The Good
If you've been thinking about jumping into Valiant books, but don't know where to start, then this is a great place to jump on. This FCBD book offers a lot to new readers, including previews for these books: ARMOR HUNTERS #1, X-O MANOWAR #24, and RAI #1. Both X-O (here's our review) and RAI (and another review) are already out at your LCS. The X-O story ties directly into the upcoming Armor Hunter story.
The book also contains an interview with X-O MANOWAR and ARMOR HUNTERS writer Robert Venditti, a roll call for the Armor Hunters team, and some covers and art promoting other Valiant books, as you'd expect from a FCBD book.
What really counts here is the ARMOR HUNTERS story which sets the tone for the upcoming book. Doug Braithwaite's art is fantastic and Laura Martin's colors add a whole new dimension to the art. The 5 page preview gives readers a good taste of the upcoming event, even though new readers may have a bit of trouble understanding what's going on. However, that's also why the X-O preview is here.
The Bad
There's not a lot here for up-to-date Valiant readers. The Armor Hunters preview is the only real new thing here, along with the roll call for the Armor Hunters team. It is a little disappointing if you're reading all the books within.
The Verdict
The ARMOR HUNTERS SPECIAL is a great offering for those who are interested in the Valiant universe but haven't gotten around to pick up any of their books. You're getting introductions to three different books, one of which is brand new. As for up-to-date Valiant fans, you may be disappointed that you're only getting 5 new pages of story and a few art pages, but overall, this book is good for Valiant fans and great for new readers. It's a great lead in to ARMOR HUNTERS.