VEI: has your view of them changed or strengthened?

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 10:23 am

There is a lot going on around VEI without any new product on the immediate horizon. Posts have been emerging that represent the views of a variety of folks associated with VALIANT at various times past. We have come quite a way since VEI won their case against VIP, only to find themselves amid litigation against Jim Shooter at the present time. Like it or otherwise, VEI are the current custodians of the VALIANT properties, the GK3 excepted.

Link to court document outlining complaints and actions by VEI against Jim Shooter.

Given the above and the posts quoted below, what are your current thoughts on VEI, and also the past, present and future of the VALIANT universe?

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 10:23 am

Heath wrote:I went back and read the 20 Questions interview at Scoop and recent events shed new light on some of Jim's comments. Some seem to contradict the VEI lawsuit while some offer clues to his departure...

Jim Shooter wrote:Mike Richardson and I first talked about my relaunching the Gold Key properties two and a half years ago. We spoke about it occasionally thereafter, but for one reason or another—rights issues, both of us busy with other things, whatever—nothing ever came of it. Recently, I opted out of another gig, and though I had some commercial work to fall back on through my company Illustrated Media, I figured it would be a good time to check in with Mike. And it was. The week of the San Diego Comic Con, we worked out an agreement and next thing I knew I was standing beside Mike onstage at the show as he announced the project.
This seems to contradict the VEI lawsuit. Jim says he "opted out" of VEI, THEN contacted Mike at Dark Horse and worked out a deal with them. Jim not writing an email to Classic Media saying he was Valiant's EIC could have been because he knew he was about to leave, not because he was secretly working with DH. But then, why would Classic Media say Dark Horse told them that Shooter worked for them before he left VEI?

Jim Shooter wrote:...this project came into existence only ten days ago, as of this writing.
JCVaughn announced on Wed, August 4, that he had Jim's answers to the 20 questions. So I'm taking this date as the "as of this writing." It may be off by a day or two, but should be close enough.

10 days before August 4 was July 25 - the very day that Mike Richardson made the announcement at SDCC.

So what did he mean by "came into existence?" Did he mean "officially announced" but the deal was between them was already in place? Did he mean that was the day he and Mike actually made a deal with each other? Did Jim & Mike begin serious discussion, make a handshake deal (Jim said in the CBR video interview that a handshake with Mike was better than a contract with anybody else), and announce the project at SDCC all on the same day? Could mean any of that, but by use of the phrase "came into existence" it sounds like the project didn't exist before July 25 and there were no formal talks between DH and Jim before then.

These two quotes seem to indicate that Jim was NOT working with Dark Horse on the Classic Media characters until AFTER leaving VEI and AFTER Dark Horse acquired the rights to the characters. In fact, they weren't working together until the day (or a day or two before) Dark Horse made their announcement at SDCC.

Jim Shooter wrote:Everyone at Dark Horse has been nothing but helpful. Mike Richardson has already contributed some great ideas and suggestions. He knows his stuff, he’s an outstanding idea man and a terrific sounding board. He’s the boss, but it seems clear that his intent—and therefore, Dark Horse’s intent—is to help me fulfill my vision for these properties.
Maybe Jim didn't feel that way at VEI and that's why he left. Maybe he didn't feel that he had the creative control to fulfill his vision at VEI for whatever reason.

And maybe he just didn't want to go through the struggles and burdens of a start-up company all over again.

Jim Shooter wrote:VALIANT was a way undercapitalized start-up, so broke for much of the time that I actually had to draw several covers and a couple of stories because we couldn’t afford real artists! So many things were compromised by lack of time and money. However, working with Mike and Dark Horse, I think the rest of the creative process, beyond the script stage, will be vastly upgraded. They have all the apparatus already in place. They are totally professional and top drawer in every way. I guarantee, they wouldn’t let an “artist” as lame as me draw anything even if I wanted to. Hooray!
Maybe he saw history repeating itself and just didn't want to go through the headache and heartache again. He preferred a little more security with an established and experienced company, working for someone he respected, as he told CBR:

CBR wrote:Shooter noted there is a sense of security in working with an established publisher like Dark Horse, as opposed to launching a new comics line and dealing with both the creative and business sides of a new company, as he had in the Valiant days. “Last time I worked on these characters, Valiant was a very fragile start-up, it was way under-capitalized. What that means is you are particularly on a dead run,” Shooter recalled. “But this time I have maybe a little more time to think about it. Not rely on a lucky accident that something works out well, but really sort of take the time to plan better. The nice thing about working with Dark Horse is we already have the publishing operation, where before we had to hire a designer, and an accountant, to keep the house in order. Dark Horse has the apparatus to put the books out more quickly."
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page ... e&id=22234
So, did Shooter violate his non-compete agreement with VEI by working for Dark Horse before 3 months were up? Maybe not. And here's a clue as to how:

Jim Shooter wrote:My services to Dark Horse (and those of any other writers I bring in) are being provided by Illustrated Media.
I'm no legal contracts expert so I might have it completely wrong, but if it was Jim Shooter personally that worked for VEI, and (even as the lawsuit seems to imply) he was still allowed to do outside work through his company, Illustrated Media, and furthermore, it's not Jim Shooter personally being hired by Dark Horse, but Illustrated Media... Jim might have found a loophole to the non-compete agreement.

Jim Shooter wrote:Mike never asked me to be exclusive. He didn’t have to.
That could be read like there was some resentment to being required to be exclusive and perhaps acknowledgment of the non-compete he signed with VEI. So the deal actually being between Dark Horse and Illustrated Media - not Dark Horse and Jim Shooter - could have been his way of getting around the non-compete.

Plenty of speculation and pure conjecture on my part, but maybe this sheds a little light on Jim's side of the story. Besides, we have more speculation and conjecture than hard facts right now, so...

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 10:24 am

jayjay from another board wrote:Originally Posted By: JayJay

Since there's a lot of speculation about the law suit VEI has filed against Jim, I thought I would let you guys know what is going on. I knew you'd be wondering. I don't post on the forums very often, but I try to keep in touch with quite a few of the Valiant fans that I know.

I got a copy of the lawsuit against Jim, signed by Walter Black, Senior Vice President of VEI. Apparently it is on file at the courthouse and any NY resident can get it. It’s public. I have read the entire 26 page document and now I’m so angry.

Jim worked for VEI for some months starting toward the end of 2008 into the summer of 2009. VEI kept this a secret. Why? I just can not imagine.

There are a lot of points in the law suit, I’ll just mention what I think are the main ones. Apparently the suit is alleging that Jim ruined VEI's chances at licensing the Magnus and Solar characters from Classic Media, which is ridiculous because Dark Horse has had those rights for years. They've been publishing the reprints and in 2008, before Jim went to wok for VEI, but when he had already spoken to Mike Richardson about the possibility of working on the characters for Dark Horse some day, this article had already appeared in July of 2008:

(an excerpt is pasted here, but the link is below)

--Think you’ve heard all the news from San Diego? HAH! Here’s something everyone else missed. Magnus, Doctor Solar, Doctor Spektor and other Gold Key characters will return in new stories from Dark Horse comics. Dark Horse President Mike Richardson confirmed, okay, was coerced into confirming, that the hard-fighting heroes who were once part of the Valiant universe will return, along with other 1960s Gold Key characters that Valiant never used. "We've been republishing collections of the Gold Key Magnus and Solar, Man of the Atom, books for a reason," he said, backstage in the Dark Horse booth at the San Diego Comic Con. "When those are done, we'll be coming out with new adventures." He was not ready to announce the creative teams on the new books, or what other Gold Key books were in the mix.--

http://www.comicvine.com/dark-horse/57- ... e/92-27607
VEI never had any chance at the rights at all, and it's obvious. I guess they think they can fool some judge into believing they had a shot.

The suit also says that while they had a signed confidentiality agreement but they never had a written and signed employment contract, they had a 3 month non-compete agreement which they seem to think Jim violated. Their complaint says that the non-compete was based on a series of emails and conversations, NOT A SIGNED CONTRACT. Which as a non-lawyer, seems to me to be sort of weak. Jim also didn’t have the benefits he had been promised but the suit mentions that he had benefits. Which would seem to me to be another lie. Maybe it's a legal term referring to some other kind of benefits. All I know is that when my friend got sick, he couldn't go to the doctor.

They have also alleged in the complaint that Jim took a laptop computer that was originally a signing bonus that he understood was his own property from the beginning and that they demanded back from him after he left. He did give it back, but they complain that he deleted his personal files, like emails. Well, of course he did! Anyone would. They have no right to his personal emails.

There's a lot of stuff in the suit that isn't for me to comment on, since the information I would have isn't first hand or I don't know anything about it.

VEI hid the fact that Jim worked for them. It seems to me that VEI treated Jim like a dirty little secret. Now that he has a chance at something better… to work for a company that is proud to have him… they probably think they can use their money to really destroy him since he can ill afford to pay huge legal bills. And I guess VEI must have very deep pockets for any foolishness they want to try.

VEI has never seemed to me to be very interested in publishing but rather seems to be desperately trying to get a movie deal. They had asked me to sign, and asked for my help in getting other people who worked on Harbinger to sign, releases so they could try to make the deal with Paramount, which VEI later told me fell through.

It has been speculated by people who know more about the inner workings of the situation than I do, that VEI may be in trouble with their investors for losing so much money and having nothing to show for it and this law suit may be an attempt to find a scape goat to blame for their mismanagement. I can easily believe that. But that these people would be so spiteful as to try to hurt Jim, when all he is trying to do is get work from someone who respects his talent like they never did is appalling to me.

JayJay

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 10:26 am

jedimarley wrote:Dave Lapham

Just heard about this from fanboy375. A shame. I wish Jim all the luck in the world fending off this ridiculousness. Amazing but not surprising from that group. There's a reason most of the old crew had no interest in working with them and...well...there you go....

A desperate move by desperate men. Just a real shame.

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 10:27 am

myron wrote:
jedimarley wrote:
Escaflown4 wrote:(5) Shooter was being mistreated by VEI.

The reason I say this is both Jim and JayJay both state that VEI have not fulfilled their end of the employment contract by not honoring to give big Jim his benefits. Also didn't Bob Layton mentioned that he will never work for VEI again due to payment and his job responsibility issues? If your employer is this shady, I think any sane person would jump ship given the first available opportunity.
Bob did say this on his website in response to an email/letter by KC.

He also said that VEI had not paid Mike Leeke for his work.

jedimarley wrote:Bob Layton.

I'm pleased that you like the banner. Unfortunately, the majority of it wound-up being redrawn by somebody else.
That banner is one of many reasons why I won't be lending any further support to Valiant Entertainment in the foreseeable future.

Take a look at what I did first.

Without asking or informing me that they wanted corrections, they had someone else redraw my main figures--making them less attractive in the process. Why hire me if they didn't want MY versions of the characters I helped to create at Valiant? They never informed me that there was a problem with the art (the respectful, professional thing to do), nor bothered to inform me that they were going to alter my art behind my back. To add to the frustration, they had me working under a tight deadline which turned out to be totally erroneous. I scrambled to complete that banner drawing in August of 2007, putting other assignments aside, but it only saw print when they finally published their site last month.

Not only that, but I had to plead with them to get my final payment for the inking on the X-O Manowar job and it took weeks before they finally shelled it out. To make matters worse, I spoke to Mike Leeke on March 28th, 2008 and he informed me that he has not been paid for his pencilling on the X-O Manowar job that he did months ago!

They also violated our agreement regarding the coloring of that X-O job.

Our deal stated that I was to have final approval of the coloring. During the ten-page X-O project, I began to express my displeasure at the amateurish coloring on my story and began providing them with copious notes and color-corrected jpegs. Although it was agreed by all that I would have final color approval, only about 40% of my color corrections were eventually executed.

I bear the new Valiant owners no ill will -- but, whatever they do in the future, it'll be without my endorsement.

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 10:30 am

I just thought drawing together some of these disparate pieces of information might help.

Any thoughts about VEI and/or the future of the VALIANT characters and universe? For or against?

dave · Post by **dave** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 11:00 am

All I can say is, none of this is going to endear them to anyone.

Heath · Post by **Heath** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 11:38 am

I say that Jim Shooter and Bob Layton finding common ground on this issue says a lot.

dave · Post by **dave** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 12:15 pm

Heath wrote:I say that Jim Shooter and Bob Layton finding common ground on this issue says a lot.

Maybe that's their plan? To bring the two of them back together?

wrunow · Post by **wrunow** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 1:04 pm

Like everyone else I was obviously disappointed to find out that Shooter didn't want to be involved with re uniting the characters from the old VALIANT universe. VEI was the only shot at that and I give them credit for making an attempt to do this.

My personal opinion hasn't changed too much, I am just waiting for comics like everyone else and now the time frame has been pushed out a little. All the points and quotes so far are heresay, with the exception of Layton, and I can understand his issues. I sat with Bob Hall last November at the National (I think, or maybe the one before) and he didn't have anything but nice things to say about VEI. Lapham and JayJay are clearly defending a personal friend, which is fine with me, but their opinions are rightfully one sided.

Nobody here with maybe one or two exceptions really knows the details of VEI's business model, who the members of their team are other than Jason, Dinesh, and Walter, what they are and have been working on, what their priorities are, or even where they work on a daily basis, and they do. I think it's somewhat hypocrytical of some people to blame VEI for Shooter's decision not to stay on board when you/we don't know the specific details of his deal, pay arrangements, responsibilities, and such when they were trying to put together a deal with Classic Media that would give us exactly what we want as far as these characters are concerned.

A lot of you guys know Dinesh is a personal friend of mine and I have great respect for what he is trying to accomplish. I have been running my own business for 20 years and I have between 25 and 30 employees at any given time during the year, and even though it's totally different, a lot of the issues of ownership and management are the same. It takes a while to get the right TEAM to accomplish your goals. It also sucks when your QB quits during the playoffs to use a football analogy.

This reminds me so much of when the Patriots were in the Super Bowl with the Packers and Parcells was making a backdoor deal with the New York Jets and it broke the week before the game pretty much sinking any chance the Pat's (longshot anyway) had to win that game due to the huge distraction it caused.

dave · Post by **dave** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 1:25 pm

I understand where you're coming from, and I myself am pretty surprised how most people seem to be very angray with VEI. The truth is we don't know much about the details. We DO know they haven't put out comics and they never even told us that Shooter was on board. We don't know why though. There HAS to be a reason though, right? I mean, they had to know what kind of interest that would garner them. I don't get it.

The part I don't agree with you about though, is talking baout the playoffs and the Super Bowl. It's more like losing your QB in the preseason isn't it?

wrunow · Post by **wrunow** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 1:28 pm

dave wrote:I understand where you're coming from, and I myself am pretty surprised how most people seem to be very angray with VEI. The truth is we don't know much about the details. We DO know they haven't put out comics and they never even told us that Shooter was on board. We don't know why though. There HAS to be a reason though, right? I mean, they had to know what kind of interest that would garner them. I don't get it.

The part I don't agree with you about though, is talking baout the playoffs and the Super Bowl. It's more like losing your QB in the preseason isn't it?

Not really, in my opinion if VEI had obtained the rights to Solar and Magnus it would have been like winning the Super Bowl for us and them.

dave · Post by **dave** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 1:32 pm

Well, yeah but you said "if". Just like "If" the lions can win all the rest of their games they'll make the playoffs...

jedimarley · Post by **jedimarley** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 2:24 pm

Here is what VEI has given us, the fans....

Three HC's. Each surrounded with controversy.

No new info/updates in the past year.

Lawsuits.

How are we supposed to feel about VEI? What has VEI done to endear them to us, the fans? What has VEI done to give us faith that these properties are in the right hands?

etos45 · Post by **etos45** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 2:33 pm

What wrunow said echos a lot of how I feel about the situation. At first I was just befuddled on what VEI was thinking in suing Shooter, because it is going to mean very bad things for them publicly, but after reading the court papers it's easier to see their side. Now, I'm just trying to reserve me opinion until both sides are shown. I really wish that there was some magical way that VEI and Shooter could work things out and he'd go back as EIC, but I know that's a pipe dream and will never happen. We were so close though.... and the fact that we got so close makes me feel really good about how VEI will handle Valiant property.

dave wrote:We DO know they haven't put out comics and they never even told us that Shooter was on board. We don't know why though. There HAS to be a reason though, right? I mean, they had to know what kind of interest that would garner them. I don't get it.

I agree with what Greg said on another post about how VEI wouldn't want to waist the "buzz" of Shooter being EIC until they were closer to publishing. I definitely don't agree with some of the sentiment I have read that VEI was hiding Shooter like a dirty secret... that's just silly.

cshepard81 · Post by **cshepard81** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 2:48 pm

I was really fuming when I first heard about VEI's lawsuit against Shooter.

I said that VEI better have a good explanation, and now I've had a chance to read their case against Shooter.

As much as I would like to side with the Valiant alumni would have (almost?) spoken unanimously against VEI, I will wait until Shooter gives his side. I've heard parts of his side from Janet Jackson, and would like to heard them from him.

Regardless how this lawsuit turns out, if Dark Horse publishes new stories featuring Gold Key characters, I will buy them. Depending on how this lawsuit turns out when all the facts are revealed, I may or may not be interested in a product VEI produces.

cshepard81 · Post by **cshepard81** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 3:04 pm

etos45 wrote: I agree with what Greg said on another post about how VEI wouldn't want to waist the "buzz" of Shooter being EIC until they were closer to publishing.

I read that post but respectfully disagree. I don't know how many times I've checked this forum since VEI first started selling hardcovers to see if there were any developments on monthly comics (which is what I'm really interested, more so than movies or any other form of entertainment they could offer) and was sadly disappointed by the lack of announcements (I had long given up on looking for "official" announcements on VEI's website).

If somebody from VEI had said, "we've got Jim Shooter working for us but that's all we can say for now," isn't that a lot more encouraging than either 1) giving an ambiguous date when generating new comics will begin, or 2) not saying anything at all? Personally, I would have been thrilled to hear Shooter was back and would have waited as long as it took. We've waited so long already, if it took a year or even two years, as long as I knew Shooter was at the helm I would have been happy.

dave · Post by **dave** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 3:20 pm

So instead of wasting the buzz that would have been created by an announcement they wasted the Fact that he was ever hired?!?!

cshepard81 · Post by **cshepard81** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 3:50 pm

dave wrote:So instead of wasting the buzz that would have been created by an announcement they wasted the Fact that he was ever hired?!?!

I don't think any positive buzz from VEI would have been "wasted."
Hiring Jim Shooter would have been tremendous news to all of us.
Once new comics came out, that would have been more tremendous news.

Maybe I didn't phrase this clearly before, but VEI made an announcement that they'd be generating new content. That got us all waiting and speculating, but after months of no new news, people--myself included--became impatient and wondered if publishing new comics was really VEI's primary objective. Had they announced Shooter was EIC, that probably would have answered that question, and, knowing he was hard at work creating new comics, it would have eased the long wait, at least for me.

SolarGod · Post by **SolarGod** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 4:28 pm

I said this in the other thread and I will repeat it here since its how I feel about VEI now ......

I'll be honest ... i'm bitter @ VEI for going about things this way , instead of just buckling down and getting back to work. VEI's lack of respect for the ORIGINAL CREATORS is appalling. I guess they just want to make a buck off of someone elses work. Shameful !!!

As for wasting the hype of signing Shooter , I guess it woks both ways. DH had no problems announcing Shooter , who knows when the material will actually be out. The announcement seems like great news and I can't wait !!

But on the hand since VEI wants to remain so silent about everything, had they just continued to work hard and go about their business , no one would have had a clue about Shooter right now and we would still be eagerly await some material.

Works both ways

wrunow · Post by **wrunow** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 4:51 pm

cshepard81 wrote:
etos45 wrote: I agree with what Greg said on another post about how VEI wouldn't want to waist the "buzz" of Shooter being EIC until they were closer to publishing.
I read that post but respectfully disagree. I don't know how many times I've checked this forum since VEI first started selling hardcovers to see if there were any developments on monthly comics (which is what I'm really interested, more so than movies or any other form of entertainment they could offer) and was sadly disappointed by the lack of announcements (I had long given up on looking for "official" announcements on VEI's website).

If somebody from VEI had said, "we've got Jim Shooter working for us but that's all we can say for now," isn't that a lot more encouraging than either 1) giving an ambiguous date when generating new comics will begin, or 2) not saying anything at all? Personally, I would have been thrilled to hear Shooter was back and would have waited as long as it took. We've waited so long already, if it took a year or even two years, as long as I knew Shooter was at the helm I would have been happy.

In hindsight you might be correct, but VEI didn't feel that was the right approach for them. Also, we have to be conscious of the fact that it's gonna take a lot more people than the 50 or 60 that are active on this board and the other VALIANT board which I am not active at but enjoy visiting, and even if we didn't like the product they put out, and I'm not saying that was/is the plan, they could be successful if they catch on with comic readers in general. I am pushing 50 and what may make a successful comic in the marketplace may not appeal to me at all, and I respect that.

It's obvious now that there would have been an announcement at some point that went something like this:

1. Valiant is back!
2. We've got Shooter back doing what he's does best.
3 The first title will be X, written by X, and drawn by X and we have so many issues already in the can so there will be no delays.
4. The Second title will be by X and released on Y with so many ready to go.
5. The Third title will be by and released on .....

And so on. There still will be an announcement sometime in the future, just #2 will be omitted or replaced with another name.

Elveen · Post by **Elveen** » Sat Oct 10, 2009 5:53 pm

I was very surprised and shocked when I first heard.

For me, the best case would have been "Getting the band back together again."

But, really my feelings toward VEI has not changed. I would like to read new stories with the characters that I love. VEI is the ONLY possibility for that.

I hope VEI can regroup, and re-start the plan to get new books out.

Cyberstrike · Post by **Cyberstrike** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 8:39 am

etos45 wrote:I agree with what Greg said on another post about how VEI wouldn't want to waist the "buzz" of Shooter being EIC until they were closer to publishing. I definitely don't agree with some of the sentiment I have read that VEI was hiding Shooter like a dirty secret... that's just silly.

Another thing is to consider is this: Jim Shooter's reputation (or if you will his legend). For every Dave Lapham and JayJay Jackson that supports Shooter there are an equal number other creators that don't like him and some even hate him, and those creators who haven't worked with him and heard stories about what a tyrant he is and bad Marvel was when EIC, and how he failed 3 times to run a comic company after that. Plus Shooter hasn't done much to help matters when he quit The Legion of Superheroes he reported said that DC editors didn't like him because he complained too loudly.

There are of course a number of fans and creators that love him and his work but truthfully I don't think Jim Shooter attracts a lot of high-quality talent that a company like VEI would need to sell their books.

Now Dark Horse on the other hand has established a solid reputation with a number of high-quality creators and those people might be willing to work for Dark Horse just as long as they don't feel that they're NOT working for or under Jim Shooter.

Phantom.. · Post by **Phantom..** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 10:06 am

wrunow wrote:
It's obvious now that there would have been an announcement at some point that went something like this:

1. Valiant is back!
2. We've got Shooter back doing what he's does best.
3 The first title will be X, written by X, and drawn by X and we have so many issues already in the can so there will be no delays.
4. The Second title will be by X and released on Y with so many ready to go.
5. The Third title will be by and released on .....

And so on. There still will be an announcement sometime in the future, just #2 will be omitted or replaced with another name.

I was going to write something similar. The fact that they kept hush, was annoying, but maybe they were planning a BIG annoncement.

As in something that would be more than just another comic start up. The relaunch of the third biggest comic book company of the 90's.

It is a shame their was a falling out, but we don't know all the reasons behind it.

I love Shooters Work, I love the fact that someone is trying to get my favorite comic book company to print again. I am not chosing sides, I don't have to.

Draco · Post by **Draco** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 10:14 am

Phantom. wrote:
wrunow wrote:
It's obvious now that there would have been an announcement at some point that went something like this:

1. Valiant is back!
2. We've got Shooter back doing what he's does best.
3 The first title will be X, written by X, and drawn by X and we have so many issues already in the can so there will be no delays.
4. The Second title will be by X and released on Y with so many ready to go.
5. The Third title will be by and released on .....

And so on. There still will be an announcement sometime in the future, just #2 will be omitted or replaced with another name.

I was going to write something similar. The fact that they kept hush, was annoying, but maybe they were planning a BIG annoncement.

As in something that would be more than just another comic start up. The relaunch of the third biggest comic book company of the 90's.

It is a shame their was a falling out, but we don't know all the reasons behind it.

I love Shooters Work, I love the fact that someone is trying to get my favorite comic book company to print again. I am not chosing sides, I don't have to.

I normally like to chip in on this kind of thing, but in general im staying away from sides etc, cos no matter what the courty papers say, i still have no idea what the hell happened.
Like in most arguments in life, there are two sides to every story and so far we have one in detail and im not sure i could make judgement with both sides giving there full version.

All i care about is comics being published and some news on the when and where, so now i have my news, there arent any comics coming anytime soon.
My need for information is sated and wont require topping up for some time now.

Logic tells me there will more likely be a revamp of Marvel Star comic before we see Valiant new titles again.