VALIANT BEYOND: ALL-NEW HARBINGER #3 – New Comic Review

Valiant Beyond: All-New Harbinger #3, by Alien Books & Valiant Comics on 11/19/25, comes charging in with a showdown of psychic, super-powered drama and enough moral hand-wringing to leave readers intrigued and exasperated.

Credits:

• Writer: Fred Van Lente
• Artist: Erik Tamayo
• Colorist: Exequiel Roel, Ludwig Olimba
• Letterer: Camila Jorge
• Cover Artist: Andrea Broccardo (cover A)
• Publisher: Alien Books/Valiant Entertainment
• Release Date: November 19, 2025
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $4.99
• Page Count: 30
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of VALIANT BEYOND: ALL-NEW HARBINGER #3:

First Impressions:

The opening pages set an earnest tone, spotlighting the burden of power and responsibility with a sermon that’s more therapy session than pep rally. Right out of the gate, you’re dunked into a mix of harsh realities and snarky banter, signaling a comic that wants to balance explosive action with introspective angst. Whether that’s a recipe for genuine narrative thrill or just clever posturing is left dangling, tempting readers to dig in.

Recap:

In Valiant Beyond: All-New Harbinger #2, Chung-Cha Kwan crashed onto the scene in issue two, nervously eager for her first taste of team action, only to find the All-New Harbinger squad already flattened by Black Sheep’s ruthless assault. As Kwan and veteran Alloy pick through the rubble, chaos escalates outside the city’s dome with desperate “Steppers” clamoring to break into Foundation City. Flamingo is left to juggle super-powered defenses and crises of privilege, while Crane and Prodigal brawl with Black Sheep’s gang amid mounting disaster. Tensions peak when the dome heals, trapping friend and foe alike. Alloy reconnects with Livewire to find a hidden bomb amid the hostages, forcing a frantic scramble as Black Sheep gloats and the clock ticks down, leading to a charged cliffhanger fueled by equal parts irony and frustration.

Plot Analysis:

Supremum Stanchek opens the issue with a sermon about power and obligation, speaking to an anxious crowd and peppering the narrative with the message, “To whom much has been given, much more will be required,” a mantra that echoes throughout the chaotic events of Foundation City. Outside the city’s protective dome, tempers and powers flare as Steppers argue about methods for tunneling in, setting the stage for Flamingo’s fiery display and underscoring the motif of exclusion and resentment. Soon, chaos ramps up inside the dome as Alloy tries to extract the trigger device from a terrorist’s explosive bomb, while Livewire is pressured to halt mech-forms designed to resist her technopathic attacks. With team dynamics strained and everyone under fire, Chung-Cha Kwan vies for acceptance and respect, having a tense exchange with team leader Prodigal that highlights her motivation, the scars of personal tragedy, and the tricky dance of authority and insecurity.​

Events spiral as Alloy and Crane attempt flanking maneuvers against Black Sheep and her Human League followers. Strategies crash alongside egos, culminating in a tag-team “Fireball Special” targeting Black Sheep’s neural implants, a move that blends super-powered spectacle with weary sarcasm. The bomb plot resolves abruptly, with Cici saving the day in a rush, but Stanchek arrives just in time to spar ideologically with the antagonist X, setting up a war of words about oppression, liberty, and the role of power in governance. Stanchek, unknown to the Harbinger team outside, chooses to detonate the bomb in order to turn public opinion away from the Human League, sacrificing Kwan for the greater good. Order is restored just as conflict sours, and an emotionally stunted handoff between Archer and Crane ends with the city and the team licking their wounds and taking stock of personal losses. The final page teases fresh conflict as Kwan, who survived the explosion, contrary to Stanchek’s knowledge, still searching for belonging, turns to her team leader, setting up new arcs and lingering questions about what loyalty means in this battered city.

Story

Dialogue is punchy, sometimes veering into speechmaking, with a mix of quips and heavy statements that serve dual roles: moving the plot and reminding readers of each character’s internal struggle. The pacing fits the stakes, favoring quick transitions and plenty of escalation over drawn-out introspection, though exposition occasionally stifles momentum. Structurally, it juggles ensemble chaos with flashbacks and sermon-style narration, resulting in a story that’s equal parts action and emotional inventory. Never lost, but never subtle.

Art

Panels maintain visual clarity even during frantic action, with composition that keeps characters distinct and setting dynamic, easily guiding the eye through crowded pages. Color favors high-contrast blues, reds, and stark whites to amplify psychic battles and metaphoric heat, though the mood sometimes clashes with the narrative’s weightier themes. The art is functional and crisp, excelling in group shots but occasionally leaving faces generic, robbing the big reveals of full emotional punch.

Characters

Motivations ring true. Kwan’s raw grief and drive land well, while Prodigal’s stand-offish mentorship feels earned even when it sours into impatience. Other characters (Flamingo, Alloy, Crane) hold consistent beats from previous arcs, but aren’t especially deepened, mainly serving as moving pieces or comic relief to keep the ensemble lively. The third issue keeps the cast relatable enough for a reader investment, yet saves bigger emotional shifts for future installments.

Originality & Concept Execution

The comic leans hard on meta-commentary, using superhuman drama to grapple with privilege, exclusion, and governance, a refreshing twist on the city-under-siege formula. The premise, blending dystopian politics with psychic warfare, gets a solid workout, though it still feels a little familiar if you’ve read earlier Valiant arcs. Execution mostly matches ambition, especially in scenes that contrast moral lectures with desperate fistfights, but originality sometimes loses out to tried-and-true genre ticks.

Positives

All-New Harbinger #3 scores highest with its ability to weave ethical debates seamlessly into straight-up hero dust-ups, making the most of a large cast without losing narrative thread. The composition is tight during group battle scenes, letting the art amplify both scale and stakes, and the dialogue never drops the ball entirely, blending angst with wit so younger readers feel both energized and challenged. Kwan’s arc, from eager rookie to battered team player, is relatable, holding the issue together and giving readers a reason to care about what comes next.

Negatives

A few too many sermon interludes bog down pacing, making some pages feel like homework instead of entertainment. Emotional beats, though present, are sometimes sacrificed for quick plotting and punchy dialogue, leaving cast members feeling more like genre archetypes than full personalities. The biggest drawback: while the premise promises fresh takes, the actual plot progression feels a shade too familiar for seasoned readers, trading risk for reliability.

Art Samples:

The Scorecard

Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): [3/4]
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): [3/4]
Value (Originality & Entertainment): [1/2]

Final Thoughts:

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Foundation City is open for business, but whether it’s a goldmine of new ideas or just a salvage yard for used superhero drama depends on your patience for psychic angst and your appetite for witty brawls. For anyone seeking political edge wrapped in explosive spectacle, VALIANT BEYOND: ALL-NEW HARBINGER #3 delivers more than a fair shake, even if it forgets to keep every promise fresh. In short: worthwhile for fans who want a sharp, complex team story, but no revelation for readers seeking something wild and truly new.

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