TITLE: Harbinger vol. 1, issue #16
YEAR: April 1993
COMPANY: Valiant Comics
Written by Maurice Fontenot
Penciler: Howard Simpson
Inker: Gonzalo Mayo
Colorist: Maria Beccari
Back in 1992, Valiant Comics released a comic book series which would become one of its most popular series for the company titled “Harbinger”.
While the comic book series was relaunched by Valiant Entertainment in 2012, for me, one of my favorite Valiant comics to read was “Harbinger” and it’s a series that I have yet haven’t completed because the earliest issues and the last few issues are hard to come by.
But fortunately, of the 41 issues released, I was able to get the majority of them.
As the series was no doubt one of the most well-written for Valiant Comics and the story remained central to the Valiant Universe due to the primary antagonist, Toyo Harada.
The series began with Toyo Harada, the first Harbinger and is an Omega-class Harbinger, has used his psionic abilities, telepathy, telekinesis and mind-control to become one of the most wealthiest individuals on the planet.
But Harada fears the world is going to be destroyed, so he decides to take over the world and mold it, in the way he perceives the world should be. And to help him, he has created the Harbinger Foundation, which includes potential Harbingers being brought together.
So, for Harada to change the world, he has recruited Harbingers (for his Harbinger Foundation), people with special abilities and teach them how to use their powers. And the best of the Harbingers are known as Eggbreakers, whose job is to go after renegade Harbingers.
Along with Harada, it was discovered by the Harbinger Foundation that Peter Stanchek was another Omega Harbinger and he was instantly recruited. But Peter found out the truth about Harada and he and his girlfriend fled the Harbinger Foundation and along with other Harbingers they come across, try to prevent Harada from reaching his goals. Despite Eggbreakers trying to hunt them down.
Peter who goes by the name of Sting and his girlfriend Kris Hathaway are joined by Charlene Dupre (Flamingo), John Torkelson (Torque) and Faith “Zeppelin” Herbert (Zephyr)
I decided to close my eyes and pick a random comic in my Valiant box today and I picked out issue #16.
In this issue, Peter, Flamingo and Shatiqua are out and about and as they are about to go up a rooftop, they run into another rogue Harbinger group led by Ax. as Ax sends Roxy, Bazooka, Scout and others to squash Peter and his friends.
But as the two get into a major fight above the rooftops, Harada’s Eggbreakers arrive.
Stronghold, Ghost, Spikeman and Sparrow of the Eggbreakers go to stop and capture them but Bazooka shoots Sparrow and also shoots Stronghold.
As he is going for the kill, Livewire comes to check on Stronghold and as Bazooka pistolwhips her and knocks her out, Stronghold grabs onto Bazooka’s arm and blows up his whole right side of his body.
Meanwhile, Spikeman betrays his own and rescues Ax (who broke his leg trying to escape in a fire escape) from getting killed. But when Roxy shows up, Spikeman and Roxy reveal they are a couple. Ax is upset because Roxy is his girlfriend but the two leave him to be captured by the Eggbreakers.
Meanwhile, an injured Stronghold and Livewire go AWOL and Stanchek approaches them to join their group. But Stronghold tells him that he’s sick of fighting and wants to be in control of his own destiny.
And that was it…no doubt suggesting that there will be a new rogue group of Harbingers and another group that will be in danger from Harada and the Eggbreakers.
I absolutely love “Harbinger” and I know the story has been relaunched with the new Valiant Entertainment and things have changed quite a bit with characters and storyline but I recently purchased the first full run of “Harbinger” to see for myself if I will enjoy the “Harbingers” from Valiant Entertainment.
But will need to do more OG “Harbinger” blog posts in the near future!