A blood sacrifice is made, a war looms, and the Deadside?rises! In the synapse-shattering world of the future, witness the dawn of the dead?s greatest hero and the fate of a young girl who may be humanity?s only hope! As Rai leads a revolutionary insurrection against the forces of New Japan, the legendary hero called Shadowman returns to fight another day in the year 4001 A.D.! Valiant rising stars Jody Houser (FAITH), Rafer Roberts (A&A: THE ADVENTURES OF ARCHER & ARMSTRONG) and Robert Gill (BOOK OF DEATH) reveal the dark side behind the 41st century?s coming conflict?and bring you the future of the Deadside today!

The most ambitious comics event of 2016 brings war to the 41st century - with Rai leading the charge! 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 will 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 FatherÕs 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 JapanÕs 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 FatherÕs 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 FatherÕs kingdom... Exiled from the only realm heÕs 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. New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (DIVINITY II) and superstar artist Clayton Crain (X-Force) bring their startling vision of the year 4001 A.D. to new heights...with the fate of New Japan floating in the balance! Collecting 4001 A.D. #1Ð4.

In the tradition of BOOK OF DEATH, ARMOR HUNTERS, and HARBINGER WARS, Valiant?s most ambitious crossover event yet starts here! At the dawn of the 41st century, the future of Earth will be decided in the stars. This May?the rebellion begins in 4001 A.D.! 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 will 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.

Witness the battle-scarred debut of Valiant?s top-secret new hero! As the war for 4001 A.D. rages, the coming of War Mother starts now in all-new standalone adventure torn from the pages of the summer?s biggest comics event! In the 41st century, much of the planet has been reduced to a barren wasteland. New Japan orbits the Earth as a floating oasis that towers over the ashes of the old world. The survivors of this desolate new age, robbed of the planet?s once-lush natural resources, must endure great hardships to survive. Amidst the devastation, one outpost of scientific knowledge has thrived by adhering to a strict code of isolation. But even the denizens of this walled city must venture out into the wasteland to gather supplies from the remnants of what was. This task is designated to one and one alone: War Mother. But all is not peaceful, even in New Japan. When the space-faring empire begins jettisoning city-sized sectors to Earth during the onset of a civil war, War Mother is called upon with a new mission: mega-salvage! Armed with a newly born sentient sniper rifle, War Mother is a one-woman army bent on sacking the crash-landed sector?s technology-laden debris for anything of value to her tribe. But, as calm turns to chaos, Sector 8146 will reveal a telling secret about Earth?s true order that will collide War Mother against her community, her code, and her calling?and bring destruction down upon one of humanity?s last surviving outposts of order. Out of the ashes of the summer?s most ambitious crossover event, New York Times best-selling writer Fred Van Lente (GENERATION ZERO) and spectacular rising star Tomas Giorello (Conan) introduce the Valiant Universe to the boldest new hero of this century or the next when War Mother makes her history-shattering debut!

Rocketing out of the pages of 4001 A.D...the origin of Rai revealed!? For the first time ever, witness the violent foundation of Father?s space-born utopia of New Japan...and, with it, the shocking genesis of the line of guardians that bear the name Rai! Born and bred by Father to enforce peace at any cost, follow the first Rai and his successors across two millennia as they chronicle the history of 4001 A.D. - from the launch of New Japan into orbit to the latest Rai?s crusade to bring it crashing back down to Earth! Valiant mastermind Matt Kindt (4001 A.D.) and visionary artist CAFU (UNITY) uncover the never-before-told story of New Japan?s rise to power...and reveal just how the Valiant Universe of today became the 4001 A.D. of tomorrow! Collecting?RAI #13-16.

At the dawn of the 41st century, the future of Earth will be decided in the stars? New York Times best-selling writers Matt Kindt (Mind MGMT), Robert Venditti (X-O Manowar), Jeff Lemire (Descender), and Fred Van Lente (Ivar, Timewalker) and powerhouse artists Clayton Crain (Rai), CAFU (Action Comics), Clayton Henry (Harbinger Wars), and Doug Braithwaite (Armor Hunters) join a cast of comics' finest for Valiant's most ambitious crossover event yet ? now in deluxe oversized hardcover format! 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 will 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. Collecting 4001 A.D. #1?4, RAI #13?16, 4001 A.D.: X-O MANOWAR #1, 4001 A.D.: BLOODSHOT #1, 4001 A.D.: SHADOWMAN #1, and 4001 A.D.: WAR MOTHER #1.

Once upon a time?in the year 4001 A.D? Centuries ago, Bloodshot was the man called Ray Garrison. Now, in the year 4001?A.D., Ray Garrison is no more?but the nanites that once thrived inside him endure still. With their master long since gone, the microscopic machines that once drove?Bloodshot through every firefight, healed every wound, and calculated every outcome have one final directive left to execute?but what could it possibly be??And how will the forces of the future react when the infamous man-turned-machine called Bloodshot returns to fight another day? The future starts now as New York Times best-selling writer Jeff Lemire (BLOODSHOT REBORN) and superstar artist Doug Braithwaite (ARMOR HUNTERS) bring Bloodshot barreling into the 41st century of the Valiant Universe with an all-new, standalone tale at the epicenter of 4001 A.D.!

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 mech-armor that?s been dormant for centuries! But when Father transforms New Japan into an 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 startling vision of the year 4001 A.D. to new heights?with the fate of New Japan floating in the balance!

"Originally published in single magazine form as 4001 A.D. #1-4, Rai #13-16, 4001 A.D.: X-O Manowar #1, 4001 A.D.: Bloodshot #1, 4001 A.D.: Shadowman #1, and 4001 A.D.: War Mother #1"--Indicia.