Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, dynamite, Magnus, Solar, Turok, valiant

Turok, Magnus And Solar – How Dynamite Were… Inspired by Valiant

Published Thu, 23 Jan 2014 09:00:43 -0600

Last year, it was announced that Dynamite had the won the Gold Key licence, to publish comics characters from the sixties, most recently published by Dark Horse, but best known for being published by Valiant Entertainment/Acclaim in the nineties.

The new Valiant Entertainment didn't acquire the Gold Key licenses, but most people still associate the characters with the previous publisher that carried the Valiant name.

And Dynamite is aware of that.

Which is why Dynamite appears to be suggesting links to Valiant's marketing and editorial choices with their Magnus, Solar and Turok titles.

Such as using the title Turok, Dinosaur Hunter as classic Valiant did, rather than the original Gold Key and Dark Horse choice, Turok, Son Of Stone.

Choosing talent (who had worked for Dynamite before) such as Fred Van Lente of current Archer & Armstrong on Magnus: Robot Fighter and Greg Pak of current Eternal Warrior on Turok: Dinosaur Hunter (although who hired Greg on the respective title is, I understand, up for debate).

Bart Sears of current Bloodshot and H.A.R.D. Corps and classic X-O Manowar and Turok is doing Gold Key covers for Dynamite. Tom Fowler of current Quantum & Woody is doing covers. And Bob Layton of classic Valiant is doing covers.

Dynamite's Turok #1 has a homage cover to Valiant's famous Turok #1 cover, both by Bart Sears…

Valiant has done this a number of times, too.

Dynamite are replicating the Valiant Pullbox cover promotions with their Subscription covers, thought to be fair, IDW and Boom also nicked this idea.

Dynamite's solicitations include "Acclaimed" Grek Pak, stating that Turok: Dinosaur Hunter is going to "return", making it look more like a continuance from what came before.

And it has worked! Well, according to this flyer from Midtown Comics which mistakenly lists Magnus: Robot Fighter #1 as a Valiant book.

But could it have worked too well? Is there a danger that retailers haven't ordered the book because they didn't see it in Valiant's listings?

Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite, in his regular calls to retailer has been making sure to let them know that the Gold Key books are available to order right now…. and where they can find it!

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