The return of Rai?

[etos45]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/10/09/ ... utureverse" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So Eternal Warrior #5 is going to 4001 A.D.... are we getting Rai back?

[leonmallett]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/10/09/ ... utureverse

So Eternal Warrior #5 is going to 4001 A.D.... are we getting Rai back?

Seems a very specific choice, so it looks that way. Which then looks like Rai would be even more of a lock for one of the upcoming titles.

[nscc]

Warren Simons: Rai? What's a Rai? A future spirit guardian of Japan, you say? Nope, got nothing to say about that! But come see us at NYCC…you might get lucky.

[etos45]

Warren Simons: Rai? What's a Rai? A future spirit guardian of Japan, you say? Nope, got nothing to say about that! But come see us at NYCC…you might get lucky.

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to reports from that panel now!

Does anyone know when it is? I'm guessing Saturday some time?

[Scarabus]

Great news..... and that cover looks amazing. The panel is Saturday at 4:00PM and I was planning on asking some Rai related questions but obviously they got it covered. I'm so excited!

[kjjohanson]

We kinda need a "potential spoilers" on this subject

[BugsySig]

Warren Simons: Rai? What's a Rai? A future spirit guardian of Japan, you say? Nope, got nothing to say about that! But come see us at NYCC…you might get lucky.

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to reports from that panel now!

Does anyone know when it is? I'm guessing Saturday some time?

Saturday at 3 or 4 maybe? Cant believe I forgot to get tix when they went up for sale I cant make it anyway for various reasons, but I am so gonna be there next year.

[Phoenix8008]

Beautiful covers! And what an awesome concept! This is great news I think!

[jaden_sai]

This announcement makes me

Looks good, I'm intrigued

Love the cover homage to Rai #5

[Donovan]

Super pumped by this news, but I honestly thought the cover was bland (and I love Crain's Valiant work!). I also didn't see the Rai homage?

[bygranddesign]

This is AMAZING news. I'm super excited about this!!

Really great interview with Pak and Simons .... the below answer made my knees weak and i almost fainted from the overwhelming geeky awesomeness of it all

IGN: In Rai #0 back in the day, there was a whole thing where it laid out the history of the Valiant Universe from current day to the 41st century or whatever. Which was always fascinating, but also felt like it created a set of limitations for what can and can’t happen in future stories. As a reader, are you a stickler for that sort of continuity?

Pak: Strictly as a reader, continuity isn't usually in my top ten concerns. All I care about as a reader is a great story that moves me emotionally, and to me personally, continuity doesn't usually play a big role in that.

But as a writer, I care about continuity very much because I'm working within a shared universe and building a world scene by scene with a bunch of other writers and editors. We need to agree with and build on each other's work for all of our different stories to work in the same world. There's a bigger story we're all telling, a story that's bigger than just our individual books. And if we all build the continuity together in a way that really serves that big story, there's a potential for some really phenomenal payoffs.

I will say that in working in a story set in the future, I'm an advocate of knowing everything but only revealing what's necessary for the story at hand to work. In other words, I don't want to hamstring any other writers (or myself!) by putting down on paper every single nuance of the history of the world between now and 4001. And I think readers will have a lot more fun figuring out the history from the drama playing out in real time in the story rather than having every aspect spelled out explicitly.

[jaden_sai]

I also didn't see the Rai homage?

Second cover:
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/10/09/ ... -4001-a-d/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bygranddesign]

I'm guessing that every title has the potential to jump up to 4001 for a story arc or two

Harbinger - its a multi-national corporation. In 4001 it could be a corporation-state. A corporation owned country of Psiot's perhaps?

Shadowman - the Shadow Loa is an immortal spirit ..it could find a new host in 4001.

Archer and Armstrong - Armstrong is immortal. Archer has unlimited potential - even if he doesn't learn to slow his aging .. he probably has mastered the Ivar Time Arcs already so he can jump into the future using those. His legacy, "timeless word" and followers will be huge influences in 4001.

Bloodshot - the nanites can continue to evolve and live on - even if the host dies...

X-O Manowar - Aric might not live forever ... but the armor will live on.

Quantum and Woody - they are made of energy ... so would they even age?

[Donovan]

I also didn't see the Rai homage?

Second cover:
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/10/09/ ... -4001-a-d/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Got it now! Thanks! It wasn't in the IGN article!

[mateo107]

also notice this comes out early January, about a month after the Rai hardcover hits the stores. coincidence?

[AnthonyF]

Love that alternate cover too, very Old Man Wolverine-ish!

Who was it that said, EW reads like Wolverine (in a good way).

[BugsySig]

Love that alternate cover too, very Old Man Wolverine-ish!

Who was it that said, EW reads like Wolverine (in a good way).

I think I said something like that referring to the original being a Wolverine knock off, but could be fantastic now if done right. Definitely an Old man Logan vibe, but 4001 takes that to the extreme. I love it.

[kjjohanson]

I'm guessing that every title has the potential to jump up to 4001 for a story arc or two

Bloodshot - the nanites can continue to evolve and live on - even if the host dies...

I figured that's where the sentient cities will come from.

[BugsySig]

I'm guessing that every title has the potential to jump up to 4001 for a story arc or two

Bloodshot - the nanites can continue to evolve and live on - even if the host dies...

I figured that's where the sentient cities will come from.

Yes. They can then create Rai in his image. Much in the way Rai was later retconned to have been styled. Cant wait to see where they go with this stuff. And I totally trust Greg Pak with his introduction if that is where it will be done.

[grendeljd]

I'm guessing that every title has the potential to jump up to 4001 for a story arc or two

Bloodshot - the nanites can continue to evolve and live on - even if the host dies...

I figured that's where the sentient cities will come from.

Yes. They can then create Rai in his image. Much in the way Rai was later retconned to have been styled. Cant wait to see where they go with this stuff. And I totally trust Greg Pak with his introduction if that is where it will be done.

Interesting point - since the original RAI was retconned to link it to Bloodshot, would it work better this time to incorporate that from the very beginning?

I'll admit that I liked the idea of RAI's being something created in the image of bloodshot without actually having nanites in them - I like the concept of the echo of a lost origin. That kind of thing would happen over the course of a couple thousand years.

[BugsySig]

I'm guessing that every title has the potential to jump up to 4001 for a story arc or two

Bloodshot - the nanites can continue to evolve and live on - even if the host dies...

I figured that's where the sentient cities will come from.

Yes. They can then create Rai in his image. Much in the way Rai was later retconned to have been styled. Cant wait to see where they go with this stuff. And I totally trust Greg Pak with his introduction if that is where it will be done.

Interesting point - since the original RAI was retconned to link it to Bloodshot, would it work better this time to incorporate that from the very beginning?

I'll admit that I liked the idea of RAI's being something created in the image of bloodshot without actually having nanites in them - I like the concept of the echo of a lost origin. That kind of thing would happen over the course of a couple thousand years.

I agree. The connection has to be there otherwise the similar looks come off as strange. Might as well establish the link from the beginning and move on. I also like the idea of not being infused with Nanites to let Rai stand on his own apart from Bloodshot.