X-O Manowar #7 Review

 

X-O Manowar #7 Cover B by Dexter Soy & Veronica Gandini

In X-O Manowar #7, writer Dennis "Hopeless" Hallum opens with Shanhara having dropped out on Aric again. One minute she's there for him--his second skin--and the next he's naked. 

Exposed to the world. 

Defenseless.

While things like crashes and reboots are familiar to contemporary computer users, Aric isn't used to Shanhara malfunctioning on him. But then, he's let Troy Whitaker--a Human technology pioneer--attempt to improve his sentient armor made by aliens.

When your computer stops working, it only affects you. But when your suit's malfunction results in the destruction of part of a densely populated city, likely causing not just property damage, but also injuries and deaths, this raises the question of responsibility. The situation leaves Aric understandably flustered.

After all, his intent was to protect our world from dangers such as the growing nanite swarm.

 

Writer Matt Kindt's previous X-O Manowar series wrestled with the relationship between Aric and his sentient alien armor, as I suspect any X-O Manowar series must. Kindt often chose to deal with that unique partnership in brutal terms, with Aric denying Shanhara's sentience, and roughly using her as an object.

Or, perhaps more accurately, as a slave.

In the present series by writer Dennis "Hopeless" Hallum, Aric has made peace with Shanhara. As friends, the two formed a partnership with brilliant tech innovator Troy Whitaker. Sadly, in X-O Manowar #7, Aric, Shanhara, and Troy discover that while a superhero duo can be dynamic, a trio may lead to tragedy.

Aric finds Shanhara's frequent breakdowns and unreliability particularly heartbreaking, as he's recently formed a tight bond with the sentient consciousness inhabiting his armor. Still, that doesn't rock his trust his Troy Whitaker. It seems that, once Aric has pledged his friendship, it takes a lot for him to break faith with him.

Despite the hiccups in their relationships, and the setbacks they encounter, Aric and Troy continually try to save Earth from the dangers of the growing nanite swarm in X-O Manowar #7. Amid her struggles, Shanhara likewise attempts to provide what aid she can.

Yet there's a feeling of bleakness in X-O Manowar #7. Developments in this action-heavy issue suggest that this comfortable and supportive family Aric has forged may not last. Sometimes, as hard as you try to grasp hold of something precious to you, it crumbles away between your fingers.

What will our world be like at the end of X-O Manowar #7? Will the family Aric has forged survive this struggle? Are events as dire as the writer's nickname?

In X-O Manowar #7, writer Dennis "Hopeless" Hallum delivers a pulse-pounding blockbuster, filled with scares, drama, and the occasional touch of humor. As always, he leaves me anxiously awaiting the next installment of this exciting and engaging series.

Dragon Dave

X-O Manowar #7 Spotlight: Coloring

 

X-O Manowar #7 Pre-Order Cover by Chris Johnson & Allan Passalaqua

Ruth Redmond contributes her usual brilliant coloring to X-O Manowar #7, as can easily be seen by the preview pages. In this first image, I love how she's breathed life into this area of Manhattan. We see the skyscraper on the left, and how the sun and shade effect the glass. The building farther down the street is older, and likely made of stone, or covered in stucco. 

I'm intrigued by the white area surrounding the camera man on the bottom left. Is that caused by a reflective panel film crews use to shine more light on an area? Or is Ruth using white to show that the water in the fountain is really splashing in that area?

This next scene is scary, but gorgeous. Ruth Redmond has built so much texture into the ball of fire that burns above New York City. You can see how it has changed the color of the sky, which reflects off nearby buildings.

I'm not sure how much of the globules surrounding the brilliance are drawn in, versus how much Ruth has colored in. But that sky sure is impressive.

Inside Desmond's room, we can glimpse the transformed sky, but we also see how it has discolored much of the interior. I'm especially impressed by the coloring and shading of the comforter atop Desmond's bed.

Here we see X-O Manowar plunging into the interior of the nanite swarm. While it burns bright on the outside, at its center, in the area known as the Hive Mind, we see coiling green surrounded by darkness. The darkness reminds me of space, or the depths of the ocean, which brings recent covers by Rahzzah to mind. The various shades of green that make up the turbulent, writhing heart--or brain--of the nanite swarm bring to mind Dexter Soy and Veronica Gandini's cover for this issue. 

Regardless of my associations, I find this a spooky image. Thanks to Ruth's work, it evokes awe and wonder.

 

Great job on coloring X-O Manowar #7, Ruth Redmond! Really excellent job!

Dragon Dave

X-O Manowar #7 Spotlight: Lettering

X-O Manowar #7 Cover B by Dexter Soy & Veronica Gandini

 

In X-O Manowar #7, the action heats up quickly with the proverbial bang. Or boom. Or, even a little bit of buzzing? But first, Troy Whitaker holds a press release to explain the events that took place at the end of X-O Manowar #6.

Like any billionaire, Troy Whitaker seeks to shape our perceptions with his version of events. Yet one thing that letter Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou stresses is that Troy is taking all the blame for what happened in France. Hassan makes just two words in the above panels bold, but its enough to make us realize that under no circumstances does he want the public to blame Aric for the tragedy that occurred.

Contrast the normal dialogue balloons in the above panels with the two below. In the first, the arrow from the balloon goes wobbly. In the second, the entire balloon goes wobbly. Self-assured people like Troy Whitaker don't achieve the success and dominance they do by letting Joe Public see them...get wobbly.

 

 

One minute, Desmond is using the blue ball to interface with Shanhara. In the next, Shanhara leaps out of the ball in full ghost mode. The shape of her dialogue balloon, as well as the up-and-down letters, emphasize the feelings her expression suggests.

Also, notice that the background color in the balloon is blue, not red. Hopefully, I'm not giving away too big a spoiler here, but that's significant.

 

 

In the next panel, Shanhara has returned to her blue ball, and her dialogue balloon is colored red again. The shape of the balloon is normal. As with Troy Whitaker's speech, Hassan makes one word bold to show that Shanhara is stressing it. 

Interestingly, Hassan places the red dialogue balloon much higher than it needs to be. It infringes in Desmond's first balloon. Then Desmond's wobbly {sigh} balloon infringes on Shanhara's balloon. Clearly, Shanhara is not just Desmond's toy or tool, to be used as he sees fit.

 

I also like the way the long arrow from Shanhara's dialogue balloon in the above panel ends in an elegant arrowhead. Or is it a little burst of flame? 

Finally, consider the panel below. The action takes place inside the nanite swarm, or what Troy has designated the Hive Mind. Hassan's sound effect helps us hear the vortex of power X-O Manowar is generating. It's not a bang or a boom or a crash, but more of a thrumming.

 

 

In X-O Manowar #7, letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou does his usual brilliant job of bringing us into the action, the characters, and the drama. Many thanks, Hassan!

Dragon Dave

X-O Manowar #7: All The Covers & Why You Need Them

 

X-O Manowar #7 Cover A by Rahzzah

 

The artist known as Rahzzah has produced some stunning covers for this "Upgrade The World" story arc. For X-O Manowar #7, he produces what may be his most affecting yet. Finally, Aric confronts the nanite swarm not from the outside, but from within. He and Shanhara must take on the strange and devastatingly powerful consciousness known as the Hive Mind.* X-O Manowar plunges into this maelstrom of artificial intelligence, and...

Oops! Can't tell you any more, or the good folks at Valiant Comics might accuse me of throwing out too many spoilers! Sorry!

X-O Manowar #7 Cover B by Dexter Soy & Veronica Gandini

This is Dexter Soy's first cover for Valiant Comics.  Nonetheless, he captures the essence of what we love about X-O Manowar. Here Aric is flying toward us, grim and determined, sword raised as he prepares to battle whatever comes his way.

Like Rahzaah's cover, this could easily be considered a purely conceptual cover. But once again, I believe it relates to the portion of X-O Manowar #7 in which Aric and Shanhara take on the Hive Mind.* Read the issue, and decide for yourself.

X-O Manowar #7 Pre-Order Cover by Chris Johnson & Allan Passalaqua

As with last issue, Chris Johnson and colorist Allan Passalaqua give us another story-centric cover for X-O Manowar #7. Once again, Troy Whitaker's attempts to upgrade Shanhara prove problematic. The consciousness that inhabits the alien armor tries, but simply cannot reconcile herself to the changes the billionaire technology genius has programmed into her.

The way Aric seems to be clawing at his helmet, even as the armor weaves itself around his head, makes me wonder if Shanhara, in her desperation to enclose and protect Aric, isn't giving him a tight squeeze. Or maybe she hasn't adjusted the suit's internal atmosphere, so Aric can't breathe.

Lastly, Valiant Comics delighted us a while back with Dexter Soy's penciling and inking for Cover B. His Black & White image is certainly powerful. Still, I think you'll agree with me how much Veronica Gandini, one of those often-unsung comic book colorists, contributed to the overall beauty of the final cover. 

X-O Manowar #7 Cover B by Dexter Soy (Not for sale, sadly)

There you have it: all the covers for X-O Manowar #7, and why you need them. Many thanks to Valiant Comics for offering fans three beautiful cover options. Congratulations also to Rahzzah, Chris Johnson, Allan Passalaqua, Dexter Soy, and Veronica Gandini on your efforts. Great job, everyone!

Dragon Dave

P.S. *I didn't realize the Hive Mind was a nanite swarm. I thought the Hive Mind was Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, the dynamic writing duo responsible for Valiant's upcoming series The Harbinger. I wonder: could the Hive Mind be both?