. Didn't care much for the supporting cast, either.

Haven't made it all the way through Bloodshot yet, but that one's probably next, since people here have said it was one of the stronger books, even at the end. I'll know if I agree soon enough.

[leonmallett]

Sure do. Sounds to me like you're a fan, but not a junkie. You're a stronger person than I am.

/Magnus

I find myself hoovering up as many, many VALIANTS as I can. I'm thinking of resorting to crime to feed the habit. If it has VALIANT on the cover I want it (but still limited by financial expediency). That's normal isn't it...

[Daniel Jackson]

There are a few decent issues in the later stuff, but for the most part you'll be sorely disappointed if you're expecting anything close to the magic of pre Unity. The good thing is you should be able to buy most of it fairly cheap except for the last few books of most titles.

If it were me, I would go ahead and pick them up since they are so cheap and read for myself. There are a few good stories in the midst of crud.

[greg]

If you read a title up to some point (like Chaos Effect) or some date (1994, for example)...
then ask yourself... do I want to find out what happens next?

There will be some titles that you do, and maybe some that you don't want to know.

Let the books "drive" you issue-to-issue... pretend they're on the stands today,
read one and ask yourself if you plan to buy the next issue?
If not, why buy the next (back) issue?



Personally, I recently re-read X-O Manowar... and the "shark jumping" definitely
occurs with issue #41. I read to #68 anyway... and even though I know the story now,
I still think I should have stopped with #40.

[Rai-fan]

I understand your dilemma. Here's my ramble:

I was/am a junkie. I left during the "trading card insert" month, but picked up the rest of the regular titles later for about 3/$1.

I'm now 13 issues away from a complete set, variants & all. But I am also proud to say I never read those last issues...stopped Harbinger at 25; Magnus at 34; X-O at 42; Shadowman at 35; and even Turok before issue 30.

The only series I actually finished were Rai (which got good again around issue 20-21) & Eternal Warrior (which was like reading "Highlander: the comic book").

Still, fan or no, I enjoy owning the books.

The fact remains that no re-boot will be satisfactory. VH2 happened & was met by poor sales & derision, despite arguably excellent Shadowman & Bloodshot runs and at least 5 issues written by Shooter.

[ckb]

Two reasons:

1. To be a completionist.

2. In case some material from these issues are referenced in any future Valiant work.

[Schmakt]

and just so you'll KNOW...

I, for one, hate knowing that there's more knowledge out there to be had and me not having it. Even if it sucks, I want to know what happened!



I just finally finished reading all the way through Turok last night. While some of the issues were stupid, I, for the most part, enjoyed the series to the end. I also thought that #0 and "The Hunted" were really really good.

I like the ones that actually show that Turok was a Native American... and someone with a connection to things... who understood the natural world. One of the reasons I liked Shaman's Tears too. (at least in the beginning)

[Heath]

Two reasons:

1. To be a completionist.

2. In case some material from these issues are referenced in any future VALIANT work.

Such as XO #68?

[leonmallett]

and just so you'll KNOW...

I, for one, hate knowing that there's more knowledge out there to be had and me not having it. Even if it sucks, I want to know what happened!

Wholly concur.

I just finally finished reading all the way through Turok last night. While some of the issues were stupid, I, for the most part, enjoyed the series to the end.

Having recently discovered VALIANT, and therefore buying what i can, when I can (especially if a bargain!) have not yet got to Turok, but I feel reassured by comments like this.

[DawgPhan]

I buy them because i like having collections...

I havent read a comic book in a while, but I certianly do enjoy colelcting them...I am closing in on my complete set of regular books now...just a few more to go..maybe 20 or so...

[SnotDrip]

I was out of collecting from about 1994 until about 4yrs ago but back in the early 90's I primarily bought and read VALIANT (some DC, less Marvels). Because I was travelling alot back then my LCS kept them on hold until my return however I had to stop. I missed out on all later issues and some completely (ie Timewalker, Geomancer, Visitor, Capt Johnner).

My bug to purchase back issues is tempered by the quality of book I can get as a "collector" as I am looking for high grade issues similar to the ones I already have (NM+) to complement my existing stuff (other then a reading copy but I really only want one of those! That's difficult to do especially via Ebay when everything is MINT for some reason ).

[Daniel Jackson]

Personally, I recently re-read X-O Manowar... and the "shark jumping" definitely
occurs with issue #41. I read to #68 anyway... and even though I know the story now,
I still think I should have stopped with #40.

Amen.

[Elveen]

I actualy stopped buying a bit before Chaos...

But now I am FULLY involved in the VALIANT universe... I have already decided that I need to have all the books (VH1), just so I can read them all.

My questions are:
1) do I need the variants (golds, plants, reds, ect) if I can read the book, do I need the same book with a differetn cover?

2) Am I eventually going to get into VH2 and the Acclaim stuff.


JSYK, I am still undecided on ? #1, and I can see myself getting into VH2 after my VH1 is done...

We'll see......

[Daniel Jackson]

I actualy stopped buying a bit before Chaos...

But now I am FULLY involved in the VALIANT universe... I have already decided that I need to have all the books (VH1), just so I can read them all.

My questions are:
1) do I need the variants (golds, plants, reds, ect) if I can read the book, do I need the same book with a differetn cover?

2) Am I eventually going to get into VH2 and the Acclaim stuff.


JSYK, I am still undecided on ? #1, and I can see myself getting into VH2 after my VH1 is done...

We'll see......

If you have an inkling that you want to go for the Golds and Acclaim books my advice would be to do it now while the prices are fairly reasonable. If you wait until Valiant is relaunched it may cause a lot of people to seek out this stuff again. Just remember, the numbers on the Golds and the later Acclaim stuff are extremely low.

[Elveen]

I actualy stopped buying a bit before Chaos...

But now I am FULLY involved in the VALIANT universe... I have already decided that I need to have all the books (VH1), just so I can read them all.

My questions are:
1) do I need the variants (golds, plants, reds, ect) if I can read the book, do I need the same book with a differetn cover?

2) Am I eventually going to get into VH2 and the Acclaim stuff.


JSYK, I am still undecided on ? #1, and I can see myself getting into VH2 after my VH1 is done...

We'll see......

If you have an inkling that you want to go for the Golds and Acclaim books my advice would be to do it now while the prices are fairly reasonable. If you wait until VALIANT is relaunched it may cause a lot of people to seek out this stuff again. Just remember, the numbers on the Golds and the later Acclaim stuff are extremely low.

Wise words DJ,

I got the 1st Chaos Gold for, the CF auction... I can see myself going after the Golds and the variants, but I want to have a complete reading list first...

Then the decision becomes... spend my money on the variants or go after VH2 and VH3 .... right now I am up in the air... but I will needed to decide soon...

I can see my VH1 reading list done the next few months

That being said... I can't see myself spending the $$$ to get a CEAR, but we'll see...

[RobInOttawa]

I didn't have a single Valiant comic in June until I started reading this website. It's been really fun, yet expensive on the wallet, to collect regular back issues of Valiant comics. I had all of the pre-unity stuff and some post unity stuff at my parents that I recently rescued from storage.

In terms of going after the regular issues, I actually went for the harder to find, lower print last issues first. Some of them (X-O Manowar) look truly awful but it is worth having the complete collection. I'm currently 98 comics short of the complete run of regulars.

I'm slowly making my way through the beginning of the Valiant universe and will be reading the "Unity" crossover soon. It will be fun and interesting to see how the comics evolved or more accurately de-evolved after Jim Shooter was forced out of Valiant and then Bob Layton was pushed aside by Acclaim.

Check out Defiant comics. Most of them are really good.

It's doubtful that I will go after the VH2 and VH3 stuff. The new "Ninjak" looks childish. The VH2 X-O Manowar just seems wrong.

A lot of people seem to like Dr. Tomorrow and Quantum & Woody. A lot of people like the VH3 Shadowman

[Daniel Jackson]

I didn't have a single VALIANT comic in June until I started reading this website. It's been really fun, yet expensive on the wallet, to collect regular back issues of VALIANT comics. I had all of the pre-unity stuff and some post unity stuff at my parents that I recently rescued from storage.

In terms of going after the regular issues, I actually went for the harder to find, lower print last issues first. Some of them (X-O Manowar) look truly awful but it is worth having the complete collection. I'm currently 98 comics short of the complete run of regulars.

I'm slowly making my way through the beginning of the VALIANT universe and will be reading the "Unity" crossover soon. It will be fun and interesting to see how the comics evolved or more accurately de-evolved after Jim Shooter was forced out of VALIANT and then Bob Layton was pushed aside by Acclaim.

Check out Defiant comics. Most of them are really good.

It's doubtful that I will go after the VH2 and VH3 stuff. The new "Ninjak" looks childish. The VH2 X-O Manowar just seems wrong.

A lot of people seem to like Dr. Tomorrow and Quantum & Woody. A lot of people like the VH3 Shadowman

Some of the Acclaim stuff takes a few issues (or 16 in the case of Shadowman) before it starts taking shape. I did not like Joshua Fireseed at first because he seemed to pander to the teenage crowd. As the book evolves with the one shot specials and crossovers the character has more depth to him and the light burden he carries is another interesting mix.