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Harbinger Wars (Collected Editions) #1
Harbinger Wars
Harbinger Wars, Valiant's first crossover event, begins here!
Two dozen undisciplined, untested, and untrained superhuman children have just escaped from a top-secret research facility and into the world. When Bloodshot, Toyo Harada, and Peter Stanchek join the chase, will the Valiant Universe be ready for its first all-out superhuman showdown?
By acclaimed writers Joshua Dysart (Harbinger) & Duane Swierczynski (Bloodshot) and artist Clayton Henry (Archer & Armstrong), start reading here for a high-stakes tale that will put Valiant's greatest heroes to the ultimate test!
Collecting: Harbinger Wars 1-4
Two dozen undisciplined, untested, and untrained superhuman children have just escaped from a top-secret research facility and into the world. When Bloodshot, Toyo Harada, and Peter Stanchek join the chase, will the Valiant Universe be ready for its first all-out superhuman showdown?
By acclaimed writers Joshua Dysart (Harbinger) & Duane Swierczynski (Bloodshot) and artist Clayton Henry (Archer & Armstrong), start reading here for a high-stakes tale that will put Valiant's greatest heroes to the ultimate test!
Collecting: Harbinger Wars 1-4
128 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2013
10 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Duane Swierczynski
526 books924 followersDuane Swierczynski is an American crime writer who has written a number of non-fiction books, novels and also writes for comic books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
April 27, 2019
This was actually fantastic for a crossover event of this scope.
Having said that, don't just pick this up without any previous knowledge of what's happening and expect it to make sense. That should go without saying, but..
For fans who have been following Harbinger and Bloodshot in particular, this is quite the mash-up. Also, there are a lot of scenes that you've already seen/read that come back at you from another angle. <--very cool
For me, I'm reading this in tandem with Bloodshot right now and it was a lot of fun to see how everything he's been doing in his comics with those rescued psiot kids coming full circle with the Harbinger kids, Harada's trainees, and the other groups of psiots that I still don't know that well. It's been an eye-opening experience as to how big Valient's universe actually is!
Recommended for Valiant fans!
Having said that, don't just pick this up without any previous knowledge of what's happening and expect it to make sense. That should go without saying, but..
For fans who have been following Harbinger and Bloodshot in particular, this is quite the mash-up. Also, there are a lot of scenes that you've already seen/read that come back at you from another angle. <--very cool
For me, I'm reading this in tandem with Bloodshot right now and it was a lot of fun to see how everything he's been doing in his comics with those rescued psiot kids coming full circle with the Harbinger kids, Harada's trainees, and the other groups of psiots that I still don't know that well. It's been an eye-opening experience as to how big Valient's universe actually is!
Recommended for Valiant fans!
May 5, 2015
Once I realized that this book was an attempt by a publisher other than Marvel or DC to write super hero comics, I tried to hold back my normal knee jerk scoffing and read it with an open mind.
And…the Harbinger Wars is more than just Valiant’s attempts at a superhero comic, it’s their first company crossover event. Hoo-boy!
The basic premise: A group of super powered kids are the pawns in a struggle between various factions trying to gain control of them.
The bad: There are just too many players here with similar agendas (Save the kids!), that when a different group (H.A.R.D. Corps) was tossed into the story and who just wanted to kill them all, I felt a sense of joy. “Hey, you guys are different.”
There were almost twenty kids with variety of powers. That’s difficult to keep straight under any circumstance and when a kid makes an appearance once or twice (with a little box in the panel that gave their name and power – Mary, 5 years old – Implodes people from the inside) it just adds to the confusion.
There were two groups of super powered individuals who were vying for the attention of the tykes, each had their own unique abilities (Red head, dresses in bikini, has fire powers and a girl who flies and a big, strong guy, etc.). The groups were related in some huge backstory way, too.
The good: Before each issue Valiant provided a venn diagram or something on the inside cover to help keep track of the players. It was reasonably helpful. I got to exercise my arms going back and forth between pages, in my attempt to keep everyone straight.
Some of the kids had interesting abilities: One girl could become an animal and because the kids were locked away and had nothing to watch but cartoons, the only type of animals she could conceptualize were cartoon animals. Another kid, each time he became frightened, his fear created a huge monster, who attacked (and sometimes ate) the other characters.
The action was fairly well rendered and the art was above average.
And…the Harbinger Wars is more than just Valiant’s attempts at a superhero comic, it’s their first company crossover event. Hoo-boy!
The basic premise: A group of super powered kids are the pawns in a struggle between various factions trying to gain control of them.
The bad: There are just too many players here with similar agendas (Save the kids!), that when a different group (H.A.R.D. Corps) was tossed into the story and who just wanted to kill them all, I felt a sense of joy. “Hey, you guys are different.”
There were almost twenty kids with variety of powers. That’s difficult to keep straight under any circumstance and when a kid makes an appearance once or twice (with a little box in the panel that gave their name and power – Mary, 5 years old – Implodes people from the inside) it just adds to the confusion.
There were two groups of super powered individuals who were vying for the attention of the tykes, each had their own unique abilities (Red head, dresses in bikini, has fire powers and a girl who flies and a big, strong guy, etc.). The groups were related in some huge backstory way, too.
The good: Before each issue Valiant provided a venn diagram or something on the inside cover to help keep track of the players. It was reasonably helpful. I got to exercise my arms going back and forth between pages, in my attempt to keep everyone straight.
Some of the kids had interesting abilities: One girl could become an animal and because the kids were locked away and had nothing to watch but cartoons, the only type of animals she could conceptualize were cartoon animals. Another kid, each time he became frightened, his fear created a huge monster, who attacked (and sometimes ate) the other characters.
The action was fairly well rendered and the art was above average.
July 19, 2022
Very cool crossover!
The Valiant universe is uniquely described to allow for a good crossover and this one has all the bells and whistles. We’ve got Toyo Harada and all the psiots, and the Harbinger storyline, and then Bloodshot shows up.
And then!
Go back to the golden age of Valiant, back to the 90s and we have a very special crossover appearance.
This reminded me of the story about the production of The Godfather when the producers told Coppola that the film needed to be more violent and so they staged the scene with Carlo and Connie. It’s like the Valiant folks said, “the Harbinger story is good, but we need to ramp up the action”
And so they did.
This has LOTS of action, with Bloodshot, Harada, Harbinger psiot kids, etc etc.
The artwork is amazing.
So, yeah, I’m a Valiant fan and this is one of the best ones.
The Valiant universe is uniquely described to allow for a good crossover and this one has all the bells and whistles. We’ve got Toyo Harada and all the psiots, and the Harbinger storyline, and then Bloodshot shows up.
And then!
Go back to the golden age of Valiant, back to the 90s and we have a very special crossover appearance.
This reminded me of the story about the production of The Godfather when the producers told Coppola that the film needed to be more violent and so they staged the scene with Carlo and Connie. It’s like the Valiant folks said, “the Harbinger story is good, but we need to ramp up the action”
And so they did.
This has LOTS of action, with Bloodshot, Harada, Harbinger psiot kids, etc etc.
The artwork is amazing.
So, yeah, I’m a Valiant fan and this is one of the best ones.
June 3, 2015
Find this and many more reviews at Geekritique!
Harbinger Wars is a crossover event done right. My previous two reviews - Harbinger, Vol. 3; Bloodshot, Vol. 3 - all connect with Harbinger Wars in a succinct enough way that neither Marvel nor DC can ever hope to match. Both series were among the first in Valiant Entertainment's 2012 rebirth, and as such have been heading towards a common endgame. And it's an all out war. Harbinger Wars collects issues #1-4.
Many different factions, each with their own goals (and many unknowingly with the same goals), diverge from the get go, leading up to a massive convergence. To start, there's the former P.R.S. assassin Bloodshot and a handful of activated psiot kids he rescues from P.R.S. (Project Rising Spirit). Then there's another group of freed P.R.S. activated psiot kids named Generation Zero, led by the militant Cronus, on the run from Bloodshot, whom they still believe is the enemy. We have the Renegades, a rebelious team led by Peter Stanchek that we grew to love and hate in the Harbinger series, and their goal is to be the good guys for a change by helping out Generation Zero from the war that will soon ensue. Then there's the Harbinger Foundation, led by the world's most powerful psiot Toyo Harada who wishes to capture the released psiots and incorporate them in his Harbinger Foundation. When that's not enough parties to keep track of, Valiant throws in a 5th - the H.A.R.D. Corps, mercenaries hired to eliminate all threat, child or no. Somehow, by the end of it all, you've still caught up with everyone.
Naturally this all leads to a big confrontation in Las Vegas, and it is a spectacle to behold. One of the crossover's more frustrating, yet inventive ideas is that each of the teams in play are in a sense anti-heroes, meaning they are each fighting for their own definition of a better tomorrow, and are willing to take people out accordingly. (A case can be made that the H.A.R.D. Corps is just a big bunch of bad though). As Harbinger Wars continues we find this makes it really hard to choose sides. As a reader used to good vs. bad, this is a moral dilemma that the publisher puts you through that I've never scene before, and that's got to take guts.
But I can't help feeling a little let down that this doesn't end up being a team up between Bloodshot and The Renegades, who are both unknowingly on the same side of the fight - they just never communicate that point to each other. One would think that with the kids of Generation Zero and Bloodshot's crew finally getting back together, a ceasefire would commense so that they can take out the larger evil.
But wow. Even with some strange artist jumps, the story holds together better than most. As this is slated to be one of the films that Sony has signed on for, this makes me a very excited man. We're in for a show. This does include very gruesome moments, and isn't intended for all audiences. Reading this alongside Harbinger and Bloodshot was a feat and a half, but it isn't necessary. Harbinger Wars holds up on it's own, and takes center stage as the frontline of the series' events.
Grab this in Paperback
Harbinger Wars is a crossover event done right. My previous two reviews - Harbinger, Vol. 3; Bloodshot, Vol. 3 - all connect with Harbinger Wars in a succinct enough way that neither Marvel nor DC can ever hope to match. Both series were among the first in Valiant Entertainment's 2012 rebirth, and as such have been heading towards a common endgame. And it's an all out war. Harbinger Wars collects issues #1-4.
Many different factions, each with their own goals (and many unknowingly with the same goals), diverge from the get go, leading up to a massive convergence. To start, there's the former P.R.S. assassin Bloodshot and a handful of activated psiot kids he rescues from P.R.S. (Project Rising Spirit). Then there's another group of freed P.R.S. activated psiot kids named Generation Zero, led by the militant Cronus, on the run from Bloodshot, whom they still believe is the enemy. We have the Renegades, a rebelious team led by Peter Stanchek that we grew to love and hate in the Harbinger series, and their goal is to be the good guys for a change by helping out Generation Zero from the war that will soon ensue. Then there's the Harbinger Foundation, led by the world's most powerful psiot Toyo Harada who wishes to capture the released psiots and incorporate them in his Harbinger Foundation. When that's not enough parties to keep track of, Valiant throws in a 5th - the H.A.R.D. Corps, mercenaries hired to eliminate all threat, child or no. Somehow, by the end of it all, you've still caught up with everyone.
Naturally this all leads to a big confrontation in Las Vegas, and it is a spectacle to behold. One of the crossover's more frustrating, yet inventive ideas is that each of the teams in play are in a sense anti-heroes, meaning they are each fighting for their own definition of a better tomorrow, and are willing to take people out accordingly. (A case can be made that the H.A.R.D. Corps is just a big bunch of bad though). As Harbinger Wars continues we find this makes it really hard to choose sides. As a reader used to good vs. bad, this is a moral dilemma that the publisher puts you through that I've never scene before, and that's got to take guts.
But I can't help feeling a little let down that this doesn't end up being a team up between Bloodshot and The Renegades, who are both unknowingly on the same side of the fight - they just never communicate that point to each other. One would think that with the kids of Generation Zero and Bloodshot's crew finally getting back together, a ceasefire would commense so that they can take out the larger evil.
But wow. Even with some strange artist jumps, the story holds together better than most. As this is slated to be one of the films that Sony has signed on for, this makes me a very excited man. We're in for a show. This does include very gruesome moments, and isn't intended for all audiences. Reading this alongside Harbinger and Bloodshot was a feat and a half, but it isn't necessary. Harbinger Wars holds up on it's own, and takes center stage as the frontline of the series' events.
Grab this in Paperback
April 21, 2014
This was pretty dang good, even if it was dragged down by the inherent flaws of the comic book crossover. The art is consistently delightful, and Dysart's writing is on point. The Generation Zero kids are wonderful, and the stage is set for us to see them again, hopefully sooner than later. H.A.R.D. Corps was also an interesting idea that was fun to see in play. The climax might be underwhelming for some readers, but in my case it really just further cemented my love for Toyo Harada. Of course, to get the full story you'll need to read the other two Harbinger Wars installations, which I did, but otherwise you'll be left on the hook when it comes to certain resolutions and chains of events. There were some really great ideas at play here, and I'm excited to see them touched on again.
August 27, 2020
I was fortunate enough to interview the writer, Joshua Dysart, for our youtube channel. Check it out here! https://youtu.be/NVSJLjQqEz8 Be sure to subscribe.
Very enjoyable and unique, if not a bit perplexing.
Even while reading the Bloodshot and Harbinger tie-ins at the same time, I still found myself a bit confused. There were so many goddam characters, and they mostly looked the same.
I like how it defied standard hero crossover tropes. I definitely felt like I was consuming a new and exciting product rather than a big two knock off.
The real winner was Toyo Harada. Out of all of the characters, he’s the one I’m most intrigued by. Well... besides Faith.
Over all, a cool action event and proof that Valiant can do a crossover interestingly.
Very enjoyable and unique, if not a bit perplexing.
Even while reading the Bloodshot and Harbinger tie-ins at the same time, I still found myself a bit confused. There were so many goddam characters, and they mostly looked the same.
I like how it defied standard hero crossover tropes. I definitely felt like I was consuming a new and exciting product rather than a big two knock off.
The real winner was Toyo Harada. Out of all of the characters, he’s the one I’m most intrigued by. Well... besides Faith.
Over all, a cool action event and proof that Valiant can do a crossover interestingly.
February 11, 2021
OK, now the companion volume of the Harbinger title makes a lot more sense!
I wish I could have consumed this story in its proper reading order, but kudos to Valiant for going full Rashomon with this one and essentially having each party to this big battle in Las Vegas view itself as the one in the right.
Even though I don't particularly care for Bloodshot I'm glad this volume clarified what he was doing there and how he fits in to these larger, Valiant-wide events.
I wish I could have consumed this story in its proper reading order, but kudos to Valiant for going full Rashomon with this one and essentially having each party to this big battle in Las Vegas view itself as the one in the right.
Even though I don't particularly care for Bloodshot I'm glad this volume clarified what he was doing there and how he fits in to these larger, Valiant-wide events.
August 20, 2016
This review covers Harbinger Wars, as well as the two tie-in volumes for Bloodshot and Harbinger.
This story has been percolating for the first year of the Valiant titles, with Bloodshot volume 2 acting as a direct prelude. When two groups of psiot children escape from Project Rising Spirit, Las Vegas becomes a battleground that pits Bloodshot, the Harbinger Foundation, the Renegades, and Project Rising Spirit against each other in one massive throwdown.
The story set-up is pretty straight forward, but there's a lot to like here. The different factions all have solid reasoning behind what they're trying to do, and some miscommunication causes the rift between our two heroic sides, Bloodshot and the Renegades. It's fun to see all these psychic powers on full display, and especially good to see the Renegades kicking loose for the first time.
The main book is where most of the action is, whilst the tie-ins are able to delve more into the character motivations and history. You can read them all separately and get three full stories, but they all enhance each other when read together - exactly how tie-ins are meant to work for an event. Valiant have hit the nail on the head with this and pull it off very well.
Bloodshot's story introduces the HARD Corps, the previous incarnation of the Bloodshot program who have implants in their brains that can have single super-powers uploaded one at a time. These guys are going to play a role in the series going forward, it seems. Bloodshot's book also gives us some more background on the psiots that escaped from Project Rising Spirit, which fleshes out their plight quite well.
Meanwhile, the Harbinger tie-in focuses on the Renegades and the psiots that are already in Las Vegas, whilst also flashing back to Toyo Harada's previous dealings with Project Rising Spirit in 1969. This is the strongest of the three books in my opinion, balancing the character and action beats very well. Harada has been something of an enigma so far too, so seeing him take centre stage in the flashbacks is a good idea.
The best part of the crossover is the ending, since it's definitely not what you expect when this many characters clash, but I won't spoil that, it's too much fun.
Artistically, there's a cavalcade of talent on display, with Valiant's usual 'different artists for flashbacks' approach helping to balance everything out. Across the three books you have the likes of Clayton Henry, Pere Perez, Clayton Crain, Khari Evans, Barry Kitson, and Trevor Hairsine. They may not be the blockbuster names you might expect, but they're definitely a solid group of artists, without a weak link between them.
Valiant's first crossover event goes off without a hitch. There's a little bit too much overlapping between the main book and the tie-ins at times, but the tie-ins function very well, and the main event is solid superhero fun. Valiant prove once again that they're the publisher to watch at the moment.
This story has been percolating for the first year of the Valiant titles, with Bloodshot volume 2 acting as a direct prelude. When two groups of psiot children escape from Project Rising Spirit, Las Vegas becomes a battleground that pits Bloodshot, the Harbinger Foundation, the Renegades, and Project Rising Spirit against each other in one massive throwdown.
The story set-up is pretty straight forward, but there's a lot to like here. The different factions all have solid reasoning behind what they're trying to do, and some miscommunication causes the rift between our two heroic sides, Bloodshot and the Renegades. It's fun to see all these psychic powers on full display, and especially good to see the Renegades kicking loose for the first time.
The main book is where most of the action is, whilst the tie-ins are able to delve more into the character motivations and history. You can read them all separately and get three full stories, but they all enhance each other when read together - exactly how tie-ins are meant to work for an event. Valiant have hit the nail on the head with this and pull it off very well.
Bloodshot's story introduces the HARD Corps, the previous incarnation of the Bloodshot program who have implants in their brains that can have single super-powers uploaded one at a time. These guys are going to play a role in the series going forward, it seems. Bloodshot's book also gives us some more background on the psiots that escaped from Project Rising Spirit, which fleshes out their plight quite well.
Meanwhile, the Harbinger tie-in focuses on the Renegades and the psiots that are already in Las Vegas, whilst also flashing back to Toyo Harada's previous dealings with Project Rising Spirit in 1969. This is the strongest of the three books in my opinion, balancing the character and action beats very well. Harada has been something of an enigma so far too, so seeing him take centre stage in the flashbacks is a good idea.
The best part of the crossover is the ending, since it's definitely not what you expect when this many characters clash, but I won't spoil that, it's too much fun.
Artistically, there's a cavalcade of talent on display, with Valiant's usual 'different artists for flashbacks' approach helping to balance everything out. Across the three books you have the likes of Clayton Henry, Pere Perez, Clayton Crain, Khari Evans, Barry Kitson, and Trevor Hairsine. They may not be the blockbuster names you might expect, but they're definitely a solid group of artists, without a weak link between them.
Valiant's first crossover event goes off without a hitch. There's a little bit too much overlapping between the main book and the tie-ins at times, but the tie-ins function very well, and the main event is solid superhero fun. Valiant prove once again that they're the publisher to watch at the moment.
September 5, 2018
A nice solid crossover event, that if you can get by the obvious X-Men comparison, does a decent job of raising the question of weaponizing human beings.
The premise is simple enough. In Valiant's titles psiots=mutants. Psiots can have a range of pretty standard esper powers (so I've maybe read too much science fiction), but no one is arguably capable of taking over the world on their own (except maybe Toyo Harada). Into this scenario three groups emerge outside the confines of government control.
The Harbringer Foundation-where Harada trains the psiots he finds to work for him and his purposes, not leaving out that he demands fanatical levels of loyalty to him.
Project Rising Spirit-if we can't make weapons out of people via science (see Bloodshot) we'll make our own psiots.
The psiots who have escaped from one side of the other (probably should list the as two different groups, but too lazy to do so at this exact moment).
The escaped psiots do not want any part of Harbringer or PRS. The government doesn't want them running free, especially after one group of escaped psiots (from PRS) take over a Vegas hotel.
The ensuing hostilities doesn't mean outright war, but it was sort of nice to see Vegas get at least partially leveled (one of my least favorite real world cities). Yes, like most company wide crossovers, not very much is resolved-PRS might be going bankrupt, Vegas and the government forces took heavy losses, and only a small group of the free range psiots retain their freedom.
I can't give it a higher than three star rating. Basically its an 80s action movies, without a lot of plot,
The premise is simple enough. In Valiant's titles psiots=mutants. Psiots can have a range of pretty standard esper powers (so I've maybe read too much science fiction), but no one is arguably capable of taking over the world on their own (except maybe Toyo Harada). Into this scenario three groups emerge outside the confines of government control.
The Harbringer Foundation-where Harada trains the psiots he finds to work for him and his purposes, not leaving out that he demands fanatical levels of loyalty to him.
Project Rising Spirit-if we can't make weapons out of people via science (see Bloodshot) we'll make our own psiots.
The psiots who have escaped from one side of the other (probably should list the as two different groups, but too lazy to do so at this exact moment).
The escaped psiots do not want any part of Harbringer or PRS. The government doesn't want them running free, especially after one group of escaped psiots (from PRS) take over a Vegas hotel.
The ensuing hostilities doesn't mean outright war, but it was sort of nice to see Vegas get at least partially leveled (one of my least favorite real world cities). Yes, like most company wide crossovers, not very much is resolved-PRS might be going bankrupt, Vegas and the government forces took heavy losses, and only a small group of the free range psiots retain their freedom.
I can't give it a higher than three star rating. Basically its an 80s action movies, without a lot of plot,
March 20, 2019
It's very important that this be read in tandem with the tie-in volumes: Harbinger, Volume 3: Harbinger Wars and Bloodshot, Volume 3: Harbinger Wars, which are integral. The full, fantastic crossover story is compiled in full issue order in the deluxe edition, which I review in full HERE!
Both the Bloodshot and Harbinger series are one big story, so another option is to read the entire first part of both sagas all the way through Harbinger Wars in this tome: Harbinger Wars Compendium
Both the Bloodshot and Harbinger series are one big story, so another option is to read the entire first part of both sagas all the way through Harbinger Wars in this tome: Harbinger Wars Compendium
March 7, 2014
What a novel experience! The crossover that can be read from any point of view, giving you a different perspective and a new appreciation for the situation and characters. Well written, and the art was fantastic (better than the current ongoings). I marvel at Dysart's ability to juggle so many characters, make them interesting, and make the events make sense in so little a space. This really should be read with at least one of the other Harbinger volumes for it to be fully appreciated. I loved this. It expanded the mythos, increased the drama and filled out the fictional world that I have fallen in love with. Dark, funny at times, and hectic, the Harbinger Wars is a harbinger of wonderful things to come. I hope to see more of Chronos and the other surviving Project Rising Spirit escapees.
May 19, 2020
I'm not normally a big fan of events but I really enjoyed this book. I read it before it's Harbinger and Bloodshot counterparts and my guess is I won't necessarily like the re-telling from their point of view as much as this collection.
I found myself mildly shocked 3 times:
I also enjoyed the re-telling of events from a meeting standpoint.
I found myself mildly shocked 3 times:
I also enjoyed the re-telling of events from a meeting standpoint.
April 17, 2021
Good story and old school action, bringing together several launch titles in solid fashion, Harbinger Wars was simply a blast. My only complaint would be that we didn't see even more characters, such as X-O Manowar. Otherwise, solid continuation of the 2012 reboot of the Valiant Universe, and with only 4 chapters, it didn't overstay its welcome. Recommended!
November 28, 2013
Peter Stanchek and his band of outlaw psiots are in the Nevada desert when the Bleeding Monk decides to pay Peter a visit, more precisely, pulls Peter into his mind for a conversation where he is told about a group of young psiots who are being held against their will, but will soon be free. Once free, the monk tells Peter he must help them for the betterment of the future, and to keep the existence of psiots a secret, protecting them from the general populace. Toyo Harada, arguably the most powerful man on the planet is privy to the conversation and sets out himself to get the children to further his own goals. On a third front, Bloodshot, known as the psiot killer by many, is out to free and also protect the kids at any cost. As the breakout goes awry, Bloodshot makes off with half of the children while the other half steal a ship and crash into the Bellagio in Las Vegas where everyone and everything will soon come to a head. Toyo and his team, Peter and the newly christened Renegades, Bloodshot and his rescued children, a reformed H.A.R.D. Corps and the kids in Las Vegas now called Generation Zero will learn what happens when psiots go to war.
Valiant, having only opened up shop less than two years ago has rolled out their very first event book entitled Harbinger Wars. And it was a war that happened within the pages. The main miniseries clocking in at four issues was short and concise telling a full story without the need of anything else and was a perfect showcase to focus two of their biggest properties. But like the Big Two, Valiant also tied Harbinger and Bloodshot’s regular titles into the mini making for a true crossover. The difference between these tie-ins and others of its kind was having them tell the story, or at least the part that pertained to them, from a different point of view, almost like a different camera angle in a film. The main series could stand alone, but when reading Bloodshot or Harbinger, you received a better-rounded tale from each perspective.
There were some great character moments throughout the series such as Bloodshot battling his inner programming and trying to rise above it. A new psiot named Cronus who can heal or destroy with his powers and leader of Generation Zero is a scene stealer and he looks to be a rising star in the Valiant stable of characters as he commands respect even at his young age. Having absolute power corrupts absolutely as they say and it remains to be seen if Toyo is as corrupt as he seems. At times he appears as the sanest person around, well meaning and a man that truly cares for his people but at others, he also seems like the most insane person in the book going to extremes against anyone he considers an enemy. His battle with Bloodshot was crazy at times, especially when Bloodshot infected Toyo with the nanites and thereby defeating him. Of course Toyo would come back as there is no way he could be taken down so easily. Some of the better moments though were with Faith/Zephyr, as she starts to show some more growth becoming more independent and more confident in herself. The moment when she outruns the missile for the sake of her companions, possibly risking death at its hands is the moment when her character evolved and her friends regarded her with newfound respect.
Joshua Dysart and Duane Swierczynski have been writing some of the best stories that Valiant has been putting out and with Harbinger Wars, they have created a tense and powerful drama with more suspense and action than any one comic has a right to be. With these books and the rest of the comics they put out being so strong, it remains to be seen just how much better Valiant can get when they are already near the top of the quality heap so to speak. One thing we can always look forward to with Valiant is great stories with great writing and artwork to match with Harbinger Wars being a perfect example of such.
http://thetelltalemind.com/2013/11/12...
Valiant, having only opened up shop less than two years ago has rolled out their very first event book entitled Harbinger Wars. And it was a war that happened within the pages. The main miniseries clocking in at four issues was short and concise telling a full story without the need of anything else and was a perfect showcase to focus two of their biggest properties. But like the Big Two, Valiant also tied Harbinger and Bloodshot’s regular titles into the mini making for a true crossover. The difference between these tie-ins and others of its kind was having them tell the story, or at least the part that pertained to them, from a different point of view, almost like a different camera angle in a film. The main series could stand alone, but when reading Bloodshot or Harbinger, you received a better-rounded tale from each perspective.
There were some great character moments throughout the series such as Bloodshot battling his inner programming and trying to rise above it. A new psiot named Cronus who can heal or destroy with his powers and leader of Generation Zero is a scene stealer and he looks to be a rising star in the Valiant stable of characters as he commands respect even at his young age. Having absolute power corrupts absolutely as they say and it remains to be seen if Toyo is as corrupt as he seems. At times he appears as the sanest person around, well meaning and a man that truly cares for his people but at others, he also seems like the most insane person in the book going to extremes against anyone he considers an enemy. His battle with Bloodshot was crazy at times, especially when Bloodshot infected Toyo with the nanites and thereby defeating him. Of course Toyo would come back as there is no way he could be taken down so easily. Some of the better moments though were with Faith/Zephyr, as she starts to show some more growth becoming more independent and more confident in herself. The moment when she outruns the missile for the sake of her companions, possibly risking death at its hands is the moment when her character evolved and her friends regarded her with newfound respect.
Joshua Dysart and Duane Swierczynski have been writing some of the best stories that Valiant has been putting out and with Harbinger Wars, they have created a tense and powerful drama with more suspense and action than any one comic has a right to be. With these books and the rest of the comics they put out being so strong, it remains to be seen just how much better Valiant can get when they are already near the top of the quality heap so to speak. One thing we can always look forward to with Valiant is great stories with great writing and artwork to match with Harbinger Wars being a perfect example of such.
http://thetelltalemind.com/2013/11/12...
April 29, 2017
So in this crossover, we have three volumes, and each volume presents a different viewpoint of the same event. This is something Valiant was known for, in that they did their crossovers a little different.
In this Harbinger Wars event, we have the Renegades (and Harada's) side shown in Harbinger, Project Rising Sun and the kid's side shown in this volume, and then Bloodshot's side of things will of course be shown in the Bloodshot volume.
It's interesting how it all ties together, and Valiant did a good job with it all. The art is above average as well. There are a LOT of characters to keep up with, but really the majority are incidental. Things did take a turn for the dark when HARD Corps shows up and starts killing a bunch of the superpowered kids, but it was nostalgic to at least see HARD Corps again.
It's interesting to see how all the different players have their own agendas, and you have some good guys fighting each other because they don't realize they have the same goals. Really, Bloodshot and the Renegades could have teamed up with the kids against Harada and the HARD Corps and things would have gone differently, especially since Harada and the HARD Corps hate each other anyway.
I realize this review assumes you have some knowledge of the Valiant Universe, as otherwise there would be no way to explain it all here. But in any case, this was a good volume with plenty of action, but still enough characterization to keep it above "Hulk Smash!" comic book battle level.
In this Harbinger Wars event, we have the Renegades (and Harada's) side shown in Harbinger, Project Rising Sun and the kid's side shown in this volume, and then Bloodshot's side of things will of course be shown in the Bloodshot volume.
It's interesting how it all ties together, and Valiant did a good job with it all. The art is above average as well. There are a LOT of characters to keep up with, but really the majority are incidental. Things did take a turn for the dark when HARD Corps shows up and starts killing a bunch of the superpowered kids, but it was nostalgic to at least see HARD Corps again.
It's interesting to see how all the different players have their own agendas, and you have some good guys fighting each other because they don't realize they have the same goals. Really, Bloodshot and the Renegades could have teamed up with the kids against Harada and the HARD Corps and things would have gone differently, especially since Harada and the HARD Corps hate each other anyway.
I realize this review assumes you have some knowledge of the Valiant Universe, as otherwise there would be no way to explain it all here. But in any case, this was a good volume with plenty of action, but still enough characterization to keep it above "Hulk Smash!" comic book battle level.
February 14, 2017
I was a bit disappointed with Valiant's first major event. Especially since Harbinger has been so damn good, and Bloodshot so damn awesome, but it was kind of a muddled mess that didn't really seem to amount to much even though a lot actually happens. The thing that kills it is the retrospective storytelling technique where someone is being interviewed about previous events. It just makes the actual events seem dry. The art was decent, and Clayton Henry's was great, but it jumped around a bit. This might be a good practice run for them, and I'm thinking Armor Hunters is going to be much stronger. This one...not so much.
November 12, 2013
This felt like a mulligan, and I disliked it even more than Harbinger: Harbinger Wars. Honestly, I really tried to like it. Frankly, I'm bummed by the fact that they might have lost me as a reader with this issue. If I risk reading more, it will only be in the hope of finding more Faith!
June 17, 2014
Reread this. It works best reading in the proper reading order with the Harbinger and Bloodshot tie-in issues.
April 11, 2020
The reviews for this say it's a crossover event done right but it felt as bad as any other crossover event to me.
February 19, 2018
Un bon event ! L'intrigue est bonne et bien menée, et l'ordre de lecture de Comic Book Herald, un site qui m'aide beaucoup à naviguer dans les eaux troubles de la continuité ^^, est très bien. J'ai commencé Bloodshot sans savoir à quoi m'attendre, en partie à cause de cet event, et c'est une série que j'ai bien plus aimé que ce à quoi je m'attendais. Quant à Harbinger, j'adore, depuis le tout début. Voir ces deux séries se rejoindre comme ça, c'était très sympa (enfin, je me comprends, vu ce qu'il se passe ^^).
December 1, 2013
Read in conjunction with Harbinger Vol 3.
This was a bit better than the ongoing books in my opinion. I think what saved it was the broader cast of characters. The kids in Generation Zero are kind of great, but a bit overzealous and idealistic. Same for H.A.R.D. Corps. They're all interesting characters but not the best. All I know is I would rather read about Christian/Chronos than Peter Stanchek.
The plot bothered me. The escape premise was fine, but then so much of the conflict was the traditional superhero misunderstanding, except without the realization and subsequent team up. It was all just a cluster. It didn't feel like anything mattered either. It was like you needed the beginning to know how it started and the end to know where it ended, but nothing in between.
If you're curious about the Valiant universe, this is a decent place to start for exposure to a couple of titles.
This was a bit better than the ongoing books in my opinion. I think what saved it was the broader cast of characters. The kids in Generation Zero are kind of great, but a bit overzealous and idealistic. Same for H.A.R.D. Corps. They're all interesting characters but not the best. All I know is I would rather read about Christian/Chronos than Peter Stanchek.
The plot bothered me. The escape premise was fine, but then so much of the conflict was the traditional superhero misunderstanding, except without the realization and subsequent team up. It was all just a cluster. It didn't feel like anything mattered either. It was like you needed the beginning to know how it started and the end to know where it ended, but nothing in between.
If you're curious about the Valiant universe, this is a decent place to start for exposure to a couple of titles.
February 1, 2015
Crossover events are by nature messy, as focus is pulled between all the title characters to justify their presence in the crossover. And this one made me wince because three simple words could have simplified it so much 'Bloodshot's helping us;' you've got a pair of psychics, one on each side, already communicating, but they never bother to pass this nugget on, so instead we have a 4-way battle between groups, two of which shouldn't have been fighting.
Beyond that, the action is pretty intense, with Bloodshot in particular taking a lot of damage, to a significant levels of gore. The Harbinger crew is probably least involved over all, although the late arrival of Hard C.O.R.P.s means they don't even factor into the first two issues.
All in all, it's a serviceable crossover, you get the interactions you're looking for, and explosive action, and a couple major ramifications that will play out in the individual titles. An enjoyable read in the end.
Beyond that, the action is pretty intense, with Bloodshot in particular taking a lot of damage, to a significant levels of gore. The Harbinger crew is probably least involved over all, although the late arrival of Hard C.O.R.P.s means they don't even factor into the first two issues.
All in all, it's a serviceable crossover, you get the interactions you're looking for, and explosive action, and a couple major ramifications that will play out in the individual titles. An enjoyable read in the end.
July 21, 2013
Not a bad crossover, especially this being the new Valiant's first. Glad they only brought in the two titles. This kind of gradual immersion seems to be a characteristic of the revitalized publisher.
February 11, 2015
This is how a comic should be written and drawn. Like Valiant version of Battle of 5 Armies, only better. Tragedy all round as the psiots and all connected to the Harbinger Wars fought and lost badly and it goes on with Harada and Peter regrouping for another day.
December 29, 2015
Not a bad crossover overall but a feeling that it hasn't completed his full potential... In the end, the big battle, the harbinger war, was kind of gentle
November 28, 2018
Eh. I kinda lost track of who everyone was and didn't care.
December 3, 2020
A battle in Las Vegas between Rising Spirit, Harada, and Bloodshot over the control of young psiots that have recently escaped.
I actually read this while reading the Bloodshot series, and got a pretty good overall picture of everything that happens. I think that is my biggest gripe about this series - it seems a bit redundant. The Bloodshot side of things really goes into detail as far as what is happening and why, so this series just further expands on those details. Which is interesting, but slightly unnecessary.
I thought the plot, while fun and action packed, doesn't really warrant a "crossover" event. Like I said, this was covered in a volume of Bloodshot, and that seemed perfectly adequate. The intermingling of the different teams is always an interesting portion of the valiant universe, but I can see how sometimes it feels a bit like "padding" as these details are also covered in their own respective series.
Overall fun but frivolous, this is a good example of how well the Valiant universe can mesh together and sort of step on itself at the same time.
I actually read this while reading the Bloodshot series, and got a pretty good overall picture of everything that happens. I think that is my biggest gripe about this series - it seems a bit redundant. The Bloodshot side of things really goes into detail as far as what is happening and why, so this series just further expands on those details. Which is interesting, but slightly unnecessary.
I thought the plot, while fun and action packed, doesn't really warrant a "crossover" event. Like I said, this was covered in a volume of Bloodshot, and that seemed perfectly adequate. The intermingling of the different teams is always an interesting portion of the valiant universe, but I can see how sometimes it feels a bit like "padding" as these details are also covered in their own respective series.
Overall fun but frivolous, this is a good example of how well the Valiant universe can mesh together and sort of step on itself at the same time.
October 23, 2020
One of the things the entire Valiant Universe was building up to – which kind of means you need to have read the entire VU (as nobody's calling it) before here. This isn't a comment on the book as such, but it is kind of indicative of the publishers when they do what they're doing currently. At time of writing (October 2020) I've been given access to each and every Volume One they've published. But why the heck include this, when it demands inside knowledge of Volume Sixes and suchlike before it makes any kind of sense? Marketing sans thinking it through, going their own way to a Universe without care for the reader, presenting Event Books likewise – it all shows a slapdash attitude the house, and many of their books, are infected with. This is fine, I guess – for the trainspotter who can absorb every nuance, event and side-character. For us humans, it's not worth the worry.
January 12, 2018
The new Valiant Universe's first crossover smartly kept things small and easy to follow. The main event title is only 4 issues and the Bloodshot and Harbinger titles tie in for only four issues each. The skill involved in deftly weaving this story is great. This is one of the best crossovers I've read in some time (full disclosure I have been actively avoiding crossovers for quite a while now). This main book tells the story of a major conflict between Toyo Harada and his Harbinger Foundation, Peter Stanchek and the Renegades, and Bloodshot and some escaped Psiots from Project Rising Sun. What's great is how they manage to take a few panels to show what's going on in the other books but if you don't read those you wouldn't even notice them as out of place. I'm actually pretty impressed.
October 21, 2018
Harbinger Wars is Valiant's big crossover and its done in an interesting way compared to other company's crossovers. This and the other two series involved tell the same story simultaneously from their view. It was done well. Unfortunately, there are way way too may characters here to be coherent. Between the Renegades, Generation Zero, PRS, H.A.R.D.Coprs, HGC, etc it was a little much. The story was very good but I bet it reads better as a complete collection with the other books. The art was very good. Overall, a good read that was overwhelming at times.
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