Writer Jeff Lemire and artist Paolo Rivera are working together for the first time on a project for Valiant Entertainment, CBR has learned, to be co-written by the company's "Unity" and "Rai" writer Matt Kindt.

Valiant has described it as a "prestige" standalone series, in the spirit of "Kingdom Come." Given the creators' statures in the industry, the grouping would arguably be the most high-profile creative team yet in Valiant's current incarnation, following a number of noted writers and artists contributing to the company since its return in 2012, including Kindt, Robert Venditti, Cary Nord, Joshua Dysart, Jordie Bellaire, Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente and Bryan Hitch.

Lemire confirmed that he is no longer under an exclusive contract with DC Comics in an interview with CBR published earlier this week, discussing his 2015 Dark Horse Comics series "The Black Hammer." One of the most prominent writers at DC in the New 52 era, Lemire is currently writing "Justice League United" and "Green Arrow" (in a run recently announced to wrap in September), and co-writing weekly series "The New 52: Futures End." As a writer and an artist, he's helmed critical hits including "Essex County" at Top Shelf Productions plus "Sweet Tooth" and "Trillium," both at DC's Vertigo imprint.

Rivera has spent the bulk of his career at Marvel Comics, where his work on "Daredevil" with writer Mark Waid earned him two Eisner awards in 2012. Rivera left that title in the same year, and the majority of his recent output has been covers at Marvel and elsewhere, including Valiant's "The Delinquents" #1 and "Rai" #2. Upon his departure from "Daredevil," Rivera stated he intended to focus on a creator-owned project, and "may finally accept some non-Marvel work."

Kindt and Lemire have a history of collaboration, with Kindt drawing multiple issues of "Sweet Tooth," and succeeding Lemire as writer on DC's "Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E." Best known for his celebrated Dark Horse series "Mind MGMT," Kindt has been writing for Valiant since last year's "Bloodshot" #0.

"I've been super-honored to work with a crew of guys and girls who don't treat this as the fourth or fifth most important book that they're working on," Valiant editor-in-chief Warren Simons told CBR News in an interview published last month. "They really put their heart and soul into it, which is why we've been able to build relationships with creators that last for years, and they continue to come back and work with us."

Check back with CBR on Friday for full details on Lemire, Kindt and Rivera's Valiant project.