Comic Book Review: A Valiant alternative to Marvel Diabetes!!!!

Harbinger Volume Three: Harbinger Wars

Written by Joshua Dysart. Artwork by Trevor Hairsine and Khari Evans.

Toyo Harada, a psiot activated by the bombing of Hiroshima and mentored by the Bleeding monk has been in a decades long race against Rising Spirit Securities to produce psiots. Psiots are the next evolution of the human race or perhaps a split of the race into psiots and transhumans. They have traditionally been activated by trauma, torture or some of the more humane ways that Toyo has discovered. Now is the time for generation zero, kids who’ve been activated and escaped from RSS to take over the Bellagio and be kids for a brief time.

This volume centers on the Bellagio. The RSS escapees including Cronus are waiting on others of their family who were rescued by the Cyborg Bloodshot to arrive. They are also joined by the Renegades, a group of kids who escaped from Harbinger Foundation (Harada). The convergence occurs at the Bellagio with a massive psiot and military battle. Somebody at Valiant hates that hotel-casino.

The storyline is well done with back story fed to the reader occasionally of how the RSS vs. Harbinger thing began in the 1960s. The artwork is really excellent and surpasses most anything I’ve seen put out by Marvel or DC. These are quality. I’m giving this one 5 out of 5 for sheer audacity. Enjoy!

http://www.amazon.com/Harbinger-3-Wars-Joshua-Dysart/dp/1939346118

Comic Book Review: The way you really wanted you mutant comics to go.

Harbinger Wars Volume 1 (Issues #1-4)

By Joshua Dysart, Duane Swierczynski, Clayton Henry, Clayton Crain, Pere Perez,

Brian Reber and a horde of others.

When I first reviewed Harbinger I thought this was sort of a knock off of X-men. This series spin-off or -on has cured me of that delusion. One of the things I realized about the Marvel product the other day is that they shied away from killing off X-men. They trick into believing they have then they show up again. Enough about that.

Harbinger Wars is off the hook, well written, well illustrated and delivering a much more powerful story. Toyo Harada, founder and leader of the Harbinger Foundation is trying to gather all of the Psiot kids he can find to aid in pursuing the vision passed onto him by the Bleeding Monk. Bloodshot, manufactured {nanite} being produced by Project Rising Spirit, has gone off plane and freed all the Psiot kids he had captured for the government so that he could protect them. Peter Stanchek, a kid who turned to self medication to keep the voices (and his powers) in his head under control has taken to leading some really powerful Psiot kids who escaped Harada.

All this mess causes a defense contractor to reactivate H.A.R.D. Corps, four super soldiers who will ruthlessly make the world burn to complete their mission. Seems like all parties involved have a beef with The Bellagio hotel in Vegas. I think some comic convention must have gone wrong there.

The action and results in this comic are brutal. You will find yourself booing and cheering for different sides throughout. I had a lot of fun with this and I’m giving it five out of five entertainment stars, points or thingies.

You might be confused by the links with this review. I bought my copy at Denver Comic Con

2015. I will add some links to local comic stores besides the one already there. You can acquire these through Amazon, or Barnes and Noble but I suggest you seek out your local comic book store.

http://www.mycomicshop.com/search?ItemID=24715655&gclid=CjwKEAjw4s2wBRDSnr2jwZenlkgSJABvFcwQHCcm_6mYJqlojthqzrpAzlK3WXufSAr2_nUZ9HqBhRoCvaXw_wcB&kpid=24715655

Haley’s Comics

Gryphon Games and Comics

Comic Book Review: Rai, New Japan, blood, Spylock, Lula!

RAI: Welcome to New Japan

Written by Matt Kindt

Penciled and colored by Clayton Crain.

The year is 4001 A.D. – led by the artificial intelligence called “Father,” the island nation of Japan has expanded out of the Pacific and into geosynchronous orbit with the ravaged Earth below. With billions to feed and protect, it has fallen to one solitary guardian to enforce the law of Father’s empire – the mysterious folk hero known as Rai. They say he can appear out of nowhere. They say he is a spirit…the ghost of Japan. But when the first murder in a thousand years threatens to topple Father’s benevolent reign, Rai will be forced to confront the true face of a nation transformed…and his own long-lost humanity

This trade paper back volume includes the first 4 issues of Rai, the protector of new Japan and embodiment of Father’s policies. I think the story is fabulously complex for a comic arc and the art is extremely entertaining. Even though Rai is the main protagonist, I have to say I’m enjoying the character building going into Spylocke. Both are ruthless implementors of violence in their views of the greater good. Four out of five enjoyment stars for this and I hope to read more. Got my copy from Valiant’s booth at Denver Comic Con 2015.

http://valiantuniverse.com/comics/rai-2/

http://valiantuniverse.com/comics/rai-2/rai-vol-1-welcome-to-new-japan-tpb/

If one must Amazon then here is the link. Try and buy local though if you can.

http://www.amazon.com/Rai-Volume-Welcome-New-Japan/dp/193934641X