If you haven’t been paying attention to Multiversity or comics in general for the last 6 months, Valiant Comics have returned and they are undoubtedly better than ever. Part of the reason why is the top notch list of creators they brought in to bring their world to life, such as “X-O Manowar” writer Robert Venditti. Likely most well known for “The Surrogates,” Venditti has breathed new life into the once giant selling character, and with the recent return of Ninjak in its pages, even more eyes are on the book.
Today, our Valiant (Re)visions team of Chad and David talk with Venditti about “X-O Manowar,” the return of Ninjak, and lots, lots more. Thanks to Venditti for chatting with us, and look for more from our team with NYCC quickly approaching.
Congrats, Robert, on penning a stellar opening arc on X-O Manowar. This was the first Valiant book out of the gate, so in many ways, it was a test case to see if this whole endeavor would fly with current audiences. The results were hugely successful, with the book selling well — opening at #40 on the charts — and being pretty much universally appreciated by fans and critics throughout the industry.
For you, how successful have you felt with the book to date, and what are you looking to bring to the table to get fans even more excited going forward?
ROBERT VENDITTI: I think we’ve all been pleased with the huge response from readers and critics, but there’s so much more we want to accomplish. A monthly book is only as good as its most recent issue, so there isn’t a whole lot of time to rest on your laurels. We’re full speed ahead, and we have some really big moments–the biggest the series has seen so far–coming up in the next six months.
X-O Manowar was one of the biggest comics around in the ’90s. Were you a fan of the original series? If not, what about the premise spoke to you as a creator?
VENDITTI: I didn’t read the original incarnation of the series, but I wasn’t reading any comics back then. I came to comics pretty late in life and didn’t start reading them until around the year 2000. When Valiant Executive Editor Warren Simons approached me about the possibility of writing the book, I was immediately drawn to the core concept of the character. The same man being the most primitive and the most technologically advanced person on the planet really appealed to me. I also liked the blend of sci-fi and historical fiction, being a longtime fan of both.
With the reboot, you’ve done some nice tweaking to the X-O mythos. Did you have carte blanche to do whatever you wanted, or where there guidelines in place from Valiant?
VENDITTI: There definitely wasn’t carte blanche, since there were already so many great elements in place. Why try to fix something that isn’t broken? Warren and I both agreed that what the original series was missing was a truly compelling antagonist, and that’s what I tried to do with the Vine. I’ve spent a great deal of time fleshing them out as a society, and I hope that comes across to the reader. A hero is only as good as his villains.
Can you take a minute and walk us through Aric’s journey so far, and tell us about your overall goal for this first arc?
VENDITTI: The goal of the first arc was to tell Aric’s origin, which is a pretty complex story. He’s a 5th-Century Visigoth who gets abducted by aliens, is enslaved aboard their vessel, and then escapes with their highly advanced suit of armor. When he returns to Earth, he realizes it’s the modern day. Oh, and the suit of X-O Manowar armor also happens to be the Vine’s most sacred religious object, so they kind of want it back.
A major part of these first four issues takes place in the past, and outside the US. How much research went into this story — the history, the locales, etc…?
VENDITTI: I spent a ton of time researching the book, particularly the opening sequence of the first issue, which takes place in 402 A.D. I think I spent an entire day trying to nail down whether or not Visigoth saddles would’ve had stirrups. In the end, I wasn’t able to find a conclusive answer, so I went with no stirrups, because at least they’d look visually different from every other saddle that’s been drawn in a comic book. Maybe that doesn’t make me the fastest writer in the world, but I like to think the extra work is reflected in the story.
Continued belowEach issue opens with an information centric page that lays out key facts for readers to know, such as in the first issue when the differences between the two warring groups are laid out. For you as the writer, what do these pages offer you in terms of pushing the narrative, and how does the overall design come together?
VENDITTI: Those pages are handled more in house. I knew the infographic at the beginning of the first issue was going to be there, but I wasn’t overly involved with it. I had my head down scripting pages!
I touched on this a little before, but one of the interesting things about X-O, and really Valiant as a whole, is the sort of international feel to the books. X-O’s in Italy, Archer and Armstrong are globetrotters, too, and Bloodshot takes place outside the US. Is that something you and the other guys sort of consciously set out to create — a more world friendly comic book universe — or was it just a happy accident?
VENDITTI: I can’t speak for the other writers, but for me, I think that’s just the time we live in. Media, pop culture, technology . . . all of these things are making the world more and more interwoven. To have a guy in a suit of alien armor crash down on the Colosseum floor and pretend the world didn’t notice would be disingenuous.
In X-O #5 you re-introduce another classic Valiant character, Ninjak. What can you tell us about the new Ninjak, and how he’s going to play against his previous incarnation?
VENDITTI: And as we come to find out at the end of the first arc, while Aric was in space for 1600 years, the Vine were spreading throughout human culture on Earth. The second and third arcs of the series will focus on the Vine’s attempts to reclaim the armor from Aric, even going so far as to enlist the services of Ninjak, the world’s foremost weapons specialist. Ninjak is highly skilled, highly intelligent, and possibly the most lethal man alive. He’s supremely confident, but he has no idea what his latest assignment has gotten him into. That’s a nice conflict to play with.
Will this new Ninjak continue to play a role in this book, or do you and Valiant have a bigger fate envisioned for the character?
VENDITTI: There are definitely plans for Ninjak, but I can’t say what they are. I will say that the end of the “Enter: Ninjak” story arc will leave no doubt that his future will be closely tied to X-O Manowar’s.
Let’s spend some time on X-O artist Cary Nord. He’s done an incredible job so far on the book, managing to bridge the primitive elements of the past with the imagination of the alien parts in a way that feels very organic. We’ve been very impressed with him. How has it been working with him, and will he be on the book for the foreseeable future?
VENDITTI: Cary is taking some much deserved R & R right now, but he will most definitely be back. He’s an amazing artist to work with, for all the reasons you state above and then some. If there’s something he can’t draw, I don’t know what it is.
Have you and Valiant discussed a length for your run, or is it more open ended with the idea that this is your baby and you’ll run with it as long as you have stories to tell?
VENDITTI: I think that’d be a question for them. For my part, there are tons of stories I want to tell with this character, and I hope I get the chance to tell them all.
And finally, how about a tease or two?
VENDITTI: Issues 9 and 10 will be huge. But not as huge as Issue 11.
