The Good
Have you been meaning to check out Valiant but you've made the mistake of not getting around to it just yet? Well, Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt and Paolo Rivera's THE VALIANT #1 should be the first thing you pick up. Technically, this is the Eternal Warrior and the Geomancer's story, but it pretty much feels like a very friendly introduction to the Valiant universe. Sure, it may not address all of the titles and characters (that would be ridiculous and a herculean feat), but this feels like a warm welcome to Valiant's world and a handful of its characters. Some of the exposition doesn't feel natural, but new fans won't mind that and the handling of the Eternal Warrior's story will pull you right into this series and make you forget about everything else; you'll find yourself fully immersed in the story as it takes you throughout history and things get worse and worse. Exploring this mythos is captivating.
The scene with Armstrong and the Geomancer was an effective and entertaining to way to teach readers about both characters. It's every bit as interesting as the scene with a haunting monster or Bloodshot fighting in the jungle, so that's really saying something about the script and artwork seeing as it's just two people sitting down and talking. It's an organic way of getting readers to know the key character while finding a way to work in a few more facts about Gilad.
Kindt and Lemire's script has everything from savage action in a jungle to character-driven conversations to a bloody trip through several locations throughout history. There's a lot Rivera has to tackle and, aside from a pretty small criticism about the coloring of sound effects, he does a terrific job telling bringing the script and all that it has to offer to life. The layouts did an amazing job telling the story and we're treated to some pretty memorable panels. The handling of Geomancer's expressions were spot-on and something as simple as a smaller panel of Bloodshot standing in front of a fire is presented extremely well, especially thanks to the excellent use of inks and lighting. And the Immortal Enemy? The creature is such a nightmare. I don't want to spoil it, but the thing it does with its head? Awesome. We all know Valiant is making some movies and I can imagine how twisted they could make that appear on the big screen.
The Bad
Armstrong and Geomancer's exposition was great, but the lines in Bloodshot's scene felt pretty forced. Again, new readers will be fine with that, but it didn't seem like a natural thing to include in the conversation. Also, the opening sequence is terrific, but it seems like it's pretty tough for Eternal Warrior to get some love in this universe. He's this badass and immortal warrior, yet he never has a chance to shine over in UNITY (it's worth noting I'm an issue behind, though) and here, he looks pretty incompetent. Yes, he's facing one hell of a threat and his determination is admirable, but nothing is really done to redeem him even just a little bit or remind us that immortality isn't the only thing which makes him special. Here's hoping that changes as the limited series progresses.
I like the lettering and placement of the onomatopoeias, but making them such a vivid color -- in a violent action scene -- was a contrast that didn't work for me. On one hand, you have gruesome stuff like Bloodshot taking a bullet in the eye (a cool way of showing off his formidability) and punching into a dude's chest. That stuff is just oozing with darkness. But on the other hand, you have these bright purple and pink sound effects which feel like they'd be more fitting for a slugfest between superheroes in a more lighthearted comic. Some may think the drastic contrast works against all of the bloodshed and the lush setting, but for me, it doesn't seem like the right color for the scene. I think a darker shade would have been more appropriate, but it's not really that big of a deal.
The Verdict
THE VALIANT #1 is a pretty awesome trip into the Valiant universe and feels like it's the beginning of a story you won't want to miss. Not only does it expand Eternal Warrior's tale (unlike Joker, you'll know how Gilad got those scars) and give us a solid insight into Geomancer in a way that's friendly to new readers, but it also properly introduces a jaw-dropping antagonist and feels like the start of what'll hopefully be a very epic adventure which involves a number of the publisher's lovable characters. Whether it's violence, horror, or a laid back conversation between two characters, Rivera went all-out to make sure the visuals are every bit as good as the script. Love Valiant? Then you should have already read this by now and, if not, you need to go buy it right now. The exposition may be a little blatant at times, but it's still a very exciting start. Curious about Valiant? Go pick this up and see why so many of us have fallen in love with this universe.