Only The Valiant Podcast
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- etos45
- I live to be inefficient!
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Sometimes a quick read is a good thing... it's nice to think about getting through a series without having to invest weeks to do it. Though, I'm quite certain I wouldn't feel the same way if I had been reading them month to month... at cover price.Dr. Solar wrote:Opinions vary wildly on how good Visitor was, as you heard. You won't be giving up much of your time to read through it though, it is a very quick read.
- Steve Topper
- Is it Dee-no or Die-no? Dunno.
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Enjoyed the episode a great deal. But a couple of nits!
First, the comment about people in Ohio not knowing about Burbank. C'mon! Burbank is the home of the Tonight Show - as an Ohioan, I feel insulted that you would assume we wouldn't know where Burbank is located. It's like TAFKAZWH pointed out, it's like saying "Newark NJ, south of NYC". People in Ohio aren't that geographically challenged.
Second, I have to agree with ZWH on the whole deus ex machina aspect of the Visitor. There was bad storytelling throughout the run. Anytime you have to infer key plot points to keep a story on track, there is a problem. On top of that, as the podcast continued after the abrupt departure, both Chiclo and Sean seemed to be coming to the conclusion ZWH was making. There was too much stuff that just happened and that's bad storytelling. Although, that doesn't mean somebody (Sean) can't enjoy the run, but it is still bad storytelling.
Third, while the story was probably one of the better runs during that time in Valiant publishing and could be favorably compared to a lot of comics from the 1993-1994 timeframe, Death and Return of Superman isn't one of them. (Just my opinion!) Compare it to Marvel's Teen Tony stories; Heroes Reborn (especially Captain America and Avengers) etc. OK. But not Death of Superman.
Last, in spite of the criticisms above, I really enjoy the podcasts. Keep them coming. The interplay among the three of you is great. I don't always agree but I do find the conversations thought-provoking.
Thanks!
First, the comment about people in Ohio not knowing about Burbank. C'mon! Burbank is the home of the Tonight Show - as an Ohioan, I feel insulted that you would assume we wouldn't know where Burbank is located. It's like TAFKAZWH pointed out, it's like saying "Newark NJ, south of NYC". People in Ohio aren't that geographically challenged.

Second, I have to agree with ZWH on the whole deus ex machina aspect of the Visitor. There was bad storytelling throughout the run. Anytime you have to infer key plot points to keep a story on track, there is a problem. On top of that, as the podcast continued after the abrupt departure, both Chiclo and Sean seemed to be coming to the conclusion ZWH was making. There was too much stuff that just happened and that's bad storytelling. Although, that doesn't mean somebody (Sean) can't enjoy the run, but it is still bad storytelling.
Third, while the story was probably one of the better runs during that time in Valiant publishing and could be favorably compared to a lot of comics from the 1993-1994 timeframe, Death and Return of Superman isn't one of them. (Just my opinion!) Compare it to Marvel's Teen Tony stories; Heroes Reborn (especially Captain America and Avengers) etc. OK. But not Death of Superman.
Last, in spite of the criticisms above, I really enjoy the podcasts. Keep them coming. The interplay among the three of you is great. I don't always agree but I do find the conversations thought-provoking.
Thanks!
- Dr. Solar
- Spanked like a 4 year old in K-Mart.
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Episode 54 is out now!
Thrills! Chills! Excitement!
...and a lot of talking.
We discuss our thoughts about all the recent Valiant news: new Chairman, new Publisher, new Executive Editor, and a tentative publishing schedule.
Check it out:
http://onlythevaliant.com/episodes/54/
Thrills! Chills! Excitement!
...and a lot of talking.
We discuss our thoughts about all the recent Valiant news: new Chairman, new Publisher, new Executive Editor, and a tentative publishing schedule.
Check it out:
http://onlythevaliant.com/episodes/54/
- Elveen
- I sell comics, I collect Valiant.
- Posts: 25252
- Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2006 2:44 am
- Location: Educating the future of America, or something like that
Dr. Solar wrote:Episode 54 is out now!
Thrills! Chills! Excitement!
...and a lot of talking.
We discuss our thoughts about all the recent Valiant news: new Chairman, new Publisher, new Executive Editor, and a tentative publishing schedule.
Check it out:
http://onlythevaliant.com/episodes/54/
SWEET!






- Dr. Solar
- Spanked like a 4 year old in K-Mart.
- Posts: 10898
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- Favorite character: Sven
- Favorite title: Psi-Lords #2
- Location: Los Angeles Surviving Sectors
Hopefully, there won't be as much of a lull.
When we started the show back in March 2008, it was in anticipation of new Valiant comics in late 2008, early 2009. A year to get established, then along for the ride.
Obviously, there were some delays in VEI's production schedule. It seems that we are now (hopefully) where I thought we were three and a half years ago in relation to new books coming out.
Things like this give me hope:
And now the master plan of world domination can proceed!!!
When we started the show back in March 2008, it was in anticipation of new Valiant comics in late 2008, early 2009. A year to get established, then along for the ride.
Obviously, there were some delays in VEI's production schedule. It seems that we are now (hopefully) where I thought we were three and a half years ago in relation to new books coming out.
Things like this give me hope:
@ValiantComics wrote:It's very quite in the office right now. Everyone is busy making comics...
And now the master plan of world domination can proceed!!!
I'm just joking about the lull. You guys have covered just about everything worth talking about in both the Valiant and Acclaim runs (and some things that weren't). Gearing up for new books can get you motivated to record/discuss more than waiting and wondering, so here's to more forthcoming news that in turn spurs more podcasts.
- etos45
- I live to be inefficient!
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For serial? I mean super, duper, ultra serial... TAFKAZ is gone? That sucks. I guess I really need to listen to ep. 54 then.Dr. Solar wrote:OTV will miss TAFKAZ too.Elveen wrote:I'm sure that OTV will still be awesome, but I will miss TAFKAZ.
Anyways, I'm glad to see you are releasing one about the news of Valiant's (hopeful) return to comics. I'm guessing that will help to give y'all more to talk about in the future.

- etos45
- I live to be inefficient!
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Just listened to the new podcast, and another great show!
A couple of things that I was wondering about while listening:
1) Would you be more for the 4-page comic advertisements if they were what was keeping the comic prices "low"? For example, Chiclo was talking about it was in a $2.99 issue, which is a dollar cheaper than pretty much all of the Marvel books I buy. Personally, I would happily forfeit 2 pages of story (I believe you said 20 pages now instead of 22) in order to get those prices back down.
2) When talking about how great it would be if the movies that Valiant produced would be in continuity with comics and games like how Star Wars does it, I have to say that the number one reason I don't think this would work is because I believe that the movie would have to come out first in order for it to work. The original Star Wars expanded universe actually started about the same time as the movies with the Marvel comics (I know there was also a Splinter of the Minds Eye book and some animated stuff thrown around there somewhere). But if they had done the comics first, then started the movies with them already in mid-adventure then I don't see how it could have worked... movie goers would have been totally lost. I guess they could leave a hole in the comic origin story where the movie could rehash the origin and then fill in the hole. Anyways, bottom line is it would be really cool... if it worked.
3) IF you were to do an OTV on Geomancer, you could do it basing it more on all of the Geomancers. I think that would be a pretty interesting show to listen to.

A couple of things that I was wondering about while listening:
1) Would you be more for the 4-page comic advertisements if they were what was keeping the comic prices "low"? For example, Chiclo was talking about it was in a $2.99 issue, which is a dollar cheaper than pretty much all of the Marvel books I buy. Personally, I would happily forfeit 2 pages of story (I believe you said 20 pages now instead of 22) in order to get those prices back down.
2) When talking about how great it would be if the movies that Valiant produced would be in continuity with comics and games like how Star Wars does it, I have to say that the number one reason I don't think this would work is because I believe that the movie would have to come out first in order for it to work. The original Star Wars expanded universe actually started about the same time as the movies with the Marvel comics (I know there was also a Splinter of the Minds Eye book and some animated stuff thrown around there somewhere). But if they had done the comics first, then started the movies with them already in mid-adventure then I don't see how it could have worked... movie goers would have been totally lost. I guess they could leave a hole in the comic origin story where the movie could rehash the origin and then fill in the hole. Anyways, bottom line is it would be really cool... if it worked.
3) IF you were to do an OTV on Geomancer, you could do it basing it more on all of the Geomancers. I think that would be a pretty interesting show to listen to.
- Dr. Solar
- Spanked like a 4 year old in K-Mart.
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- Favorite character: Sven
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- Location: Los Angeles Surviving Sectors
I was thinking about that. It is easy to create a comic that fits into the story and the world of a movie, but much more difficult to do the opposite. Movies are probably the most complex form of media that exists, in terms of how many people work on a movie, and how much effort goes into its creation.etos45 wrote:2) When talking about how great it would be if the movies that Valiant produced would be in continuity with comics and games like how Star Wars does it, I have to say that the number one reason I don't think this would work is because I believe that the movie would have to come out first in order for it to work. The original Star Wars expanded universe actually started about the same time as the movies with the Marvel comics (I know there was also a Splinter of the Minds Eye book and some animated stuff thrown around there somewhere). But if they had done the comics first, then started the movies with them already in mid-adventure then I don't see how it could have worked... movie goers would have been totally lost. I guess they could leave a hole in the comic origin story where the movie could rehash the origin and then fill in the hole. Anyways, bottom line is it would be really cool... if it worked.
I don't expect something like that to work, especially for a new company just breaking into the scene... but it would be cool.
Yes, you are 100% correct. If/When we do a full Geomancer episode, that makes sense to do it all.3) IF you were to do an OTV on Geomancer, you could do it basing it more on all of the Geomancers. I think that would be a pretty interesting show to listen to.
- UnknownTales
- You gotta have Faith!
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- Valiant fan since: 2005
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- Jersen
- Get those scissors away from my coupons
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Episode 54 was, for me, one of the most enjoyable episodes I've listened to since the early ones. I loved all the speculation about what could happen with the new Valiant and thought that there were some really relevant discussion points brought up.
I hope I'm not misunderstood on this, because I mean it completely respectfully, but I think I enjoy the podcast more without Zeph. Zeph has always had a ton of modern historical context and knowledge because he is significantly older than Sean and Chiclo, but his contributions have seemed more confrontational than discussion-prompting of late.
I'm hoping to hear from a certain Valiant character voicemail next episode! I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't make the cut, though. I was a bit drunk.
I hope I'm not misunderstood on this, because I mean it completely respectfully, but I think I enjoy the podcast more without Zeph. Zeph has always had a ton of modern historical context and knowledge because he is significantly older than Sean and Chiclo, but his contributions have seemed more confrontational than discussion-prompting of late.
I'm hoping to hear from a certain Valiant character voicemail next episode! I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't make the cut, though. I was a bit drunk.