Los Nuevos Harbinger Review: Valiant’s Young Psions Face Black Sheep

Valiant’s relaunch push is continuing with a new entry focused on young psion users and the messy politics behind their powers. The first collected volume of Los Nuevos Harbinger introduces a fresh team dynamic, pits them against a classic-styled threat led by the villain Black Sheep, and sets up the kind of moral ambiguity that makes the series feel closer to a “mutant” story than a standard superhero pitch—without leaning on Marvel or DC.

Release details: collected edition, date, and publisher

Fred Van Lente and Erik Tamayo are credited for the book, with Van Lente handling the series direction and Tamayo contributing the art. The collection lands as part of Alien Books’ ongoing relaunch of the Valiant Universe, which has historically seen uneven release rhythms in Spain. This new effort is framed as a way to deliver the continuity the line has lacked, giving readers a sustained run of superhero stories beyond the usual Marvel/DC spotlight.

What “Harbinger” means in this universe

Inside the Harbinger corner of Valiant, some humans carry latent psionic abilities that can be triggered through a process called harbingering. Once activated, those powers can include abilities such as telepathy, telekinesis, mental control, energy manipulation, and even super-speed. The series also foregrounds ideological conflict: Toyo Harada, described as the most powerful psiot in the world, believes psion users should be the dominant species, even if achieving that goal requires tyrannical methods. His opposition is Peter Stanchek, who turns against Harada after uncovering what are presented as Harada’s true intentions.

Black Sheep kicks off the first-volume conflict

Van Lente’s first run of the relaunch is set up as the opening salvo in a broader story, with Black Sheep serving as the immediate antagonist in the first three issues collected here. The villain is described as having a classic, restrained design, but the series is positioned to do more than stage large-scale set pieces. Instead, the story’s engine is character placement, shifting loyalties, and the question of who the “real” villain might be.

At the center of the new team is Archer as leader—someone described as having a hard time managing a group whose members are said to be extremely different from one another. Several characters are highlighted for taking the spotlight early on: Aleación, Crane, and Flamingo. Two stand out most in this initial volume: Livewire, characterized as temperamental, and CiCi, a newcomer who is freshly out of the Zero Academy and already makes an impact from the start.

The “big bad” promise: moral ambiguity over simple heroics

The tone of the series is built around suspense: the narrative discussion is expected to revolve around which villain—or villains—are actually driving events. Archer’s stubborn attitude and Livewire’s impulsiveness are presented as likely to cause mistakes that “perfect heroes” wouldn’t make. When the intended big bad finally arrives, the book signals that the character’s motivations will be framed in a way that encourages readers to empathize, reinforcing a theme where neither the good guys are entirely good nor the bad guys completely bad.

Art direction and powers in Tamayo’s style

Erik Tamayo’s role is credited not only for character and enemy designs—including Black Sheep, Livewire, Flamingo, and CiCi—but also for how the visuals match the story’s tone. His linework is described as distinctive within superhero comics, with special emphasis on action-heavy, colorful splash pages. The art is also noted for leaning into the characters’ abilities: it includes moments where Aleación can change form, and it showcases Crane’s brutality through visual impact.

How the relaunch volume stacks up

The first volume of Los Nuevos Harbinger is presented as one of the strongest offerings tied to this Valiant relaunch, with the book compared to Relatos de Shadowman as a top series in the lineup so far. The collection is also framed as a welcome improvement after less satisfying impressions from Bloodshot, while readers are also encouraged to keep an eye on new adventures involving Aric de Dacia in X-O Manowar.

Ultimately, the volume is described as highly engaging—moving quickly and ending on a cliffhanger—with the blend of powers, personalities, and shifting moral lines left as the standout hook. The release positions Los Nuevos Harbinger as a particularly recommended entry in the early stages of the renewed Valiant Universe.