Years ago, in the age of Valiant under Jim Shooter, I read and enjoyed Harbinger. That series marked the re-ascendance of Jim Shooter in the comics world after his ignominious expulsion from Marvel. Shooter soon wore out his welcome in Valiant (in a move that everyone expected) and my interest in Harbinger waned. 20 years later, Valiant decided to restart Harbinger again, this time written by Joshua Dysart and drawn by Khari Evans. I was reluctant to read this due to my affection for the Shooter books. However, I picked the first two TPBs up at a recent comicon and have been kicking myself for not reading them sooner. Let’s check it out.
The basic plot elements stay the same, Harada is a wealthy industrialist who is secretly a super powered man and he has a collection of other super powered individuals. Pete Stanchek is a supremely super powered teen who’s not thrilled with being in Harada’s grasp and gets his own motley collection of super powered teens to help him out. The incarnation is neither black or white about who’s good and who’s bad. Everyone is gray. Harada’s corporation has significantly improved the lives of people across the world. He’s a true hero, but his super powered academy isn’t exactly in line with what Charles Xavier would do.
Pete Stanchek is a jerk who’s not good for his friends or his family or the girl he brainwashed into loving him. And he’s not going to stand for the Harada school super hero hazing. But he’s such a jerk that you never feel sorry for him. Or, when you start feeling sorry for him, he starts acting like a jerk again. His brainwashed girlfriend decides to stay with the group after being unbrainwashed (for shaky reasons) and Zephyr comes across as a simpleton. The other characters are very lightly characterized.
I enjoyed the book because it is so different from any other book on the market. It’s a different story and it’s enjoyable in its own way. However, I worry that if the book continues too long, then the lack of a character to sympathize with will become noticeable and annoying. I’m curious how Dysart will continue the story. Recommended.