First Impressions: X-O MANOWAR #1

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
X-O MANOWAR (2012) # 1


Written by Robert Venditti
Art by Cary Nord & Stefano Gaudiano
Valiant Comics

Review by Frankie Rodriguez 


INTRODUCTION:

    X-O Manowar was one of the original titles back when Valiant first came out back in the 90s as it went toe to toe with Image Comics for the # 3 comic book company spot. The story of the warrior Aric of Dacia helped fill Valiant with an iconic character that they could build much around. And they did. X-O Manowar had a game. It was one of Valiant's longest running titles.  A man from the past thrown into the present; thanks to aliens and he has advanced, alien armor. And did Valiant made it work. But then, Valiant fell ... not once but twice. So it has returned again. And here is where we pick up at ... a whole new beginning.


FLIPPING THROUGH:

     At the heart of this, we are learning about Aric of Dacia and what happened to him and his people when they were abducted by aliens. Aric, at the time, was fighting alongside his family and the Visgoths against the Romans when Aliens decided to come to Earth and ... well, take some people along.


WRITING:

    With in this first issue, you learn a lot about Aric and at the same time, you learn a little about everything else.  But it is just enough to care. Aric was fighting alongside his family and the Visgoths against the Roman Empire ... and were losing. Yet, you see Aric being proud, stubborn and down right insane as he actually rallies the outnumbered Visgoths into battle. That says a lot about him.

  Aric seems very determined in many of his situations. And I enjoyed Venditti really establishing Aric has this fallible yet heroic character. He knew his father was mortally wounded but would refuse to except that or the despair that would have gone along with it. He set up this one grand setting and then get us another, different yet just as epic setting and did so almost seamlessly.  It worked and worked well. While the other characters in the book seem inconsequential, this is the first issue of a solo book and the hero did shine.


ART:

    I have to give it to Cary Nord. His pencils in this book have never looked better. And I am very familiar with Nord's work, as I followed his work on Mutant X during the late 90s and his work with Daredevil and other titles throughout the decade and a half. Here, Nord's pencils are strong, defined and very gripping. He sets up the characters looks and backgrounds extremely well. Added with Gaudiano's inks, showing us where Aric came from and where he was going felt grand and epic, as a first issue of a solo title should.

  The battle between the Visgoths and Romans were a spectacular to look at if you compared armies. Yet, Nord, Gaudiano and even Moose Baumann's colors really helped set a great tone, grandeur and depth to the book which help sucks readers in. Kudos to this art team cause it works extremely well.


OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

    This was a strong first launch title for Valiant Comics. It gave us a great set up, a complex yet compelling lead character with a well paced opening story. I want to know more about Aric and how he will get the armor. I want to know more about this story and see what else Nord and Gaudiano will show us in terms of settings, armors and characters.   This book made we want more. And while I would have thought the lack of supporting characters might have been a hinderance, it was not. The spotlight was firmly on our hero and his personality and actions were entertaining.

  With all this, I give Valiant's first relaunch title, X-O Manowar # 1, a 5  . .. out of 5. Great job.