X-O Manowar #9 Lettering

 

X-O Manowar #9 Cover B by Michael Cho

X-O Manowar #9 finds Aric bound in nanite chains, with billionaire technology genius Troy Whitaker seemingly in charge of the Singularity that has taken control of New York City. When Aric foiled Troy's rocket-fueled publicity stunt in X-O Manowar #1, Troy spun the narrative his way. He does so again in the final issue of this groundbreaking series.

You can tell he's used to speaking in soundbites and getting his message across. Notice how he stresses the word spectacularly. He wants to convey not just how big a change has occurred, but the manner in which it came about.

 

Equally, letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou wishes to convey how much young Desmond disagrees with Troy's assertion. His message reads large and bold. It's italicized. It's followed by exclamation points. Even the narrative balloon and arrow that conveys his message to us is ripped out of anything approaching gentleness or symmetry.

But that's not half as shocking as Troy's reaction to Desmond's defiance.

In previous issues, Troy has acted as Desmond's benefactor, bringing him into his luxury home, and rebuilding the apartment complex destroyed by the Ukrainian warlord Yakiov. When we saw the two together, both during the rebuilding and after Desmond and his mother moved into their rebuilt home, Troy seemed congenial, concerned, and caring. His body language, and his closeness to the boy and his mother, suggested that he viewed the two as family. 

The big sound effect in the panel above, colored warm like fire...

It hurts.

 

The Singularity's messages come across as slightly rounded narrative boxes, perfectly symmetrical, and gently laid atop one another. Unlike Troy, the way the Singularity talks to Desmond, and repeats its message, seems like a concerned parent, guardian, or friend.

Aric might have saved Desmond from getting arrested in X-O Manowar #1. Perhaps he even saved the boy's life. But Aric's soft, barely circular dialogue balloons in the panel above, as well as his tiny lower-case words, convey exactly how he feels about not being able to save him now.

Dragon Dave