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Home , Bloodshot (comics), Eternal Warrior, Harbinger (comic book), Ninjak, Rai (comics), Shadowman (comics)

BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO COLLECTING VALIANT by Greg Holland, ValiantFans.com, updated April 2013

The original of comic books began in 1991 with the release of Magnus Robot Fighter #1. Magnus, and the second Valiant title, – Man of the Atom , were revivals of titles originally printed in the 1960’s & 1970’s by Gold Key. Valiant had produced some comics from licenses for Nintendo and pro wrestling, but those were not part of the VALIANT universe. Following Magnus and Solar, original Valiant titles such as , , , and X-O Manowar combined to provide a solid foundation for the Valiant universe…which was praised for its exciting characters, inviting art, and strong continuity of storytelling across all titles building up to the eighteen-part event of 1992. printed before the Unity crossover are referenced as Pre-Unity Valiant.

The Unity storyline, combined with a surge in comic book collecting at the time of DC’s “Death of Superman” and the recent introductions of Wizard: The Guide to Comics and Overstreet Monthly price guide magazines propelled early Valiant comic books to market value listings of $20, $50, or even $100 each, though the books were less than two years old. The demand for Valiant (and other comics) quickly multiplied and by 1993, comic shops became very well stocked on titles produced after the Unity crossover, while earlier Valiant issues remained in short supply. By mid-1994, many of the collectors and investors who flocked to the comic book scene in 1992 were leaving, hoping to liquidate their inventories – to cut their losses in most cases – and a flood of recent comic books which were valuable in monthly price guides were unloaded upon the secondary market. Comic shops reported that they were unable to sell the discounted 1993-1994 Valiant inventory. VALIANT was sold to in 1994 and Valiant titles continued to be published until 1996. Acclaim, primarily a video game developer, produced very different versions of most Valiant titles from 1996 to 2002, before Acclaim declared bankruptcy in 2004. Many comic shops do not have the earliest Valiant comics from 1991-1992 readily available.

1990s VALIANT titles with 25 issues or more: Archer & Armstrong, , , Harbinger, H.A.R.D. Corps, Magnus Robot Fighter, , Rai, Shadowman, Solar - Man of the Atom, , X-O Manowar

The current Valiant universe began in May 2012. Copyrights and trademarks for Valiant properties were auctioned following the Acclaim bankruptcy in 2005, and after years of watching and waiting by the fans, Valiant Entertainment relaunched the Valiant universe as monthly comics beginning with and X-O Manowar #1 in May 2012. Silver Age properties Magnus, Solar, and Turok licenses are not part of this new Valiant, but all of the original creations from the Valiant and Acclaim universe are included. Knowledge of the original VALIANT universe is not required, but similarities will be noticed by those who are familiar with both. Though not identical to the first Valiant, basic character concepts remain.

Most 2012-present Valiant comics are available as two or more cover variations with identical story contents. Some covers are limited editions available for retailers who order 20 to 50 copies of other issues, but those most limited variants (around 1,000 copies printed) have also been given away by Valiant to fans online and at conventions. The secondary market generally reflects the difficulty to obtain each variant, with completed auction prices ranging from cover price $3.99 to over $100 or more for ungraded (not CGC encapsulated) copies. Many Valiant fans and collectors choose to collect only one copy of each issue, or prefer digital copies. Other collectors attempt to obtain all published variations, including reprints and trade paperbacks, either as they are released or as an eventual goal. Valiant Entertainment won the 2012 Diamond Distributor’s Publisher of the Year for the smaller publisher category, and Valiant has been highly rated by various industry publications and monthly comic reviewers. By the end of 2013, Valiant has announced that they will have 8 to 10 regular monthly titles.

Valiant titles : Archer & Armstrong, Bloodshot, Harbinger, Quantum & Woody, Shadowman, X-O Manowar Possible upcoming titles: Doctor Mirage, Eternal Warrior, Geomancer, H.A.R.D. Corps, Ninjak,

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VALIANT COMICS The ValiantFans.com message board provides active discussion with fellow Valiant fans, and the accompanying website includes galleries, price guides, collector checklists, and a thousand other reference pages online at: www.VALIANTFANS.com