While Valiant had had some middling success up to this point, it was really HARBINGER #1 that put the company on the map in terms of being a presence in the field. HARBINGER was the first fully-original super hero concept that was put forward by Valiant, and it shared enough of its DNA with X-MEN … Continue reading Brand Echh: HARBINGER #1
The first original super hero character to debut from the growing Valiant line of titles was introduced as a flip-book feature in the fifth issue of MAGNIUS, ROBOT FIGHTER. And with good reason, as this new champion would exist in the same future time frame and milieu as that robot-smashing hero. This was Rai (pronounced … Continue reading Brand Echh: MAGNUS, ROBOT FIGHTER #5/RAI #1
The second super hero title in Valiant's new line of books was SOLAR, MAN OF THE ATOM #1. Like MAGNUS, ROBOT FIGHTER, the series was a revival of a property that had been published in the 1960s and 1970s by Gold Key: DOCTOR SOLAR, MAN OF THE ATOM. But unlike MAGNUS, SOLAR wasn't set up … Continue reading Brand Echh: SOLAR, MAN OF THE ATOM #1
The VALIANT line of interconnected super hero titles were really the successors to Marvel's New Universe efforts. They evidenced a similarity of ethos, though they were both better conceived and better produced for the most part--and thus were a lot more successful. Whether this was due to Valiant EIC and lead writer Jim Shooter having … Continue reading Brand Echh: MAGNUS, ROBOT FIGHTER #1
I've mentioned before just how gung-ho I was about the initial offerings from Pacific Comics, one of the fist of the new independent publishers who cropped up in the nascent Direct Sales marketplace of comic book specialty shops once it had been shown that it was possible to turn a profit there. While my enthusiasm … Continue reading FSC: ROG 2000
These next two issues of IRON MAN were somewhat defining for the era, in that they separated Tony Stark from his armor and caused him to have to deal with life-threatening situations on his own without the aid of advanced ordinance and head-to-toe protection. In essence, it was a full steer into the style of … Continue reading BHOC: IRON MAN #125
This issue of INCREDIBLE HULK was another book where my household wound up with two copies. Once again, my younger brother Ken had picked up his own copy of this particular issue for some reason. He'd always been a big fan of the Hulk television series (and monster movies of all sorts) so it wasn't … Continue reading BHOC: INCREDIBLE HULK #238
We're at the point where IRON MAN started to get really good under the creative team of writer David Michelinie, penciler John Romita Jr. and inker and co-plotter Bob Layton. The transformation sort of snuck up on me as a reader at the time. I found that I was enjoying IRON MAN more and more, … Continue reading BHOC: IRON MAN #124
I don't remember where I picked up this issue of MARVEL PREMIERE featuring the second half of the two-part debut of the new Ant-Man, Scott Lang. But it wasn't at my regular 7-11 haunt; they weren't carrying MARVEL PREMIERE, and their selection in general had been pulled back to tried-and-true sellers. So I must have … Continue reading BHOC: MARVEL PREMIERE #48
After surviving years when it was at best a second-tier title and at worst an afterthought, things were beginning to look up for IRON MAN. The current creative team of writer David Michelinie, penciler John Romita Jr. and inker and co-plotter Bob Layton built upon what their predecessor Bill Mantlo had done with the strip … Continue reading BHOC: IRON MAN #123
The Tom Brevoort Experience 