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The Flash In Five Seasons, Season 2: Keystone Cop

1/31/2017

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Carlos Williams requested a Flash comics chronology. Personally, I'm not a big fan of reading a comic about someone who runs fast. The character is much better suited for TV, and the CW is doing an incredible job with the current Flash TV show, and it's spin-off, "Legends Of Tomorrow". "Arrow" sucks, though.

The first season was all speedsters all the time. We hardly got any time with any villains who moved at normal speed. Well, Geoff Johns (who wrote every episode of this season) fixes that by bringing back the classic Flash rogues and having their interactions with Wally West and the universe be gloriously complicated and fun. Yes, there are dire consequences from time to time, but this season is bright, weird, and moves really quickly toward the season's bizarre conclusion.

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Come on, rogue, let your morals go with the flow, you know you can do it
art by Brian Bolland


Season 2: Keystone Cop
(showrunner: Geoff Johns)

Serial 1: The Flash By Geoff Johns Book One
written by Geoff Johns, art by Scott Kolins, Ethan Van Sciver, and Angel Unzueta

Season two finds Wally in media res, traveling through various alternate Earths. He loses touch with the speed force and ends up teaming up, against his will, with several classic Rogues such as Captain Cold and Mirror Master. It's a weird but fun romp that changes when he meets an alternate version of his dead ex, and decides to hang out there for a while.  It's fairly silly at times but seeing non-running villains is a nice change of, sorry, pace.

Wonderland. 2 episodes
Blood Will Run. 1 episode
Iron Heights. 1 episode


Serial 2: The Flash By Geoff Johns Book Two

written by Geoff Johns, art by Angel Unzueta and Doug Hazlewood

Wally West, protector of Keystone City and Central City has a vast amount of villains, and many of them are working in concert to keep The Flash occupied. The costumes on both the villains and the helpful heroes (Superman and Cyborg each show up to help Wally out) are pretty post-90s extreme and very brightly colored, which is fitting with the over-the top madcapness of this particular chapter in Wally's tenure as The Flash.

New Rogues. 3 episodes


Serial 3: The Flash By Geoff Johns Book Three
written by Geoff Johns, art by Scott Kolins and Doug Hazlewood

Rogues antagonizing rogues helping rogues antagonizing Flash. The relationships between the characters from this season of Flash get really fascinating as more and more characters get folded into the end of Johns's run on The Flash. In the end, we do end up with an evil speedster takes on Flash and other speedster heroes, but it's not as relentless as the first season.

The Brave & The Beaten. 1 episode
Run Riot. 1 episode
Gorilla Warfare. 1 episode
Zoom. 2 episodes


Serial 4: Infinite Crisis
written by Geoff Johns, art by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway

I don't enjoy DC's Crisis books, and this is no exception. There are too many characters, too many plot points, too man mcguffins, and too many far reaching consequences. But this is Geoff Johns's reset of the DC universe, so, of course all of the Flash characters are involved. And, amongst the carnage something pretty severe happens to Wally West.

Infinite Crisis. 3 episodes


Season 2 is fifteen episodes in Wally World where no one punches out a moose.

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The Flash In Five Seasons, Season 1: Terminal Velocity

1/30/2017

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Carlos Williams requested a Flash comics chronology. Personally, I'm not a big fan of reading a comic about someone who runs fast. The character is much better suited for TV, and the CW is doing an incredible job with the current Flash TV show, and it's spin-off, "Legends Of Tomorrow". "Arrow" sucks, though.

If I were to make a five season chronology for The Flash, I would skip out on all the silver-age Barry Allen stories. So, unlike some of the previous chronologies, you're not going to get a ton of origin stories and first appearances of villains. The Flash will follow Wally West (who is not like the Wally West in the TV show...instead of being Iris's brother, he is her nephew) and the villains he inherited from the previous Flash. 
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Fuck you uncle Barry!
art by Greg Larocque


Season 1: Terminal Velocity
(Showrunner: Mark Waid)

Serial 1: The Flash By Mark Waid Book One
written by Mark Waid, art by Greg Larocque, Jim Aparo, and Pop Mhan

Wally West is Barry Allen's favorite nephew. But Barry has always been careless with chemicals and lightning, so he accidentally, and against astronomical odds,  recreates the situation that turned him into The Flash, thus turning Wally into Kid Flash. Idiot. But it's not too long before Wally has to go from Kid Flash to regular old Flash when Uncle Barry disappears saving the universe.

Kid Crisis. 2 episodes.


Serial 2: The Flash By Mark Waid Book Two

written by Mark Waid, art by Greg Larocque and Sal Velluto

It seems like just one serial ago when Wally West was Kid Flash and Barry Allen rescued the universe, meaning he was gone forever. Oh, wait. It was. Then how is Barry back already? And why is he such a dick? Original Recipe Flash, Jay Garrick, and some Green Lanterns step in to try and solve the mystery.

The Premature Return Of Barry Allen . 2 episodes



Serial 3: Impulse Reckless Youth, The Flash Terminal Velocity
written by Mark Waid, art by many

One of the things that drives me crazy about Flash books is that there are So Many Characters whose power is that they can run fast. And this series adds even more! Bart Allen, Barry's grandson from the future (comics, sigh), finds himself in the present, and it's up to Wally West, Jay Garrick , Johnny and Jesse Quick, and Max Mercury (alliteration, ugh) to train him, lest he become any more of a bratty nuisance.

Impulse Control. 3 episodes


Episode 8: The Flash Dead Heat
(written by Mark Waid, art by Oscar Jiminez, and Humberto Ramos)

The lamest part of the Flash tv series is how terribly CGI the villain Savitar looks. It's so substandard to the other effects on the show that I have a hard time taking him seriously. Well, in this book we meet Oh So 90s Savitar, who looks like Rob Liefeld designed him but someone with talent and opposable thumbs got to draw him. Once again, all the speedsters are in this book.  And Savitar, also a speedster, has brought a new army of speedsters. So much running. So much hair.

Faster Than The Fastest Man Alive. 1 episode


Episode 9: The Flash Race Against Time
written by Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn, art by Oscar Jiminez, Anthony Castrillo, Jim Cheung, and Sergio Cariello

Another another goddamned Flash??? This one wears a blue suit and, like very other new Flash before him, his arrival changes everytthzzzzzzZZZZzzzzzzzZZZZxxxxXXZXZxzzxzx, huh? Oh, changes everything.  While this Flash is in the present, Wally West is doing some serious Ghost Of Christmas Future adventuring around the timeline on his way home from defeating Savitar.

Blue Steal. 1 episode



Serial 4: The Flash Emergency Stop
written by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, art by Paul Ryan...not the spineless Speaker Of The House

Wally West is dead. And it's up to the eight billion speedster characters, including Wally West, himself (totally not dead) to solve his murder. In addition to yet another speedster villain, we get some time to visit with classic villains like Mirror Master and Captain Boomerang.

The Suit. 2 episodes


Serial 5: The Flash The Human Race
written by Grant Morrison and Mark Millar, art by Paul Ryan and Pop Mhan

Alien gamblers arrive on Earth and demand a champion speedster human race an alien speedster. Sure. Featuring all the speedsters, and even new speedsters! Alien speedsters! Speedsters that Wally might have encountered when he was a child! And then, The Black Flash. No, it's not a cool new character of color, it's a...speed force demon doppelganger maybe? It runs! Fast! And Wally must conquer it to avenge yet another death that may or not be permanent!

The Human Race. 3 episodes



Season 1 of The Flash is 15 episodes that don't go as fast as you might imagine a book about speed would.
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Avengers In Season 10, Season 11: Champions

1/16/2017

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The Avengers franchise is what made Marvel Studios the completely dominant force in comic based entertainment. The way they streamlined Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and other characters into an expansive universe that also includes television shows like Daredevil and Agents Of SHIELD is something that has never been achieved before in motion picture entertainment.
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The Avengers continuity, even without including the individual characters is supremely daunting. So, I’ve put together a chronology of some of the best Avengers related books that are currently or were recently available in collected editions (the recently available are still around for pretty cheap on various online outlets and in bookstores) into eleven! TV seasons.

Ten seasons of Avengers took us up to the end of Marvel 616 continuity, and a little beyond. The new Marvel Universe, though it's certainly had as many missteps as the previous universes, has a number of really fun series, and they come together to form a whole season of Marvelly goodness. Check out a new team for a more fun generation.
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Not your racist-ass uncle's stale-ass Avengers.
Art by Humberto Ramos

Avengers Season 11: Champions
(Showrunners: Mark Waid, G Willow Wilson, and Ryan North)

Episode 1: Ms Marvel No Normal, Ms Marvel Generation Why, Ms Marvel Crushed
written by G Willow Wilson, art by Adrian Alphona, Jacob Wyatt, and Takeshi Miyazawa

Kamala Khan is just your average superhero superfan until the Terrigen mists fall to Earth and she becomes a superhero. Initially patterning her costume and appearance after Carol Danvers, she eventually becomes her own hero, interacting with the old school heroes of te Marvel Universe.

New Normal. 1 episode




​Episode 2: Nova Rookie Season, Nova Corpse

written by Sean Ryan, art by Cory Smith and John Timms

That upstart Nova kid who showed up in season 8 has finally been reunited with his father. Surely his life is going to get easier as his dad was a Nova Corps member, too, and will surely help him understand how to balance his superhero identity with his regular one.

Rookie Season. 1 episode


Episode 3: Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Squirrel Power, Squirrel You Know It's True
written by Ryan North, art by Erica Henderson

Doreen Green came from the mostly unnoticed Great Lakes Avengers but she eventually became a low-key assistant to The Avengers. She didn't fight much. She mainly did some babysitting and housesitting, and now she's going away to college to live a normal life of talking to squirrels and trying to keep out of trouble. But trouble keeps finding her, and she keeps kicking its tail.

Squirrel You Know It's True. 1 episode




Episode 4: Totally Awesome Hulk Cho Time
written by Greg Pak, art by Frank Cho

The kid genius from World War Hulk is now The Hulk! Where's Banner? Don't worry about it. Amadeus Cho is a very smart Hulk who goes around the world in a flying food truck, fighting kaiju and being very much a teenager.

Totally Awesome Hulk. 1 episode




Episode 5: Mighty Thor Thunder In Her Veins
written by Jason Aaron, art by Russel Dauterman

Jane Foster became Thor just before Secret Wars. She has different and seemingly cooler talents with Mjolnir than the Odinson did. But every time she becomes Thor, the chemotherapy she's been taking to battle her cancer is undone. Is she willing to destroy her life to save the world?

Thunder In Her Veins. 1 episode





Serial 1: All New All Different Avengers Magnificent Seven, Ms Marvel Super Famous
written by Mark Waid, art by Adam Kubert and Mahmud Asrar

Nova, Ms Marvel, the new Thor, Spider-Man (Miles Morales from The Utimate Universe), Captain America (Sam Wilson),  and Iron Man (boring old Tony Stark) are the new face of The Avengers. A team that will undoubtedly stay together forever and ever. 

All New All Different. 2 episodes.




Episode 8: The Ultimates Start With The Impossible
written by Al Ewing, art by Kenneth Rocafort

Carol Danvers runs The Avengers' cosmic arm, deciding to use new tactics to solve the recurring problems of the Marvel Universe. 


Outside The Box. 1 episode




Episode 9: Avengers Standoff, All New All Different Avengers Family Business
written by Nick Spencer, Al Ewing, Gerry Duggan, and Mark Waid, art by Jesus Saiz, Mark Bagley, Ryan Stegman, and Mike Norton

Old and new Avengers alike team up when Maria Hill from SHIELD reveals an entire city of imprisoned supervillains. Much of this is a setup for Captain America storylines we won't be following, but it's also an interesting teamup and lays the groundwork for the next serial.

Pleasant Hill. 1 episode



Episode 10: Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Squirrel You Really Got Me Now, I Kissed A Squirrel And I Liked It
written by Ryan North, art by Erica Henderson

Marvel Universe's most fantastic squirrel-powered hero uses computer science and wackiness to take down some of the biggest villains in the Marvel Universe.

I Kissed A Squirrel And I Liked It. 1 episode.




Episode 11: Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur BFF, Cosmic Cooties

written by Amy Reeder, art by Brandon Montclare

With Reed Richards being MIA since Secret Wars, the smartest person in The Marvel Universe is....a fourth grader named Lunella Lafyette. Worried about becoming an Inhuman due to the Terrigen Mists that transformed Kamala Khan into Ms Marvel, Lunella creates an invention that beckons The Devil Dinosaur into her time. Awesomeness ensues.

Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur. 1 episode




Serial 2: Civil War II, Ms Marvel Civil War II, Ultimates Omniversal, All New All Different Avengers Civil War II
written by Brian Michael Bendis, G Willow Wilson, Mark Waid, Faith Erin Hicks, and Al Ewing, art by David Marquez, Takeshi Miyazawa, Veronica Fish, and Christian Ward

Carol Danvers has found an Inhuman who can predict possible futures and she's using him to try and stop problems before the occur. Unsurprisingly, this creates different problems and turns hero against hero. Again.

Predictive Texts. 3 episodes





Episode 15: Totally Awesome Hulk Civil War II
written by Greg Pak, art by Alan Davis

Is the biggest moment in Civil War II Amadeus Cho's fault? Plus, where was Banner during the period between Secret Wars and Civil War II?

Fault Lines. 1 episode


Episode 16: Vision Little Worse Than A Man, Vision Little Better Than A Beast
written by Tom King, art by Gabriel Hernandez Walta and Michael Walsh

In his quest to be more human, Vision creates a family. Because he didn't learn the lesson of House Of M. Stupid android. This time, he fails to help create a false reality that ruins his friends' lives, and, instead, might have ruined his own and those of his new family.

Suburban Glamour. 1 episode




Serial 3: Champions Change The World, Nova Resurrection, Totally Awesome Hulk Big Apple Showdown
written by Mark Waid, Jeff Loveness, and Greg Pak, art by Humberto Ramos, Ramon Perez, and Luke Ross

The younger faction of The All New All Different Avengers goes rogue. Enough with those stale-ass old Avengers. Most of them are dead, depowered or irrelevant now anyway, right?  

Change The World. 2 episodes



Episode 19: Invincible Iron Man Ironheart

written by Brian Michael Bendis, art by Stefan Caselli

With Tony Stark either missing or dead after Civil War II, his most recent mentee, Riri Williams dons her own armor to become the new Iron Man of the Marvel Universe.

Ironheart. 1 episode



Episode 20: Occupy Avengers Taking Back Justice
written by David F. Walker, at by Carlos Pacheco

Since his role in Civil War II, Clint Barton has become a political touchstone, and he's decided to use his newfound anti-hero fame to do some damn good for those without superpowers. 

Hawkguy's First Stand. 1 episode


Season 11 manages to also be 20 episodes! Season 12 will exist, probably in 2018 or so, with more stories of Kate Bishop, Jen Walters, Patsy Walker Hellcat, and The Champions! And maybe by then Avengers and New Avengers will be interesting enough to return to my chronology.
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The 21st Century Valiant Universe In Five Seasons, Season 5: The Valiant

1/13/2017

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Valiant Comics was a small comic book press founded by one of the most hated editors in the history of Marvel comics, Jim Shooter. After a successful run in the 90s, it eventually shut down when its parent company,  Acclaim, restructured. Not everybody has DC’s Time Warner money or Marvel’s Disney backing.

In 2012, Valiant started relaunching series, and about a year ago, they revealed that they were going to create a movie universe modeled after Marvel’s successful cinematic universe.

Here’s how I would structure a TV series that handled their properties, should they have gone the television route, as opposed to the movie-verse. I’m only doing ten episode seasons, without the serial approach that I’ve done with the DC and Marvel properties because most of what’s available in trade format is their modern stuff, and that goes back almost four years, as opposed to DC & Marvel’s nearly 80 years apiece.

The fourth season was a tad goat-heavy and there was much-to-do about super teams. With the fifth seasons, characters move freely throughout the universe without having too much of a cross-over feel. When I started this chronology, there were barely enough books to cover five seasons, now there are probably enough for six, and I'm still loving this universe, so I'll probably keep adding more as the comics keep being collected. 
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Season Five: The Valiant
(Showrunners: Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt, and Fred Van Lente)

Episode 1: The Valiant
written by Jeff Lemire and Matt Kindt, art by Paolo Rivera and Joe Rivera

Throughout time, The Eternal Warrior has had to protect geomancers from The Immortal Enemy, and every time, he's failed.  But this time he has the help of Bloodshot, Archer & Armstronr, the Harbingers, Unity, Quantum & Woody, the entire Valiant universe. And yet, this seems less of a crossover than a comic that features a ton of characters and an atypical ending.



Episode 2: Ivar, Timewalker Making History
Episode 3: Ivar, Timewalker Breaking History
Episode 4: Ivar, Timewalker Ending History
written by Fred Van Lente, art by Pere Perez

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Time travel is confusing, and a series of immortal time travelers, including Armstrong, must save Ivar the Timewalker and time itself, and also from talking rat things, clown vikings, and the rest of your typical problems.



Episode 5: Ninjak Operation Deadside

written by Matt Kindt, art by Diego Bernard and Ulises Arreola

Shadowman is not my favorite Valiant character. I have nothing against the actual character but the 2012 run of Shadowman didn't intrigue me enough to include it in chronology, but he shows up here as Ninjak heads into a dimension called Deadside.



Episode 6: Ninjak The Seige Of King's Castle
written by Matt Kindt, art by Diego Bernard and Ulises Arreola

Things get Very Personal or for everyone's favorite MI-6 assassin. Very personal.



Episode 7: Wrath Of The Eternal Warrior Risen
written by Robert Veneditti, art by Raul Allen and Patricia Martin

Something is wrong with Gilad. He's used to death and losing everything he loves but now he finds himself at odds with a creature called Humongous, and whole universe feels off.



Episode 8: Wrath Of The Eternal Warrior Labyrinth

written by Robert Venedetti, art by Raul Allen, Patricia Martin, and Juan Jose Ryp

Someone has been manpulating Gilad across time, and once he discovers who it is, there shall be a reckoning.



Episode 9: Wrath Of The Eternal Warrior Deal With A Devil

written by Robert Venedetti, art by Robert Gill and Michael Spicer

Reunited with a familiar face from the Valiant Universe, Gilad's next quest is to die.


Episode 10: Bloodshot Reborn Colorado

written by Jeff Lemire, art by Mico Suayan, Raul Allen, and David Baron

In hiding since the end of The Valiant, "Ray Garrison" tries to find his place in a world where he feels the consequences of being Bloodshot.


Episode 11: Bloodshot Reborn 
written by Jeff Lemire, art by Butch Guice


Bloodshot tracks rogue nannites across Colorado in his quest to stop his own legacy of violence.


Episode 12: The Book Of Death
written by many with art by many

The last geomancer knows how everyone in The Valiant Universe will die. Will they all fall at the hands of The Eternal Warrior?


Season 5 is 12 episodes.



Inter-Season Special: Divinity
written by Matt Kindt, art by Trevor Hairsine

A new threat or friend with godlike powers lands in the Australian Outback. Forget the usual Valiant heroes, things are about to get dicey for all of humanity.
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The 21st Century Valiant Universe In Five Seasons, Season 4: Delinquents

1/12/2017

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Valiant Comics was a small comic book press founded by one of the most hated editors in the history of Marvel comics, Jim Shooter. After a successful run in the 90s, it eventually shut down when its parent company,  Acclaim, restructured. Not everybody has DC’s Time Warner money or Marvel’s Disney backing.

In 2012, Valiant started relaunching series, and about a year ago, they revealed that they were going to create a movie universe modeled after Marvel’s successful cinematic universe.

Here’s how I would structure a TV series that handled their properties, should they have gone the television route, as opposed to the movie-verse. I’m only doing ten episode seasons, without the serial approach that I’ve done with the DC and Marvel properties because most of what’s available in trade format is their modern stuff, and that goes back almost four years, as opposed to DC & Marvel’s nearly 80 years apiece.

​Season 3 was super serious constant crossover, so let’s pick up season 4 in a ridiculous fashion, Meet Quantum and his brother, Woody.
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Season 4: The Delinquents
(showrunners Fred Van Lente and James Asmus)

Episode 1: Quantum & Woody World’s Worst Superhero Team
written by James Asmus, art by Tom Fowler and Jodie Bellaire

Two adopted brothers were once the most brilliant pair and best of friends, but, you know, things go to shit, Now they must mend their relationship for the sake of being superheroes. Otherwise, they may never figure out who killed their dad.


Episode 2: Quantum & Woody In Security
written by James Asmus, art by Ming Dolye

If the Henderson brothers don’t clang wrists every 24 hours, they’ll die, so now they have to spend as much time as possible with each other just to survive. The goat, the hot tub, and the clone girlfriend are just superfluous fun.


Episode 3: Archer & Armstrong American Wasteland
written by Fred Van Lente, art by David Baron, Clayton Henry, and Pere Perez

The Church of Retrology has Obadiah’s parents held hostage in a certain Eagles’ hellhole where celebrities can check out, but they can never leheheave.


Episode 4: Quantum & Woody Crooked Past, Present Tense
written by James Asmus and Tom Fowler, art by Kano

Mad scientists. Robocrime. Moar goat.


Episode 5: The Delinquents
written by Fred Van Lente and James Asmus, art by Paolo Rivera

Archer. Armstrong. Quantum. Woody, Goat. Yes, goat still. It’s the most ridiculous cross-country adventure not starring Bizarro and Jimmy Olson. Who’s the Hobo King?


Episode 6: Archer & Armstrong The One Percent & Other Tales
written by Fred Van Lente, art by Karl Bollers and Ray Fawkes

Archer’s first drink. Mary-Maria’s origins. Timewalker shenanigans. A new One Percent. It looks like the band is going to have to break up after this one.


Episode 7: Quantum & Woody Must Die
written by James Asmus and more, art Steve Lieber and more

Speaking of breaking up, a whole mess of new enemies are after The Brothers Klang and their stupid goat.


Episode 8: Imperium Collecting Monsters
Episode 9: Imperium Broken Angels
Episode 10: Imperium The Vine Imperative

written by Josh Dysart, art by Doug Braithwaite and Kano

With the renegades out of the picture, and his organizations now being public knowledge, Toyo Harada must face other evil villains in a war for…peace? It also looks like The Vine is back, That can’t be good.


Season 4 is 10 episodes


Interseason Special: Bloodshot Glitch & Other Tales
(written by many, art by many)

​A series of short stories about Valiant’s favorite nannite infected supersoldier.
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The 21st Century Valiant Universe In Five Seasons, Season 3: Unity

1/11/2017

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Valiant Comics was a small comic book press founded by one of the most hated editors in the history of Marvel comics, Jim Shooter. After a successful run in the 90s, it eventually shut down when its parent company,  Acclaim, restructured. Not everybody has DC’s Time Warner money or Marvel’s Disney backing.

In 2012, Valiant started relaunching series, and about a year ago, they revealed that they were going to create a movie universe modeled after Marvel’s successful cinematic universe.

Here’s how I would structure a TV series that handled their properties, should they have gone the television route, as opposed to the movie-verse. I’m only doing ten episode seasons, without the serial approach that I’ve done with the DC and Marvel properties because most of what’s available in trade format is their modern stuff, and that goes back almost four years, as opposed to DC & Marvel’s nearly 80 years apiece.

​The first two seasons had a few small crossover but no real super events. That changes now, as we get nearly back to back superevents, and more X-O Manowar and Eternal Warrior than you can shake your fists at.

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Season 3: Unity
(showrunner: Matt Kindt)
Episode 1: X-O Manowar Homecoming
Episode 2: Unity To Kill A King
Episode 3: X-O Manowar At War With Unity

(written by Matt Kindt and Robert Veniditti, art by Doug Braithwaite, Lee Garbett, Stefano Gaudiano, Moose Baumann, and Clayton Crain)

Man, we haven’t seen Aric since the last interseason special when he was on another planet. Well, now he’s back and…uh-oh, The Eternal Warrior is not pleased with him. Neither is The UN. Or NATO. Or anyone, really. And while Toyo Harada is still a bad guy, X-O Manowar is so much more frightening, so he’s assembled a team of familiar looking heroes. Can Harada, The Eternal Warrior, Ninjak and Livewire take Aric down.


Episode 4: Unity Trapped By Webnet
(written by Matt Kindt, art by Cafu)

Ninjak’s Unity team has a new objective: Dr. Silk. Who is this guy, and how is he in anyway near the threatlevel that X-O Manowar was?



Episode 5: X-O Manowar Prelude To Armor Hunters

Episode 6: X-O Manowar Armor Hunters
Episode 7: Armor Hunters Harbinger
Episode 8: Armor Hunters Bloodshot  
Episode 9: Unity Armor Hunters
Episode 10: Armor Hunters
(written by Robert Veniditti, Matt Kindt, Josh Dysart, and Joe Harras, art by  David Baron, Diego Bernard, Doug Braithwaite, Clayton Crain, Trevor Hairsine, JG Jones, Lewis Larosa, and Stephen Segovia)

X-O Manowar is clearly too powerful, so a race of Armor Hunters comes to Earth to depower him, and just about every member of The Valiant Universe seems to be affected.


Season 3 is 10 episodes

Interseason Special 1: Unity The United
(written by Matt Kindt and Josh Dysart, art by Lewis Larosa)
Superteam vs. Superteam will determine the shape of The Valiant Universe’s future.
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The 21st Century Valiant Universe In Five Seasons, Season 2: The Eternal Warrior

1/10/2017

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Valiant Comics was a small comic book press founded by one of the most hated editors in the history of Marvel comics, Jim Shooter. After a successful run in the 90s, it eventually shut down when its parent company,  Acclaim, restructured. Not everybody has DC’s Time Warner money or Marvel’s Disney backing.

In 2012, Valiant started relaunching series, and about a year ago, they revealed that they were going to create a movie universe modeled after Marvel’s successful cinematic universe.

Here’s how I would structure a TV series that handled their properties, should they have gone the television route, as opposed to the movie-verse. I’m only doing ten episode seasons, without the serial approach that I’ve done with the DC and Marvel properties because most of what’s available in trade format is their modern stuff, and that goes back almost four years, as opposed to DC & Marvel’s nearly 80 years apiece.

Season one was about gathering small teams. Season two gives us even more players for the chessboard. It does look like there’s no more X-O Manowar for the moment, but don’t worry, he’ll be back in a big way next season.
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Season 2: The Eternal Warrior
(Showrunners: Josh Dysart and Fred Van Lente)
Episode 1: Eternal Warrior Sword Of The Wild
(written by Greg Pak, art by Trevor Hairsine and Clayton Crain)

If X-O Manowar is Valiant’s Iron Man, Bloodshot is its Captain America, Harbinger Foundation is its X-Men, and Ninjak is its…ninja James Bond, then The Eternal Warrior is its Wolverine. He’s not a pint-sized Canadian, he’s an immortal warrior who, after millennia of war, has decided to go into seclusion. It doesn’t quite work out for him.


Episode 2: Archer & Armstrong : The Michelangelo Code
(written by Fred Van Lente, art by Clayton Henry and Mico Suayan)

An immortal drunk named Armstrong is being hunted down by a bow-and-arrow wielding kid who would have just graduated high school, if he hadn’t grown up in an amusement park run by a cult. Then it gets weird.


Episode 3: Archer & Armstrong Wrath Of The Eternal Warrior
(written by Fred Van Lente, art by Emanuela Lupacchino and Guillermo Ortego)

Didn’t take long to get to the crossover this time, did it? It turns out that Armstrong and The Eternal Warrior are brothers, but The Eternal Warrior’s new mission is to kill Armstrong’s new partner, Obadiah Archer.  Friends before family?

Episode 4: Harbinger Perfect Day
(written by Josh Dysart, art by Clayton Henry and Barry Kitson)

The Renegade crew is having The Best Day Ever! Happiness reigns, as the Harbinger Wars are now behind them forever. What could possibly be wrong?


Episode 5: Harbinger Death Of A Renegade
(written by Josh Dysart, art by Clayton Crain and Khari Evans)

Project Rising Spirit and The Harbinger Foundation still want the renegades dead, and it looks like they’re going to partially get their wish.


Episode 6: Archer & Armstrong Far Faraway
(written by Fred Van Lente, art by Clayton Henry and Pere Perez)

The not so dynamic duo encounter aliens, dinosaurs, anal probes, and questionable sexual encounters in this decidely weird, even for them, tangent from their battle with The Sect.


Episode 7: Bloodshot H.A.R.D. Corps
(written by Josh Dysart and Christos Gage, art by Emanuela Lupacchino)

The Harbinger Active Resistance Division joins Bloodshot as he must first escape, then return to Project Rising Spirit.


Episode 8: Archer & Armstrong Sect Civil War
(written by Fred Van Lente, art by Chriscross and Khari Evans)

Archer & Armstrong have been friends-at-odds since they first met but now that they’ve gotten closer to taking down The Sect, they realize that they really are fighting for two different sides. Project Rising Spirit factors into the adventure, as well.


Episode 9: Archer & Armstrong Mission Improbable
(written by Fred Van Lente, Christos Gage, and Joshua Dysart, art by Pere Perez and Tom Raney)

Archer. Armstrong. Bloodshot. H.A.R.D. Corps. Project Rising Spirit. Drama.



Episode 10: Bloodshot Get Some
(written by Josh Dysart and Christos Gage, art by Bart Sears)

This whole team dynamic can’t last forever, can it? Three different eras of Bloodshot, Project Rising, and H.A.R.D. Corps come together into one massive climax.


Season 2 is 10 episodes


Interseason Special: Harbinger Omegas
(written by Josh Dysart, art by Lewis Larosa)

The surviving renegades force Toyo Harada into the public eye. And change The Valiant Universe in the process.
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The 21st Century Valiant Universe In Five Seasons, Season 1: Project Spirit Rising

1/9/2017

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Valiant Comics was a small comic book press founded by one of the most hated editors in the history of Marvel comics, Jim Shooter. After a successful run in the 90s, it eventually shut down when its parent company,  Acclaim, restructured. Not everybody has DC’s Time Warner money or Marvel’s Disney backing.

In 2012, Valiant started relaunching series, and about a year ago, they revealed that they were going to create a movie universe modeled after Marvel’s successful cinematic universe.

​Here’s how I would structure a TV series that handled their properties, should they have gone the television route, as opposed to the movie-verse. I’m only doing ten episode seasons, without the serial approach that I’ve done with the DC and Marvel properties because most of what’s available in trade format is their modern stuff, and that goes back almost four years, as opposed to DC & Marvel’s nearly 80 years apiece.
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Season 1: Project Rising Spirit
(showrunners: Josh Dysart and Duane Swierczynski)
Episode 1: X-O Manowar By The Sword
(written by Robert Venditti, art by Cary Nord)

Imagine if Iron Man’s suit was completely sentient, and completely indestructible. Now imagine if, instead of some douchey alcoholic billionaire, a Visigoth Warrior who had been taken as an intergalactic slave took possession of it and was trying to use it to get back to Earth. Sounds cooler than Tony Stark’s story, right? Well that’s our starting point to this new universe.



Episode 2: Ninjak Weaponeer, Ninjak Shadow Wars
(written by Matt Kindt and Lewis Larosa, art by Butch Guice and Mico Suayan)

Colin King is an inexperienced spy and weapons expert for the British MI-6 who we follow from his first case to a battle with a terrorist organization called The Shadow Seven. But what does this British ninja spy dude have to do with a Visigoth Iron Man in space?


Episode 3: X-O Manowar Enter Ninjak
(written by Robert Venditti, art by Stefano Gaudiano, Moose Baumann, Dave Lanphear, and Lee Garbett)

Hey, it’s our first crossover! The Vine is set to destroy The Earth (which has gotten way more modern since the Roman Era), and in order to defeat them, Aric needs to convince Ninjak that he’s the hero in the story, not those evil aliens. How hard a sell could that be?


Episode 4: Harbinger Omega Rising
(written by Joshua Dysart, art by Khari Evans, Lewis Larosa, and Ian Hannin)

American telepath, Peter Stanchek, has been fleeing various authorities since he first realized he wasn’t mentally-ill but superpowered. Now, another superpowered harbinger, Toyo Harada, promises he can solve all his problems. But something about this Professor X wannabe seems a little off.


Episode 5: Bloodshot Setting The World On Fire
(written by Duane Swierczynski, art by Arturo Lozzi and Manuel Garcia)

A supersoldier doesn’t know who he is but is determined to find out. He also has nanites in his blood that give him a healing factor. He sounds like a ton of terrible 90s superhero cliches wrapped into one but as his backstory unfolds, his intrigue grows.

Episode 6: Harbinger Renegades
(written by Josh Dysart, art by Phil Briones and Barry Kitson)

Pete Stanchek discovers there’s more to The Harbinger Foundation than Harada let on, so he assembles his own team of superpowered teenagers to take The Harbinger Foundation down.

Episode 7: Bloodshot The Rise And The Fall
(written by Duane Swierczynski, art by Warren Simons)

What is Project Rising Spirit, and what does it have to do with our vicious supersolider friend? Now that he’s erased the false memories implanted in him, it’s time to figure out who he really used to be.


Episode 8: Harbinger Wars
Episode 9: Harbinger Harbinger Wars
Episode 10: Bloodshot Harbinger Wars
(written by Josh Dysart and Duane Swierczynski, art by Clayton Henry, Barry Kitson, and Mico Suayan)

So it turns out Project Rising Spirit and The Harbinger Foundation have the same Big Bad organizer. Yeup, what The Valiant Universe has in common isn’t a moral code, or a common origin, it’s a common enemy.  Can the combined might of Bloodshot and the Renegades take down Toyo Harada?


Season 1 is 10 episodes


Interseason Special 1: X-O Manowar Planet Death
(written by Robert Venedetti, art by Clayton Crain)

​As I’ve done with some of the other continuities, I’m including Interseasom specials,  a la Doctor Who. Annoyed by how The Vine set its sights on his home planet of Earth, Aric takes the fight to their home planet, determined to kill those slave-taking aliens once and for all.

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