Rai #9 Preview Pages

Rai #9 Cover A by Fritz Casas

 

In Rai #9, released last November by Valiant Comics, Rai, Raijin and their Human friend Alice have been welcomed into the positronic-only city of New Ur. There they discover how these peoples, who were once slaves on New Japan, have made new lives for themselves. Meanwhile, their friend Lula back in Hinansho town is makes dangerous excursions into the infosphere. 

But enough of my explanations. If you find the preview pages intriguing (and they are beautiful), you can follow the link at the bottom of this post to last year's review. That will tell you even more about the glorious adventure that is Rai.

 

Rai #9 features great writing by Dan Abnett, great penciling and inking by Juan Jose Ryp, great coloring by Andrew Dalhouse, and great lettering by Dave Sharpe. To discover the full scope of these creators' greatness, pick up the trade paperback Rai Book Two (subtitled "Enter Wild Frontiers"). It contains the second half of this Rai series, collecting issues 6-10.

Dragon Dave

P.S. To read my original review, click the link below:

Rai #9 Review: Who's in Control in 4002 AD?

The Harbinger #1 Spotlight: Penciling & Inking Part 2

The Harbinger #1 Cover C by Cris Delara

 

Last month, the good folks at Valiant Comics generously shared with us an additional set of preview pages for their upcoming book, The Harbinger #1, which is now available in stores. On the second page of that extended preview, penciler & inker Robbi Rodriguez portrays Peter Stanchek, and his world, in strikingly different terms from previous Harbinger series artists.

Consider this panel from the second page of the extended preview. The way Robbi draws Peter's face, with his cheeks gracefully swooping down to a pointed chin, imbues Peter with an elfin appearance. The lack of wrinkles, or any visible sign of aging (let alone the traumas he's endured in his troubled life) enhance this. He looks so young and innocent, reinforcing the writers' theme of rebirth.

What strikes me particularly about the scene is that his skin is so coated in dirt. The Harbinger Foundation flag with which he's clothed himself is soiled. Surrounding the areas of solid inking, which Robbi uses for Peter's shadow, notice how Robbi has crosshatched and stippled the ground to show that it, too, is dirty.

Peter Stanchek inhabits a very lived-in world.

 

Once Peter summons his power, his face transforms. Gone is the softness and innocence. All is hard and straight stress lines. His face almost takes on an alien appearance.

More straight lines show the psiot power shoot up through Peter's body and out his head. He is like a fountain of energy. He burns like a Roman Candle.

 

 

In this last panel, Robbi inked in most of the cockpit interior to simulate night. The helicopter pilot, who sees Peter summoning his psiot power, extends his jaw wide, reminiscent of a snake unhinging his jaw, as he yells a command to his fellow pilots. The mostly straight lines of his uniform, and geometric shape of his goggles, are suggestive an insect. 

Well, the pilots are attacking him, just like snakes slithering toward Peter in his own Garden of Eden. Yet compared to Peter, they are like insects in terms of the power they can wield.

 

Once again, great work on The Harbinger #1, Robbi Rodriguez. Most impressive!

Dragon Dave

P.S. To read all seven pages of the extended preview, click the link below:

The Harbinger #1 Extended Preview

The Harbinger #1 Spotlight: Coloring Part 2

 

The Harbinger #1 Cover B by Rod Reis

In the second set of preview pages of The Harbinger #1 that Valiant Comics generously shared with readers, I was really spoiled for choice when analyzing Rico Renzi's coloring. So many great ones called to me. I must admit, I really wanted to share the last page with you. 

But no. That one's so epic I'll let you discover it on your own, when you follow the link at the bottom of this post to the extended preview Valiant shared with us.

Words fail me when gazing upon the image below. Rico Renzi has just done such an awesome job of coloring the panel. Still, I must try. 

I love the way Rico suggests Peter's psychokinesis with the electric green surrounding the ground as he raises it to shield him from the bullets heading his way. Ditto for the glow of the surrounding skyscrapers, and how they color the nearby sky. While the blue bird featured on the flag in which Peter has clothed himself doesn't show, Peter's clenched fist glows pink, suggesting his struggle to channel all the power he's summoning.

This next panel showcases some intriguing coloring from Rico. Behind Peter and his glowing pink hand, we see fragments of memories that linger in his consciousness. The images of those urging him to become better than he was look like reflections caught in glass on a rainy night. They streak and haze, the colors distort, and light from other sources gives them a cosmic appeal. 

While the blue bird on the Harbinger Foundation flag didn't show on the earlier panels, this final one shows Peter engulfed in that same color blue. As the power he summons surrounds him, the bullets become mere specks of red hot metal. The lights from nearby buildings fade. 

Only a hint of the psychokinesis he used to lift the ground colors the smoke billowing away from him.

Very interesting coloring on The Harbinger #1, Rico Renzi. Bravo!

Dragon Dave

To view the extended preview pages, click the link below:

The Harbinger #1 Extended Preview Pages

The Harbinger #1 is on sale now.

The Harbinger #1 Spotlight: Lettering Part 2

 

The Harbinger #1 Cover A by Robbi Rodriguez

Recently, Valiant Comics generously released a second set of preview pages for The Harbinger #1. I thought I'd briefly take a brief look at Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou's lettering from the first page from that release.

The blue of Peter's monologue in the rounded narrative box reminds me of the blue bird on the old Harbinger flag he has clothed himself in. The red lettering of the sound effects jars with this light blue. The 3D look of those sound effects makes me feel as though some of them are shooting toward me.

Hassan represents the thoughts of passersby (which Peter, as a psiot, overhears) in jagged yellow scraps of paper. While reminiscent of the little sticky notes Hassan used in Savage #3, the torn edges of these seem to shout "Danger!" I also like the flaring light of the public announcement on the bottom right. Without any arrows, you know it's being broadcast from the approaching helicopters.

How about the sounds of those approaching helicopters? Again, more great 3D sound effects from Hassan.

Just studying this one page is enough to make me "Huf huf huf" like Peter.

Like he says...

Once again, love your great lettering work on The Harbinger #1, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou!

Dragon Dave

P.S. If you missed seeing the second set of preview pages, you can view them on the link below:

The Harbinger #1 Extended Preview

P.S.S. The Harbinger #1 is on sale now.

X-O Manowar #7 Review

 

X-O Manowar #7 Cover B by Dexter Soy & Veronica Gandini

In X-O Manowar #7, writer Dennis "Hopeless" Hallum opens with Shanhara having dropped out on Aric again. One minute she's there for him--his second skin--and the next he's naked. 

Exposed to the world. 

Defenseless.

While things like crashes and reboots are familiar to contemporary computer users, Aric isn't used to Shanhara malfunctioning on him. But then, he's let Troy Whitaker--a Human technology pioneer--attempt to improve his sentient armor made by aliens.

When your computer stops working, it only affects you. But when your suit's malfunction results in the destruction of part of a densely populated city, likely causing not just property damage, but also injuries and deaths, this raises the question of responsibility. The situation leaves Aric understandably flustered.

After all, his intent was to protect our world from dangers such as the growing nanite swarm.

 

Writer Matt Kindt's previous X-O Manowar series wrestled with the relationship between Aric and his sentient alien armor, as I suspect any X-O Manowar series must. Kindt often chose to deal with that unique partnership in brutal terms, with Aric denying Shanhara's sentience, and roughly using her as an object.

Or, perhaps more accurately, as a slave.

In the present series by writer Dennis "Hopeless" Hallum, Aric has made peace with Shanhara. As friends, the two formed a partnership with brilliant tech innovator Troy Whitaker. Sadly, in X-O Manowar #7, Aric, Shanhara, and Troy discover that while a superhero duo can be dynamic, a trio may lead to tragedy.

Aric finds Shanhara's frequent breakdowns and unreliability particularly heartbreaking, as he's recently formed a tight bond with the sentient consciousness inhabiting his armor. Still, that doesn't rock his trust his Troy Whitaker. It seems that, once Aric has pledged his friendship, it takes a lot for him to break faith with him.

Despite the hiccups in their relationships, and the setbacks they encounter, Aric and Troy continually try to save Earth from the dangers of the growing nanite swarm in X-O Manowar #7. Amid her struggles, Shanhara likewise attempts to provide what aid she can.

Yet there's a feeling of bleakness in X-O Manowar #7. Developments in this action-heavy issue suggest that this comfortable and supportive family Aric has forged may not last. Sometimes, as hard as you try to grasp hold of something precious to you, it crumbles away between your fingers.

What will our world be like at the end of X-O Manowar #7? Will the family Aric has forged survive this struggle? Are events as dire as the writer's nickname?

In X-O Manowar #7, writer Dennis "Hopeless" Hallum delivers a pulse-pounding blockbuster, filled with scares, drama, and the occasional touch of humor. As always, he leaves me anxiously awaiting the next installment of this exciting and engaging series.

Dragon Dave

X-O Manowar #7 Spotlight: Penciling & Inking

 

X-O Manowar #7 Cover A by Rahzzah

In X-O Manowar, artist Emilio Laiso is back to do both penciling and inking again. And boy, did he take on a lot of work in this panel. Look at all the people he drew! Everyone's clustered on the steps of this building, listening to Troy Whitaker's press conference, or reporting for their media outlets. 

I'll bet Emilio's kicking himself right now for not stipulating he gets paid per character he draws, rather than per page!

 

In this next panel, we see how the appearance of the nanite swarm in the sky above Manhattan has drawn some of the attention away from Troy Whitaker. I also like how Emilio has shifted camera view so we see what appears to be a matching water fountain on the far side of the staircase. 

I understand that MJ Kim worked hard to integrate specific New York City landmarks into her series The Visitor. I wonder if this is an actual building, or if Emilio has invented this impressive entryway.

In this next scene, I'm intrigued by these two little portions of hair that fall onto Desmond's forehead. With the way that his mouth hangs open, as well as the shadow overtaking his lower jaw, this portrait almost takes on a horrific aspect. 

You can certainly see he's scared. I like how he's reaching out to grab the blue device he uses to communicate with Shanhara. His first instinct is pick her up, and carry her off to get help.

I'm most intrigued by this last panel. At the epicenter of the nanite swarm, the atmosphere surrounding X-O Manowar is so dense it takes on the appearance of an ocean. In a scene eerily similar to his undersea battle in X-O Manowar #5, he plunges into the Hive Mind. 

In this viscous environment, Aric leaves bubbles in his wake, and Shanhara seems to deform.

In X-O Manowar #7, Emilio Laiso's haunting scenes reveal the gravity of the danger facing Aric, Shanhara, New York City, and perhaps the entire world. Well done, Emilio! 

Dragon Dave

Rai #8 Preview Pages

 

Rai #8 Cover A by Walter Simonson

In Rai #8, published last October by Valiant Comics, Rai, his older (but shorter) positronic brother Raijin, and their human companion Alice aren't exactly happy campers. But all that will change when they meet a friendly fellow in the woods. He promises to lead them to paradise, and an end to their travels. But are he and his promises on the level?

In case you're new to Valiant, and missed out on Rai #8 last year, here's some preview pages to enjoy.

Cool stuff, right?

For more on Rai #8, here's a link to last year's review. (The title claims it's Bloodshot #8, but don't believe it!)*

Rai #8 Review: A Girl Named Alice

Dragon Dave

*I'm not sure why the system won't let me change it. But then, I guess Rai can be pretty recalcitrant as well.

X-O Manowar #7 Spotlight: Coloring

 

X-O Manowar #7 Pre-Order Cover by Chris Johnson & Allan Passalaqua

Ruth Redmond contributes her usual brilliant coloring to X-O Manowar #7, as can easily be seen by the preview pages. In this first image, I love how she's breathed life into this area of Manhattan. We see the skyscraper on the left, and how the sun and shade effect the glass. The building farther down the street is older, and likely made of stone, or covered in stucco. 

I'm intrigued by the white area surrounding the camera man on the bottom left. Is that caused by a reflective panel film crews use to shine more light on an area? Or is Ruth using white to show that the water in the fountain is really splashing in that area?

This next scene is scary, but gorgeous. Ruth Redmond has built so much texture into the ball of fire that burns above New York City. You can see how it has changed the color of the sky, which reflects off nearby buildings.

I'm not sure how much of the globules surrounding the brilliance are drawn in, versus how much Ruth has colored in. But that sky sure is impressive.

Inside Desmond's room, we can glimpse the transformed sky, but we also see how it has discolored much of the interior. I'm especially impressed by the coloring and shading of the comforter atop Desmond's bed.

Here we see X-O Manowar plunging into the interior of the nanite swarm. While it burns bright on the outside, at its center, in the area known as the Hive Mind, we see coiling green surrounded by darkness. The darkness reminds me of space, or the depths of the ocean, which brings recent covers by Rahzzah to mind. The various shades of green that make up the turbulent, writhing heart--or brain--of the nanite swarm bring to mind Dexter Soy and Veronica Gandini's cover for this issue. 

Regardless of my associations, I find this a spooky image. Thanks to Ruth's work, it evokes awe and wonder.

 

Great job on coloring X-O Manowar #7, Ruth Redmond! Really excellent job!

Dragon Dave

Shadowman "Deadside War" Begins January 2022

 

Terror will take over the Valiant Universe this January...

The critically-acclaimed series SHADOWMAN will unleash part 1 of 'Deadside War' in SHADOWMAN #5, a gripping horror storyline that will unfold within the pages of SHADOWMAN for four issues and feature the eagerly anticipated return of fan-favorite character PUNK MAMBO.

Shadowman #5 Cover A by Jon Davis-Hunt

 

Jack Boniface is SHADOWMAN, the brave and powerful supernatural protector who keeps humanity safe from the deadly creatures that dwell within the dimension known as the Deadside. When more and more of these nightmarish creatures start clawing into the world of the living, Jack won't be able to stand alone against the global threat.

 

"In the new 'Deadside War' story in SHADOWMAN, we’re seeing Blights—tears in the fabric of reality between our world and the Deadside — opening with increased frequency and increased supernatural mayhem," said New York Times bestselling writer CULLEN BUNN. "It will also awaken some old adversaries who might be too much even for the combined might of our heroes. All this brings us to the titular war, which could rip the entirety of the Valiant Universe apart." 

Shadowman #5 Horror Movie Homage Cover by Jonathan Marks Barravecchia

Rising star artist PEDRO ANDREO aims to pull fans right into Cullen's haunting story. "I wanted to capture the horror, stress, and oppression that an actual zombie attack would have in a city that wasn't expecting it," stated Pedro. "I couldn't decide on whether I wanted slow zombies or running zombies so I went with a little bit of both. Both types of zombies! Could you imagine? That would be a nightmare." 

In addition to bringing the horror to new heights, Pedro also enjoyed the opportunity to blend in energetic action sequences. "Cullen's script was specific about everything that took place in these panels, but it let me go wild on the shots, angles, and movement, so I went full anime on them. I had a lot of fun doing the kinetic effects and such crazy panels full of detail, gore and action."

 

Shadowman #5 Pre-Order Cover by Adam Pollina

 

Every new chapter of 'Deadside War' in SHADOWMAN will feature a primary cover by Jon Davis-Hunt and a new Horror Movie Homage variant cover in addition to pre-order covers from a variety of acclaimed artists, including Adam Pollina for issue #5.

 

Part 1 of 'Deadside War' in SHADOWMAN #5 will kick off THE YEAR OF VALIANT, a year-long celebration of Valiant throughout 2022 featuring new launches, new creators, and the return of more fan-favorite characters. More will be revealed about THE YEAR OF VALIANT in the coming months.

 

Art by Pedro Andreo

SHADOWMAN #5
Written by CULLEN BUNN
Art by PEDRO ANDREO
Colors by JORDIE BELLAIRE
Letters by CLAYTON COWLES
Cover A by JON DAVIS-HUNT
Horror Movie Homage Cover by JONATHAN MARKS BARRAVECCHIA
Pre-Order Cover by ADAM POLLINA
Release Date: January 19, 2022

 

Art by Pedro Andreo

 

DEADSIDE WAR begins here as terror takes over the Valiant Universe!

The critically-acclaimed series returns as master of horror Cullen Bunn unleashes a twisted tale for Shadowman and Deadside…

Featuring haunting artwork by rising star Pedro Andreo!

 

Art by Pedro Andreo

 

Stay Valiant, everyone.

---

About DMG Entertainment

DMG Entertainment is a global media and entertainment company based in Beverly Hills, CA. Founded in 1994 by Dan Mintz, the company portfolio has grown to include diverse holdings across film, television, comic book publishing, gaming, and location-based entertainment. Operating as both a production and distribution entity, DMG Entertainment is best known for films such as Looper and Iron Man 3 and the #1 box-office release of Bloodshot feature starring Vin Diesel.

About Valiant Entertainment

Valiant Entertainment, a subsidiary of DMG Entertainment, founded by Dan Mintz, is a leading character-based entertainment company that owns and controls the third most extensive library of superheroes behind Marvel and DC. With more than 80 million issues sold and a library of over 2,000 characters, including X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, Harbinger, Shadowman, Archer & Armstrong, and many more, Valiant is one of the most successful publishers in the history of the comic book medium. For more information, visit Valiant on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and ValiantEntertainment.com. For Valiant merchandise and more, visit ValiantStore.com. 

X-O Manowar #7 Spotlight: Lettering

X-O Manowar #7 Cover B by Dexter Soy & Veronica Gandini

 

In X-O Manowar #7, the action heats up quickly with the proverbial bang. Or boom. Or, even a little bit of buzzing? But first, Troy Whitaker holds a press release to explain the events that took place at the end of X-O Manowar #6.

Like any billionaire, Troy Whitaker seeks to shape our perceptions with his version of events. Yet one thing that letter Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou stresses is that Troy is taking all the blame for what happened in France. Hassan makes just two words in the above panels bold, but its enough to make us realize that under no circumstances does he want the public to blame Aric for the tragedy that occurred.

Contrast the normal dialogue balloons in the above panels with the two below. In the first, the arrow from the balloon goes wobbly. In the second, the entire balloon goes wobbly. Self-assured people like Troy Whitaker don't achieve the success and dominance they do by letting Joe Public see them...get wobbly.

 

 

One minute, Desmond is using the blue ball to interface with Shanhara. In the next, Shanhara leaps out of the ball in full ghost mode. The shape of her dialogue balloon, as well as the up-and-down letters, emphasize the feelings her expression suggests.

Also, notice that the background color in the balloon is blue, not red. Hopefully, I'm not giving away too big a spoiler here, but that's significant.

 

 

In the next panel, Shanhara has returned to her blue ball, and her dialogue balloon is colored red again. The shape of the balloon is normal. As with Troy Whitaker's speech, Hassan makes one word bold to show that Shanhara is stressing it. 

Interestingly, Hassan places the red dialogue balloon much higher than it needs to be. It infringes in Desmond's first balloon. Then Desmond's wobbly {sigh} balloon infringes on Shanhara's balloon. Clearly, Shanhara is not just Desmond's toy or tool, to be used as he sees fit.

 

I also like the way the long arrow from Shanhara's dialogue balloon in the above panel ends in an elegant arrowhead. Or is it a little burst of flame? 

Finally, consider the panel below. The action takes place inside the nanite swarm, or what Troy has designated the Hive Mind. Hassan's sound effect helps us hear the vortex of power X-O Manowar is generating. It's not a bang or a boom or a crash, but more of a thrumming.

 

 

In X-O Manowar #7, letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou does his usual brilliant job of bringing us into the action, the characters, and the drama. Many thanks, Hassan!

Dragon Dave