‘Death, destruction, and war seemed to dog my heels no matter where I went or what I did.’
X-O Manowar #1 (2017) reintroduces fans to Valiant’s iconic hero, Aric, as a different man. After years of fighting, he’s left Earth to pursue a peaceful life. This pursuit is, however, tarnished by a great war between the oppressive Cadmiums and the Azure Nation, when Aric is forced to enlist as a soldier for the Azure Nation.
The first issue in Valiant Entertainment’s flagship series boasts incredible artwork from the talents of Thomas Giorello; stunning scenery and action consume the pages, whilst characters emote shockingly realistically, perfectly en-capturing the uncanny writing of Matt Kindt.
Matt Kindt manages to set up an interesting conflict, show off the grey moral compass and continue Aric’s already developed and aged character from the previous fifty issue long X-O Manowar series that started all the way back in 2012 with Valiant’s relaunch.
The violent, horrific and grandiose battle that wages in this first issue showcases the desperation and brutally of this war, whilst, also, showcasing epic and jaw-dropping action set-pieces, that will leave drooling for the next issue.
X-O Manowar (2017) #1 is a masterpiece, and the perfect first issue to a series that sets up the story, intrigues readers, stuns with incredibly crafted action and ends on a great cliffhanger that will bring fans back for the next instalment.