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Harbinger (2012)
Harbinger, Vol. 5: Death of a Renegade
The Renegades thought they could get their old lives back. They thought they could bring down Toyo Harada and the Harbinger Foundation. They were wrong. And now one of them will die. Once again, Peter Stanchek and the Renegades are on the run with the combined forces of the Harbinger Foundation and Project Rising Spirit closing in on all sides. This time, however, the team's newest member, @x, has left a trail of leaked classified information that could could win the day - but also put the few loved ones they have into dire peril.
Collecting: Harbinger 20-24
Collecting: Harbinger 20-24
160 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2014
7 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Joshua Dysart
389 books95 followersI write comic books, graphic novels and novels. I'm a three time Eisner nominee, two time Glyph award winner, New York Times bestseller, a recipient of The Dick Giordano Humanitarian of the Year award, and have been in competition twice at Angoulême.
I've worked on Hellboy, Swamp Thing, & Conan the Barbarian; I co-wrote a graphic novel with Neil Young; I helped restart Valiant Entertainment; and I've done on-the-ground research in Uganda (2007), Iraq (2014), & South Sudan (2016), writting graphic novels about war and famine in those regions.
Goodnight Paradise came out in 2018 with long time co-creator Alberto Ponticelli and is a murder mystery set in the houseless population of Venice Beach, Ca.
My first novel (novella - it's only 100 pages) has dropped. It combines my love of slasher horror, Agatha Christie fair-play mysteries, construction sites, and bugs. It's called BROOD X. Buy it wherever trash genre books are sold!
I've worked on Hellboy, Swamp Thing, & Conan the Barbarian; I co-wrote a graphic novel with Neil Young; I helped restart Valiant Entertainment; and I've done on-the-ground research in Uganda (2007), Iraq (2014), & South Sudan (2016), writting graphic novels about war and famine in those regions.
Goodnight Paradise came out in 2018 with long time co-creator Alberto Ponticelli and is a murder mystery set in the houseless population of Venice Beach, Ca.
My first novel (novella - it's only 100 pages) has dropped. It combines my love of slasher horror, Agatha Christie fair-play mysteries, construction sites, and bugs. It's called BROOD X. Buy it wherever trash genre books are sold!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 14, 2018
Death of a Renegade was decent.
I mean, the title kind of gives it away that someone is going to bite it in this volume, but I was sort of surprised to see who actually got the ax.
The main storyline is that Peter and his group of superpowered misfits are going to take on Tony and his group of superpowered highly trained misfits. It goes better than expected, to be honest.
Here's the thing, I just feel like this wasn't any different from the last few volumes in terms of what was actually happening. Chris gets pissy, Faith is overly bubbly, Tony and Peter fight, there's a ton of destruction, and the group seems to splinter somewhat towards the end.
I don't know. This certainly isn't a bad comic, but I'm less enamored than I originally was.
I mean, the title kind of gives it away that someone is going to bite it in this volume, but I was sort of surprised to see who actually got the ax.
The main storyline is that Peter and his group of superpowered misfits are going to take on Tony and his group of superpowered highly trained misfits. It goes better than expected, to be honest.
Here's the thing, I just feel like this wasn't any different from the last few volumes in terms of what was actually happening. Chris gets pissy, Faith is overly bubbly, Tony and Peter fight, there's a ton of destruction, and the group seems to splinter somewhat towards the end.
I don't know. This certainly isn't a bad comic, but I'm less enamored than I originally was.
March 16, 2021
This book is a worthy successor to the original Harbinger series from the early 90's. I loved those early Valiant books and this new series is pretty good too.
April 12, 2022
Harbinger 2012 wraps up in this volume 5: Death of a Renegade.
Looks like there is a follow-up series, Harbinger Omegas, but the original series ends here, with, as advertised, the death of a renegade.
Still enjoyable and fun with some very cool writing, this missed a step and I was not thrilled with the need to write off a character (or the choice of axee).
Dysart and team serve up a good showdown, more or less, and this is action packed and exciting, but it’s missing something. I liked the new psiots introduced and Toyo is a tool who needs taking down a few pegs, good dialogue if a smidge on the campy side, and there is some maudlin soapy drama – but all in all not bad, just not as GREAT as the earlier volumes.
Looks like there is a follow-up series, Harbinger Omegas, but the original series ends here, with, as advertised, the death of a renegade.
Still enjoyable and fun with some very cool writing, this missed a step and I was not thrilled with the need to write off a character (or the choice of axee).
Dysart and team serve up a good showdown, more or less, and this is action packed and exciting, but it’s missing something. I liked the new psiots introduced and Toyo is a tool who needs taking down a few pegs, good dialogue if a smidge on the campy side, and there is some maudlin soapy drama – but all in all not bad, just not as GREAT as the earlier volumes.
January 17, 2018
Don't do this to me Valiant! Where the hell are they going with this.
When I first started this series it was like an adult version of classic X-men. Now it's like a superman comic. It makes no sense and goes nowehere.
I hope this gets better in the next volume but i doubt it.
When I first started this series it was like an adult version of classic X-men. Now it's like a superman comic. It makes no sense and goes nowehere.
I hope this gets better in the next volume but i doubt it.
October 2, 2017
You know the more Valiant titles I read the less I understand the love this company gets. Don't get me wrong, they're not horrible, but they sure do release a lot of just okay stuff.
Anyway, another Harbinger title. This one actually being the highest rated. That made me excited. The DEATH of a Renegade. Sounds badass right? Got the big showdown, Peter and his gang going for the final take down, all the stakes in, the big fight is about to begin! And...
Good: I did enjoy Kris and Peter's interaction in here. I also thought there were some amazing fight moments, especially between Peter.
Bad: The dialog is atrocious when it comes to Faith and Torque. I mean some of the worst I've read. Also REALLLLLLLY forced sex scene. The "death" was unsurprising and also really poorly done. The ending falls flat and just kind of go with the flow of the story to introduce one more volume and then a spin off.
Overall Harbinger builds up it's whole "war" to make it end on kind of a dud. I know there's one more volume but unless it's a huge turn around I feel Joshua misses the mark big time on this big overstuffed volume. A 2 out of 5.
Anyway, another Harbinger title. This one actually being the highest rated. That made me excited. The DEATH of a Renegade. Sounds badass right? Got the big showdown, Peter and his gang going for the final take down, all the stakes in, the big fight is about to begin! And...
Good: I did enjoy Kris and Peter's interaction in here. I also thought there were some amazing fight moments, especially between Peter.
Bad: The dialog is atrocious when it comes to Faith and Torque. I mean some of the worst I've read. Also REALLLLLLLY forced sex scene. The "death" was unsurprising and also really poorly done. The ending falls flat and just kind of go with the flow of the story to introduce one more volume and then a spin off.
Overall Harbinger builds up it's whole "war" to make it end on kind of a dud. I know there's one more volume but unless it's a huge turn around I feel Joshua misses the mark big time on this big overstuffed volume. A 2 out of 5.
May 15, 2018
A big improvement over the last couple Volumes. They raised the stakes some, had an epic showdown, threw in a couple weird art issues and got a fun book.
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.
Totally awesome. Deals with the fallout of the last volume, ups the ante big time, and someone loveable dies.
This is a very emotional volume, especially if you’re invested in these characters (which you probably are if you’ve made it this far.)
The art is excellent, and the way the story is told is brilliant. Dysart has done amazing things with this title.
Def read
Totally awesome. Deals with the fallout of the last volume, ups the ante big time, and someone loveable dies.
This is a very emotional volume, especially if you’re invested in these characters (which you probably are if you’ve made it this far.)
The art is excellent, and the way the story is told is brilliant. Dysart has done amazing things with this title.
Def read
March 16, 2021
I love Harbinger.
Who am I anymore?
Who am I anymore?
September 28, 2017
That's more like it. After the let-down of volume 4, the Renegades get back on track as they finally take the fight directly to the Harbinger Foundation and Toyo Harada.
This volume is three two issue arcs that all feed together to bring the series to a conclusion. We open with Resistance, which introduces the character of AX, a hacktivist who becomes instrumental in the downfall of Harada. These two issues do a little more showing than telling, but it covers a lot of ground in just two issues, so it's necessary to set up the next arcs.
Death Of A Renegade, which does actually deliver on its title, comes next as the attack plan begins and Harada and Peter Stanchek finally face-off. There's a lot of misdirection in these two issues, and a hell of a lot of heart, but the actual death seems to come out of nowhere. It's set up to make it look like one of two people, and then it's someone else entirely, which is peculiar, especially since the character in question feels like they're more important now that they're dead.
And then finally we get Wake, which is deals with the aftermath of the Renegades' attack on Harbinger, as well as the aforementioned death. This one definitely feels like the end of the series, with the characters going their separate ways, and it's sad to see them all splitting apart after finally getting to know one another. There are also a few back-up stories collected from Harbinger #25, which are mostly cute or silly, with the story about Peter and Joe being the most touching.
The art here is shared between Clayton Henry for the first four issues, with Khari Evans returning for the final two. This is the first time I've noticed it, but Evans's art feels very much like Jim Cheung, which I think is high praise indeed, and Henry remains one of the most consistent artists in the Valiant stable.
Harbinger stumbled a little in the middle, but it's easy to see why this concept was used to help launch the new Valiant Universe. I'm sure it won't be long before we see these characters again.
This volume is three two issue arcs that all feed together to bring the series to a conclusion. We open with Resistance, which introduces the character of AX, a hacktivist who becomes instrumental in the downfall of Harada. These two issues do a little more showing than telling, but it covers a lot of ground in just two issues, so it's necessary to set up the next arcs.
Death Of A Renegade, which does actually deliver on its title, comes next as the attack plan begins and Harada and Peter Stanchek finally face-off. There's a lot of misdirection in these two issues, and a hell of a lot of heart, but the actual death seems to come out of nowhere. It's set up to make it look like one of two people, and then it's someone else entirely, which is peculiar, especially since the character in question feels like they're more important now that they're dead.
And then finally we get Wake, which is deals with the aftermath of the Renegades' attack on Harbinger, as well as the aforementioned death. This one definitely feels like the end of the series, with the characters going their separate ways, and it's sad to see them all splitting apart after finally getting to know one another. There are also a few back-up stories collected from Harbinger #25, which are mostly cute or silly, with the story about Peter and Joe being the most touching.
The art here is shared between Clayton Henry for the first four issues, with Khari Evans returning for the final two. This is the first time I've noticed it, but Evans's art feels very much like Jim Cheung, which I think is high praise indeed, and Henry remains one of the most consistent artists in the Valiant stable.
Harbinger stumbled a little in the middle, but it's easy to see why this concept was used to help launch the new Valiant Universe. I'm sure it won't be long before we see these characters again.
June 7, 2017
Well executed and consequence heavy conclusion.
World: The art is still fine, it's middle of the road Valiant and that's all there is to say. The world building this time around is very solid and game changing. Ever since Harbinger 1 readers have been getting more and more of this world and now the game is going to change, the stakes are going to change and the consequences of actions in this arc is going to change. This is fresh because not a lot of superhero comic books do that (DC and Marvel) unless it's a company wide reboot/event, but more on that below.
Story: Paced well, tone was spot on and the conclusion was logical and has been building up since issue 1. I like that Valiant went all in with this concept and allowed Peter to have a full arc. Many times when big events and big ideals are set the hero (well Peter is not truly a hero) in the end makes concessions. There are no concessions here, what he started out to do he has done and the entire Valiant Universe is changed because of it. As I said above, it's rare, it's not common that such consequences happen in books and at such a atom bomb level that I don't see a way to retcon what just happened, it's good.
Characters: The characters were good, a bit simple but good. They each had their moments and their drive was clear. Some of them have a bigger personal voice but overall these characters are likable and interesting. I find however the biggest draw to this series is Toyo and his drive and motivation, it's interesting to look at his moral and decisions and wonder.
A good final arc for this series as these characters move onto other things (well there is one book left until Imperium).
Onward to the next book!
World: The art is still fine, it's middle of the road Valiant and that's all there is to say. The world building this time around is very solid and game changing. Ever since Harbinger 1 readers have been getting more and more of this world and now the game is going to change, the stakes are going to change and the consequences of actions in this arc is going to change. This is fresh because not a lot of superhero comic books do that (DC and Marvel) unless it's a company wide reboot/event, but more on that below.
Story: Paced well, tone was spot on and the conclusion was logical and has been building up since issue 1. I like that Valiant went all in with this concept and allowed Peter to have a full arc. Many times when big events and big ideals are set the hero (well Peter is not truly a hero) in the end makes concessions. There are no concessions here, what he started out to do he has done and the entire Valiant Universe is changed because of it. As I said above, it's rare, it's not common that such consequences happen in books and at such a atom bomb level that I don't see a way to retcon what just happened, it's good.
Characters: The characters were good, a bit simple but good. They each had their moments and their drive was clear. Some of them have a bigger personal voice but overall these characters are likable and interesting. I find however the biggest draw to this series is Toyo and his drive and motivation, it's interesting to look at his moral and decisions and wonder.
A good final arc for this series as these characters move onto other things (well there is one book left until Imperium).
Onward to the next book!
October 27, 2015
Overall, a solid conclusion to the first five volumes of Harbinger, that brings things to a good and natural close.
Resistance (20-21). I always found Ax to be one of the most irritating characters in the VH-1 universe, because he was sooo overused, and such a whining brat. It's great to see an alternate version of him created for the VH-E universe that maintains some of the core ideas but is fun instead. Beyond that, this is another earth-shattering story. It's amazing how big of changes the VH-E universe is able to constantly support. And, if things are still a little confusing by the end of this two-issue arc, it's probably just because the story continues straight on into Death of a Renegade [8/10].
Death of a Renegade (22-25). One of the joys of VH-E is that they're willing to bring their big stories to big conclusions, and that's what happens here. Is it the best arc of Harbinger? No. But it's an epic story with real repercussions that nicely concludes most of the character's stories. I've loved Dysart's Harbinger, but I love having an ending too [7+/10].
Resistance (20-21). I always found Ax to be one of the most irritating characters in the VH-1 universe, because he was sooo overused, and such a whining brat. It's great to see an alternate version of him created for the VH-E universe that maintains some of the core ideas but is fun instead. Beyond that, this is another earth-shattering story. It's amazing how big of changes the VH-E universe is able to constantly support. And, if things are still a little confusing by the end of this two-issue arc, it's probably just because the story continues straight on into Death of a Renegade [8/10].
Death of a Renegade (22-25). One of the joys of VH-E is that they're willing to bring their big stories to big conclusions, and that's what happens here. Is it the best arc of Harbinger? No. But it's an epic story with real repercussions that nicely concludes most of the character's stories. I've loved Dysart's Harbinger, but I love having an ending too [7+/10].
September 14, 2014
Harbinger exits with a bang, as newcomer and hacktivist "@x" blows the lid on HGC and the Harbinger Foundation, with the help of the Renegades. The Harbinger series proper ends with this volume, and an over-sized final issue collecting a handful of short stories. The landscape of the Valiant U is massively altered by the end of Dysart's story, in a fashion deeply reflective of the series' opening issues. Excellent characterization persists through the final chapters, as individual arcs are wrapped up, and a new stage is set for Stanchek and Harada to stretch their new legs.
Harbinger ends with smart writing, and the much welcome return of Khari Evans' unmistakable art, marking the beginning of a new age for the Valiant universe.
Harbinger ends with smart writing, and the much welcome return of Khari Evans' unmistakable art, marking the beginning of a new age for the Valiant universe.
January 8, 2021
Writer, Joshua Dysart does a lot well here but the book is so reliant on the overly powered big bad, Toyo Harada, that everything is overshadowed. There are some great characters on this team but they rarely get to shine. Clayton Henry's art was really good but couldn't propel the book. Overall, the book ends on a low note.
December 29, 2015
I would say it was a good end to the title... Damn, I LOVE THAT
June 28, 2017
This was prety good, but a little long for a valiant trade. the death itself didn't fell like it was very important. Just kind of happened and that's it. The art was srong though, and created some emotion throughout it. And the story is definitely getting more interesting.
June 25, 2021
I didn't love this and I don't care enough to read any other volumes. Generally everything in this series just felt very rushed, characters got a tiny bit of development but nowhere near enough, lots of side plots are left untouched, and ultimately I can't see a satisfying way for this to end. Eh.
September 7, 2018
Volume 5 feels like the perfect follow up to volume 4. After all the bad stuff that the Renegades have been going through, they take some time to lay low until a potential ally leaks a bunch of data on Project Rising Spirit and sets his sights on Harada. The introduction of Ax, a computer hacker, into the story felt well placed. He adds some perspective that these kids have been lacking. I like the interplay between the Renegades and the Harbinger Foundation.
The story steps back from the big events at times to showcase the characters as people. Characterization is something that Dysart has been great at with this series so far. When the titular event happens, it feels right for the character. And the others react to it in normal ways. The visual aspect of the book plays that up wonderfully as well. The art might just be my favorite part of this book. The events that happen allow for some nice visual moments that add to the strong characterization.
The story steps back from the big events at times to showcase the characters as people. Characterization is something that Dysart has been great at with this series so far. When the titular event happens, it feels right for the character. And the others react to it in normal ways. The visual aspect of the book plays that up wonderfully as well. The art might just be my favorite part of this book. The events that happen allow for some nice visual moments that add to the strong characterization.
September 6, 2019
This series definitely keeps your interest. It is very entertaining and has a lot of mystery. We get a new character in this volume, though I was hoping for a little more from him. His arc seemed here and gone. I wanted more development there. One of the Renegades bites the dust in this one. Literally. Ultimately, I was a little surprised at which Renegade bit the bullet. The ending was kind of a downer. I am definitely eager to read the last volume after finishing this one.
October 11, 2017
This volume brings to a conclusion the story arc of Peter Stanchek v. Toyo Harada. In the process, the Renegades group is destroyed, and all of them go their own ways.
This is beautifully plotted, with wheels within wheels, and frequent surprises that sometimes make it unclear which characters are to be trusted with the lives of their friends and group members.
This is beautifully plotted, with wheels within wheels, and frequent surprises that sometimes make it unclear which characters are to be trusted with the lives of their friends and group members.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2020
CHECK OUT MY VIDEO REVIEW OF HARBINGER VOL 5 - DEATH OF A RENEGADE :
https://youtu.be/GELtQjtKbDM
n Trade #5, one of the Renegades makes the ultimate sacrifice. Which one is it, though? I am not telling. I would rather tell you my points on why I thought this book was great. What did I rank it on my Clemmie Scale? You will just have to watch my YouTube video and see.
February 24, 2017
best of the series - teamwork, tragedy and epic showdown. so-so ending but I'll forgive it for the first several issues.
January 25, 2019
A great end (even if the series keeps going on).
July 5, 2019
The Feels
Probably my favorite ending of any Valiant book I've ever read. I won't spoil it but I will say, you will either really like it or really hate it. Brilliant.
Probably my favorite ending of any Valiant book I've ever read. I won't spoil it but I will say, you will either really like it or really hate it. Brilliant.
September 25, 2021
I don't like “team” superhero books usually. I loved this series. Faith is definitely my favorite character overall. This comes a close second to the new Doctor Mirage titles for recent comics.
February 1, 2021
While reading through the Valiant Universe has been mostly fun (the Shadowman, Volume 1: Birth Rites run being exceptionally unfun), it has at best been a scattered storytelling experiment. The humor has hit in Archer & Armstrong, Volume 1: The Michelangelo Code, the characters have hit in Harbinger Vol. 1: Omega Rising (Harbinger, and Bloodshot Vol. 1: Setting the World on Fire (Bloodshot seemed to be the driving plot force for the whole universe.
This volume was the first time I felt there was a clear goal from the beginning of a book, and it reached it by the end. If you read Only This Volume, I think you'd be completely satisfied with it as a superhero team book. Given the character development of the previous four volumes, I think this book notches up from Good (which is how I'd rate most of the Valiant books) to Great.
While it certainly makes for an interesting change to the entire universe of books going forward, I'd have been content with this being the final book in the entire universe, rather than just the final book in this iteration of Harbinger.
I recommend it for fans of X-Men, Teen Titans, They're Not Like Us, Vol. 1: Black Holes for the Young, and Young Avengers.
This volume was the first time I felt there was a clear goal from the beginning of a book, and it reached it by the end. If you read Only This Volume, I think you'd be completely satisfied with it as a superhero team book. Given the character development of the previous four volumes, I think this book notches up from Good (which is how I'd rate most of the Valiant books) to Great.
While it certainly makes for an interesting change to the entire universe of books going forward, I'd have been content with this being the final book in the entire universe, rather than just the final book in this iteration of Harbinger.
I recommend it for fans of X-Men, Teen Titans, They're Not Like Us, Vol. 1: Black Holes for the Young, and Young Avengers.
June 4, 2016
This is basically a superhero heist movie, as the Harbingers plan and execute an audacious plan to bring down Harada's empire. There are twists, turns, feints and double feints, and there are real casualties on both sides. The framing is a little odd, but the main story really does turn up the pressure on the characters, and also gives a fairly strong resolution to them, ending the Harbinger series in a manner that seems appropriate to the characters (and makes some of the Armor Hunter series events make more sense - it really does help to read all these series together in chronological order). My big issue with this collection is some of the random shorts at the end of the book; they seem to come from throughout the Harbinger storyline, and seem to contradict each other in some ways, while also rarely adding much to the characters. And the art styles vary wildly, a long way from the standard for the series, which is a little jarring in some cases. But aside from that, this is actually a pretty good volume that serves as a good conclusion to the story, while leaving characters in places to move on from here. I wasn't a huge fan of the Harbinger series as a whole, but I respect what they've done here and think it ultimately was a series worth the read. Just do it in tandem with the rest of the Valiant universe...
Read
October 2, 2019I think I figured out my biggest problem with Harbinger (aside from the fact that I don't love Valiant's serious books): it’s always about Peter. I like the other Renegades (and Toyo Harada) far better. While everyone has their moments, it always comes back to Peter and his introspective whining. Plus I haven’t forgiven him for what he did to Kris way back in the first issue.
Anyway, this volume furthers the Renegades vs. Harada story. This time, our heroes take the fight directly to him with the help of Ax the hacker. This is a pretty emotional volume, what with the titular death. But it’s unsurprising in hindsight and doesn’t pack as big a punch as Dysart was aiming for. The bulk of the book shows the fallout from the Renegades’ actions against Harada. It’s fine, I guess. Surely an interesting direction to take the story, even if it feels like table setting for spinoffs (Faith, Imperium).
Harbinger is perfectly readable with generally good characters, but it just doesn’t leave that big of an impression on me. The writing is fine and the art is fine. I can understand why people love it, though, as it’s a fairly novel take on teen superheroes. Not really for me I suppose.
Anyway, this volume furthers the Renegades vs. Harada story. This time, our heroes take the fight directly to him with the help of Ax the hacker. This is a pretty emotional volume, what with the titular death. But it’s unsurprising in hindsight and doesn’t pack as big a punch as Dysart was aiming for. The bulk of the book shows the fallout from the Renegades’ actions against Harada. It’s fine, I guess. Surely an interesting direction to take the story, even if it feels like table setting for spinoffs (Faith, Imperium).
Harbinger is perfectly readable with generally good characters, but it just doesn’t leave that big of an impression on me. The writing is fine and the art is fine. I can understand why people love it, though, as it’s a fairly novel take on teen superheroes. Not really for me I suppose.
March 11, 2016
If I call this book a "bummer" it's intended as a compliment, as seeing these characters' personal and group journeys come to a close made me miss them the moment I saw "The End." If Valiant's policy of "permanent consequences, no reboots" is true, then I will enjoy hanging on to this era of Harbinger and look forward to the stories that come next (as opposed to waiting for the deceased to come back to life or pop over from an alternate universe/timeline).
May 4, 2015
Maybe Harbinger is growing on me as it matures.
I am still not a Peter guy, but I do find myself enjoying heroes that are not him or Kris. Maybe it's getting a Heroes type of feel, with my infastructure. Maybe this is what Heroes could have grown into.
I am still not a Peter guy, but I do find myself enjoying heroes that are not him or Kris. Maybe it's getting a Heroes type of feel, with my infastructure. Maybe this is what Heroes could have grown into.
April 16, 2015
It was great but it was sad because it also the death of the Harbinger comic book. I hope that they bring it back.
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