X-O Manowar #1

Pollentia, Northern Italy, 402 A.D. The Visigoths defend their lands & their families against an armada of invading Romans. They’re about to retreat when a young brave warrior known as Aric, motivates his countrymen for one final glorious attack. But the Romans aren’t the only invaders out there, as strange spider-like aliens abduct the surviving Visigoths. At the centre of it all, sits a mysterious armor that could be the key to the Visigoths freedom.

After a 20 year absence, Valiant returns with a vengeance! This is the re-launching of X-O Manowar and it’s an absolute thrill. From what I can assess, the look of the armor hasn’t changed much from the old version. I’m glad they kept the same look for the spider-aliens as well, with a few tweaks to the alien soldier’s armor & ships. For those who are unfamiliar with the X-O Manowar armor, it’s a living symbiote metal armor/skin/shell that bonds with a host of it’s choosing, like a parasite, giving the wearer immense power. Power that would make Tony Stark drool into his martini. Think Venom meets Iron man and you’ll get the idea.

The story is by Robert Venditti (The Surrogates) who writes a captivating & brutal story about a harsher time, with ancient battles, invading empires (from across the land & across space), proud warriors & alien abductions. Not an easy task to combine all those elements, but Venditti pulls it off like a pro. The illustrations are by Cary Nord (Conan) who’s drawings are simply breathtaking, the 2 page spread of the epic battlefield on pages 2 & 3 speaks for itself. He also provides one kick-ass cover, I would’ve preferred the Esad Ribic (Ultimate Comics The Ultimates) cover, but it sold out at my local comic shop.

What else could I say about this terrific comic book? I was totally blown away by what I’ve seen & read. Looking forward to Harbinger, Bloodshot & Archer & Armstrong, coming out in the next month or so. Welcome back Valiant, hope this time you’re here to stay, because I certainly am. Check out my reviews of #2 & #3.