By Todd Allen

I think we’ve all gotten to the point where we can accept that pullboxes are pretty big part of the market and an especially important thing for new indie books.  Valiant seems to be taking that to heart and is offering a “Pullbox Variant” cover just for people with pullboxes.  How directly tied that is to their pullbox form (see below), I’m not sure.  Regardless, it’s a way to have subscribers without a subscriptions department and retailers do pay attention to customer pre-orders.

You Beat readers seemed to be jonesing for X-O Manowar after the preview (I kinda am, too), so after the official PR, let’s have a look at the Harbinger #1 art.

Valiant’s HARBINGER #1 Pullbox Variant Recruits MICO SUAYAN

READ MINDS. BEND STEEL. BREAK ALL THE RULES. On June 6th, the first super-hero legend of the modern age makes way for a new generation in Harbinger #1, from New York Times best-selling author Joshua Dysart (Unknown Soldier, BPRD) and Harvey Award nominee Khari Evans (Carbon Grey)!

To celebrate this Valiant return, the publisher is rewarding comic shop patrons with theHarbinger #1 Pullbox Exclusive Variant by red hot cover artist Mico Suayan (X-Men: Legacy, Thor) — a limited edition cover exclusively available only to comic book store pull list subscribers and box holders!
“Our Pullbox Variant for X-O Manowar #1 was an unqualified success and retailer support for this initiative has been enormous,” said Publisher Fred Pierce. “This is a fantastic way to both get new fans into their local comic shop and give those long-term subscribers who order Valiant’s new number one issues something extra for their support. Best of all, participating is as simple as opening a pull list with your local retailer.”
Valiant will be shipping in-store request forms for the Harbinger #1 Pullbox Exclusive Variant to stores during their April order period. Ask your retailer about subscribing today!

To find more information on all of Valiant’s upcoming Pullbox Variant #1 issues — including Bloodshot #1 in July and Archer & Armstrong #1 in August — visit ValiantUniverse.com or download your own pullbox request form here!

HARBINGER #1 – ON SALE JUNE 6th!
Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art by KHARI EVANS
Cover by ARTURO LOZZI (APR121252)
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by MICO SUAYAN (APR121253)
Variant Cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE (APR121254)
QR Voice Variant by JELENA KEVIC-DJURDJEVIC (APR121255)

This is the "Pullbox Variant" cover

1 COMMENT

  1. Vakiant’s Harbinger artist, Khari Evans, is also part of the diesel punk movement started by Image Comics CARBON GREY mini-series.

    Khari drew the original mini-series and has artwork featured in both CARBON GREY ORIGINS issues,

    Right now, on Kickstarter.com Khari could use your support for getting users to help sponsor the next story arc of CARBON GREY.

    Any publicity/awareness you can help raise would be very much appreciated!

  2. What’s with everything being so shiny? Is this book taking place on an alternate Earth where all life is based on tinsel instead of carbon?

    Mike

  3. The story telling in the art work is fantastic. Some of the best I’ve seen in a long time! If every artist told a story in their work instead of giving us pin-up shots, a lot more people would be interested in reading comic books.

    Great job by KHARI EVANS and whomever the color artist is. And I’m thinking that a “great job” should go to JOSHUA DYSART, who must have provided a very detailed and thought out plot/script for the artist to work from. If the final scripting reaches the high level set by the art, this is a “must buy.” And I do not buy many new comics these days. Maybe an average of 1 a month.

  4. The hoodie reminds me of Emo-Earth 1 Superman. And yes, I’m fully aware Stracyznski did not have a hand in this. The ex-Marvel minds behind this Valiant relaunch continue to throw foul balls.

  5. the new valiant is a mix of people from alot of publishers not just marvel as well as new blood and old school valiant fans who done grown up and done good sam raimi & spiderman style.

    I’ll give you that the art is a strangely shiney but I don’t see the emo from one page with a hoodie. Frankly, I think Valiant are doing some of the most exciting things in comics today. And that’s saying a lot since their first book isnt until next month.

    I love the talking cover and this pull box. this art and story looks incredible. cary nord on x-o manowar looks great too.

  6. I am taking back from my comment above the part about being a potential “must-buy.” After giving it some thought, I feel that Jim Shooter being completely ripped-off by the original Valiant partnership demands the same sort of support people have been saying must be given to Jack Kirby, Alan Moore, and Siegal & Schuster. Therefore, though I did indeed enjoy the creative output that I saw here in the preview, I cannot put any money or vocal support behind a company that is building itself on the ashes of Jim Shooter’s and so many other creators’ creations.

  7. “The Shooter” has often been characterized as “difficult.” One might even say he was defiant. It would have been nice though if the guys at Valiant had hired a specialist in difficulty to see that Jim was a part of it all. He was its soul.