4001 A.D. #1-4 (Matt Kindt / Clayton Crain)

[Le_Doc]

L’éditeur Valiant a officialisé sa mini-série événement de l’été prochain : 4001 A.D., qui sera composée de 4 épisodes dont la publication débutera en mai 2016.

4001 A.D. sera centré sur le personnage de Rai, explorera ses origines et les sombres implications de son existence dans ce futur reculé. Ecrit par Matt Kindt et dessiné par Clayton Crain, l’événement est pensé comme un « point d’entrée » pour les nouveaux lecteurs et fera intervenir des piliers de l’univers Valiant comme Eternal Warrior, XO Manowar, Bloodshot et Geomancer.

[quote]*One hundred years from today, Father – the benevolent artificial intelligence that governs the island nation of Japan – will gain sentience. To defend its borders, Father will take drastic action by launching Japan into space…where its people can thrive in isolation, away from the overpopulated and resource-deprived planet below. Over the centuries, as New Japan orbits our increasingly unstable world, it will become a model society – one built on peace, prosperity…and Father’s control.

A thousand years from today, Father will create the first Rai, founding a lineage of technologically enhanced heroes engineered to defend New Japan and sworn to protect it from all enemies. For hundreds of years into the future, the Rai will single-handedly enforce New Japan’s justice well…and serve Father without question.

Now, at the dawn of 4001 A.D., the latest Rai is about to inherit the dark truth behind the origin of his kind…and discover the sinister secret at the heart of Father’s existence. For New Japan to live, Earth must die…and as Rai challenges his former master for the first time in more than a millennium, the lone guardian of New Japan will be cast out of his own Father’s kingdom…

Exiled from the only realm he’s ever known, Rai now walks the ravaged world of 4001 A.D. in search of forgotten heroes like himself…on a mission to collect the last surviving legends of a broken planet…and to forge a rebellion with the power to bring the most advanced civilization in history crashing back down to Earth.

Earth must rise. Father must fall. Rai! Eternal Warrior! X-O Manowar! Bloodshot! Geomancer! Armstrong! And more! The war for the ultimate fate of humanity begins in 4001 A.D.!*[/quote]

@Warren Simmons (éditeur en chef de Valiant)

« The year 4001 has always been a vital component of the Valiant Universe but, now, for the first time, we’ll finally be pulling back to reveal the true scale of this world and the wildly diverse cast of heroes that inhabit it. Matt Kindt and Clayton Crain have pushed themselves to design a story that is positively brimming with crazy-mad energy, continent-sized ideas and unthinkable potential. From cosmic beings and sentient cities to post-apocalyptic warrior kings and cybernetic samurai, 4001 A.D. will see the Valiant heroes pushed beyond the threshold and into territory far beyond anything we have ever attempted before. »

4001 A.D. sera précédé d’un prologue publié dans le Free Comic Book Day 2016, qui inclura aussi des previews de A&A: The Advenures of Archer and Armstrong #1 par Rafer Roberts and David LaFuente et Divinity II #1 by Kindt and Trevor Hairsine.

[quote]VALIANT: 4001 A.D. FCBD SPECIAL
Written by MATT KINDT, RAFER ROBERTS, and MORE!
Art by CLAYTON CRAIN, TREVOR HAIRSINE, DAVID LAFUENTE, and MORE!
Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
FREE | 32 pgs. | COMING IN MAY!

4001 A.D. #1 (of 4)
Written by MATT KINDT
Art & Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | COMING IN MAY![/quote]

Source : newsarama.com

[artemus_dada]

…] l’événement est pensé comme un « point d’entrée » pour les nouveaux lecteurs …]

Ça c’est un truc qui semble tenir à cœur de l’éditeur, proposer des points d’entrée bien identifiés comme tels.
Valiant, du moins le « nouveau » **Valiant **n’est pas depuis très longtemps sur le marché mais outre proposer un univers partagé déjà assez étendu, il ne néglige pas les « nouveaux » lecteurs potentiels : des crossover courts souvent sous forme de mini-séries, avec un rythme assez « clinique » ; on dirait bien qu’il y a derrière tout ça un soucis réel de planifier les publications.

C’est cohérent et ça donne une confiance certaine aux lecteurs dans le suivi éditorial, je trouve.

Je suis ben content que cet éditeur revienne dans l’Hexagone (même si je suis passé à la V.O depuis).

[Blackiruah1 (Blackiruah)]

Hmm Moué…

[Jack]

Cette semaine, l’éditeur Valiant Entertainement lance une petite campagne de promotion pour ses projets à venir. Il commence avec 4001 A.D., le prochain évènement se déroulant à l’époque de la série Rai :

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[Jack]

[quote]*Dans 100 ans, Père - l’intelligence artificielle du Japon - va prendre conscience. Sa première action en tant qu’être, envoyer le Nouveau Japon en orbite pour sauver ses habitants d’une planète en perdition.
Cette société parfaite sera protégée pendant des centaines d’années par les guerriers synthétiques Rai, chacun servant Père avec loyauté.

A l’aube du quatrième millénaire, le dernier Rai découvre la vérité sur ses origines et le terrible secret qui entoure Père : pour que le Nouveau Japon vive, la Terre doit mourir. Se préparant à affronter son maitre, Rai est exilé du royaume et envoyé au seul endroit où il ne pourra plus jamais remettre en question les décisions du monarque : la Terre !

Sa dernière chance de survie : retrouver les légendes oubliées d’un monde sur le déclin pour fomenter une rébellion contre la civilisation la plus avancée de l’Histoire.

Ainsi débute 4001 A.D.*[/quote]

Lors d’une interview avec le scénariste Matt Kindt, le site IGN a dévoilé les premières pages de l’évènement 4001 A.D. suivies des couvertures régulières illustrées par Clayton Crain (ci-dessus, la première) :

Really the entire series to date as been a kind of ensemble piece. There’s a sort of virtual family at work with a teenage girl (Lula) who sees Rai as a father figure, and Rai’s sort-of “wife” who is actually a positron (they don’t like being called robots.) So in a way, to date, Rai has shared the spotlight with his family. But (spoiler) having been cast to Earth and kicked out of Japan, Rai has been forced to come into his own. He’s been put into these adult roles as father and husband, but in reality he was too young – a teenager trying to grow up and out of the shadow that his Father casts. And this event is really about him growing up. Becoming his own man. And finally taking responsibility for his actions and his fate.

[size=150]INTERVIEW DU SCÉNARISTE MATT KINDT[/size]

[Jack]

Voici les couvertures alternatives de 4001 A.D. #1 par Tula Lotay, Ryan Bodenheim, Clayton Henry, Clayton Crain, Ryan Lee, et Ryan Sook :

Source : www.comicbookresources.com

[Jack]

Voici huit pages de 4001 A.D. #2 par Clayton Crain :

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Source : www.comicbookresources.com

[Jack]

Voici les douze couvertures de Ryan Lee une fois qu’elles sont rassemblées :

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Source : www.bleedingcool.com

[Jack]

[quote] I’ve had some experience with events in the past. I think coming from that background, and seeing how things can become a train wreck, it’s helped me approach this in a way where I make it fun for me, and make it fun for everyone involved. And I can’t do that on my own, so I think editorial and everyone is helping make that happen.

Coming up with a concept for a crossover or an event is the key. You need something that’s inclusive and lets everyone plug into it and tell a story, but isn’t so overbearing that it ties everybody’s hands up. It shouldn’t be, “Oh, you have to do this event; you have to tie into this; you can only do so much.” Having been on that other end, where I’m trying to fit my thing into somebody’s bigger story, it’s hard. It’s not the most fun thing to write. So with 4001 A.D., I tried to frame it in a way where it gave everybody else that wanted to be involved the freedom to come up with whatever they wanted to come up with. I just wanted them to use their imagination, with the sky as a limit. The fun, for me, is to set up a sandbox that everybody can play in and where they can bring their own toys.[/quote]

[size=150]INTERVIEW DE MATT KINDT ET WARREN SIMONS[/size]

[Jack]

Voici à quoi ressemblent les cinq couvertures alternatives de 4001 A.D. par Ryan Sook une fois connectées entre elles :

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Source : comicscontinuum.com

[Jack]

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[quote]Valiant 40001 AD Special FCBD #2016

Story by
Matt Kindt, Jody Houser, Jeff Lemire, Rafer Roberts
Art by
Clayton Henry, Trevor Hairsine, David Lafuente, Francis Portela , Pere Perez , Mico Suayan , Marguerite Sauvage
Colors by
Brian Reber, David Baron, Ulises Arreola, Andrew Dalhouse
Letters by
Dave Lanphear, Dave Sharpe
Cover by
Clayton Crain
Publisher
Valiant Entertainment

Cover Price:
$0.00
Release Date
May 7th, 2016

The most ambitious Valiant event yet starts right here on Free Comic Book Day with a shocking new vision of the future in 4001 A.D.! The war for the fate of the 41st century begins here with an exclusive, never-before-seen prelude to the blockbuster comics event of the summer by New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt and superstar artist Clayton Crain. Rai! Eternal Warrior! X-O Manowar! Bloodshot! Geomancer! Armstrong! And more! The future of the Valiant Universe begins here! Plus: An all-new look inside Valiant’s next hit ongoing series, A&A: The Adventures of Archer & Armstrong, from Rafer Roberts and David Lafuente; Divinity II from Matt Kindt and Trevor Hairsine; plus an all-new slate of top-secret teasers, special features, surprises, and a newly added excerpt from the series that has everyone talking - the one and only Faith![/quote]

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Source : www.comicbookresources.com

[Jack]

I’m not interested in political commentary in art or literature. I can’t think of anything I want to read less than something that has an agenda or political message. Religion and politics are things that most people are hard-wired for after a certain point, so you can’t just write something with the idea that you’re going to change a person’s mind on something they’ve believed most of their life. If you want to actually change a person’s perspective on life or anything really, you’ve got to go about it in a much more obtuse way. There are “messages” in my work but it all comes from story and character. I don’t start writing a story with the “big idea” of “what it’s all about.” Every story ends up being what it’s about – without you having to worry about it.

[size=200]4001 A.D. #1 : INTERVIEW DE MATT KINDT[/size]

[Jack]

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[quote]4001 AD #2

Story by
Matt Kindt
Art by
Clayton Crain
Cover by
Clayton Crain, Tula Lotay, Ryan Bodenheim
Publisher
Valiant Entertainment

Cover Price:
$3.99
Release Date
Jun 1st, 2016

The most ambitious comics event of 2016 brings war to the 41st century - with Rai leading the charge!

Rai is smashing headfirst into New Japan with his team of hardened rebels - including the Eternal Warrior and a giant X-O Manowar mecha-armor that’s been dormant for centuries! But when Father transforms New Japan into a impenetrable space dragon as a defense of last resort, what hopes will the united heroes of 4001 A.D. have of freeing the citizens of New Japan from Father’s brutal reign? Will Rai have to destroy New Japan…to save it?

New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (DIVINITY II) and superstar artist Clayton Crain (X-Force) bring their starling vision of the year 4001 A.D. to new heights…with the fate of New Japan floating in the balance!
[/quote]

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Source : www.comicbookresources.com

[Jack]

This is the first Rai, so we really wanted him to have a heart-breaking innocence to him – which represents Father’s optimism and the idea that this is exactly what humanity needs at this sort of low point in New Japan’s history. He’s a beacon of hope. The animated look is actually more of a visual cue to some of the best manga in existence – Astro Boy and everything by Osamu Tezuka – which I have always been a huge fan of. This Rai is a big nod and love letter to his work.

[size=150]4001 A.D. #2 : INTERVIEW DE MATT KINDT[/size]

[Jack]

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[quote]4001 AD #3

Story by
Matt Kindt
Art by
Clayton Crain
Cover by
Clayton Crain, Tula Lotay, Ryan Bodenheim, Philip Tan
Publisher
Valiant Entertainment

Cover Price:
$3.99
Release Date
Jul 27th, 2016

Reunion! The war against Father turns in favor of the 41st century’s revolutionary heroes as Rai finds his long-lost friends aboard the monstrosity that has become New Japan. But even together, can Rai and his allies stand against Father’s defenses? And can they rescue what remains of New Japan before it crashes down to Earth and destroys everything… and everyone? New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (DIVINITY) and superstar artist Clayton Crain (RAI) continue the summer’s blockbuster event in the year 4001 A.D.!
[/quote]

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Source : www.comicbookresources.com

[Jack]

Voici sept pages de** 4001 A.D. #4** :

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Source : www.comicbookresources.com

[Jack]

The entire series I pitched was always heading to this. Nothing is going to be the same. There’s no way it can be. Rai is a different person, and the very concept of New Japan is scattered across the Earth. Rai’s relationship with Lula and his other friends—all of that is evolving. I love the idea, especially in serialized comics, of a character that can evolve and change over the course of years in a series. It just doesn’t happen. Everything is always built to keep this status quo and resetting it. And Rai doesn’t do that. I think that’s the difference between serialized throwaway comics that you read over breakfast cereal and get comfort from (nothing wrong with that) and comics as a true storytelling medium. We were lucky to be able to do that with Rai.

[size=150]4001 A.D. #3 : INTERVIEW DE MATT KINDT[/size]

[Jack]

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[quote]4001 A.D. #4

Written by: Matt Kindt.

Art by: Clayton Crain.

Covers by: Clayton Crain, Tula Lotay, Ryan Bodenheim, Philip Tan, Ryan Lee, Ryan Sook.

Description: The fall of the 41st century! The ultimate battle is here as Rai and Father clash among the stars for the final fate of the future…and Earth along with it! As New Japan’s despotic ruler and its former protector enter their final showdown, will the orbiting satellite nation fi nally fall back to Earth? As the war for 4001 A.D. claims lives on both sides, who will live to greet the brave new world that lies ahead? And what will become of Rai, of Father, and civilization itself? The Valiant Universe of 4001 A.D. is forever changed right here as forces new and old prepare to rise from the ashes of New Japan!

Pages: 32.

Price: $3.99.

In stores: August 31. [/quote]

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Source : www.comicscontinuum.com