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X-O Manowar is on the track to issue #50. The series initially helmed by Robert Venditti is continuing publication after the landmark Valiant event Book of Death coming with “The Kill List” a brand new arc teaming up a man with a suit of magical armor with a ninja employed by the British government: Ninjak. […]

Valiant Entertainment are bring their comics to your PlayStation menus.

The #ValiantSummit just wrapped, where the publisher announced a whole bunch of new titles and announcements from Valiant Entertainment’s comic book line in a live setting. One of the first and biggest announcements was X-O Manowar #50, a landmark achievement in publishing giving the current state of the industry. The issue will feature the writing talents of Robert Venditti — who launched the new Valiant Universe with X-O Manowar #1 alongside Bloodshot: Reborn artist Mico Suayan. The comic is shipping in 2016.

Next up is Wrath of the Eternal Warrior, which Robert Venditti teased in our exclusive interview covering the Book of Death with the author — Venditti noted that the Eternal Warrior is one of his favorite characters in the Valiant Universe. Raul Allen is joining Venditti to draw the comic, which is launching in November. Also, the publisher debuted the cover to the first issue, a wraparound cover with David Lafuente linework.

The last issue of the previous Dr. Mirage series teased that the series was coming back, but Valiant has now confirmed the next comic entitled The Death-Defying Dr. Mirage: Second Lives. The comic is another four-issue mini with author Jen Van Meter and Robert De La Torre returning as the creative team set for a December debut.

Valiant is releasing eight of their first issues for a dollar each in the publisher’s One Dollar Debut line. The comics company also released the information that the landmark Book of Death event has over 70,000 pre-orders. Take a look at the new trailer for the event here. The summit was a fine showing from Valiant, containing news that fans should be excited about while offering newcomers the chance to get in on a new #1 with Wrath of the Eternal Warrior and the publisher’s own One Dollar Debut line of comics.

X-O Manowar has been an instrument of war over the past 30+ issues that has seen Aric of Dacia dismember and kill others with the X-O suit of armor. Then, he started to change. As a king of his Visigoth people that are once again reunited — Aric was thrust into a survival role, and is now constantly attempting to keep the fighting away from his home in the Valiant Universe. The upcoming X-O Manowar storyline entitled ‘Exodus’ stays in that same tradition, as the tale see’s Aric attempting to once again keep the peace. When the Vine and one of Aric’s old enemies come back to Earth, he’s going to have his hands full over the next couple of issues. The creative team on Exodus features none-other-than Robert Venditti alongside the excellent Rafa Sandoval, formerly of DC Comics, now a Valiant exclusive.

X-O Manowar spent so much of his life fighting the Vine and now he must be their champion – how will Earth react, said editor Valiant Editor Tom Brennan. Or his fellow survivors of Vine enslavement for that matter? We’re going to answer those questions and more, and Rafa Sandoval’s ability to brilliantly blend character drama and widescreen action is the perfect compliment to Rob’s story of what it truly means to be a hero.

X-O MANOWAR #39 (NEW ARC! “EXODUS” – PART 1)

Written by ROBERT VENDITTI

Art by RAFA SANDOVAL

Cover A by RAFA SANDOVAL (MAY151599)

Cover B by ROBERT GILL (MAY151600)

Variant Cover by CAFU

Variant Cover by BRENT PEEPLES

$3.99 | 32 pages | T+ | On sale AUGUST 12 (FOC – 7/20/15)

The issue comes right after X-O Manowar #38, which is Aric’s big wedding issue that also features a cadre of excellent artists and writers.

X-O MANOWAR #38 (WEDDING SPECTACULAR!)

Written by ROBERT VENDITTI with AMY CHU, ANDY RUNTON, and RAFER ROBERTS

Art by RAFA SANDOVAL with CLAYTON HENRY, CAFU, ANDY RUNTON, and RAFER ROBERTS

Cover A (Wraparound) by RAFA SANDOVAL (MAY151599)

Cover B by CARY NORD (MAY151600)

Cover C by CAFU (MAY151601)

Variant Cover by JAY FABARES (MAY151603)

Variant Cover by TOM FOWLER ((MAY151604)

Blank Invitation Variant Also Available (MAY151602)

$4.99 |48 pgs.| T+ | On sale JULY 1 (FOC 6/8/15)

• Valiant announced VALIANT ORIGINS a web series spotlighting the origins of Valiant’s biggest heroes. 10 episodes will be released bi-weekly Valiant’s official YouTube channel.  Heroes in the spotlight include Bloodshot, X-O Manowar, Ninjak, Livewire, Quantum and Woody, Divinity and more.

• In July Valiant is releasing the BOOK OF DEATH. Teaser art by Robert Gill.

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman is now exclusive with IDW with many new projects to be announced. “Kevin is one of my oldest friends in comics and it makes me extremely happy that he’s going to be part of the IDW team, said IDW CEO and Publisher, Ted Adams. “Kevin’s contribution to pop culture can’t be overstated and everyone at IDW is looking forward to helping him bring his new ideas into the world.”

• Archaia is release an Art of Mouse Guard book in July:

THE ART OF MOUSE GUARD 2005-2015

Author: David Petersen

Artists: David Petersen, Mike Mignola, Stan Sakai, Bill Willingham, Various

Cover: David Petersen

Format: 12″ x 12″, 368 pages, color and B&W, hardcover

On sale: July 2015

Celebrate the first 10 years of a comics classic from the very first sketch. For the first time since the series debut, David Petersen’s process for creating the world of Mouse Guard and bringing it to life in stunning illustration is documented in exquisite detail. With never-before-seen sketches; 100 pages of full-color, oversized artwork; and commentary from colleagues, collaborators, and Petersen himself, readers and fans get an unprecedented look behind the pages at how their favorite characters and adventures were born.

• Boom is releasing Adventure Time with Fionna & Cake: Card Wars, a miniseries by Jen Wang (In Real Life) and Britt Wilson, also in July.

Cake is a Card Wars champ who can’t be beat, and Fionna…is really tired of getting beaten! They set off in search of a challenger who can really test Cake’s mettle. When they stumble across some gamer slugs, they think they’ve hit the jackpot, but these guys have never heard of Cake and refuse to even play with her!

 

• And Dark Horse is releasing TEN new series!

Barb Wire #1

Chris Warner (W)

Patrick Olliffe (A)

On Sale in July

Nail-hard tough and drop-dead gorgeous, Barb Wire is the baddest bounty hunter on the mean streets of Steel Harbor, where gangsters can lift bulldozers and leap rusting factories in a single bound. The hunting is stupid good and the bounties are hella big—if Barb lives long enough to collect!

King Tiger #1

Randy Stradley (W)

Doug Wheatley (A)

On Sale in August

Blood, death, and fire—the darkest kind of magic. A monstrous secret from King Tiger’s past has found the mystic warrior, but can Tiger’s skills and sorcery triumph against an unthinkable supernatural obscenity linked to his own destiny? If the Tiger falls, the Dragon will rise!

Negative Space #1

Ryan K Lindsay (W)

Owen Gieni (A)

On Sale in July

When one man’s writer’s block gets in the way of his suicide note, he goes for a walk to clear his head and soon uncovers a century-old conspiracy dedicated to creating and mining the worst lows of human desperation. A corporation has manipulated his life purely so they can farm his suicide note as a sadness artifact that will be packed and shipped to ancient underwater creatures who feed off our strongest and most base emotions. Our hero partners with a cult intent on exposing the corporation, and only a suicide mission can solve the whole mess.

The Tomorrows #1

Curt Pires (W)

Jason Copland (A)

On Sale in July

A bold new speculative-fiction comic from the mind of writer Curt Pires, each issue illustrated by a different brilliant artist!

The future: art is illegal. Everything everyone ever posted online has been weaponized against them. The reign of the Corporation is quickly becoming as absolute as it is brutal—unless the Tomorrows can stop it.

They told you the counterculture was dead. They were wrong. Welcome to the new reality.

Death Head #1

Zack Keller, Nick Keller (W)

Joanna Estep (A)

On Sale in July

When Niles and Justine Burton go camping to get a break from their stressful lives, they expect to find peace . . . not an abandoned village hiding an ancient evil. In a turn of events ripped straight from a horror movie, a brutal killer wearing a plague doctor’s mask begins hunting Niles, Justine, and their two kids. Who is the Plague Doctor? What does he want? And how will the family survive?

Zodiac Starforce #1

Kevin Panetta (W)

Paulina Ganucheau (A)

On Sale in August

They’re an elite group of teenage girls with magical powers who have sworn to protect our planet against dark creatures . . . as long as they can get out of class! Known as the Zodiac Starforce, these high-school girls aren’t just combating math tests. They’re also battling monsters—not your typical afterschool activity! But when an evil force from another dimension infects team leader Emma, she must work with her team of magically powered friends to save herself—and the world—from the evil Diana and her mean-girl minions!

From Kevin Panetta (Bravest Warriors) and Paulina Ganucheau (TMNT: New Animated Adventures, Bravest Warriors), this super-fun and heartfelt story of growing up and friendship—with plenty of magical-girl fighting action—delivers the most exciting new ensemble cast in comics!

Adam.3 #1

Scott Kolins (W/A)

On Sale in August

Award-winning writer and artist Scott Kolins (Past Aways, The Flash, The Avengers, Solomon Grundy) premieres Adam.3.

On a futuristic island paradise populated by talking animals and monitored by orbiting control satellites, the peaceful lives of Adam and his wife Skye are troubled by growing tension between Adam and his previous son, Beo. The situation goes from bad to worse when an alien invader infects the animals—turning them into aliens themselves. When Beo is captured, Adam must battle his transformed animal friends to save his son—and their island home!

Power Cubed #1

Aaron Lopresti (W/A)

On Sale in September

On his eighteenth birthday, Kenny’s inventor father gives him a phenomenal piece of matter-reinterpreting technology, attracting the attention of a bumbling Nazi scientist and an elite government agent. Aaron Lopresti delivers a comical coming-of-age tale in a fantastic sci-fi universe!

The Steam Man #1

Mark Miller (W)

Joe R. Lansdale (W)

Piotr Kowalski (A)

On Sale in October

The Old West (but not as we know it): Giant robots that run on steam power are created to take down invading Martians and armies of killer albino apes in an all-out brawl. The Steam Man, a giant metal man operated by a team of monster hunters, seems to have the town protected and the West under control, until a crazed and powerful vampire comes to town to bring forth the apocalypse.

Chimichanga: Sorrow of the World’s Worst Face #1

Eric Powell (W)

Stephanie Buscema (A)

On Sale in late 2015

Wrinkle’s Traveling Circus’s most adorable bearded girl and her savory-named beast are back, and there is a new act in store! Come one, come all to the Sorrow of the World’s Worst Face! But beware: those who look behind the curtain are in for an awful treat, and it’s not just his face we’re talkin’ about!

Author Ales Kot and penciller Adam Gorham are entering the Valiant Universe with a four issue mini-series entitled Dead Drop. The story features Archer, X-O Manowar, and more of the Valiant stable of characters. In keeping with the unexpected tone of Kot’s work, each issue follows a different character as they explore a contagion deep within the black market of New York City. The contagion is also set to have alien origins. CBR broke the news along with the first covers and interview with Kot on the tale.

“When I looked at the characters and clicked with the right ones, I did more research. I had some familiarity with the Valiant Universe,” said Kot. “I rarely read superhero comics these days. That’s not a diss — they just don’t resonate with me. So the challenge here is, how do I make a superhero comic that would resonate with me? “Secret Avengers” is a good example of me figuring that out. I want Dead Drop to be another.”

Among the characters already mentioned, some supporting cast members from the greater Valiant Universe like Detective Cujedo (Quantum and Woody) and Neville Alcot (Unity) are also included.

“Yes. I want to tell everyone who already reads Valiant comics to come in and take the ride. Then I want to steer the ride somewhere unusual and new. The strategy is calculated, but not cold.”

Those following Secret Avengers by the author have grown accustomed to the style that Kot has been writing, featuring action and Twin Peaks-style black humor. When asked what tone he would be incorporating in the series with it being either silly or dramatic, the author had this to say:

Both. And more.

With any luck it will feature the same brand of hard espionage and bloodthirsty robots that fall in love with their adversaries.

DEAD DROP #1 (of 4) 
Written by ALES KOT
Art by ADAM GORHAM
Cover A by RAUL ALLEN
Cover B by ADAM GORHAM
Cover C by JUAN JOSE RYP
Cover D by BRIAN LEVEL
$3.99 US | T+ | 32 pgs. | On sale MAY 2015

Dead Drop is Dropping in May, (Sorry for that pun!)

Ever since the relaunch of the publisher, Valiant Entertainment has always been up to something new. This morning, fresh previews of ongoing series from the publisher were scattered across the internet.

Unity is in the middle of a great story-arc featuring a cast of characters called The United. The team of villains have been expertly hand crafted by author Matt Kindt to go up against the current Unity roster. After taking a break around the big Armor Hunters storyline and getting the chance to pick up the pieces, it’s been excellent to get some added characterization with these heroes. The addition of Faith is a strong new aspect that will likely to add something new to the team dynamic. Excluding on-again off-again Unity member X-O Manowar, this comic now has a direct male to female split in the cast.

UNITY #14
Written by MATT KINDT
Art by CAFU
Cover by LEWIS LAROSA (NOV141693)
Handbook Variant by FRANCIS PORTELA (NOV141694)
Variant Cover by RYAN LEE (NOV141695)

A world on fire! Unity vs. The United!
A dark secret at the heart of the Unity team has led the world to the brink of global war. Only Unity and their international counterparts, The United, can broker a peace…but that might not work, seeing as how they’re trying to kill each other. All hope lies with Unity’s newest team member, who may not be able to shoulder the weight of the world!

$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | On sale JANUARY 28

Next up, Valiant shared a few pages of Quantum and Woody Must Die! The title is a four-issue mini-series written by author James Asmus with art from Superior Foes of Spider-Man alumni Steve Lieber. The comic continues it’s irreverent tone with this solicitation text also provided by the publisher, where it seems that Quantum and Woody are trying to beat Sex Criminals at their own game.

QUANTUM AND WOODY MUST DIE! #1 (of 4)
Written by JAMES ASMUS
Art by STEVE LIEBER
Cover by MIKE HAWTHORNE (NOV141684)
Variant Cover by JOHNNIE CHRISTMAS (NOV141685)
Variant Cover by CHIP ZDARSKY (NOV141686)

They came. They saw. They pissed off a whole lotta folks. And now a team of mystery vigilantes has singled out the world’s worst superhero team for complete and utter destruction. Their first target: their minds! But who are these all-new enemies? Are Quantum and Woody hitting it off with a sexy duo of cat burglars? And, dear god, what have they done to the goat? Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Sex Criminals isn’t the only comic that can quote Queen, comics fans – here come Quantum and Woody! (Or so they think! [Trippy, right?!])

$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | On sale JANUARY 28

X-O Manowar is in the middle of a brand new arc focusing on The Armorines as the title makes way for the upcoming Dead Hand story-arc. The creative team has been in constant stride on this comic with Robert Venditti writing the narrative, and Diego Bernard on pencils. In the solicitation text, something new is teased regarding a fail-safe melded into place by a mysterious figure.

X-O MANOWAR #32
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by DIEGO BERNARD
Interlocking A & B Covers by RAUL ALLEN (NOV141696/NOV141697)
Variant Cover by RYAN LEE (NOV141698)

The bleeding-edge commando unit codenamed: ARMORINES has finally undermined the X-O Manowar armor and the man inside it – Aric of Dacia, one of the most feared men alive. But who are these hardened men and women, and just who orchestrated their lethal combination of technology and cunning? The new generation of ARMORINES are more than just mercenaries…and the figure pulling their strings is about to activate a fail-safe that will leave the world reeling.

$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | On sale JANUARY 28

Leave it to Valiant to come up up with the most innovative comics book marketing tie-ins. This time they’ve come up with a special drink to celebrate their main man, X-0 Manorwar—the X-O Manowar Green Tea Blast, which will be available at Oren’s Daily Roast outlets around New York. When you buy the drink you’ll get a a Valiant-branded java jacket redeemable at Midtown Comics for a freeValiant comic (while supplies last.) AND if you present a Valiant Comic at Oren’s you’ll get 10% off your next purchase. A three way marketing tie-in!

But what is the beverage at the heart of this promotion? According to the PR it’s “a deliciously cold combination of frozen matcha green tea and vanilla perfect for the height of summer.” As a big fan of matcha tea, which pairs will with vanilla, that sounds intriguing, so I might just have to check this one out, although I limit my yummy frozen caffeine beverage intake to when absolutely necessary. This might be absolutely necessary is what I’m sayin’.

This special drink and deal will be available starting tomorrow—starting with an opening day invite only party at Oren’s Times Sq location.

In case you are not familiar with X-0 Manowar, he’s a brave Visigoth brought forward in time to defend the US with with his powerful weaponized armor. This week also kicked off Armor Hunters, Valiant’s summer crossover which stars X-0.

Comics and caffeiene, my favorite combo.