“X-O Manowar” #1 balances its superhero origin needs with a good dose of humor, but fast-tracks the plot a bit too much at times. Warning: spoilers ahead.
Written by Dennis HallumCover by Christian Ward
Illustrated by Emilio Laiso
Colored by Ruth Redmond
Lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou WIN THE BATTLE, LOSE THE WORLD. Aric of Dacia, a 5th century warrior catapulted into the modern day, has been bonded with the sentient alien armor, Shanhara. Together, they are the most powerful weapon in the world: X-O Manowar. As a mysterious new villain arises to threaten the world, will this ancient warrior evolve into the superhero we need today?
I’ll be frank: this is my first foray into this character, though I’m familiar with a portion of the Valiant universe. That said, “X-O Manowar” #1 is a good first issue for the uninitiated. Hallum and Laiso craft a likeable, fallible protagonist in Arick, and while there might be a bit too much action in issue #1, the bones of the plot are steady enough to support what should be a promising run.
Hallum and Laiso go heavy on the banter between Aric and Shanhara (his armor,) likely to help fill in some story gaps for those who might need a refresher, or an introduction. The tone of each character is distinct enough that the quips land well. Aric’s fallibility is what’s most intriguing in this story. He’s a man out of his time, and rather inept at the heroics he’s trying to achieve, which makes him both amusing to observe and sympathetic as a lead. Shanhara seems to be equally fallible at determining the actual threat level of anything, and the two banter well enough to keep us entertained as the world starts to come alive around them. Balancing Aric’s learning curve with his massive strength is a good way to set up a believable superhero narrative: it’s a simple dichotomy that’s relatable, engaging and almost limitless in its storytelling potential.
Laiso’s style is interesting and suited to both the Valiant suite and this book in particular. There are plenty of subtle cartoonish touches, like during Aric’s rueful explanation to Desmond’s mother, or when he’s playing basketball with the kids earlier in the book. Aric’s never silly, but there’s a softness and humanity in those fine expressions that endear him to us quickly. Likewise, he’s statuesque enough that his origin is believable, and that bulk and noblesse make for some small funny moments in juxtaposition with the kids, and a rocket or two. Laiso’s attention to detail shines in close-up panels, and breaks down a bit in action. He shorthands a few of Aric’s flight motions by blurring his legs into the motion lines, which doesn’t work well with the book’s realistic grounding, and some of the finer lines in character faces and anatomy feel a bit artificial or static during high action. This is typical of superhero books right now, and not a deal-breaker, but something to note for a character who spends most of his time in the air (and punching large objects.)
Redmond’s color palette and work tend toward the glossier, slicker side of superhero comics right now, but there’s an important balance here between the sheen of Aric’s suit and the grittiness of the city around him. Redmond does a good job of accenting textures and creating mood with lighting. Simpler backgrounds have a lot of texture, bifurcated colors or a few good gradients that support each individual moment, like when Desmond’s mom breaks tension by hugging Aric. Redmond drags a buoyant light across the panel from left to right, beginning in some moody purples and pinks and ending to Aric’s right. The effect signals release, hope and optimism and reinforces the tenderness of that single gesture.
Otsmane-Elhaou goes for a pretty standard superhero comics font and very minimal balloon padding. So minimal, in fact, that when balloons are butted against borders – especially at the top of a panel, the text appears squashed in a few places. This might be more of a placement issue, as the panels in question feature multiple characters and detailed backgrounds, but the effect feels a bit cramped. There’s also not a standard balloon size or shape – Otsmane-Elhaou rotates between a squarish two-liner and some rounder balloons that feel odd when they’re stacked or close together on a page. Shanhara’s balloon colors, font and style are pretty easy to read (always a plus when it comes to AI speech in a comic) and there are a few layered sound effects when the story features explosions or shots that amp up the action.
Overall, “X-O Manowar” #1 does exactly what an engaging superhero comic should do in its first issue: set up a villain, an interior conflict and a protagonist with whom we can sympathize, without spoon-feeding us character details or expository dialogue. Aric’s overbearing approach toward superhero-dom is at once tender and comical, and how he relates to the people around him says more about him than a monologue about his inability to connect would ever accomplish. The art is engaging, the colors carry the mood of the story and the lettering is mostly invisible. We’ll have to wait and see how the main conflict plays out – will we go too goofy? Or deadly serious and miss the mark? This is a promising reboot right now, with a creative team that appears to work well enough together to deliver a seamless experience.
Final Verdict: 7.5 – “X-O Manowar” #1 is an engaging reboot with a solid creative team behind it, and the book accomplishes everything a first issue should.
