Harbinger #14 Discussion

[DrSoup007]

Wow! Just wow, I probably read it before the rest of you since I read digitally but this was amazing. A great and intense wrap up to the series that makes me quite sad that it's over. I could really tell that they are finally realizing that they're a team, and they have to work together and care for each other. Josh Dysart did a great job. Ohh and I love the Clayton Crain cover, freaking awesome!

[swtor1091]

faith lived very happy and surprised.... Shed a tear when she was talking about saying goodbye and Kris talking to her.... Just amazing.... Plus flamingo looked down good

[bygranddesign]

My mind wasn't blown ... but a very good issue that sort of ties a bow on the Harbinger Wars (which overall was amazingly fantastic).

I expected something bigger to happen to faith other then a few bruises including a bruised ego and damaged pride for losing the war. I didn't think she would die ... but i thought she would be critically hurt or in a coma or MIA. Ultimately, I think the way it ended was appropriate. It wasn't over the top with some cliff hanger ending ... it sort of ended for the Renegades with a whimper which I think will have interesting repercussions. Don't want their first experiences of all out war to be too devastating - it might have completely crushed them before they even really got going as a team.

The 1969 scenes once again were the highlights for me ... great final battle with Carter ... you feel for Harada who lost Hunter and his love Griffon in the battle. Interesting that Carter can live inside people head ... even after death could he be hiding part of himself inside Harada's mind to this day???

Also ... Harada as a hippy was pretty groovy

Overall --- 7.9/10

This issue was sort of the middle of the pack in the crossover with HW#1. #4 and Harby #12 being the 3 stand out issues of the crossover, IMO. Even though it wasn't the best issue of the crossover ... its in stark contrast from Bloodshot #13 which was by far my least favorite issue of the crossover.

[tchalla8]

Considering this was sort of a wrap up issue to events we've already read about I thought they did a pretty good job of making it interesting and readable even with all the repeat scene business going on. That speaks volumes to me about Dysart's ability to create fresh characterization even in events we've already witnessed (which has been done inconsistently in the Bloodshot tie-ins, IMO). Loved Faith's closure most of all. All things considered he did a great job leaving them in a place where they can move on to the next part of their lives. Really looking forward to what's next.

[pixierosa]

Well said, tchalla! Dysart did such a good job giving a "repeat" of action a fresh breath of air. There was action, but the focus was on the emotions. I never thought Faith would die - in fact, it was only Josh hinting that something might happen to her. The actual story leading up to this only showed her as having been taken control of. That doesn't automatically equate death. But it definitely got the fans stirred up

This was the team's first real test - and while it didn't go as planned, they continued to work together rather than fall apart and misdirect that frustration at each other. Bit of hinting of that with Torque complaining about Kris wanting to hide, but that was the strategic solution.

I was expecting Griffon and Hunter to die, and expected it might come to pass by Harada's forced hand. Wasn't too far off the mark. What I didn't expect (and believe me - I am rarely surprised by plot twists) was his own pysche disappearing. Hippy Harada - didn't see that one coming! The Bleeding Monk sought him out again. Also interesting how he was able to draw Harada back out and remember. Also interesting character insight to Carter - how he subjected himself to years of torture and experimentation, and his utter belief and determination that Harada must be defeated. Apparently PRS hasn't refined their approach much, as I seem to remember Christian speaking of how they were tortured to be activated.

Speaking of which, loved Christian's little bit of interaction with Harada. I don't believe Harada will be able to win Christian over completely, but it will be interesting to see how he will eventually fit into Harbinger Foundation and how he will eventually take his leave. Bloodshot talks about being a programmed soldier free of his programming. Christian has been conditioned his whole life but he is truly a free, albeit tragic, spirit. Pete once described himself as "born to die" -- the same can be said about Christian. He wants freedom, love and happiness for his charges, but he is incapable of enjoying these things himself, yet he is willing to kill and die for these liberties.

I thought this was beautifully written.

[BugsySig]

Good issue. The 1969 parts were excellent, especially the reveal of Carter and the ramifications of the first Harbinger War.

I will throw this out there: In the Belagio basement, just before the Renegades go to find Faith, we see Pete's eyes light up. We know Pete suffers some kind of mental break in the next arc and ends up creating some kind of "fantasy world" in his head where it's the "Best Day Ever." Is it possible that scene finding Faith is part of that fantasy world? Could her survival in tact be too good to be true? Feel free to discuss

[swtor1091]

Good issue. The 1969 parts were excellent, especially the reveal of Carter and the ramifications of the first Harbinger War.

I will throw this out there: In the Belagio basement, just before the Renegades go to find Faith, we see Pete's eyes light up. We know Pete suffers some kind of mental break in the next arc and ends up creating some kind of "fantasy world" in his head where it's the "Best Day Ever." Is it possible that scene finding Faith is part of that fantasy world? Could her survival in tact be too good to be true? Feel free to discuss

Just when I was feeling warm you *SQUEE* hahahaha

[bygranddesign]

Good issue. The 1969 parts were excellent, especially the reveal of Carter and the ramifications of the first Harbinger War.

I will throw this out there: In the Belagio basement, just before the Renegades go to find Faith, we see Pete's eyes light up. We know Pete suffers some kind of mental break in the next arc and ends up creating some kind of "fantasy world" in his head where it's the "Best Day Ever." Is it possible that scene finding Faith is part of that fantasy world? Could her survival in tact be too good to be true? Feel free to discuss

yeah .. we speculated and theorized about this in another thread. I think its a cool idea but I'm not getting the vibe that that's the direction they are going in.

I think Pete's eyes were glowing because he was blocking out Harada from finding them.

And Faith was narrating most of the issue ... including her safe return to the renegades.

If it was Pete narrating - the mental break angle might be more plausible.

Something definitely strange is going down in the next arc ... something big as a result from the harbinger wars ... so I think the possibility of Pete mental break and some shocking huge reveal is definitely in play .. I'm just thinking its something other than Faith dying ...

[BugsySig]

Good issue. The 1969 parts were excellent, especially the reveal of Carter and the ramifications of the first Harbinger War.

I will throw this out there: In the Belagio basement, just before the Renegades go to find Faith, we see Pete's eyes light up. We know Pete suffers some kind of mental break in the next arc and ends up creating some kind of "fantasy world" in his head where it's the "Best Day Ever." Is it possible that scene finding Faith is part of that fantasy world? Could her survival in tact be too good to be true? Feel free to discuss

yeah .. we speculated and theorized about this in another thread. I think its a cool idea but I'm not getting the vibe that that's the direction they are going in.

I think Pete's eyes were glowing because he was blocking out Harada from finding them.

And Faith was narrating most of the issue ... including her safe return to the renegades.

If it was Pete narrating - the mental break angle might be more plausible.

Something definitely strange is going down in the next arc ... something big as a result from the harbinger wars ... so I think the possibility of Pete mental break and some shocking huge reveal is definitely in play .. I'm just thinking its something other than Faith dying ...

Wouldn't be the first time a dead character narrated a story. Especially if her consciousness is still present somehow within Pete's the way Joe's (seemingly) was after he died (and I know, we still don't know if that was actually Joe, Pete projecting Joe or someone from Haradas camp, but still ).

[CallMeBloodshot]

Intersting way to end the Harby Wars with also the end if the first confrontation between Harada and PRS. Not sure what the ramifications are for Carter becoming some big brained psiot. Does this mean some of the kids were created to be psiots? I'm a bit confused on that. Just seems like there might have been almost too much to resolve in this issue. And it definitely felt like a resolution. Slightly better than Bloodshot this week, but neither blew my doors off. Can't expect that to happen every issue though.

[BugsySig]

Intersting way to end the Harby Wars with also the end if the first confrontation between Harada and PRS. Not sure what the ramifications are for Carter becoming some big brained psiot. Does this mean some of the kids were created to be psiots? I'm a bit confused on that. Just seems like there might have been almost too much to resolve in this issue. And it definitely felt like a resolution. Slightly better than Bloodshot this week, but neither blew my doors off. Can't expect that to happen every issue though.

It was an early test of their activation system. I am assuming Carter was a latent Psiot, thus why he became a guinea pig himself. Cronus himself said the PRS kids had been tortured into activation, through what is likely a slightly more refined yet still brutal process.

[Blood of Heroes]

Not sure what the ramifications are for Carter becoming some big brained psiot. Does this mean some of the kids were created to be psiots? I'm a bit confused on that.

That confuses me too. There is a panel showing a floating lab rat with glowing eyes, along with a dog and a monkey. All three have their brains exposed. It would seem that, with enough torture, anything can be turned into a psiot. Maybe the HARD Corps implants work along the same lines.

Maybe the Goat is an escaped PRS lab animal!!!

[DrSoup007]

Good issue. The 1969 parts were excellent, especially the reveal of Carter and the ramifications of the first Harbinger War.

I will throw this out there: In the Belagio basement, just before the Renegades go to find Faith, we see Pete's eyes light up. We know Pete suffers some kind of mental break in the next arc and ends up creating some kind of "fantasy world" in his head where it's the "Best Day Ever." Is it possible that scene finding Faith is part of that fantasy world? Could her survival in tact be too good to be true? Feel free to discuss

Dude, you seriously need to encapsulate all that in spoiler blacklines

[CallMeBloodshot]

Not sure what the ramifications are for Carter becoming some big brained psiot. Does this mean some of the kids were created to be psiots? I'm a bit confused on that.

That confuses me too. There is a panel showing a floating lab rat with glowing eyes, along with a dog and a monkey. All three have their brains exposed. It would seem that, with enough torture, anything can be turned into a psiot. Maybe the HARD Corps implants work along the same lines.

Maybe the Goat is an escaped PRS lab animal!!!

Ahh nice. See this is what I meant. It seems these things were turned psiot. Interesting

[tchalla8]

Good issue. The 1969 parts were excellent, especially the reveal of Carter and the ramifications of the first Harbinger War.

I will throw this out there: In the Belagio basement, just before the Renegades go to find Faith, we see Pete's eyes light up. We know Pete suffers some kind of mental break in the next arc and ends up creating some kind of "fantasy world" in his head where it's the "Best Day Ever." Is it possible that scene finding Faith is part of that fantasy world? Could her survival in tact be too good to be true? Feel free to discuss

Dude, you seriously need to encapsulate all that in spoiler blacklines

um...this is the spoiler area you know

[Blood of Heroes]

Good issue. The 1969 parts were excellent, especially the reveal of Carter and the ramifications of the first Harbinger War.

I will throw this out there: In the Belagio basement, just before the Renegades go to find Faith, we see Pete's eyes light up. We know Pete suffers some kind of mental break in the next arc and ends up creating some kind of "fantasy world" in his head where it's the "Best Day Ever." Is it possible that scene finding Faith is part of that fantasy world? Could her survival in tact be too good to be true? Feel free to discuss

Dude, you seriously need to encapsulate all that in spoiler blacklines

um...this is the spoiler area you know

Yeah, but this thread is to discuss Harbinger 14, not 15.

[Chiclo]

Good issue. The 1969 parts were excellent, especially the reveal of Carter and the ramifications of the first Harbinger War.

I will throw this out there: In the Belagio basement, just before the Renegades go to find Faith, we see Pete's eyes light up. We know Pete suffers some kind of mental break in the next arc and ends up creating some kind of "fantasy world" in his head where it's the "Best Day Ever." Is it possible that scene finding Faith is part of that fantasy world? Could her survival in tact be too good to be true? Feel free to discuss

Dude, you seriously need to encapsulate all that in spoiler blacklines

um...this is the spoiler area you know

Yeah, but this thread is to discuss Harbinger 14, not 15.

But it is so hard waiting for the issues to actually hit the stands before we can talk about how good they are!

[BugsySig]

Good issue. The 1969 parts were excellent, especially the reveal of Carter and the ramifications of the first Harbinger War.

I will throw this out there: In the Belagio basement, just before the Renegades go to find Faith, we see Pete's eyes light up. We know Pete suffers some kind of mental break in the next arc and ends up creating some kind of "fantasy world" in his head where it's the "Best Day Ever." Is it possible that scene finding Faith is part of that fantasy world? Could her survival in tact be too good to be true? Feel free to discuss

Dude, you seriously need to encapsulate all that in spoiler blacklines

um...this is the spoiler area you know

Yeah, but this thread is to discuss Harbinger 14, not 15.

Actually, the solicits are posted in the "General Discussion" forum...so, um, yeah...sorry, I guess

[Blood of Heroes]

Good issue. The 1969 parts were excellent, especially the reveal of Carter and the ramifications of the first Harbinger War.

I will throw this out there: In the Belagio basement, just before the Renegades go to find Faith, we see Pete's eyes light up. We know Pete suffers some kind of mental break in the next arc and ends up creating some kind of "fantasy world" in his head where it's the "Best Day Ever." Is it possible that scene finding Faith is part of that fantasy world? Could her survival in tact be too good to be true? Feel free to discuss

Dude, you seriously need to encapsulate all that in spoiler blacklines

um...this is the spoiler area you know

Yeah, but this thread is to discuss Harbinger 14, not 15.

Actually, the solicits are posted in the "General Discussion" forum...so, um, yeah...sorry, I guess

You're going to get a visit from General Redacted!

Personally, I stay away from spoilers as best I can. I don't think these issue specific threads should contain information about future books. But I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. My comment was more directed towards tchalla8. It seems that his position is that since this is the spoiler section, discussion of any spoiler in any thread is fair game. I don't see it that way.

[Bl00dsh0t]

Not sure what the ramifications are for Carter becoming some big brained psiot. Does this mean some of the kids were created to be psiots? I'm a bit confused on that.

That confuses me too. There is a panel showing a floating lab rat with glowing eyes, along with a dog and a monkey. All three have their brains exposed. It would seem that, with enough torture, anything can be turned into a psiot. Maybe the HARD Corps implants work along the same lines.

Maybe the Goat is an escaped PRS lab animal!!!

Ahh nice. See this is what I meant. It seems these things were turned psiot. Interesting

This would be a great way to bring Quantum & Woody into the Harbinger fold. There are already links from Q&W #1 by virtue of the sideways 8 logo on the costumes of the women walking about that mysterious bad guy...Quantum & Woody is going to be a more closely linked title to the greater Valiant U than many people think.

The goat has GOT to be an animal psiot!

[erwinrafael]

Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed by the scenes from the current time. It lacked ooomph especially with the much-hyped fate of Faith.

The 1969 scenes, however, are very good.

[BugsySig]

Good issue. The 1969 parts were excellent, especially the reveal of Carter and the ramifications of the first Harbinger War.

I will throw this out there: In the Belagio basement, just before the Renegades go to find Faith, we see Pete's eyes light up. We know Pete suffers some kind of mental break in the next arc and ends up creating some kind of "fantasy world" in his head where it's the "Best Day Ever." Is it possible that scene finding Faith is part of that fantasy world? Could her survival in tact be too good to be true? Feel free to discuss

Dude, you seriously need to encapsulate all that in spoiler blacklines

um...this is the spoiler area you know

Yeah, but this thread is to discuss Harbinger 14, not 15.

Actually, the solicits are posted in the "General Discussion" forum...so, um, yeah...sorry, I guess

You're going to get a visit from General Redacted!

Personally, I stay away from spoilers as best I can. I don't think these issue specific threads should contain information about future books. But I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. My comment was more directed towards tchalla8. It seems that his position is that since this is the spoiler section, discussion of any spoiler in any thread is fair game. I don't see it that way.

Fair enough. I guess since I find it impossible to avoid all the solicits, I don't even think of them as spoilers. And, of course, we don't really know what is going on in that next arc, its just what some of us have theorized based on what's been released thus far.

[Jonman]

People made such a big deal about "the fate of Faith" when it was just a plug for the next issue. I'm surprised anyone actually thougt she was going to die.

[bygranddesign]

The 1969 scenes, however, are very good.

Did anyone else get a Michael Corleone type vibe at the end with young Harada sitting on the chair with his legs crossed? looked very god father-ish to me.

[erwinrafael]

People made such a big deal about "the fate of Faith" when it was just a plug for the next issue. I'm surprised anyone actually thougt she was going to die.

I did not think she was going to die. But I was expecting a more emotionally charged scenario than what was delivered.