Since its resurrection earlier this decade, Valiant Entertainment has rebuilt its roster of heroes into powerhouse franchises, and this year seems set to take advantage of that well-earned iconography. The publisher has teased a new initiative for 2017 titled Icons which seems to be a celebrating of the most, well, iconic characters under the Valiant banner.

Originally announced on Friday at the annual ComicsPRO summit, Icons is described as a "seismic return to the forefront of the Valiant Universe" for its most well-known characters, starting with Matt Kindt and Tomas Giorello's X-O Manowar #1 next month which celebrates the character's 25th anniversary.

Namechecked among the Icons to be featured are X-O Manowar, Faith, Bloodshot, Shadowman and Toyo Harada in the pages of Harbinger Wars 2From the description, it seems like "Icons" is less an event on the scale of a Harbinger Wars or The Valiant and more a unifying banner celebrating the heroes of the Valiant universe.

While likely entirely coincidental, the structure of Icons as a focus on the most beloved and recognizable characters is similar to a general theme that seems to be sweeping superhero comics at the moment. DC Comics' Rebirth initiative has been a big success for the publisher by going back-to-basics with its roster of characters, and speculation abounds that Marvel may see a return to its more well-known mantle-bearers at some point this years, possibly as part of the recently teased Generations.

Icons begins with X-O Manowar #1 on March 22, and continues throughout the year in various Valiant Entertainment titles.

 

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