We reach the fourth (and so far final) comic in Valiant’s reimagined universe, Valiant Beyond. I have a pet hate for series which call themselves ‘New’ or ‘All-New’, because it doesn’t take long before they don’t feel new at all. Think about early 80s New Teen Titans, or 2001 series New X-Men for just a few examples of series which are now always called ‘New’, when they’re anything but.

In All-New Harbinger #1, we’re introduced to the team one by one, as well as a new member, as they’re called in to deal with a terrorist called Black Sheep.

Despite an opening sequence which seems to hit the ground running, the rest of the issue is spent fairly laboriously introducing each member of the Harbinger team. It’s incredibly confusing, with so much mention of people, places and general jargon which seems fairly impenetrable or just flat out not explained at all. It feels like we’re dropped into a somewhat detailed universe in media res, but without anything being properly elaborated on, so it’s difficult to know why we should care or even understand what’s going on.

For a first issue, being part of a supposedly accessible and simplified line of comics, it’s a pretty disappointing failure. Perhaps those with prior knowledge of the Harbinger characters or the previous Valiant Universe(s) would be better placed to know what’s happening here, but that goes completely against the point of the Valiant Beyond line.

This is by far the weakest of the Valiant Beyond titles, though it doesn’t have the blatant transphobia of Bloodshot #1, so I’m willing to at least give it a chance. It’s a real shame, because writer Fred Van Lente is usually pretty dependable, but it’s like he forgot the brief about making sure this new series is accessible to newcomers, right from the start.

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