The Harbinger #3 Coloring

 

The Harbinger #3 Pre-Order Cover by Damion Scott

In Valiant's new series The Harbinger, colorist Rico Renzi shows us what our world must look like through the eyes of someone who can see, hear, and feel far more than the average person. Peter Stanchek's world was always more vibrant than ours, which is why he had so much difficulty coping with it. All that input, assaulting him constantly, made him want to dull his senses with illegal drugs.

Thankfully, he's charting a better path now. Rico shows us how alive Peter's world seems to him, now that the troubled psiot has dedicated himself to coping with who and what he is. Look how vibrant Psiot City and Chicago appears in The Harbinger #3, as Peter flies overhead in search of Young Ago.

The colors Rico has chosen for this next panel are incredibly beautiful. The purple sky shows off well against Peter's new red, yellow, and blue uniform. Notice also how, when Peter changes the density of the air around him, the wispy and cloudy air takes on the yellow energy arcing from his eyes. 

Of course, the yellow energy and cloudy, wispy air complement the stripe Cici has painted onto his jacket.

The way Rico colors this next luminous page (half of a jaw-dropping two-page spread) makes me think of all the lights glowing and streaming from the planet-wide city of Coruscant. It also could be a huge city resting on the bottom of the ocean. But no: it's Chicago through Peter Stanchek's eyes.

Amazing!

And then there's that inset close-up of Peter's face, with the neon red background. The clash between the two panels really pops.

BOOM!

Incidentally, Valiant Comics has recently achieved some incredible color-magic. Working with the printing houses, the pages of their recent comics show the coloring-- such as Rico Renzi's--more powerfully than ever. If you haven't picked up an issue recently, check out the last few issues of Ninjak, X-O Manowar and The Harbinger. You'll find the colors on each page deeper and richer, more immersive, and far more sumptuous than just a few months ago.

Such dedication to producing quality comics demonstrates a commitment to producing great stories, and sensitivity to reader feedback. On behalf of all the readers and fans, allow me to say a very big thank you, Valiant Comics!

Dragon Dave

The Harbinger #3 Lettering

 

The Harbinger #3 Cover B by Adam Pollina

With each new issue, letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou finds new ways to astound us. That's certainly the case with The Harbinger #3.

First off, notice how Peter says "They have Ago, Cici," in the panels below. He stresses the name Ago, telling us that he sees the young hero as important to Psiot City. Intriguingly, he links the dialogue balloon with the two in the panel to the right. The balloon's placement suggests the sentence is an immediate response to Cici. Yet the way they are linked suggests the statement could follow the dialogue balloon in the balloon on the upper right as well.

Here's another innovation from Hassan. As artist Robbi Rodriguez is giving us a close-up view of Peter's new mask, Hassan notches into the dialogue balloons of Peter and Cici. It's the opposite of a letterer's normal usual dialogue balloon and arrow treatment.

When for the first time, Robbi gives us a full-page reveal of Peter's new uniform, Hassan splits the issue's title. The upper portion reflects the psiot energy bursting from Peter's eyes, as well as the yellow accents Cici has applied with a can of spray paint. The bottom portion of the titles reflect Peter's striking new red jacket. 

Instead of tapping into the minds of everyone in Psiot City, Peter finds a new way to locate the super-powered team known as The Warning. Hassan demonstrates how Peter does this--by changing the density of the air around him--by suggesting the rows of letters are being sloshed around by powerful, invisible waves.

In The Harbinger #3, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou continues his innovating approach to the often-overlooked letterer's art, all-the-while bringing us deeper into the incredible world of the psiot.

Dragon Dave

The Harbinger #3 Covers

 

The Harbinger #3 Cover A by Robbi Rodriguez

Robbi Rodriguez' stunning Cover A for The Harbinger #3 evokes the jubilant manner in which series colorist Rico Renzi reveals Peter Stanchek's incredible psiot power. The cover also evokes a few panels from this issue's preview pages (see yesterday's post), when Peter realizes that he can search for the super-powered group The Warning by changing the density of the air around him. I'm also rather taken by the after-images of Peter's masked face left in the brightness behind him. 

I'm just not certain how many after-images I'm really seeing. Is there one, or two, or even three? Or are all of them actually something else entirely?

The Harbinger #3 Cover B by Adam Pollina

Adam Pollina's intriguing cover for The Harbinger #3 speaks to the duality of Peter's character. It also reminds us that someone else is running around with Peter's memories. Yet if this is a portrait of Peter Stanchek, no wonder we don't recognize him! 

Is this someone else we have yet to meet? (I'm fairly certain it's not Wolverine). Could it be the Renegade, the man with whom Peter has a running psychic dialogue in these early issues? Or is it in fact a symbolic piece, meant to represent the many natures inside us constantly battling for dominance: the civilized intellectual vs the wild animal vs the raging, carnage-hungry demon?

Peter mentions in this issue that he's always opted for the easy path in the past. He also mentions on the very first page (see yesterday's Preview pages) that his is not a good face. Perhaps Adam's striking image represents the way Peter currently sees himself.

The Harbinger #3 Pre-Order Cover by Damion Scott

Thankfully, Damion Scott's pre-order cover for The Harbinger #3 is a little easier to decipher. It's a group portrait of the super-powered team The Warning. Peter, Cici, and presumably most members of Psiot City see them as villains. But the way writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly have of flipping our perspectives, I wonder if that's how we'll continue to see them as the series progresses.

This time out, the good folks at Valiant Comics aren't just giving Pre-Order readers a few extra pages of content. For the first time ever, they're rewarding their most loyal fans with a connecting cover! Here's how the Pre-Order covers from the first three issues line up.

I can't wait to see how The Harbinger #4 fits into line, and completes this high-energy scene.

If you're not currently a pre-order reader, and don't want to miss out on this unique assemblage, you should definitely hunt around. Some comic shops regularly order extra Pre-Order covers for their customers. 

Many thanks to Robbi Rodriguez, Adam Pollina, and connecting cover artist extraordinaire Damion Scott for their gorgeous and thought-provoking The Harbinger #3 covers!

Dragon Dave

The Harbinger #3 Preview Pages

 

The Harbinger #3 Cover A by Robbi Rodriguez

Hot on the heels of Dennis Hopeless Hallum and company's dramatic X-O Manowar finale, the good folks at Valiant Comics are releasing The Harbinger #3--the next chapter in Peter Stanchek's journey of rediscovery--this coming Wednesday. As one of the five pages they've shared with us is a two-page spread, that's six pages of exciting psiot action! As usual, I've displayed the full page, then split it into two separate pages for easier viewing.

Enjoy!

Preview Page 1

Preview Page 2

Preview Page 3

Preview Pages 4 & 5

Preview Page 4

Preview Page 5

Preview Page 6

If you've been reading this exciting new series, and wondering who that sharp dressed man* was on The Harbinger #1 Pre-Order Cover, as well as on The Harbinger standee (on display in the very best comic shops), wonder no longer! Once lost and troubled Peter Stanchek has a new look, a new mission, and a great new partner in the strong and beautiful Cici. 

Psiot City, the city of Chicago, and the super-powered team The Warning had better watch out!

Dragon Dave

*ZZ Top, eat your heart out.

The Year of Valiant 2022 FCBD Special

Check out this smoking-hot announcement from Valiant HQ.

 

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2022: 

VALIANT REVEALS NEW BLOODSHOT, ARCHER & ARMSTRONG, NINJAK STORIES WHILE TEASING THE FUTURE

 

Arriving on May 7th, THE YEAR OF VALIANT 2022 FCBD SPECIAL will present new content featuring exciting original stories, insightful behind-the-scenes looks at upcoming comics, in-depth interviews with Valiant creators, and exclusive teasers for fan-favorite characters. The compelling tales starring flagship characters will reward longtime Valiant fans while also serving as easily accessible jumping-on points for new readers.

 

The Year of Valiant 2022 FCBD Special

 

THE YEAR OF VALIANT 2022 FCBD SPECIAL includes…

 

•          An all-new BLOODSHOT story from Ringo Award-nominated writer Deniz Camp and acclaimed artist Jon Davis-Hunt. It’s a brutal brawl between living weapons as the nanite-infused supersoldier stands alone against a terrifying foe in a small town. Only Bloodshot can stop the twisted creation from unleashing more bloodshed and devastation on the neglected part of the country.

 

•          The fan-favorite duo of ARCHER & ARMSTRONG go on a brand-new adventure! Written by the Eisner-nominated Steve Foxe and featuring art by rising star Marcio Fiorito, the young and optimistic Archer drags the care-free, hard-drinking and immortal Armstrong on a quest that leads them right into the base of an eldritch cult.

 

•          The award-winning creative team of Jeff Parker and Mike Norton present an action-packed ride starring NINJAK. In this thrilling original tale, a pair of tech-savvy hitmen set their sights on the superspy in an effort to collect the enormous bounty that is on his head.

 

•          Plus: Exclusive first looks at the future of Valiant’s iconic characters, including SHADOWMAN and X-O MANOWAR!

 

Celebrate Free Comic Book Day 2022 at your local comic shop on Saturday, May 7th, 2022. For more information on FCBD 2022, visit https://www.freecomicbookday.com/ and to find a comic shop near you go to https://www.comicshoplocator.com/.

 

Wow, what an awesome FCBD issue that will be! Now, could we please reschedule Free Comic Book Day for January 2022? How in the world can we possibly wait five months for all this Valiant greatness?

 

As always, many thanks to the good folks at Valiant Entertainment for sharing the good news with us.

 

Dragon Dave

X-O Manowar #9 Review

 

X-O Manowar #9 Cover A by Rahzzah

We left X-O Manowar #8 with Troy Whitaker displaying his new nanite-powered suit, directing the Singularity that controls New York City. The helmet utterly transforms his features. Flames rise like horns. His eyebrows arc up. His chin piece suggests a goatee. Even his skull seems to swell, pushing away the dark bangs that normally cover his forehead.

In X-O Manowar #9, Troy does what he always does. As a public benefactor, he explains how much he has helped people, and will continue to contribute to their lives. He is, above all things, an influencer.

Meanwhile, Aric hangs from a tree, and young Desmond, who stole his mother's car in X-O Manowar #1, points out that Troy is acting unethically.

In previous X-O Manowar series, Aric has tried--and failed--to hold a family together. On the planet Gorin, he even tried to unite three warring nations, only to see them turn against his rule. So in the first issue of this series, we saw him reject all worldly values of success. 

He rejected Shanhara's arguments that he needed money, or that public perceptions were as important as actually helping people. Looking back on those early issues, it's interesting to note that Shanhara and Whitaker espoused similar values. Perhaps that's why Shanhara was so open to letting Troy tinker with her source code.

All along, Shanhara and Whitaker seemed partners in trying to convince Aric to embrace their astute, contemporary outlook. Yet, the stubborn fighter that he was, Aric resisted. Throughout this series, he has acted first and foremost to help ordinary, everyday people. Now in X-O Manowar #9, shorn of Shanhara, his first thoughts are still geared to protecting others.

Troy Whitaker may believe that manipulation and control are the best ways to usher in a new and better tomorrow. He opened up his luxury home to a homeless woman, and offered her all the resources at his command to help her complete her mission of fixing Tina and Desmond's car. He even rebuilt her neighborhood in Harlem after Aric's battle with the Ukrainian warlord Yakiov.

Yet in X-O Manowar #9, it is Aric the woman sides with, not Troy. She identifies with Aric's values, and rejects Troy's.

Writer Desmond Hopeless Hallum has mused on how we relate to each other through the media in this series. He's also pointed out how much we stand to benefit by accepting others for who they are. In X-O Manowar #9, all those themes come down to one thing: believing in your friends.

After his failures to use Shanhara to achieve his objectives in previous series, Aric chose to take a step back in this one. Like most of us, he's not as intelligent as Troy Whitaker. Still, accepting that you don't know everything, and committing yourself to a  life of helping others, seems far wiser than trying to force or manipulate them into accepting your vision.

While Aric isn't the smart, rich, upwardly-moving socialite that we find so easy to admire, when the situation demands it, he can reason effectively with others. Still, in his heart, he is a soldier. He'll demonstrate both qualities in this climactic issue.

After exploring the relationship between Shanhara and Aric in a new and appealing way, writer Dennis Hopeless Hallum brings Aric and Shanhara's conflict with Troy Whitaker and the Singularity to a close. He spins this final, bittersweet tale with the able assistance of penciler and inker Emilio Laiso, colorist Ruth Redmond, and letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. 

 

Through their combined efforts, I'm left wanting more. Not just more stories about Aric, but also about those who welcomed him into their lives, and supported Aric in his recent endeavors. Many thanks to the creators, and all the good folks at Valiant, for bringing us such a fun, entertaining, and thought-provoking X-O Manowar series.

Dragon Dave

X-O Manowar #9 Penciling & Inking

 

X-O Manowar #9 Cover B by Michael Cho

In X-O Manowar #9, penciler & inker Emilio Laiso shows us how the Singularity can transform our world. While the nanite swarms typically manifest like foliage or crystals, these hordes or invasive microscopic machines can take on any form. This includes viewscreens that can carry Troy Whitaker's message to every corner of New York City.

If you can zoom into this picture, do so. Compare Whitaker's face on the various viewscreens. Some of them look a little different to me, as if taken from a slightly different camera angle.

Emilio certainly drew a lot of observers into the above scene. Most don't show any shading. Yet the man who is closest to us, over to the right, has been inked in.

In the next panel, I like the body language of the police officer on the left. Leaning back, with his hand on his hip, you can guess what he thinks about Troy Whitaker.

 

Perhaps I'm wrong about the nanites forming TV monitors on the crowded street and in the police station. Still, I don't remember a big flatscreen TV hanging on the side of the building (and over an apartment window) in the basketball court.

I don't know if the idea of showing the basketball court came from Emilio Laiso or writer Dennis Hopeless Hallum. But as this is where this series began, with Aric and Desmond playing basketball, it's nice to see it again.

I'm glad to see that the basketball board Aric wrecked, and the metal supports he bent in X-O Manowar #1, have been replaced. (Yes, even if those funds came from Troy Whitaker).

Lastly, I thought I'd share with you the way the Singularity has transformed Whitaker's robots. Formerly they sported a sleek design and gleaming blue paint. What do you think of them now?

On the one hand, they look somewhat crystalline, and look kind of cool. At the same time, they also remind me of a fruit or nut that has been attacked by an insect or disease, and warped its original appearance. I'm particularly fixated on the hands, which now resemble claws.

Attack of the Robot Crabs! 

X-O Manowar Versus MechaCrabzilla!*

The Day the Earth Stood Still...and the Giant Robot Crabs Took Over!!!

 

"No, don't be silly," Troy Whitaker would doubtless say. "They're only here to protect you all."

Dragon Dave

*Or should that be MechaCrabOWar?