Valiant Comics didn't just fade away — it imploded. In this follow-up to their Unity crossover deep-dive, the hosts trace the fall: Eternal Warrior's forgettable solo run, Archer & Armstrong's comedic genius, and the insane speculator boom that made Wizard Magazine practically a Valiant mouthpiece (allegedly paid for).

Then it gets dark — Jim Shooter's shocking ouster right as the company hit $2 million/month in profit, the Deathmate crossover disaster with Image Comics that nearly killed the industry, and the 75% comic shop shutdown that followed. A wild, cautionary tale of 90s comic excess and collapse.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Recap: Unity crossover & intro to Valiant's fall

00:31 - Eternal Warrior & Archer and Armstrong spin off from Unity

07:40 - Turok's slow-burn debut and the hollow foil cover boom

11:03 - Wizard Magazine's cozy (and allegedly paid-for) Valiant coverage

15:36 - The speculator bubble, variant covers, and gold label chase

20:57 - Jim Shooter's ouster, told in his own words

30:12 - Deathmate: the crossover disaster that helped tank the comic industry

HASHTAGS

#ValiantComics #ComicBookHistory #90sComics #JimShooter #Bloodshot #XOManowar #Turok #ArcherAndArmstrong #ComicBookPodcast #ImageComics #Deathmate #ComicSpeculatorBoom #WizardMagazine #ComicBookCollecting

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