X-O Manowar #1

   Back again with yet another issue #1, X-O Manowar does its best to bring the reader up to speed on the story of Aric, the warrior from the 5th century who found an alien weapon which makes him one of the most powerful figures in the Valiant Universe.

   This issue tries to give us the best of both worlds, providing high-flying threats for X-O to face, while also bringing him down to Earth, with normal friends, neighbors - and even a few local kids to keep him on his toes.

   As might be expected, his attitudes don't always mesh with those of the modern world, but it's that conflict - both internal and external - that gives a nice edge to the series.

   It's a solid start to a new storyline, and a great jumping-on point (assuming the comics industry survives its current crisis, of course).

Grade: A-

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X-O Manowar #18

   When an event like Harbinger Wars 2 has your hero tied up, what to do in his regular title?

   How about a flashback story? (That trick always works!)

   And it's an easy fix for X-O Manowar, since his time-traveling backstory extends back to his battles against Ancient Rome.

   And that's exactly where this story goes, starting with a gladiator battle in the Roman Coliseum (which highlights some of the surprising features of that structure) and following Aric as he sets out on a rescue operation that leads to some surprising revelations.

   With strong art and an interesting story, this is a solid outing - especially since it's mostly marking time until the event wraps up (which it did this week).

   It's one of the strengths of this series - one month X-O is Iron Man, the next he's Conan.

Grade: B

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X-O Manowar #14

   After a long stint in a self-imposed exile, X-O Manowar decides it's time to return home.

   Of course, he faces a major obstacle - he's in deep space in a distant galaxy.

   So most of the issue is dedicated to the journey home - depicted in striking images by artist Ariel Olivetti, who crafts amazing cosmic spectacles.

   The story is by Matt Kindt, who does a great job of walking us through the pain that drove Aric away - and the strange new world that awaits his return.

  It's a promising new start that may give a new direction - and an unexpected one - for the armored hero.

Grade: A-

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X-O Manowar #10

   This is an entertaining issue, which is a bit surprising because it has almost no actual X-O Manowar content.

   Instead the issue is all about assembling a team - but not a team of heroes.

   Instead, the mysterious Rawn (that's him on the cover) sets up a series of clever but absolutely merciless jailbreaks to gather the kind of expertise and power he needs for a particularly challenging job (and you won't have much difficulty working out what that might be).

   It's certainly a different issue - all set in deep space and plumbing the depths of these unique creatures.

   The story is by Matt Kindt and the art by Renato Guedes, who provides amazing alien landscapes in a lush painted style.

   This might be a tough issue for new readers to jump on with, but for fans of the series, this is an interesting setup for the upcoming storyline.

Grade: B

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X-O Manowar #8

   Far from Earth, Aric has been fighting against a tyrant (and his army) on an alien world - and with this issue, we arrive at the final battle.

   It's a surprisingly laid back story, focusing mostly on the preparations for the battle, as Aric checks in with his friends, loved ones - and a traitor.

   (Don't worry, there's also a war included.)

   And while going to war in the X-O Manowar armor may seem like a bit of a cheat, Aric soon finds that the armor can only take him so far.

   It's a game-changing story by writer Matt Kindt, with dark but powerful artwork by Clayton Crain and Reynato Guedes, and it sets up lots of interesting possibilities for the future.

   Recommended!

Grade: B+

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Divinity III: Aric, Son of the Revolution #1

   Imaginary stories can be fun, and so can alternate histories - and that seems to be the territory we're in with the launch of Divinity III: Aric, Son of the Revolution.

   It takes us to a world where the Soviet Union - affected by the godlike forces unleashed in previous Divinity mini-series - has taken virtual control of the Earth.

   But that doesn't mean an end to conflict. Luckily, when terrible forces attack, the Motherland has a powerful defender - Aric, the former X-O Manowar.

   The issue brings us up to speed on his standing in this new world - and pits him against a particularly nasty opponent (one with its roots in the brutal history of Russia).

   It's a strong story by Joe Harris and powerful art by Cafu, and certainly an unusual change of pace for Valiant's lineup (however temporary the changes may be).

   It's a promising start to the series!

Grade: A-

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X-O Manowar #48

   A great comic book, it should come as no surprise, is usually a blend of an excellent story and script, married to strong artwork.

   But every now and then the writer "steps aside" and lets the art tell the story - no words required.

   (OK, I trust we all realize that even if there are no word balloons or captions, a writer still had to describe the scene the artist illustrates.)

   All of which to say, there's a wonderful four-page wordless sequence in this issue that gives Joe Bennett a chance to flex his artistic muscles. It illustrates some alien concepts with dynamic images and more than a hint of mystery - wonderful stuff!

   The issue, written by Robert Venditti, is mostly setup. The Earth is facing an invasion by an apparently unstoppable alien force, and Earth's mightiest defenders - including X-O Manowar and his allies - are marshaling their forces.

   It's shaping up to be an excellent series - the next chapters will give us the final word on its success.

    (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Grade: A-

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X-O Manowar #47

   The main conflict in X-O Manowar has - up until this issue - been between the alien race known as The Vine and Aric, the visigoth wearing the X-O armor known as Shanhara (that, to be fair, once belonged to the Vine).

   But as it turns out, the goodness represented by Shanhara has an opposite number - a godlike race known as The Torment.

   Those powerful creatures destroyed the home world of the Vine - and now they've followed that race to the Earth.

   Which brings us to this issue, which brings many of the Earth's powerful forces against The Torment - in an issue-long battle for survival, as each side starts learning about the other.

   It's an over-the-top, no-holds-barred epic by writer Robert Venditti and artists Joe Bennett and Marcio Loerzer, and it's very good - it's a clever exploration of an invasion by an unbeatable enemy.

   The question is, how are the heroes of Earth going to win the day?

   Beats me! Of course, that's the fun part.

Grade: A-

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X-O Manowar Annual #1

   At least once a year I feel compelled to break out my old man rant that "today's annuals aren't as good as they were when I was a kid."

   This stems from the beloved Marvel Annuals in the '60s that told epic stories (Atlantis invades New York! Dr. Doom's origin! Spider-Man fights the Sinister Six!).

   Modern annuals tend to be more like slightly larger (and more expensive) versions of regular issues.

   To their credit, the creative teams involved in the X-O Manowar Annual take a different approach, as they craft five different stories that shine a light on different corners of Aric's life and legend.

   Those stories include: a quick origin recap of the title hero; a look at Aric's brutal childhood; an ally discovers a long-hidden secret about her past; a deadly enemy joins forces with secret allies; and there's a teaser for a major story unfolding.

   The writing is strong and the art is very good, so this is definitely a strong entry in the annals of modern annuals - but it's still not up to the classic version.

   (But I am a geezer, so keep that in mind.)

Grade: B+

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X-O Manowar #45

   As the tension builds and an old foe returns, this issue of X-O Manowar calmly features a terrible bloodbath.

   Part of the bloodshed happens in a one-sided attack as a small army of human-looking opponents attack Aric, demanding he turn over the X-O suit (wisely, he declines).

   Another section of the bloodshed takes in a lot of innocent victims, as other forces try to frame X-O for the mass murders.

   And then there's the attack on X-O's home, and it's not looking good for his people.

   The issue includes an always-welcome guest appearance by Ninjak, and lots of action and mayhem - setting up next issue's big confrontation.

   With a strong (if unsettling) story by Robert Vendetti and powerful artwork by Robert Gill, this story of alien intrigue and power struggles continues to be compelling.

   Recommended!

Grade: A-

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X-O Manowar #44

   Considering this comic is dedicated to the adventures of Aric, who wears the alien armor that gives him the title X-O Manowar, there's a surprisingly small amount of actual X-O content here.

   That's because the issue is given over to the battle between the human race and the Vine, an alien race that seeks asylum on the Earth - but some of that race would prefer to conquer it, instead.

   That terrorist faction is the target of X-O Manowar, who enlists the brutal and efficient aid of his ally Ninjak - which means there's lots of death and destruction on tap.

   But their part is actually small - most of the issue focuses on the efforts to protect the peaceful faction of the Vine - and the forces pushing both sides toward a terrible war.

   So, a solid issue, strong art - but the cliffhanger promises much more X-O content next time around.

Grade: B

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X-O Manowar #38

   Who doesn't like a wedding?

   (At least a comic book wedding.)

    As the cover indicates, this issue of X-O Manowar features the title character, a Visgoth warrior named Aric who is captured and enslaved by aliens, but escapes when he bonds with an alien suit of armor. He returns to Earth to find that centuries have passed.

   Now he's an established hero here, and he's rescued other time-displaced Visigoths and has set them up with a small country (territory?) of their own.

   So Aric's thoughts turn to his own future, and after some agonizing, he decides it's time for him to take a wife and start building a family.

   Of course, the tradition of weddings in comic books is one of two scenarios: either a terrible attack happens just before or during the ceremony, or nothing happens except for a lovely celebration of love.

   One of those happens here, but I won't say which - no spoilers, y'all.

   It's a good issue with strong writing by Robert Venditti and excellent art by Rafa Sandoval and Jordi Tarragona.

   It sets up some interesting possible futures for X-O, and offers some touching moments for the tender-hearted readers (which includes just about everyone who reads comics, am I right?).

Grade: A-

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