X-O Manowar (2020) issue 1.
Written by Dennis ‘Hopeless’ Hallum.
Art by Emilio Lasio.
Colours by Ruth Redman.
Letters by Hassan Otsmane-Eleanor.
Cover Art by Christian Ward.
Variant Covers by Jeff Dekal, Rod Reid, Greg Smallwood and Raul Allen.
Edited by Heather Antos.
33 pages (this includes a six page Shadowman preview).
Full Colour - £3.99 on ComiXology.
The Story - ‘Torn from the past and bonded with a living alien armor, will X-O Manowar become the hero the world needs? As a futuristic force arises to destroy the planet, only this ancient warrior king has the courage to stand against impossible odds!’
The Review - I have been with this character since the early days of this company and from way back in it’s previous incarnation. He is a favourite and over the last five years or so there has been some great work done on Aric of Dacia but he has been missing in action for around a year now. I have been waiting to see what the newly reshaped Valiant Comics does with him now.
The last series from a couple of years ago was an absolute triumph in my eyes and had much more of a painterly style with art by Tomas Giorello (and colours by Diego Rodriguez) that you could really drink in. The art in this new series has more line-work on show that has a much more nineties style similar to what we saw from Valiant in it’s first incarnation’s later years. You can also see the new effects in colouring on use from the first page as well as some Manga influences. As I start reading I begin to feel that they are really going to have to pull out some great moments to win me over.
What the summary from the ComiXology page doesn’t tell you is that Aric the Visigoth is now living the life of a Hobo and is trying to become part of an inner city community. He’s been playing basketball and making friends by killing deer in Canada and bringing the dead animal back to the sidewalk and cooking it over a fire. He also flies off at the drop of a hat to save the city from missiles or even fight wars in the Ukraine. There seems to be an obvious attempt to make X-O hip by making him a little bit more street level and watching him learn the modern world as a stranger in a strange land. But also by aiming him at the bigger threats as exemplified by the last scene that I won’t spoil.
To be fair the big villain that appears at the end of the first issue does feel more like something that fits into an X-O series. It has an interesting design and you are getting some hints at a diabolical back story. Is it enough to save the issue? I’m yet to be convinced.
Let me just say straight away that when the voice of the alien armour called ‘Shanhara’ says ‘I am not a Podcast, Visigoth’ .........a little part of me died. Saying that I’m not sure that Aric would know what a Podcast is as later on in issue 1 Shanhara has to have explained to him what Basketball is!
Some seriously unconvincing nudity in this particular scene? Flesh coloured trousers? I’m feeling a censoring hand here somewhere (especially after Aric and Shanhara discuss his nakedness.) Strange.
The art has a more of a sense of a webcomic style as I read onwards and I have to admit to not being a fan. There have been some unbelievably great issues of X-O in the last few years but this in art and storytelling so far doesn’t match up yet.
This proud Visigoth warrior has gone a bit pudgy.
Aric - ‘I like my clothes. Worn cotton, it breathes.’ ......... (WHAT?!?)
I’ll hate myself for doing it but I have such fondness for this character that I’ll give issue 2 a go. Low expectations may work better on me next time.
And yes, that does look like Batman’s plane on the cover!
Find Valiant Comics here http://valiantentertainment.com and follow them on Twitter @ValiantComics
Look out for some other books written by Dennis ‘Hopeless’ Hallum on Twitter @HopelessDent
Look out for more art by Emilio Lasio here https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1320854
Many thanks for reading.
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