Harbinger

The Valiant Universe of the 90s was one of unrealized potential. There were great ideas, intriguing characters, and a number of unquestionably talented creators at the helm. All of these things were set aside, however, in pursuit of the quick buck. Every Valiant book was quickly immersed in an indecipherable inter-company crossover. Storylines involving domestic abuse, homosexuality, and corporate greed were placed on the back-burner to introduce as many characters and get them into their own books as quickly as possible in the hopes of creating buzz…which would then create sales.
It worked.

The early Valiant books were mainstays of Wizard Magazine’s Top Ten list guaranteeing sales and a demand for back issues which commanded high prices.

Eventually, people started to actually read the books, and discovered that they weren’t that good. The heroes of Valiant then faced a foe that no hero has ever defeated, Declining Sales. The Valiant Universe was laid to rest. But….as every comic book fan knows….death is a temporary thing for a superhero

For those unfamiliar with the title, Harbinger is the story of Peter Stancheck, a troubled youth with psionic abilities. Because of immense potential of his abilities, Peter has attracted the attention of Toyo Harada, founder of the Harbinger Foundation, a corporation recognized for its humanitarian efforts and scientific contributions to the world. Behind the scenes, the Harbinger Foundation serves as a training ground for those gifted with superhuman abilities. Peter soon finds himself at odds with Harada, due in large part to his methods of activating the abilities of latent superhumans; not all who undergo the process survive.

The Valiant of today seems to have learned from the mistakes of the past. Writer Joshua Dysart is given time to develop both the characters and the conflict. Peter is not the clear-cut hero we’ve seen all too often in superhero books. Peter uses his abilities in questionable, and sometimes horrible, ways to fill his base desires. On the other side of the fence, Harada is not the clear-cut villain with the ‘conquer the world’ goal we see on a monthly basis in far too many comics. Harada believes in what he’s doing and feels the end justifies the means. Through both characters we see the pressures and pitfalls wielding such power can bring.

The first story-arc, entitled Omega Rising (Issues 1-5) is set-up for things to come. While the focus is on Peter and Harada, we’re also introduced to a number of intriguing supporting characters that will surely play pivotal roles in future events. There’s plenty of action, as well, so while the book gives us much to think about, there’s just as much to geek-out over.

Dysart seems to be in for the long-haul, as he’s developed a number of sub-plots in this first arc and left readers with a number of unanswered questions. If what he has planned next is as good as what he’s done here, you should definitely go along for the ride. Artist Khari Evans does a tremendous job of making each member of this large cast a recognizably distinct individual. The action scenes flow well and a when someone gets hit in one of Evans’s panels, it looks like it hurts. My only complaint concerning the artwork is that the inks look a bit heavy at times; I’d really like to see some of the penciled pages for comparison.

With this version of Harbinger, Valiant seems to be telling us they’re ready to allow their characters to achieve their true potential.
Harbinger is published monthly by Valiant Entertainment, written by Joshua Dysart, with art by Khari Evans. Visit Valiant on the web at: valiantuniverse.com

Reviewed by T-Shirt Joe

For more of my reviews go to alienbee.net