My Valiant Story?
Moderators: Daniel Jackson, greg
My Valiant Story?
I am really not sure if my story is really a Valiant story. My story is the story of the blessing a good friend and positive role model can be, and Valiant was one of the highlights of it.
I started seriously reading comics in 7th grade or so. I liked X-Men, Spider-Man, and the Cosmic stuff. I started getting my comics from a local comic shop but the owner was a jerk who seemed to hate anybody who asked questions and didn't spend over $25 a week. Thanks to my Dad, who I did not always have the best relationship with, I came across another comic shop that would become my home away from home.
The shop was called "The Outer Limits." The owner of the store was a kind honest Christian guy and his family who helped run the store were same. The owner and his wife ended up being mom and dad, or big brother and big sister, for many of the neighborhood kids from rough, or non-existent, homes. I spent hours in the comic shop, whole days. I would bag and board, pull stock, even help run the cash register. Looking back, I think the Lord used my relationship with the owner of the store and his family to teach me what it really meant to be man; not an easy thing in modern Western culture today. His Christian witness really encouraged my faith.
What does all this have to do with Valiant? The owner of the store was big on Valiant. Nobody wanted Harbinger #1 when it first came out. He thought it was so great he even gave a couple copies away to try and get people to check it out. I like a fool, was happy with my X-Men, Spider-Man, and whatever Infinity fill in the blank mini series was going on. But eventually I picked up X-O Manowar and I was floored. I came in at about issue 12. Back issue were impossible to find or my part time salary from McDonald's wasn't going to get them for me. I was hooked, and eventually heart broken when Acclaim took over.
The real tragedy though is that when I found my favorite comic book character of all time he was already dead: Rai, Tohru Nakadai. I had only known the character from Rai 6, 7 and reading the Invasion story line in Magnus 5-8 (at the generosity of the store owner because I could never afford them). I thought the charater was really original, very relate able, introspective, and contemplative (things I am, or think I am). I was over joyed when the Rai trade appeared and then the Invasion trade appeared. I could finally have my favorite comics without selling an organ on the black market! It was awesome and sad at the same time to have found the most awesome character but to have him only alive in so few issues, plus I just couldn't get into Bloodshot, and Rai and the Future Force was OK but...
I got out of comics for years. Sold them all or gave them all away. College and grad school took time and money. I have recently gotten married and settled and I wanted to pick up some of my former favorites. I got sucked back into the origin of Wolverine. I picked up the old Onslaught tpb's (one of the worst written stories ever but one of the best in and of itself). I recently grabbed Magnus 5-8 with coupons and Rai 1-8 on ebay. I am afraid my budget will stop about there for a while.
What is my Valiant story? A good friend introduced me to a great character that helped think about myself, life, and how to live. Acclaim got me out of Valiant. I do not think Valiant reborn will bring back Tohru Nakadai (and how can it? He was only the disposable link between Bloodshot, Takao Konishi, and his son). But all that aside, the amazing quality of writing, good art, and dazaling use of the comic book medium that was Valiant comics will always remind me of the sacrifices and love of good friends and the Lord's care for me.
Sorry about the length, but I thought you guys might want to know who was on the other end of the screen. Thanks for your patience.
I started seriously reading comics in 7th grade or so. I liked X-Men, Spider-Man, and the Cosmic stuff. I started getting my comics from a local comic shop but the owner was a jerk who seemed to hate anybody who asked questions and didn't spend over $25 a week. Thanks to my Dad, who I did not always have the best relationship with, I came across another comic shop that would become my home away from home.
The shop was called "The Outer Limits." The owner of the store was a kind honest Christian guy and his family who helped run the store were same. The owner and his wife ended up being mom and dad, or big brother and big sister, for many of the neighborhood kids from rough, or non-existent, homes. I spent hours in the comic shop, whole days. I would bag and board, pull stock, even help run the cash register. Looking back, I think the Lord used my relationship with the owner of the store and his family to teach me what it really meant to be man; not an easy thing in modern Western culture today. His Christian witness really encouraged my faith.
What does all this have to do with Valiant? The owner of the store was big on Valiant. Nobody wanted Harbinger #1 when it first came out. He thought it was so great he even gave a couple copies away to try and get people to check it out. I like a fool, was happy with my X-Men, Spider-Man, and whatever Infinity fill in the blank mini series was going on. But eventually I picked up X-O Manowar and I was floored. I came in at about issue 12. Back issue were impossible to find or my part time salary from McDonald's wasn't going to get them for me. I was hooked, and eventually heart broken when Acclaim took over.
The real tragedy though is that when I found my favorite comic book character of all time he was already dead: Rai, Tohru Nakadai. I had only known the character from Rai 6, 7 and reading the Invasion story line in Magnus 5-8 (at the generosity of the store owner because I could never afford them). I thought the charater was really original, very relate able, introspective, and contemplative (things I am, or think I am). I was over joyed when the Rai trade appeared and then the Invasion trade appeared. I could finally have my favorite comics without selling an organ on the black market! It was awesome and sad at the same time to have found the most awesome character but to have him only alive in so few issues, plus I just couldn't get into Bloodshot, and Rai and the Future Force was OK but...
I got out of comics for years. Sold them all or gave them all away. College and grad school took time and money. I have recently gotten married and settled and I wanted to pick up some of my former favorites. I got sucked back into the origin of Wolverine. I picked up the old Onslaught tpb's (one of the worst written stories ever but one of the best in and of itself). I recently grabbed Magnus 5-8 with coupons and Rai 1-8 on ebay. I am afraid my budget will stop about there for a while.
What is my Valiant story? A good friend introduced me to a great character that helped think about myself, life, and how to live. Acclaim got me out of Valiant. I do not think Valiant reborn will bring back Tohru Nakadai (and how can it? He was only the disposable link between Bloodshot, Takao Konishi, and his son). But all that aside, the amazing quality of writing, good art, and dazaling use of the comic book medium that was Valiant comics will always remind me of the sacrifices and love of good friends and the Lord's care for me.
Sorry about the length, but I thought you guys might want to know who was on the other end of the screen. Thanks for your patience.
-
Daniel Jackson
- A toast to the return of Valiant!
- Posts: 38007
- Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2004 8:33 pm
Excellent story, welcome to the board.
I feel the way you do about Tohru. It's a shame Valiant chose to sacrifice him so early on. They could never recapture that kind of magic with the other incarnations of Rai. Personally, I wish the whole Dragon City concept would have kept going forever. It was a very unique premise and weaving the story together with Magnus just made it even better.
I feel the way you do about Tohru. It's a shame Valiant chose to sacrifice him so early on. They could never recapture that kind of magic with the other incarnations of Rai. Personally, I wish the whole Dragon City concept would have kept going forever. It was a very unique premise and weaving the story together with Magnus just made it even better.
-
96Valiantfan
- You gotta have Faith!
- Posts: 817
- Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:06 am
- Location: Waterbury CT.
-
IanAlexavier
- Valiant. Back to basics.
- Posts: 6370
- Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2005 3:06 pm
- Location: SE Michigan, 21 bound books done.. many more to go...
-
DarqueArcher
- Rockin' out in Torquehalla
- Posts: 2076
- Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2007 6:12 pm
- Location: Louisville KY
- Contact:
Re: My Valiant Story?
Welcome to the board great post!!! 
By the way once the hive mind kicks in say goodbye to any planned financial future.terreth wrote: I recently grabbed Magnus 5-8 with coupons and Rai 1-8 on ebay. I am afraid my budget will stop about there for a while.
-
Lightning Strike
- Silent from '04 to '07, then he strikes!
- Posts: 8008
- Joined: Mon Apr 12, 2004 9:58 pm
- Location: Physically: USA---Spiritually: Ireland
Re: My Valiant Story?
Welcome
-
The Harbinger
- You gotta have Faith!
- Posts: 758
- Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2007 8:10 pm
- Location: Eggbreaking today, Gone tomorrow
- Contact:
-
chainnball
- banned on my iphone
- Posts: 2187
- Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2006 1:39 pm
- Location: What if the Hokey Pokey really IS what it's all about??
-
worldsbestcomics
- A CGC 9.8 pre-Unity complete set? Done.
- Posts: 1315
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2007 1:39 pm
- Location: Olympia, Washington
-
Flinx
- Get those scissors away from my coupons
- Posts: 354
- Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:49 am
- Location: Australia
I've only been to Hobart a couple of times. The first time there were two comics/card stores. The next time there were none, but one of the bookstores had added a comics section upstairs.terreth wrote:Sounds good to me.
I have yet to find one comic shop here. I thought there was one but it turned out to be defunct.
It is probably for the best. The best of my time managment and budget that is.