Preview: H.A.R.D. Corps to Return in Harbinger Wars

The upcoming Harbinger Wars mini-series is already my most-anticipated comics event of the summer, but my enthusiasm has just reached a fever pitch with Valiant's announcement today that the H.A.R.D. Corps will be debuting in the new Valiant Universe in Harbinger Wars #3.

I was just reading the original, chromium cover H.A.R.D. Corps #1 this weekend, and was reminded just how great of a concept this series had, and how well it could do in the present Valiant Universe if executed properly by the right creative team.

The Harbinger Active Resistance Division (or H.A.R.D. Corps) are a mercenary outfit employed by Omen Industries, a corporation with an opposing interest to those of Toyo Harada and the Harbinger Foundation.  The H.A.R.D. Corps themselves are comprised of ex-military vets who have been awakened from comatose states, and given the option to live again and work for the H.A.R.D. Corps.  They're granted Harbinger powers from a computer network named Softcore, and can use any number of powers, one at a time.  The catch is that each member of the H.A.R.D. Corps is implanted with a kill switch, that will cause their heads to explode if they are caught or go rogue.

With the war between Project Rising Spirit and the Harbinger Foundation bringing the corporate espionage of the Valiant Universe to the forefront in this crossover, it'll be very interesting to see how the H.A.R.D. Corps are going to affect this dynamic, or what role they will play.

In short, F.U.C.K. Yes, H.A.R.D. Corps!

Advance Review: Archer & Armstrong #2

Archer & Armstrong #2
Writer: Fred Van Lente
Artist: Clayton Henry
Color Art: Matt Milla

I enjoyed Archer & Armstrong's debut last month, but I know a lot of people had their issues with it. After reading this second issue, I think that Archer & Armstrong is Valiant's biggest shot at a mainstream comics hit.

Archer & Armstrong does a great job of mixing humour with globe-trotting adventure, martial arts action, and a heavy dose of satire directed mostly at conspiracy theory nuts who can't get enough of hack genre fare like The Da Vinci Code or the National Treasure movies.

This issue finds Archer & Armstrong making a temporary alliance to find the pieces of the Boon before The Sect (aka The 1% aka The Cult of Mammon) can. They travel to Italy and meet a tommy-gun toting nun named Tommy who helps them break into the secret Vatican vaults (of course) which contains another piece of the Boon, but not before encountering the The Sisters of Perpetual Darkness, black-eyed ninja nuns who lurk in secret Vatican crypts and who may-or-may not be vampires, it's hard to tell honestly.

Like many of the artists in the Valiant relaunch, Clayton Henry is someone I'd never heard of before, but who is doing a great job on this title. More than any other book, Archer & Armstrong reminds me of a Marvel comic book in terms of style and tone, and while that might not appeal to readers of Harbinger or Bloodshot, it has a better chance I think of appealing to readers outside of Valiant's hardcore fan base.

I wouldn't want every Valiant book to be like this, as I'm currently loving the more realistic take on science fiction featured in Bloodshot and Harbinger, but it's a nice change of pace and a hell of a lot more fun than most books I'm reading from Marvel and DC these days.

If none of the other Valiant comics have appealed to you so far, give Archer & Armstrong a try. If you are following the other Valiant titles, then let me tell you that this is one comic you don't want to miss.

Advance Review: Bloodshot #2

Bloodshot #2
"Get Your Gun"
Writer: Duane Swierczynski
Artists: Manuel Garcia & Arturo Lozzi
August 15, 2012
Valiant

What an insanely good issue. Sure, I was expecting to like Bloodshot, having read and enjoyed issues of the original series, but this reboot is a nanite-powered kick to the face, and my favourite new series in the Valiant universe.

Manuel Garcia and Arturo Lozzi's art in this issue is exactly what it needs to be, fast, visceral, gory, and innovative, with a mixture of perspective throughout that always keeps the book as interesting visually as the story is mind-bending. The action flows seamlessly throughout this issue, without pause until we get two key scenes, one from Bloodshot's former masters at Project Rising Spirit, and another scene with the rebel factor of Dr. Kuretich that reveals some crucial information about the kind of secrets that Bloodshot is carrying around in his poor, messed-up head.

We learn a lot more about the needs and limitations of the nanites coursing through Bloodshot's veins in this issue, including what happens when the "Goldies," as they're called, get hungry. Perhaps more importantly, for readers concerned that Bloodshot was functionally immortal and could never be killed, therefore removing any sense of danger from the story, we learn that total decapitation and exhaustion from too much abuse on the nanite system might do the trick.

Bloodshot is a trained killer, and in this issue it really shows. He doesn't fuck around. He kills quickly and with brutal efficiency. This issue opens with a jaw-dropping fight scene where Bloodshot takes on a group of attackers while bare ass nude, and the scene emphasizes his combat training while also showing the character struggle against his own inhumanity. Bloodshot is seriously injured several times during the fight, but he keeps fighting on through the pain, egged on by false memories programmed to act as "psychic anaesthesia."

More so than in the original series, Bloodshot is a ghoulish science experiment wanting desperately to be a real person, and leaving nothing but utter carnage in his wake, making him much more of a sympathetic and tragic character. This is especially the case after it's revealed that he has unwittingly committed atrocities for Project Rising Spirit, including the slaughter of an entire city after PRS' experiments led to a disastrous "Grey Goo" incident, hinted at on the inside cover of the first issue.

Duane Swierczynski has managed to tell a story that seriously examines the psychological implications of being used as a immortal killing machine/meat shield by a government organization, without sacrificing any of the story's action for the sake of storytelling. I was hoping that this new take on the character would invest time in depicting exactly what it means to be a "person" like Bloodshot, and in that regard, this series has not disappointed so far.

For reasons that are unlike why I am also enjoying Harbinger, X-O Manowar, and even Archer & Armstrong, Bloodshot is my favourite ongoing Valiant title. After just two issues in, this fast-paced series is shaping up to become one of my favorite monthly titles, period.

If you were unimpressed with the first issue of this series, or just wasn't sure about whether or not you wanted to read this book because of your impression of the character or the story, please give this title another look.

If all you remember about Bloodshot is that he was another bad-ass character from the 90s with "Blood" in his name like Youngblood, Bloodstrike, et al, forget everything you think you know about the character and read these first two issues.

Preview: Bloodshot #2

Courtesy of Valiant Entertainment, here's an exclusive preview of Bloodshot #2!

Bloodshot #1 was my favorite of the Valiant #1's so far, and I can't wait to see where this series is headed next!

Preview Page 1

Preview Page 2

Preview Page 3

Preview Page 4

Preview Page 5

Variant Cover

What We're Reading: August 2012

Reviews of today's comics will be up later on this evening, but in the meantime, here's an update on what we're reading this month:

What We're Reading, August 2012: 

-Animal Man (DC)
-Archer & Armstrong (Valiant)
-Axe Cop: President of the World (Dark Horse)
-Bloodshot (Valiant)
-Black Kiss II (Image)
-Dial H (DC)
-Extermination (Boom!)
-Glory (Image)
-Hell Yeah (Image)
-Higher Earth (Boom!)
-The Hypernaturals (Boom!)
-Harbinger (Valiant)
-Hit-Girl (Icon)
-Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files of Judge Dredd Vols. 1-5 (Rebellion)
-Prophet (Image)
-Revival (Image)
-Saga (Image)
-The Secret Service (Icon)
-Super Crooks (Icon)
-Swamp Thing (DC)
-X-O Manowar (Valiant)

And depending what comes out each week, possibly more!

Harbinger #2

Harbinger #2
"Omega Rising: Part Two"
Writer: Joshua Dysart
Artist: Khari Evans with Lewis LaRosa
Colours: Ian Hannin with Moose Baumann
July 11, 2012,
Valiant

Okay. As with my review of Bloodshot #1, to even speak about what was good about this issue of Harbinger is going to require some Spoilers. You have been warned.


Like the beginning of Harbinger #1, this issue opens with another memory of Toyo Harada's. This time, Harada is older, and is in Dharavi, Mumbai, India to investigate the birth of young harbinger; one with the power to make you relive your worst memories, more powerfully than when you first experienced them.

After a powerful scene involving a memory that gives us some important context to understanding Harada as a character, the plot picks up where Issue #1 left off with Pete, Kris, and Joe surrounded by armed soldiers from a mysterious organization being led (or coordinated) by the Mr. Tull, whose memories have been erased countless times by Pete.

Harada, speaking to Pete through his mind and using his powers to convince everyone that he is a dog, refuses to help Pete unless he unleashes his powers on the soldiers. Pete relents, and we see just how out of control of his own abilities Pete is as he is unable to calm down after injuring, and possibly killing, dozens of soldiers with his mind alone. Fans of Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira will find a lot to like about this issue of Harbinger.

Khari Evans' art has really improved with this issue, and he completely nails the realistic, modern day look and feel that this title aspires to. Unlike the debut issue, there are no panels with unclear or obscure depictions of what is happening. Everything in this comic made sense, from the character reactions and motivations to what was being depicted in the panels. The flashback scene involving Harada was especially well done. Likewise, Ian Hannin and Moose Bauman deserve their credits for the really great lighting and colour effects in this book.

I had just one issue with the production of this book: the lettering of the sound effects. I know. I know. This is the most nitpicky thing to criticize, but compared to the rest of the lettering in the book, the bright green, yellow, and red lettering of the sound effects just looks amateurish and cartoony, and detracts from the otherwise realistic style of the book.

This issue clarified a number of questions raised in the first. For example, not only do we learn what organization Mr. Tull and his soldiers represent, and what their motives are, Spoilers we learn enough about what happened between Kris and Pete in the first issue to reasonably suggest that if Pete did not actually use his powers to rape Kris, she was definitely sexually assaulted by him. Personally, I think her cries of "What did you do to me?...I'll kill you!...I'm going to cut your balls off you son-of-a-bitch!" pretty much says it all. End Spoilers. 


As a fan of the original Harbinger comics from the early 90s, I love the direction that Joshua Dysart and co. are taking this series, and cannot wait to see what happens when Pete is transported to the Harbinger Foundation in the next issue. 

Harbinger #2 is a very good follow up to a great debut. If you like superhero comics that deal with mature themes and are grounded in unflinching realism, I cannot recommend this title enough. Fans of Marvel's Ultimate Universe looking for something outside the House of Ideas, this is your book.

Bloodshot #1

Bloodshot #1

"Dunk Tank"

Writer: Duane Swierczynski

Pencillers: Manuel Garcia with Arturo Lozzi

Inks: Stefano Gaudiano

July 11, 2012

Valiant 

Bloodshot #1 marks the return of one of Valiant's most successful characters, and a strong debut from writer Duane Swierczynski (Birds of Prey) and his art team of Garcia, Lozzi and Gaudiano. 

There are about five or six different plot twists in this first issue, constantly keeping readers on their toes, but making it difficult for anyone to talk about it without revealing some spoilers. 

For those who are unfamiliar with this character, here are the basics: Bloodshot is a man whose blood has been infused with billions of nanites, microscopic robots that enhance his strength, speed and reaction time, heal wounds, communicate with computers or computerized machinery, and change his physical shape for a short period of time. 

These nanites obviously give him a huge advantage over his enemies, and in Bloodshot #1 Swierczynski and co. show us just how effective an elite solider like Bloodshot is. 

This issue has Bloodshot called in from reserve duty to rescue an American P.O.W. from a Afghan terrorist cell, but he is blown out of the sky by a rocket almost as soon as he parachutes out of his helicopter. To say much more about the plot of this book would be spoiling too much, but needless to say, this is a complete reboot of the character that will not only appeal to fans of the original, but will bring new readers in without needing to know anything else. Readers are also likely to know about as much of Bloodshot as he knows about himself, if that tells you anything. 

One of he things I loved about this comic was how the first page on the inside cover gives a detailed description of the nanities and their various capabilities. It instantly informs the reader what the character is capable of, and makes watching those powers in action all the more exciting.That this book can give you so much information on the first page and yet keep you guessing how it will end all the way through is a testament to Swierczynski's skill as a writer, and I'm very excited by the plot he is constructing with this title. 

The art in this book was also very good, and I have to commend Valiant for pairing their writers and artists together so well during this relaunch. The action flows really quickly between the panels, and more than a few pages left me just admiring the art direction. 

My only gripe was that sometimes the figures were rendered in this somewhat realistic, very smooth style, and then at other times the characters had a much more gritty texture. It wasn't a major issue, but it took me out of the book momentarily. 

Bloodshot #1 is an action-packed comic with some cool sci-fi concepts, inspired plot twists, and clear connections to other relaunched titles in the new Valiant Universe. 

If the second last page of this issue doesn't leave your jaw hanging open, I don't think Bloodshot is for you.