Is VEI dead or dying?

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:06 am

Almost missed this months post - but I made a committment, so I am determined to follow that through. On balance of available evidence - rather than hearsay and rumour - can the same be said of VEI in relation to publishing comics? I'd argue 'no' in that instance.

The obligatory check on the site reveals the previously mentioned (by etos45) update of copyright date. The front page news remains the Ratner (no longer a) story and X-O Manowar. Still no new news items or press releases. And nothing posted in the VEI Announcements section of this Forum since October 2010; and even that was nothing 'new' really.

Anyone heard any rumours of creators being tapped up? I know I haven't. Which in of itself means little. But, if VEI we ever to gear up for publishing comics on a regular basis, then they would need either creators, or at least to outsource to appropriate studios. With no indication of either as far as I can see, then the prognosis remains poor.

VEI? As a publisher? Dead, maybe barely ever 'born'. As a wannabe licenser to multi-media platforms? Barely hanging on; but then they don't have much to do until a fish bites the bait they have thrown out, do they?

One last thought. Do you know what wouldn't surprise me? I expect VEI to publish something new eventually, even as a one-shot; simply to retain their copyrights and trademarks. The cynic in me expects just a one-shot (hey, what might me a good title for such a hypothetical book? Let me see....'Valiant Universe' anyone?), and nothing ongoing from VEI. If they wanted to be comic book publishers, they could have been so, long before now.

jedimarley · Post by **jedimarley** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:13 am

Am I right in that they are going into their SEVENTH year of ownership of these properties?

Draco · Post by **Draco** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:44 am

jedimarley wrote:Am I right in that they are going into their SEVENTH year of ownership of these properties?

I cant even begin to think what would have happened had someone else won the properties.

A sad state of affairs after 7 years and only some reprints.

I could make some calls tomorrow and have all the major titles back in publication by years end if they were mine.

iggy101us · Post by **iggy101us** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:59 am

leonmallett wrote:The obligatory check on the site reveals the previously mentioned (by etos45) update of copyright date.

Upon futher review, certain pages still has a 2008 copyright date. Here's one for example: http://wiki.valiantentertainment.com/in ... /Main_Page

™ & © 2008 Valiant Entertainment, Inc. Terms of Service Privacy Policy

Savant · Post by **Savant** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 11:48 pm

iggy101us wrote:
VEI Reborn wrote:Oh great I can see it now....

First it was Solar 10 White cover and now someone will pop up claiming they have Solar coupons
The Solar issues did have the inserts that when put together make the world's largest comic panel. Maybe that's why Savant thought they had coupons.

lol, I know you're joking around, but this is what had me thinking the Solar issues were supposed to have coupons (Not that I care about the coupons):

http://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=186801

Issues 1-8 have this in the description:

"This issue does not have a card (coupon)."

jbtheo · Post by **jbtheo** » Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:34 pm

Can anyone check to see if their office in NYC is even still open?

etos45 · Post by **etos45** » Sat Mar 05, 2011 11:54 pm

jbtheo wrote:Can anyone check to see if their office in NYC is even still open?

That's a really good question that I'd like to know the answer to. If I had to guess, I'd say that there is no way it could still be around. I mean, how can you sustain an office in New York with absolutely no income?

slym2none · Post by **slym2none** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:05 am

What's the addy? I am 15 minutes from the Financial District and 25 from Central Park...

-slym

400yrs · Post by **400yrs** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:44 am

slym2none wrote:What's the addy? I am 15 minutes from the Financial District and 25 from Central Park...

-slym

Do it, bro. Do it!!!!!

iggy101us · Post by **iggy101us** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:41 am

slym2none wrote:What's the addy? I am 15 minutes from the Financial District and 25 from Central Park...

-slym

420 Lexington Ave, Suite 224, NY, NY 10170 per the court document.

http://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/iscroll ... 02946-2009

jridd28 · Post by **jridd28** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 10:18 am

iggy101us wrote:
slym2none wrote:What's the addy? I am 15 minutes from the Financial District and 25 from Central Park...

-slym
420 Lexington Ave, Suite 224, NY, NY 10170 per the court document.

http://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/iscroll ... 02946-2009

This should be interesting!!!!

slym2none · Post by **slym2none** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:48 pm

That is right by Grand Central Station, and that's a big building.

Next time I am out that way, or have free time (yeah, right) I will go take a look-see during a business day.

-slym

mrwoogieman · Post by **mrwoogieman** » Sun Mar 06, 2011 10:42 pm

My office is at 360 Lex...

slym2none · Post by **slym2none** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 12:33 am

Well, you are a lot closer than I am, Bill! Walk over at lunch tomorrow...

I think I have the day off tomorrow, I might go into town for the halibut.

-slym

drmirage · Post by **drmirage** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 11:39 pm

Yes, let us know what is going on in the Valiant office.

Perhaps they have a sign that says "Interns needed"

MoonChild · Post by **MoonChild** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 1:38 am

I can't believe these guys own BloodShot, Archer & Armstrong, X-O Manowar, Eternal Warrior, Quantum & Woody, Shadowman, HARBINGER and they just refuse to make money off of them!!? What gives? At least give us an update on your plans VEI!!

ian_house · Post by **ian_house** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:23 am

drmirage wrote:Yes, let us know what is going on in the Valiant office.

Perhaps they have a sign that says "Ideas needed"

Fixed that for you.

Savant · Post by **Savant** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 12:16 am

slym2none wrote:Well, you are a lot closer than I am, Bill! Walk over at lunch tomorrow...

I think I have the day off tomorrow, I might go into town for the halibut.

-slym

Reading that, while noticing your avatar, gave me a bit of a chuckle.

slym2none · Post by **slym2none** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 7:48 am

Savant wrote:
slym2none wrote:Well, you are a lot closer than I am, Bill! Walk over at lunch tomorrow...

I think I have the day off tomorrow, I might go into town for the halibut.

Reading that, while noticing your avatar, gave me a bit of a chuckle.

No denizen of the sea can be considered safe as long as this warlock remains in this plane of existence!

-slym

jbtheo · Post by **jbtheo** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 2:50 pm

Such a shame. Even if these guys did something with the properties, I think the ship has sailed. At least you guys got some nice hardcover reprints from them.

If the owners are reading this, I'll tell you what, give me a story and I'll draw it for free. I'm not the greatest artist, but I can tell a story and I am decent at drawing.

Save you $3,000 right there to get a new issue out.

leonmallett · Post by **leonmallett** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 4:12 am

So checking the VEI site once again as is my monthly committment: no new News or Press Releases. No new features. And certainly nothing new about monthly 'pamphlets'

I haven't observed any new rumours on those comics related sites I frequent. There doesn't appear to be any staffing structure of subtantive note on the creative side; i.e. enough to puttogether one 'pamphlet' let alone a regular line of them.

Dead or dying? As a comic book publisher - dead in the water.

jbtheo · Post by **jbtheo** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 4:22 pm

It is a great time to publish comics, but an awful time to make any real money publishing comics

I think the window for them is still open, but it looks like to me that they lost interest and are just sitting on the characters; who knows, maybe they will auction them off or sell them to Marvel/DC/Dark Horse. Selling a character to Marvel or DC would be like them getting sucked into a black hole, but Dark Horse would be awesome, especially since they are trying to build a superhero universe. And I would be negligent not to say that Jim Shooter is floating around there and would probably be tapped to work on the universe again and tie them into "Dark Key". lol

On another note, too bad they won't go the online route. It seems like pretty fertile ground to plant in right now, especially since they have these characters that haven't been around for a while, but have a strong history with a core fanbase. Just publish online and sell ad space.

Though, again, I think these guys were aiming to hit it big, but realized that isn't going to happen, so they moved on to more profitable ventures.

jedimarley · Post by **jedimarley** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 4:31 pm

jbtheo wrote:they moved on to more profitable ventures.

What is that? What do these guys do for a living? Besides living off trust funds.

jbtheo · Post by **jbtheo** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 4:51 pm

jedimarley wrote:
jbtheo wrote:they moved on to more profitable ventures.
What is that? What do these guys do for a living? Besides living off trust funds.

I don't know.

TheVisitor · Post by **TheVisitor** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:46 pm

jbtheo wrote:It is a great time to publish comics, but an awful time to make any real money publishing comics

I think the window for them is still open, but it looks like to me that they lost interest and are just sitting on the characters; who knows, maybe they will auction them off or sell them to Marvel/DC/Dark Horse. Selling a character to Marvel or DC would be like them getting sucked into a black hole, but Dark Horse would be awesome, especially since they are trying to build a superhero universe. And I would be negligent not to say that Jim Shooter is floating around there and would probably be tapped to work on the universe again and tie them into "Dark Key". lol

On another note, too bad they won't go the online route. It seems like pretty fertile ground to plant in right now, especially since they have these characters that haven't been around for a while, but have a strong history with a core fanbase. Just publish online and sell ad space.

Though, again, I think these guys were aiming to hit it big, but realized that isn't going to happen, so they moved on to more profitable ventures.

Yes, Dark Horse would be awesome. X-O Manowar #1 released in January 2012 followed by issue #2 four to six months later.

I'll pass....

Phil