Have you ever commissioned a piece and had really high expectations for it, so high that you thought there was no way the real thing could meet those expectations? And then when you hold it in your hands you marvel at how truly amazing it turned out to be, even better than you anticipated? This Valkyrie piece by Arthur Adams is like that for me. From seeing AA’s work in comics and being awed by commissions he has done for fellow CAF members I knew that it would be an incredible commission and that the detail would be extraordinary but this piece just knocked my lofty expectations out of the park!
I had long told myself that if I ever had the chance to get a commission from Adams that I would ask for Valkyrie. I admire his work so much that I could have asked for any number of characters and I would still have been pleased with the outcome. But I’m very happy that I listened to myself when the opportunity arose and went with Val as I am thrilled with the results.
Valkyrie may be outnumbered in this piece but I would bet my money on her emerging victorious. It’s so cool that Adams added Ulik the Troll in this piece. When I was a kid I loved the battles between Ulik and Thor. Ulik’s brass knuckles have his name imprinted on them backwards so as to leave his name imprinted on whomever or whatever he punches. I’m still betting on Val.
As pointed out by fellow CAF member Michael Hosey there is Dani Moonstar from The New Mutants in the background fighting alongside Val. Nice!
I have previously named my Fairchild by J. Scott Campbell a Grail piece, please forgive me if I call this a Grail as well.
