In this deep-dive episode of Classic Comics Cavalcade, hosts Jason Sacks and Carl Smith continue their history of Valiant Comics, focusing on the landmark "Unity" crossover event.

They explore how Jim Shooter and his team leveraged Valiant's tightly interconnected line of titles — Magnus Robot Fighter, Archer & Armstrong, X-O Manowar, Harbinger, Shadowman, and Solar Man of the Atom — into an ambitious, line-wide event that launched new series and reshaped the shared universe.

The pair debate the surprisingly divisive Frank Miller and Walt Simonson covers, dig into character arcs (including Sonar/Erica's unsettling storyline), rank the strongest and weakest issues, and trace Valiant's meteoric sales rise.

They also cover the company's eventual decline, the disastrous Deathmate crossover with Image Comics, and share collecting tips on omnibus editions and back-issue hunting. A must-listen for '90s comics fans.

Timestamps:

• 00:00:05 – Intro: continuing the history of Valiant Comics, wrapping up the pre-Unity era
• 00:13:39 – Life in the Valiant bullpen; Frank Miller and Walt Simonson's polarizing Unity covers
• 00:29:30 – Character deep dive: Shadow Man's surprising redemption arc and Sonar/Erica's dark storyline
• 00:52:42 – Assessing Archer & Armstrong post-Barry Windsor-Smith and how the series changes
• 01:10:35 – Valiant's business struggles despite licensing deals; Jim Shooter's "tragic figure" legacy
• 01:17:48 – The Deathmate/Image Comics crossover disaster and Valiant's sales numbers over time

Hashtags:

#ValiantComics #Unity #JimShooter #ComicBookHistory #MagnusRobotFighter #ArcherAndArmstrong #XOManowar #Harbinger #ShadowMan #FrankMiller #90sComics #ComicBookPodcast #ClassicComics #ComicCollecting #DeathmateComic

Is the web-slinger’s latest cinematic outing a masterpiece or a mismatched digression? Join hosts Jason Sacks and Eric Hoffman as they dive deep into the latest Tom Holland Spider-Man film.

The duo breaks down why this blockbuster’s emotional core and stunning, real-world New York visuals represent a massive return to form.

But it’s not all praise—the hosts pull no punches when dissecting the film's controversial villain choices, underutilized actors, and plotlines that left them completely divided. Tune in to find out if this sequel truly stands at the top of the Marvel hierarchy!

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 - Introduction & Spoiler Warning
• 01:34 - Premium Format Wars: RPX vs AMC XL
• 09:47 - Back to Basics: The Romita Sr. Costume Pop
• 16:31 - Under the Lens: Critiquing Director Daniel Cretton
• 22:53 - The Price of Maturity: The Cost of Growing Up
• 31:33 - Villain or Digression?: The Jean Grey Debate
• 41:52 - The Accountability Problem: A Lack of Consequences

Before they became a massive 1990s comic book phenomenon, Valiant Comics was at its absolute lowest ebb. In this episode, Jason Sacks and Carl Smith dive into the legendary "Pre-Unity" era of Valiant. Learn how industry icon Jim Shooter pivoted away from failed Nintendo games to launch masterclasses in sci-fi storytelling like Magnus Robot Fighter and Solar, Man of the Atom.

We explore why these grounded, high-stakes narratives completely blew away the flashy, story-light Marvel and DC books of 1991.Discover the secrets behind "Conan in a can" (I), the toxic teenage drama of Harbinger, and the intricate multi-era continuity that fans still love decades later.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro: The Low Ebb of Valiant Comics01:27 – The 1991 Launch of Magnus Robot Fighter05:01 – Solar, Man of the Atom & The Birth of a Shared Universe14:02 – Harbinger: Toxic High Schoolers with Superpowers16:13 – Why X-O Manowar is "Conan in a Can" 28:35 – Pre-Unity vs. Post-Unity: Valiant's Forgotten Integrity#valiantcomics 90sComics #ComicBookHistory #JimShooter #XOManowar #MagnusRobotFighter #ClassicComics #comicbooks

Jim Shooter saved Marvel in the ’80s—then got fired on the exact same day he met the man who would help him launch Valiant Comics.

In Part 1 of our Valiant deep dive, Jason Sacks and Carl Smith break down the chaotic, rarely discussed origins of the label. From a failed multi-million dollar auction to buy Marvel, to printing bizarre, poorly disguised Nintendo advertisement comics, and fighting with the WWF over locker room plot twists, this is the story of how Valiant nearly died as a licensed-property flop before its legendary '90s superhero boom even began. 👇 Episode Chapters 0:00 - Introduction & Meet Carl Smith01:15 - The Untold Backstory of Valiant 02:44 - Jim Shooter’s Vision Post-Marvel 07:18 - The Massive 1980s Marvel Auction 09:00 - Licensing the Classic Gold Key Heroes 10:21 - The Weird Nintendo & Game Boy Era 13:55 - Jim Shooter's Shocking Early Origins 17:24 - The WWF License Flop💬 What do you think was the biggest factor in Valiant's early struggles? Let us know in the comments! #ValiantComics #ComicBookHistory #JimShooter #ComicBooks #RetroComics

From throwing legendary hotel parties with Stan Lee to getting invited to lunch at Jack Kirby's house, comic book editor and industry veteran Dave Elliott has seen it all!In this episode of Classic Comics Cavalcade, Jason Sacks sits down with lifelong comics veteran Dave Elliott to discuss his massive career, his newest project A1 Deadline, and the incredible history of the indie comic scene. Dave pulls back the curtain on what it’s really like backstage at San Diego Comic-Con's Hall H, how Hollywood graphic novel gigs paid his bills for 20 years, and why the industry shouldn't forget the brilliant creators of the 80s and 90s.Plus, Jason shares a phenomenal, must-hear story about a personal press roundtable encounter with Iron Mike Tyson, where a question about pigeons led to an incredibly deep, real moment with the legend himself.If you love comic history, punk rock attitude, and unmatched backstage stories about icons like Jack Kirby, Frank Miller, and Stan Lee, you do not want to miss this interview!✨ Support the Show & Guest:🔹 Check out Dave Elliott's newest book A1 Deadline on BackerKit🔹 Ask for it at your local UK or US comic retailer🔹 Subscribe to the channel for more classic comic history

New comics, classic comics, underground and indie, we cover them all this week!

Amir and Jason talk about their latest pickups, including Pee Pee Poo Poo by Caroline Cash, Time Under Tension and Desperate Pleasures by M.S. Harkness, Yummy Fur by Chester Brown, Fielder by Kevin Huizenga; the zines Mineshaft, 1986 and Bubbles, along with some amazing original art by the legendary Trevor Von Eeden.

Also a discussion of the most important years of comic book history!

Ryan Claytor has been creating wonderful comics and other works of art for 20 years now. To celebrate, he's creating a new collection of that twenty years' worth of work, and he wants to invite you along to see how he created it! One Bite at a Time, Ryan's new Kickstarter, is a lovingly produced new project which does that. Ryan joins Jason to chat about the project and why it's something you'll want to have in your own collection!

This week, Amir and Jason dig deep into their comics longboxes to find some of the cool treasures lurking within. They find some classic Flash Gordon, some Frank Frazetta, Kyle Baker, Richard Corben, Vaughn Bode, Steve Ditko and many others, plus Jason shares some of the custom bound comics he has had done recently.

All of this is a good listen but is also well worth watching on the Classic Comics Cavalcade YouTube channel!

This week Amir and Jason decided to have some fun and do a quick episode talking about some of the fantastic comics they've read recently. They delve deep into some great names, including Harvey Pekar, Michel Fiffe, Joe Matt, Richard Corben and many others... we'd love to hear what you think about these recommendations and others you might have for us... please share in comments!