Harbinger (comics)
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This article is about the Valiant comic book; for the DC Comics character, see Harbinger (DC Comics).
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[edit] Overview
The series is a super-powered team book (see Harbingers) from Valiant Comics.
[edit] Characters
Toyo Harada - The most powerful psionic on Earth, Toyo Harada is living proof that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. One of two known Harbingers to possess the "Omega Power", Harada commands the full spectrum of psionic abilities, including telepathy, telekinesis, mind-control, and many other deadly talents. Fearing that humanity may eventually destroy itself, Harada decided early in his life to preserve the planet by clandestinely conquering it. To this end, he established the Harbinger Foundation to recruit others with paranormal abilities, whom Harada refers to as "Harbingers of the next step in human evolution". He seldom confronts his enemies directly, preferring to leave such dirty-work to his elite Harbinger warriors, the "Eggbreakers" (as in the saying, to make an omelette...). With tremendous economic and political clout, Harada seems close to achieving his goals, and is ready to destroy anyone who stands in his way. The great irony is that Harada truly feels he was born to save the human race; in his own mind, he is the hero of the story. But, in his haste to eliminate any opposition to his grand scheme, Toyo Harada has lost his own humanity.
Peter Stanchek ("Sting") Sting is a psionic of extraordinary power and potential. Once a student of Toyo Harada, he decided to break away when Harada arranged the murder of Pete's best friend. Together with Kris, Zephyr, Flamingo and Torque, Sting tries to thwart the plans of Harada and his Harbinger Foundation.
Kris Hathaway - Although not possessing super powers of her own, Kris is still an important member of Sting's renegades. Her level head and intelligence keeps the team together and in focus of their goal.
Faith Herbert ("Zephyr") Zephyr, known as Zepplin to her friends, has the ability to fly.
Charlene Dupre ("Flamingo") Flamingo has the power to generate and control flames.
John Torkelson ("Torque") Torque was a mechanic in Georgia before Sting released his powers of enormous strength and durability. In the beginning, Torque seemed very hostile and distant, but he has proven himself a loyal and valuable member of the group.
[edit] Plot
Toyo Harada is the first Harbinger, and unlike subsequent Harbingers he was able to make his powers manifest at will, or activate the powers of others. Other Harbingers exhibit powers only rarely and this activation is always brought on by severe stress.
Harada is an Omega Harbinger: he commands the full spectrum of psionic abilities, including telepathy, telekinesis, mind-control, and many other talents. He uses these powers to create a multinational corporation and amass a large fortune. Fearing the world is on a course to destroy itself, he plans to take it over and mold it to his specifications. To this end he creates the Harbinger Foundation, which actively searches for potential Harbingers (whose powers Harada triggers with his psionic abilities).
Pete Stanchek is a normal teenager until he develops Harbinger abilities. After seeing an advertisement he contacts the Harbinger Foundation. Harada is intrigued by Pete, who is the only other Harbinger to have triggered his own powers and who exhibits multiple abilities. Harada is no longer the only Omega Harbinger.
Harada tries to persuade Pete to join the Harbinger Foundation and become Harada's right hand man, but when Pete's best friend, who had been vocal about his distrust for Harada, is murdered by the Foundation Pete realizes the truth.
Pete, along with Kris (a high school cheerleader who, he later realizes, he had been unconsciously mentally controlling so that she would go out with him) become renegades. They decide to recruit Harbinger's themselves, activate their abilities and form an army capable of challenging Harada.
[edit] Trivia
Harbinger #1 was in Wizard Magazine's (industry's leading publication) "Top Ten Comics of the Month" list for eight consecutive months. It was eventually dethroned by another VALIANT book (Rai #0).
Harbinger #1 was named "hottest book of the year” by Wizard Magazine in 1993.
Harbinger #1 was named "the collectible of the decade” by Wizard Magazine.
Harbinger #1 was named "most important comic book of the decade" by Your Comics Online.
Harbinger #0-25 was named one of the best runs in comics over the last 15 years by Eventually Clever. "Harbinger #0-25--Peter Stanchek leads a team of misfit mutants are on the run from Harbinger, a corporation headed by the most powerful mutant on Earth. Peter is the second most powerful, and the whole tone of the series changes once you read issue #0."
The Harbinger trade was rumoured to have been ranked #7 in Wizards list of the top 100 greatest trades but was taken off the list completely at the last minute for unknown reasons.
Harbinger #0 has a pink cover variant that was available only by sending in coupons from Harbinger #1 through #6. The pink cover variant routinely sold for $150-200 in the 1990s and has now cooled to approximately $60-90 on eBay.
At one point in the 1990s Harbinger #1 was routinely selling for $125-150 depending on the coast (Harbinger #1 was reportedly more scarce on the east coast).
According to Jim Shooter, the character of Pete Stanchek was meant to have been gay.
An alternative cover to Harbinger #1 exists. It was used as an 'unseen art' chase card for the VALIANT ERA One card set.
Marv from FRANK MILLER's SIN CITY appears on the cover of Harbinger #8 (part of the UNITY crossover). Miller drew the cover to this issue.
The cover for Harbinger #13 by David Lapham is a homage to The Dark Knight Returns.
PP Comics produced a parody of Harbinger entitled Headbanger.
[edit] Comic-book cover gallery
 Harbinger #0 pink cover variant |
 Harbinger #1 |
 Harbinger #2 |
 Harbinger #3 |
 Harbinger #4 |
 Harbinger #5 |
 Harbinger #6 |
 Harbinger #8 |
 Harbinger #13 |
 Harbinger #25 |
 Harbinger #37 |
 Harbinger Files #1 |
