Valiant (Re)visions Power Rankings: Month Eight

David: Brandon, we’re closing another month of Valiant goodness, and we’re officially fully past the Harbinger Wars experience, so we’re back to basics on all the books. Are you ready to count down our favorite Valiant titles – weighted for recency, but including the whole series preceding, like in ESPN’s Power Rankings – for the month? You better be!

I’ll kick things off. Bringing up the rear for me is none other than Harbinger #15 from Josh Dysart and Barry Kitson. This entire issue read like it was messing with me, like it was some sort of dream sequence where no one acted like they previously had been established. By the end of the issue when the brutal “twist” was brought to life, I was just shaking my head at this issue. Kitson is an artist I often enjoy, but even his work felt off here. Overall, Harbinger’s on a bit of a slump for me, which is incredible because not that long ago it was my favorite book from Valiant.

What do you have at #6 and #5 for your list, Mr. Burpee?

Brandon: You know I enjoyed Harbinger this month but there was a lot of good stuff this month from Valiant. As a result Harbinger is my #6. Last month it was my #4 and this month it got the lowest review for me so the only place it could go was further down. I did enjoy the issue and it’s almost X-Men baseball game feel. I also am excited for where this will take us. It just wasn’t as good as the rest of the excellence served up to us this month.

My #5 this month is X-O Manowar. This is a book on the rise. I really enjoyed everything about the fight with Eternal Warrior and Aric. That was just badassery at it’s finest. Aric snapping E-Dubs arm was one of those, “Oh shit that was awesome!” moments. I also really appreciate the way I have found myself loving to hate Aric’s character. He’s such a prick but it really is clicking with me in recent issues. You can see where the character is building toward a breakdown and it is very entertaining.

What’s next for you David?

David: I do have to say, this might be the creative high point for the line yet, and it feels like everything is really firing on all cylinders.

That said, Shadowman this month gets my #5. It’s been a book that has been climbing as of late for me, but the close to the whole Master Darque arc was a bit more sizzle than steak for me. Combine that with a litany of artists onboard, and it was a down month for the book given its recent strength. That said, this was still a rock solid issue, and something that I feel like will kick us off in a very positive direction with new writer Peter Milligan now announced. Let’s get one artist drawing the book though, please.

Meanwhile, X-O Manowar has now entered top 4 territory for me Brandon! I am digging the hell out of this book lately, as I feel like Venditti has really found how to make us care about Aric – by sort of making us hate him – and the book is all the stronger for it. Plus, hells yes to Lee Garbett on this book! That man crushed the tête-à-tête between Aric and Eternal Warrior, as his choreography of the fight really underlined the bravado and badassery Venditti was trying to convey in Aric. X-O really is the biggest badass in the Valiant universe.

Whatchoo got for #4 and #3, Brandon?

Brandon: Sitting pretty at #4 is Shadowman. It’s moving up a spot this month for two reasons. One reason being that Harbinger Wars is not on the list anymore and the other being because I actually enjoyed the finale to the arc.I also have to give extra points for Monkey in a Top Hat being a part of the arc. Lastly, I enjoyed that we got the mercy killing of his mentor out of the way. It’s something that’s needed to happen for some time for the main character to finally get a chance to develop. Up until this point he’s just been in a holding pattern as a padawan. Now he can cut his braid and get to ass kicking all by himself.

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#3 is Quantum and Woody. This book is just flat out hilarious. The tone fits with the previous version but without the reader needing any knowledge of it. As a result it is new and old fan friendly which is hard to pull off with a property that some hold very near and dear to their hearts. People like you David! This is a book that given some time will probably hit the top spot sooner rather than later.

What’s next for you Mr. Harper?

David: Coming in at number 3 for me is the main man himself (now that Lobo has graciously given up the name) Bloodshot, who had a huge return to awesomeness with his #0 issue. This issue was written by Matt Kindt and illustrated by ChrisCross, and all it made me wonder was why the hell they’re not the incoming team for this book! These guys had a great issue, and one that really showed just how badass Bloodshot is and how messed up his background was as well. I’d say the only thing that brought it down was it didn’t do much of anything for the direction of the book, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t entertaining. Plus, ChrisCross is a perfect fit for the book’s art. He gets hardcore in the prettiest of ways.

#2 for me is none other than Quantum & Woody, a steady riser on my list since its debut. As well as I think James Asmus is doing on this book – and he really gets the dynamic between Quantum & Woody – I think the thing that is the greatest advantage for this series over the previous is just how amazing Tom Fowler and Jordie Bellaire are on art. Fowler’s highly expressive style perfectly complements Asmus’ often hilarious scripts, while Bellaire’s colors are the cherry on top. As I mentioned in my review for the third issue, her usage of color in the flashbacks is perfect, and I love the vibrancy of her palette in the work. Awesome stuff!

Take us home Brandon. What finished at #2 and #1 for you?

Brandon: My #2 this month is Archer and Armstrong. All of the awesome teases for the future blew my mind. I am very excited for all of these possibilities! It was like the best crossover of the Valiant Universe without actually being a crossover. The issue as usual was fun outside of the teases and as always packs a potent punch of humor and action. I’m excited to see if any of these things come to fruition now.

#1 for me is Bloodshot. I really dug the #0 issue this month and felt Matt Kindt and ChrisCross killed it. I felt it added some layers to the character and provided a nice origin for the character and also worked as a great jumping on point for new readers. But let’s be honest. The main reason this book moves from my #2 last month to my #1 this month is Afro rocking Bloodshot! I want a book about that guy like yesterday!

So what is your #1 David?

David: My #1 book is the same as it ever was…ARCHER & ARMSTRONG. This book completely rules, as Fred Van Lente continues to tell one of the most batshit crazy and inventive comics around. It’s pure entertainment, and like you said for the teases, those are some of the things I love to read in my comics. It feels like this book has always been kind of the goofy, entertaining one, but this arc, the “Far Faraway” one, has done a masterful job at showing just how important to the story these two guys could be. Plus, Armstrong’s brother Ivar is back and Hearst the Dodo is still amazing! What’s not to love about this book?

This was a hell of a month for Valiant. Really great stuff man.