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