X-O Manowar Unconquered #3 Review

 

Writer: Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad

Artist & Colorist: Liam Sharp

Letterer: Troy Peteri

Cover Artists: Liam Sharp, David Rubin, Kevin VanHook & Andrew Dalhouse

Publisher: Valiant

Price: $3.99

Release Date: May 24, 2023

 

Aric damaged Shanhara--his sentient armor—protecting Earth from a potential extinction event. Recovering on an icy moon, he held off Novus Romanus soldiers until Senior Centurion Thyra Antius launched a missile at him. General Cadmus welcomed Aric aboard his command ship, but a soldier whipping a slave confirmed his suspicions: the only good Roman is a dead Roman. Aric's closeness to the soothsayer Nimane outraged Thyra. With Shanhara reeling from her earlier attack, can Aric fend off another from the General's favorite warrior? Let's activate our laser swords, leap into X-O Manowar Unconquered #3 and find out!

 

Story

Thyra’s formed her opinion of Aric, and it’s not favorable. She views Visigoths as little more than savages and believes stories surrounding his exploits are overblown. Aric fights her off with Shanhara’s help, but then General Cadmus stops the fight. “Look,” he commands, “the Emperor is calling!”

 

Emperor Ursus Nox’s welcome doesn't convince Aric to join them. But what are his options? Should he flee once Shanhara recovers? Although his X-O Manowar armor advises caution, Aric’s attracted to Nimane. Seemingly returning his feelings, she leads him deeper aboard the command vessel and shows him more of the spacefaring Romans' plans.

 

The links to writer Robert Venditti’s series grow clearer in this issue. We learn more about Nimane, Thyra’s armor, and Commander Aurum. While the Emperor still hides behind his mask, I suspect many readers share my suspicions regarding his species. No narrator's voice intrudes to share insights into Roman history and practices in X-O Manowar Unconquered #3. While there may be no link, the similarity of the name Cadmus with the Cadmium race in writer Matt Kindt’s X-O Manowar series intrigues me.

 

Art

Liam Sharp mesmerizes with gallery-ready art in X-O Manowar Unconquered #3. Characters appear freshly honed in panels only to lose their edge in the next. Aric glows with Shanhara’s power, and Thyra’s armor appears adept and unstable. Nimane’s attire seems straight out of an '80s Heavy Metal magazine, and Aric resembles the messiah the Jews always wanted (as opposed to the one they eventually got). Backgrounds—often merely suggested—invoke awe.

 

Troy Peteri places Shanhara’s thoughts in puffy bronze clouds. When attacked, her words slant and bend. Peteri shows dialogue as uppercase black letters in white dialogue balloons. Ursus Nox’s greeting—transmitted via hologram from afar—appears as blue letters in white dialogue balloons with lightning bolt arrows. Sound effects in X-O Manowar Unconquered #3 are as brutal as the Roman soldiers. Instances of tiny lettering, and uppercase letters grouped closely together, may stress older readers' eyes, as will the somewhat transparent dialogue balloons that allow Sharp's extremely dark art to show through.

 

Final Thoughts

Plotting in the ranks, discoveries aboard General Cadmus' command ship, and a powerful vision remind us of Aric's past and reveal much about the Nova Romanus. More mystery than space opera, X-O Manowar Unconquered #3 imbues characters with more humanity, giving their plights—and plots—welcome clarity.

 

Rating 8.4/10

 

This review originally published at Comic Book Dispatch.

X-O Manowar Unconquered #3 Preview

 

 

It's Aric of Dacia versus THYRA ANTIUS in X-O MANOWAR UNCONQUERED #3!

The battle you've all been waiting for is finally upon us! X-O MANOWAR versus the rogue Novus Romanus warrior TYHRA ANTIUS in a battle for SHANHARA! Plus a trek deep into the bowels of the Novus Romanus flagship reveals the dark secrets of the imperial plots of the intergalactic empire! Who, or what, is The Engine? Find out more in X-O MANOWAR UNCONQUERED #3!

And now, here's a sneak preview, courtesy of the great folks at Valiant Entertainment. 

Read the rest tomorrow, when you battle past the hordes at your local comic shop, and demand your copy of X-O Manowar Unconquered #3!

And now, as always, kneel before the all-conquering blurb! 

All hail the mighty blurb!

X-O MANOWAR UNCONQUERED #3
Written by BECKY CLOONAN and MICHAEL W. CONRAD
Art by LIAM SHARP
Letters by TROY PETERI
Cover A by LIAM SHARP
Cover B by DAVID RUBIN
Pre-order Cover by KEVIN VANHOOK WITH ANDREW DALHOUSE

New intergalactic threat Novus Romanus holds a weakened Aric of Dacia captive. Will our hero survive combat with one of the fiercest and most brash of the Novus Romanus warriors– Thyra Antius in her very own T-O Armor?

On sale May 24th | 32 pages, full color | $3.99 US | T+

 

Read my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

X-O Manowar Unconquered #2 Review

 

Pre-Order Cover by Michael Leeke & Andrew Dalhouse

Writer: Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad

Artist & Colorist: Liam Sharp

Letterer: Troy Peteri

Cover Artists: Liam Sharp, Valentin Secher, Michael Leeke & Andrew Dalhouse

Publisher: Valiant

Price: $3.99

Release Date: April 19, 2023

 

Aric of Dacia remains in self-imposed exile on the icy moon Scythia. Once again, he has tired of the needless suffering on Earth. Still, battle finds him: this time disguised as an invitation from messengers of the Novus Romanus. What happens when he declines their invitation? Let’s blast into X-O Manowar Unconquered #1 and find out!

 

Story

Aric and Shanhara survived their impact with Scythia, but neither has fully recovered. Aboard the Theodosius I command ship, General Cadmus and Commander Aurum watch as Aric fights their legionaries. Like the Vine before them, they view the armor as the ultimate weapon. Like technology leader and billionaire Troy Whitaker, they intend to use the living armor to level up their military. Even weakened, Aric and Shanhara defeat their warriors. So Cadmus and Aurum send their Senior Centurion, Thyria Antius, into the fray. Liam Sharp's Cover A of X-O Manowar Unconquered #2 captures the result.

 

 

 

Taken aboard their spaceship, General Cadmus invites Aric to dinner. Traditionally, eating with one's enemies is heavily symbolic. Thus, he does so warily. An act of cruelty reminds him that—despite their claims—his captors are little different from the Romans he fought on 5^th Century Earth.

 

Art

Like Cloonan and Conrad’s story, Liam Sharp steeps art in symbolism. His multi-layered approach challenges readers to interpret what they see. He weaves characters into scenes like a collage. Has he drawn them from several viewpoints and pasted them in as needed? Like filmmaker Ridley Scott, he melds character design, backgrounds, and atmosphere to create the mood.

 

Sometimes, Sharp's art in X-O Manowar Unconquered #2 suggests a lenticular cover caught in transition. The eyes weary while waiting for the image to form. Some panels--such as one that paints Aric with Elfin ears--remain unclear. Yet striking imagery abounds. With Shanhara wounded, Aric's helmet takes on the appearance of the beast he fought in issue #1. 

 

 

One wonders how Robocop's helmet might look if designed by Swiss artist H. R. Giger. Much of the backgrounds—especially Theodosius I interiors, remind me of Alien. A lavish banquet scene brought to mind Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee's '90s Inhumans series. An overhead glimpse from above, seemingly distorted by a mirror, seems more at home in a Cathedral than a comic.

 

As in issue #1, Troy Peteri deploys a war chest of lettering in X-O Manowar Unconquered #2. Dialogue from speakers emerges as uppercase black letters in white dialogue balloons. Blobby black fields with white lettering capture the narrator’s ruminations. Shanhara’s thoughts float in puffy bronze clouds. Nimane’s insights waft through blue clouds that suggest an X, as in an X-Men comic. Stressed words grow bold. Sound effects enhance already fraught scenes.

 

Final Thoughts

Steeped in the history and culture of ancient Rome, X-O Manowar Unconquered #2 returns Aric of Dacia to his 5^th Century roots. Like Soothsayer Nimane’s visions, one glimpses his adventures through a glass darkly. While characters and situations coalesce, other mysteries—such as the identity of Emperor Ursus Nox—remain. As with Ridley Scott’s movie Alien, the story and art leave us much to ponder.

 

Rating 8.2/10

A slightly amended version of this review appears at Comic Book Dispatch.

X-O Manowar Unconquered #1 Review

 

X-O Manowar Unconquered #1 Review

Writer: Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad

Artist & Colorist: Liam Sharp

Letterer: Troy Peteri

Cover Artists: Liam Sharp, Nimit Malavia, Will Staehle, Bob Layton

Publisher: Valiant

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 22, 2023

 

Aric of Dacia stands in a field of corpses. Beyond him, fire consumes ruins. The Fifth Century Visigoth warrior denies his humanity. Now he is only the weapon: X-O Manowar. What happens next? Let’s claw into X-O Manowar Unconquered #1 and find out!

 

Story

The vision fades. What is replaces what may be. Aric flies toward a comet, intending to strike it and knock it off course. Shanhara—his sentient armor—warns he may not survive the impact. Aric doesn’t care. The comet is heading toward Earth. Stopping it is all that matters. Thankfully Shanhara protects him, and Aric survives the impact. They crash on a planet, along with impact debris. They discover more than ice and rock from the comet. All the while, people watch Aric and Shanhara, thanks to the Soothsayer.

 

Initially, I found all this difficult to follow. Cloonan and Conrad throw a lot at the reader. No links with the previous X-O Manowar series anchor us. One aspect of the plot—hitting a comet to knock it off course—seems more informed from the movie Armageddon than NASA. Shanhara should know that nothing would prevent debris from such an impact from reaching Earth and causing incalculable harm. Still, the story seems rooted in the rich loam of Aric’s history, which seems a hopeful sign.

 

 

Art

Liam Sharp's art often has a haunting, dreamlike quality. Figures emerge from darkness or mist. We cannot readily interpret what we see. As with such framed pieces that hang in galleries, this forces our minds to make sense of these visions. At other times, images are crystal clear. They take on a glossy, polished appearance. Or they appear drawn with graphite and colored pencils. Portraits of people emerge: sometimes in color, others in black and white. The latter resemble highly detailed photographs.

 

Troy Peteri enhances this artistic smorgasbord with an appealing selection of lettering. Dialogue from speakers emerges as uppercase black letters in white dialogue balloons. Those unseen speak through blobby black fields with white lettering. Shanhara’s thoughts float in puffy bronze clouds. I liked how Troy grouped the dialogue symmetrically and appreciated how the sound effects enlivened Sharp's all too often static scenes.

 

Final Thoughts

X-O Manowar Unconquered #1 delves into the rich history of Aric of Dacia. Galactic events and strange, new characters invite comparisons with director John Boorman’s movies Zardoz and Excalibur. While much is glimpsed only through mist and fire, this first issue promises a unique and cosmic rebirth for Valiant’s flagship hero.

 

Rating: 8/10

To view the preview art and another cover see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

X-O Manowar Unconquered #1 Preview

 

Cover A by LIAM SHARP

X-O Manowar returns with a new creative team, new adventures, and a completely different look. As ever, the good folks at Valiant Entertainment are determined to bring you something you've never seen before. Here's a sneak peak at this cosmic new series, in which Aric finds new foes to fight, and new empires to conquer. Enjoy!

Trippy, right? Offhand, it reminds me a little of Psi-Lords. Will we like it? Will it rock our Valiant world? Find out on March 22, 2023!

Now here comes the blurb. Friends, non-Romans, lift your cups and drain them dry! All hail the glorious blurb!

X-O MANOWAR UNCONQUERED #1
Written by BECKY CLOONAN and MICHAEL W. CONRAD
Art by LIAM SHARP
Letters by TROY PETERI
Cover A by LIAM SHARP
Cover B by NIMIT MALAVIA
Cover C by WILL STAEHLE
Pre-order Cover by BOB LAYTON
1:250 Leather Variant by TRAVIS ESCARFULLERY

Warrior. Slave. Liberator. King. Aric of Dacia has lived many lives. Now his past, present, and future collide as Valiant’s X-O MANOWAR returns in an unforgettable new series.

• Becky Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad, and Liam Sharp bring X-O Manowar to new planets, old villains, and brutal destinies.

• X-O Manowar is alone in space and stranded on a distant world, battered and defiant, but never defeated.

• Put the king back on his throne as X-O Manowar charts an epic return on its 30th anniversary.

On sale March 22nd | 32 pages, full color | $3.99 US | T+