Created for the 30th Anniversary of the original VALIANT Universe, these few pages of information and images provide a “quick start guide” for those who might want to jump into early Valiant collecting.

read, learn, collect
Created for the 30th Anniversary of the original VALIANT Universe, these few pages of information and images provide a “quick start guide” for those who might want to jump into early Valiant collecting.
The VALIANT UNIVERSE began in the early 1990s with a revival of the 1963 Gold Key title Magnus Robot Fighter 4000AD. | Gold Key![]() | ![]() | May 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The first comic in the Valiant Universe was Magnus Robot Fighter #1, with a cover date of May 1991. | Valiant ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
September 1991 | ![]() | Gold Key![]() Valiant ![]() | Another Gold Key character Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom from 1962 was reimagined in Solar, Man of the Atom #1 for September 1991. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The first original Valiant universe character was Rai, first appearing on the flipside of Magnus #5 as a Rai #1 mini-series cover. Rai is the earliest original Valiant character included in the current Valiant universe. | ![]() =flipbook= ![]() | ![]() | October 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
November 1991 | ![]() | Solar #3 introduced Toyo Harada and the Harbinger Foundation. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
December 1991 | ![]() | Magnus #7 showed the first X-O Commando armor, worn by the first Spider-Alien shown with four fingers on each hand. X-O Commando armor is a lower class than the X-O Manowar armor. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
January 1992 | ![]() | Harbinger #1 was the first original Valiant universe title, introducing five teen Harbinger renegades: Peter, Kris, Faith, Charlene (Flamingo), and Torque. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
February 1992 | ![]() | X-O Manowar #1 followed as the second original Valiant title with the first appearance of Aric of Dacia and the first appearance of the X-O Manowar armor. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
March 1992 | ![]() | Rai #1 was the third regular series Valiant title, following the Rai four issue mini-series published as the flipside of Magnus #5-#8.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
May 1992 | ![]() | ![]() | Shadowman #1 presented Jack Boniface as Shadowman, the same month as his brief appearance as a jazz musican in X-O Manowar #4.![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() | Magnus #12 re-introduced Turok, first appearing in Four Color #596 from Dell Publishing in 1954.![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Harbinger #6 included the death of Torque, one of the renegade teenagers. Harbinger #1 through #6 include coupons for Harbinger #0 Pink edition. Solar #10 introduced the Eternal Warrior (Gilad) and Geomancers Buck and Geoff McHenry. Solar #10 had a second printing six months later. The solid black cover is embossed, and the second printing has Roman numeral II on the cover. | ![]() ![]() | ![]() | June 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
July 1992 | ![]() | Archer & Armstrong #0 is the first issue and the first appearance of Obadiah Archer and Armstrong (Aram Anni-Padda). A gold edition of 5,000 copies was also released as the earliest dated Valiant retailer premium.![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Valiant comics with cover dates through July 1992 are Pre-Unity Valiant, indicating their publication prior to the Unity crossover storyline. A complete set of Pre-Unity Valiant comics is 54 books. In alphabetical order: Archer & Armstrong #0 Harbinger #1 – #7 Magnus #1 – #14 Rai #1 – #5 Shadowman #1 – #3 Solar, Man of the Atom #1 – #11 Vintage Magnus #1 – #4 X-O Manowar #1 – #6 Harbinger #1 – #6 and Magnus #1 – #8 included coupons for sendaway books (Harbinger #0 and Magnus #0), so those books often have the coupons cut out of the interior. Without the coupons, the books are considered damaged and are less valuable than intact copies.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A quick-reference printable page for 1991-1992 first appearances is available. QUICK LINK: The Valiant 1991-2002 comics are listed on a single page here. QUICK LINK: The Valiant 2012-present comics are listed on a single page here. |