HARBINGER WARS #3 Calls for H.A.R.D. CORPS Action
Valiant Entertainment has had one big first year. They've successfully launched five ongoing series, received copious critical acclaim, moved forward on film adaptations, played in the video game world, partnered up with the USA Luge team, and were named Publisher of the Year by Diamond & comic retailers.
And they're not slowing down.
While writers Josh Dysart and Duane Swierczynski are chained to their keyboards being watched over by Bloodshot himself, newly appointed CEO Dinesh Shamdasani took a moment out of his busy schedule to tell us a bit more about H.A.R.D. Corps' debut, and what the team might be up to in the future, as well as an important story tease for Harbinger Wars.
Dinesh Shamdasani: Very simply, it's the size, scope and high stakes of Harbinger Wars that necessitated the acceleration. Harbinger Wars is primarily a character-driven crossover, which is a little bit of a departure from the types of events we've seen lately, but it's also a hell of a slugfest! Harbinger Wars is the first time we're really going to see the big guns in the Valiant Universe go head to head. We teased the potential of two characters colliding with the Enter: Ninjak arc of X-O Manowar and here Joshua Dysart and Duane Swierczynski will be delivering full force on that promise. Without giving away too much, we were able to very organically introduce characters like the H.A.R.D. Corps and the new Harbinger children which allowed us to really deliver stakes worthy of a major event.
Nrama: Who are H.A.R.D. Corps in the new Valiant universe? Is this Gunslinger and his crew? And how close will they be to their previous incarnation?
Shamdasani: Great question! But I can't tell you anything!! It's just too much fun to ruin. But I will say that just like in the original H.A.R.D. Corps series, even the most seemingly untouchable characters are extremely vulnerable. They can be be wounded, they can be maimed, and, just because someone appears to be a core member of the team, that doesn't mean that their head won't be the next on the chopping block.
Shamdasani: You're right! They should all be on the same side but they're busy fighting each other. Why would they do that? Who could possibly manipulate them all and who would benefit? Hmmm...
It's something we've talked a great deal about because really it's an opportunity to do something different. Just this week Executive Editor Warren Simons was geeking out about the new scene Josh and Duane have written pitting Bloodshot against Harada. It was not an easy scene to crack. How does Bloodshot possibly take on one of the most powerful men in the world, do it believably and do it without any narrative trickery? It's a storytelling opportunity that allows us to do something unique and frickin' awesome. When the confrontation between these characters finally comes to a head, hold on because hopefully this will be one of the definitive moments of the Harbinger Wars story and one that fans will still be debating long after the issue has hit stands.
Nrama: What is the future of this new/old team? Will they be one-and-done in Harbinger Wars, or will they be sticking around for the long haul? Any specific plans?
Nrama: What is one thing that may surprise longtime fans about H.A.R.D. Corps' appearance in Harbinger Wars?
Shamdasani: Longtime fans are going to be incredibly happy...at first.
Nrama: And finally, what's one thing your new readers, who came to Valiant with the relaunch, should know about H.A.R.D. Corps going into this issue?
Shamdasani: These guys are dangerous. They are not covert operators and they are not stealthy. When it comes to a precarious situation like the Harbinger Wars, they are a weapon of last resort. We keep saying internally that the H.A.R.D. Corps are not a scalpel. They're more like a landmine. Dropping them into the mix of Harbinger Wars is going to ensure things are explosive – and, rest assured, they are not an element that Bloodshot, Harada, or the Renegades will be anticipating.
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