Shadowman returns for Free Comic Book Day

Word Balloons #1160: Valiant Entertainment also looking at prose, RPGs in addition to comics

Free Comic Book Day is coming up on May 6, and among the titles available will be the return of a classic writer/artist to a notable nocturnal hero. 

Bob Hall’s Shadowman is the focus of the Free Comic Book Day comic from Valiant Entertainment for 2023. The book will also feature pages from “X-O Manowar Unconquered.” 

There hasn’t been much news from Valiant Comics in the past year, but some recent announcements seem to indicate something is stirring at the publisher, which was one of the top publishers of the 1990s before returning in 2012. In 2022, the comic publishing line slimmed down significantly, with the publisher releasing one title per month. These recent announcements appear to indicate the publisher is continuing to look for an audience for the characters, in comic shops and in other ways.

Here’s the description of the “Shadowman” comic set for FCBD release: 

“From legendary SHADOWMAN creator Bob Hall, Valiant's FCBD SHADOWMAN new story delves into the secret past of Valiant's premier horror character.”

The FCBD issue also includes an inside look at the 2023 series “X-O Manowar Unconquered” from the writing team of Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad and artist Liam Sharp.

Hall was the writer for most of the 1990s “Shadowman” series from Valiant, and co-created the villainous Master Darque. New “Shadowman” tales from Hall, even in a small dose, would no doubt be welcomed by many Valiant fans.  

In other “Shadowman” news, the character is one of four highlighted in a new announcement about prose novels featuring the Valiant characters. 

In “Shadowman: The Abyss Stares Back,” debut novelist Shola Adedeji draws readers into the shadow world of New Orleans for his take on Shadowman. 

According to the description: 

Jack Boniface returns to New Orleans after being away for years because his father has died. Jack tries to reacclimate himself to his hometown, but things have changed so much. There seem to be dark forces at work. And then Jack finds out that his father was The Shadowman, a supernatural warrior. Jack now finds himself pulled into a much larger, terrifying world, and must assume his father’s mantle.

Other novels in the series will focus on Bloodshot, Livewire and the Eternal Warrior. Writers for those novels are Fred Van Lente, Sarah Raughley and Ari Marmell.

Fred Pierce, Valiant’s publisher, expressed his excitement in a news release. 

“Here at Valiant Entertainment, our focus has always been on strong storytelling and excellent character development,” Pierce said. “Those elements aren't exclusive to comics so having the chance to explore the Valiant Universe in other forms of publishing is always a thrill for us."

Release dates for the novels were not announced. 

What else is happening with Valiant? 

Want to roll the dice as Shadowman, Eternal Warrior or X-O Manowar? 

Green Ronin Publishing announced this month that it has signed a licensing agreement with DMG Entertainment and Valiant Entertainment to publish the Valiant Adventures Roleplaying Game in 2024. The game is based on Green Ronin’s Mutants & Masterminds RPG.

“We have designed RPG material that’s appeared in Valiant comics before, so making a full roleplaying game is the natural next step,” said Green Ronin President Chris Pramas in a news release. “We’re excited to bring the characters and settings of the Valiant Universe into the Mutants & Masterminds family.”

The project kicks off with Valiant Adventures Hero’s Handbook and the Worlds of Valiant campaign setting.

“Our mission is to bring the pages of Valiant comics to life in a roleplaying game. The Mutants & Masterminds rules engine, renowned for its adaptability, ensures a game world infused with Valiant’s signature gritty realism,” said the game’s developer Alexander Thomas in a news release. “The adaptations we made to our M&M Quickstart Character Generator cover Valiant staples like Deadsiders, psiots, or nanite-infused heroes. The Worlds of Valiant campaign setting features game stats for over 80 heroes and villains, and iconic locations like Britannia, The Deadside, Earth, The Faraway, New Japan, Space, The Stalinverse, and The Unknown.”

According to Green Ronin, Valiant Adventures will be a stand-alone RPG that will be fully compatible with Mutants & Masterminds, allowing rules material to be shared freely between the two games.

Matthew Price, matthew@matthewlprice.com, has written about the comics industry for more than two decades. He is the co-owner of Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman, Oklahoma.