It's dangerous to write a review of a Valiant title when you're a self-proclaimed Valiant fan. Right down to my handle, I've made it no secret that
VALIANT COMICS holds a special place in my heart as one of my favorite publisher. I went into
BOOK OF DEATH with a completely open mind; having only enough knowledge of the current Valiant Universe to be dangerous, but more than enough information of the original Valiant universe to hold my own against most hardcore fans like myself. That being said, BOOK OF DEATH #1 was absolutely amazing.
Without giving away too much of the book, all you need to know is there is a young Geomancer girl who has knowledge of the end of all things. She is being protected by Gilad, the
ETERNAL WARRIOR, and together, the duo will do whatever it takes to prevent this cataclysm from taking place. That includes potentially doing battle with the other powerhouses of the Valiant Universe such as the heroes of UNITY, like X-O MANOWAR and NINJAK.
This book continues (albeit loosely) from "THE VALIANT" mini-series released earlier this year as well as the
LEGENDS OF THE GEOMANCER promotional incentive storyline. While LEGENDS' #1 story is not necessarily essential to THIS story, the other Book of Death issues that chronicle the deaths of the individual characters most likely are. Longtime readers like myself will most likely applaud this book, but I don't know if I'd call this a great starting point for new readers. I mean, there's enough meat in the sandwich that fans of sandwiches will be pleased with the meal, but if this is your first sandwich, chew your food. This will almost certainly make you hungry for more.
Robert Venditti writes Valiant like he was born in this universe and is merely telling us a story he remembers. The issue flows very nicely and the artwork works perfectly for this issue. Hats off to Robert Gill and Doug Braithwaite for an amazing visual experience.
I haven't bought the second issue of this book yet, however, it's a must own for me. There's lots of different reasons to enjoy this title. From a fan who thinks one of the greatest comic books of all time is the original
RAI #0 (a tale which boldly chronicles the deaths of pretty much every major Valiant character), this book will not disappoint if you're a long time fan. For you VALIANT newbies out there, I envy you. This is an exciting time to discover VALIANT. They love their fans as much as their characters, and that's no joke. So buy two copies: one for you and one for your friend. They'll thank you before it's over.
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