Livewire is getting a series in Secret Weapons. The Secret Weapons was one of the books highlighted at Fried Pie Comic Con Vol 2 where Valiant was on hand with a free preview. I of course picked up one of those free previews and happy to say that this series is going to be really cool.
The Secret Weapons series is written by the writer of Arrival, Eric Heisserer. Eric worked with Valiant characters while working on the screen plays for Valiant film ambitions and said he fell in love with the Livewire character and excited to work with the character again on this project.
“Of all the writing I’ve done in the last year, my heart is most in SECRET WEAPONS and its collection of freaks, misfits, and outcasts. And I think a story of a woman who’s shouldered such great burdens, now trying to rescue some lost souls and form a surrogate family, may be one of the most emotional stories I’ve put to paper.
“And where this story goes? Oh man, buckle up.”
Part of Valiant's publishing plan that was outlined in the Valiant Summit was Icons theme in 2017. The publisher felt that in 2016 it was a good time to pull their main characters off of shelves so they could focus on creating new characters. This helped them catapult the character of Faith to being one of the most recognizable characters in comics. In 2017 Valiant wants to bring back its Icons where it begins to launch its most recognizable names, X-O Manowar, Shadowman, Ninjak, Rai, Bloodshot and of course Livewire.
Secret Weapons is going to be a series that focuses on Livewire but also introduces a variety of new Valiant Psiots. These Psiots were discarded by Harada due to their powers being seemingly useless. Livewire will find use for those powers and create a team to take on her former mentor. I think part of the fun of this series is going to be how does Livewire find a use for the powers of these discarded Psiots where her former mentor found none. The story will also unite the team very much against Harada and should bring Livewire's own past as one of Harada's chief lieutenants.
Rex-O who I know from his appearances in X-O Manowar is a villain in the series is hunting down this group of Psiots. Why is he after them and how can they manage to defeat him?
Valiant Announcement of Secret Weapons written by Eric Heisserer.
Official Announcement:
SECRET WEAPONS #1 (of 4)
Written by ERIC HEISSERER
Art & Cover by RAUL ALLEN
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | VALIANT PRESTIGE | COMING IN JUNE!
The government has dispatched Amanda McKee – the technopath codenamed Livewire – to investigate the ruins of a secret facility formerly run by Toyo Harada, the most powerful telepath on Earth and her former mentor. In his quest for world betterment at any cost, Harada sought out and activated many potential psiots like himself. Those who survived, but whose powers he deemed to have no value to his cause, were hidden away at this installation. But Livewire, having studied Harada’s greatest strengths and learned his deepest weaknesses, senses opportunity where he once saw failure. A young girl who can talk to birds… A boy who can make inanimate objects gently glow… To others, these are expensive failures. But, to Livewire, they are secret weapons…in need of a leader. Now, as a mechanized killer called Rexo seeks to draw them out, Livewire and her new team of cadets will be forced to put their powers into action…in ways they never could have imagined…
“Much like Faith before her, Livewire is a comics icon in the making. She is beloved by fans and adored by creators,” said Valiant CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani. “Finding the right stage for her to shine has been a top priority at Valiant for some time now and, with SECRET WEAPONS, Eric and Raul have crafted something truly special. Not only is this a story quite unlike any Valiant has told to date, but Eric and Raul have created a host of new characters unlike any others in comics. This series is the first step in a long-term plan that will be more than worth the wait, and will have major ramifications for all quarters of the Valiant Universe as we build toward HARBINGER WARS 2 in 2018.
“Without a doubt, Raul is one of the most talented artists in the industry, and every page he sends in leaves jaws on the floor,” he added. “Eric – one of the great storytellers anywhere in entertainment today and one of the sweetest people possible – is able to effortlessly jump between mediums with a passion and intensity that is virtually unrivaled. Together they make an amazing team, and we can’t wait to share their work with the world.”
In addition to his 2017 Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for ARRIVAL, Heisserer has received a host of high-profile awards and nominations for some of the most prominent institutions in entertainment, including the BAFTA Awards, the Writers Guild Awards, the Humanitas Prize, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the Chicago Film Critics Association, the Austin Film Critics Association, and more. His next projects will include a key role in shaping Valiant’s five-film slate of major motion pictures at Sony Pictures as the writer of the upcoming HARBINGER and BLOODSHOT feature films – currently scheduled for release in late 2018.
“My path to Secret Weapons is a bit wonky,” said Heisserer. “I started writing for characters like Pete, Faith, Livewire, and Bloodshot in the film adaptations of their stories. When I am given the opportunity to translate a property to screen, it’s like adopting someone else’s child for a while. I put in my time, try to respect all the hard work of the original authors, and sooner or later I’m on my way.
“The Valiant characters were different, especially Livewire. I kept thinking about her, long after my official writing services were complete. I wanted back into that world. I had crazy ideas for her powers, and the hard choices ahead of her. So, I asked to build a new book for Valiant, with a new group of faces, all led by Amanda. To my relief, Dinesh and Warren said yes.
“Of all the writing I’ve done in the last year, my heart is most in SECRET WEAPONS and its collection of freaks, misfits, and outcasts. And I think a story of a woman who’s shouldered such great burdens, now trying to rescue some lost souls and form a surrogate family, may be one of the most emotional stories I’ve put to paper.
“And where this story goes? Oh man, buckle up.”
SECRET WEAPONS #1
Written by ERIC HEISSERER
Art by RAÚL ALLÉN with PATRICIA MARTIN
Cover by RAÚL ALLÉN
Eric Heisserer – the Academy Award-nominated screenwriter of ARRIVAL and Valiant’s upcoming HARBINGER and BLOODSHOT feature films – joins Harvey Award-nominated visionary Raúl Allén (WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR) for an all-new Valiant Prestige-format adventure…launching Livewire and an extraordinary new team of heroes into the fight of their lives!
The government has dispatched Amanda McKee – the technopath codenamed Livewire – to investigate the ruins of a secret facility formerly run by Toyo Harada, the most powerful telepath on Earth and her former mentor. In his quest for world betterment at any cost, Harada sought out and activated many potential psiots like himself. Those who survived, but whose powers he deemed to have no value to his cause, were hidden away at this installation. But Livewire, having studied Harada’s greatest strengths and learned his deepest weaknesses, senses opportunity where he once saw failure. A young girl who can talk to birds… A boy who can make inanimate objects gently glow… To others, these are expensive disappointments. But, to Livewire, they are secret weapons…in need of a leader. Now, as a mechanized killer called Rex-O seeks to draw them out, Livewire and her new team of cadets will be forced to put their powers into action…in ways they never could have imagined…
PRESTIGE FORMAT LIMITED SERIES | BEGINNING JUNE 2017
