In the beginning, there was the Ultimate Universe, and people saw that it was good.
Then there was the Energon Universe, and people saw those Daniel Warren Johnson panels of robots doing suplexes and they were all, “YO, THIS RIPS!”
Then there was the Absolute Universe, and people are still waiting for Al Ewing and Jahnoy Lindsay’s Absolute Green Lantern and Deniz Camp and Javier Fernandez’s Absolute Martian Manhunter, but overall they seem to be digging it.
Valiant Comics, or more accurately its current caretaker Alien Books, looked at these universe-wide reimaginings and said, “Why not us?”
Alien has done a good job the past year picking up the Valiant Universe and dusting it off from its anemic book-a-month schedule under owner DMG Entertainment. The past few months have been dedicated to wrapping up series, honoring creator agreements and resetting the table via the Resurgence event, which will wrap in January.
But soon it will be time for what comes next.
Valiant announced today Valiant Beyond, a linewide reimagining of its characters and concepts, starting in March with Valiant Beyond: Bloodshot #1 and Valiant Beyond: Tales of the Shadowman #1 and continuing in April with X-O Manowar #1 and All-New Harbinger #1. With these books will come new creative teams, new designs and new origins for many of these characters.
Oh, and also they’re gonna be doing a zombies thing.
Keep scrolling for Valiant’s press release, art and designs from the new books and quotes from Valiant’s top brass. And for more on the Alien era of Valiant, check out our recent interview with Alien Books Director Matias Timarchi on The ComicsXF Interview Podcast.
Press release
Alien Books, in partnership with Valiant Comics, is set to begin a new era of dynamic and boundary-pushing superhero storytelling with the launch of the Valiant Beyond universe this March.
Spinning out of the RESURGENCE OF THE VALIANT UNIVERSE crossover event, Alien Books is spearheading a new line of titles under the ‘Valiant Beyond’ banner that will feature new versions of iconic Valiant characters including Bloodshot, Shadowman, X-O Manowar, Harbinger, and more. Designed to be new-reader friendly and ultra-accessible, each Valiant Beyond series will feature introductory-priced debut issues, extra story pages, and new logos and trade dress on the covers that help distinguish the line from what came before.
“As we enter into the second year of our partnership with Valiant Comics and come out of the RESURGENCE crossover event, we wanted to take a big swing and try something new,”explains Alien Books Director Matias Timarchi. “The success of the Absolute, Ultimate and Energon universes has shown that there is an appetite from both retailers and readers for accessible and high-quality storytelling. Our goal is to take inspiration from those lines while doing something that is distinctly our own.”
Alien Books and Valiant Entertainment’s publishing partnership began in 2024 and saw the return of many iconic comic series to comic shops and digital platforms and the release of trade paperback collections reprinting many iconic stories and runs. The RESURGENCE OF THE VALIANT UNIVERSE event featured the heroes and villains switching allegiances when the maniacal Dr. Silk upended the rules of life and death on Earth. The game-changing finale to the RESURGENCE event, releasing in January, will detail the birth of the Valiant Beyond universe while also providing a pathway for the continuation of the existing Valiant continuity and characters.
“Valiant has always been great at using superpowered characters to explore different genres, from horror to comedy to action and everything in between,” adds Alien Books Editor-in-Chief Lysa Hawkins. “We’re looking at Valiant Beyond as an opportunity to refresh these characters by taking them out of their comfort zones while still retaining the essence and spirit that fans have adored over the past 30 years. And rest assured, the versions of the characters that you’ve followed through to the RESURGENCE event will be back as part of the VALIANT ZOMBIES: RESURRECTION event that begins on Free Comic Book Day. Keep reading and Stay Valiant!”
The first title to launch as part of Valiant Beyond will star the fan-favorite nanite-enhanced cyborg with a penchant for ultra-violence: Bloodshot. Readers will discover that there’s something drastically different about this version of Bloodshot as he battles a Japanese underworld hooked on a new drug with vampiric side-effects. Written by rising star Mauro Mantella (BLOODSHOT UNLEASHED: RELOADED) with stunning artwork from Fernando Heinz Furukawa (X-O MANOWAR: INVICTUS), the initial three-issue arc for Bloodshot will blend crime-fighting, horror and ultra-violence into one unmissable mature readers story.
“In VALIANT BEYOND: BLOODSHOT #1, you’ll find a Bloodshot like you’ve never seen before, literally!” teases Mantella. “Trapped in the Japanese underworld of the undead, he’ll discover that this world is stranger, more complex, and far more dangerous than he ever imagined. Issue one is 24 pages packed with action, mad ideas, and one particular scene that I still can’t believe was approved!”
The team behind the acclaimed SHADOWMAN: SOUL EATERS mini-series, writer AJ Ampadu and artist Sergio Monjes, will reunite to showcase a very different side of the fan-favorite anti-hero in TALES OF THE SHADOWMAN. Set in a utopian version of New Orleans, the magic capital of the world, TALES OF THE SHADOWMAN follows a detective trained in the art of voodoo who faces an unprecedented threat to her city. Out of options, she must summon the enigmatic force known as The Shadowman to help save New Orleans from the forces of the Deadside in this stunning new take on the character.
“It’s a new era in the Valiant universe and I have the honor of introducing a brand new version of Shadowman,” explains Ampadu. “The Shadowman is an ancient god of unknown origin who has no memory of his past. He drifts through the shadows of the Deadside, the mystic wasteland surrounding the utopian city of New Orleans. The impoverished residents both fear the Shadowman and rely on him for protection from the greater evils lurking in the Deadside. If someone needs help, they can summon the Shadowman, but this comes at a great price.”
The Valiant Beyond line will continue to expand in April with the launch of a new X-O MANOWAR #1 and ALL-NEW HARBINGER #1 with additional series and one-shots in the works. The new designs for the Valiant Beyond characters were crafted by artist Andres Ponce and Fernando Heinz Furukawa and drew inspiration from previous versions of the characters, medieval armor, anime, and sci-fi films.
“For this new version of Shadowman, instead of designing a suit with belts, seams, and the usual vigilante elements, I went with more of a living silhouette look with white accents for contrast,” explains Ponce. “I wanted something reminiscent of the classic mask with the two pointed ends, but not as a piece of material, so I went for a more ghost-like vibe there. The overall concept is for him to feel more spectral and diffused, like he’s wearing a piece of darkness rather than an outfit.”
“For the new X-O armor, my initial concept was to move away from the organic and muscular look of the classic design as the new story places him in a more medieval setting,” continues Ponce. “I went for a harder looking armor, with plates or segmented sections, mostly on the torso and kept some of the muscle fibers on the chest. And then I added the largest shoulder pads that I possibly could! I had classic ’90s anime in mind while working on this redesign, but I toned it down a bit as I received feedback on the different sketches.”
“We’re aiming for at least 12 issues per Valiant Beyond series, split into 3/4-issue arcs that combine to tell a larger story,” explains Alien Books Art Director Martin Casanova. “We’re optimistic that fan and retailer support will help us expand this line further with more mini-series and specials.”
“The first wave of Valiant Beyond debut issues will be returnable for direct market retailers if they hit very achievable order goals,” adds Alien Books Sales & Operations Manager Manny Castellanos. “We want stores to feel confident in stocking these issues on their shelves for walk-in customers and we’re looking forward to sharing more details about Valiant Beyond and how we plan to support retailers at ComicsPRO in February.”
VALIANT BEYOND: BLOODSHOT #1 releases March 5 in comic shops and will boast an assortment of covers by Rodolfo Migliari, Nahuel Grego, Dennis Calero, and Fernando Heinz Furukawa. Final orders are due at comic shops on February 3.
VALIANT BEYOND: TALES OF THE SHADOWMAN #1 launches on March 19 with covers by Damian Connelly, Bella Rachlin, Dennis Calero, and Andres Ponce. Final orders are due at comic shops on February 17.
X-O MANOWAR #1 and ALL-NEW HARBINGER #1 will be released in April with full creative team details to be revealed in January.
“We see Valiant Beyond as a great opportunity to add to the Valiant lore, to build on what came before while doing something fresh,” concluded Alien Books Director Matias Timarchi. “We’re hopeful that the many dedicated long-time Valiant fans will help us in welcoming in new readers on this journey as we embark on a new path forward together.”
Find out how the Valiant Beyond universe begins in the pages of RESURGENCE OF THE VALIANT UNIVERSE FINALE, on sale January 22, and look for more behind-the-scenes concept art and sketches in the VALIANT UNIVERSE ULTIMATE GUIDE, on sale February 12.
The fallout from RESURGENCE continues in VALIANT ZOMBIES: RESURRECTION, a free comic available as part of Free Comic Book Day at participating comic book shops on May 3.
Stay tuned to the Alien Books website, social media pages, and newsletter for new info about Valiant Beyond!
Dan Grote is the editor-in-chief of ComicsXF, having won the site by ritual combat. By day, he’s a newspaper editor, and by night, he’s … also an editor. He co-hosts The ComicsXF Interview Podcast with Matt Lazorwitz. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, two kids and two miniature dachshunds, and his third, fictional son, Peter Winston Wisdom.
