One expects some light and easy reading when it comes to comic books and graphic novels, and this tends to be the case ninety-nine percent of the time. Comic books are quick reads that don’t often require a lot of deep thought, but there times when things get a little harder and heavier than expected.
Valiant sent us over a copy of the 40-page Valiant Universe Handbook 2016 Edition for us to check out and it is one of those very few cases where reading becomes a challenge, and not because it is boring, but because of the large amount of content inside. It’s not at all your typical comic book and makes for a different sort of read.
You do feel this innate need to know it all and learn about the world the Valiant people have created, and that’s what we get here. Maybe it was the best option to put the wealth of information in a single volume, but it also could be counterproductive as it sort of turns into more of a mandatory read in my opinion, sort of textbook like, instead of something light and fun.
That said the text is very rich in terms of details and events explored. That actually might be why it becomes slightly difficult to keep going through every page if you’re not into the kind of story or character it describes. This is just a preference of mine, sticking to classic comic stories, but I know there are lots of people into these sort of collections.
Valiant Universe Handbook 2016 Edition #1 is more a reference book and not actually something you must read if you don’t want to. If there are any readers that want, and feels the need to know every single detail about Valiant universe, which I’m sure must exist, this is the perfect companion book. Also, if you are new it’s a nice way to get a bigger picture to see what books you may want to pick up.
Artistically, there is a lack of content here because of the format. The bulk of the book is the information about every series, character and team that we come across within the Valiant Universe. There isn’t much art to talk about, but that’s the idea and lends to the textbook like feel.
That said there are some pages that are more easy to read because of the art included, with some art even taking up a lot of space which makes it a more interesting. But those are few and far between which is a shame. I would have loved this to be more art heavy along with the text.
However, the variety and many styles of art we do see is all solid. It does really feel like every page was done by a different artist which makes sense as the art is pulled from the respective books being talked about. This offers a little preview of what we will find on each comic, just a little spoonful of the actual product, and that does work great for those new to the Valiant universe and interested in checking out a specific book.
There is a lack of balance between text and art, and I consider this is a risky option if you don’t already like a number of the current comics from Valiant. But if you are a fan, then Valiant Universe Handbook 2016 Edition #1 is right up your ally and will fill you in on all the goings on in the universe. It’s best for serious fans only, but those interested in the expanding Valiant books might also enjoy it, especially if you like lots of background.
About Author
