X-O Manowar Unconquered is the hotly anticipated Valiant title finally arriving. Its title character has been going off on so many different directions, going back to basics is for the best. This barbarian out of time’s struggle for a purpose leaves him at his lowest until his oldest enemy returns. Not the aliens he got his armor from but the remains of the Roman Empire IN SPACE. But will this mirror to his origin set Aric down a path of ruin? The next issue releases on May 14th wherever Valiant comics are sold.
X-O Manowar Before Unconquered
X-O Manowar revolves around Aric of Dacia. Originally a Visigoth prince fighting against the Roman Empire, he was abducted by invading aliens called the Vine. On their ship, Aric took the titular armor the Vine worshipped. Escaping from imprisonment, he goes back to Earth only to learn that sixteen centuries have passed. Despite stopping the Vine’s invasion, making peace with them, and reuniting with Visigoth descendants, Aric became aimless. From one adventure to the next, his only constants are his man out-of-time persona and his companion Shanhara of Gennin, the soul of the armor. He never stays in one place and his attitude seems to shift on a whim. One time he’s an aspirational warrior, in another he gloats about being a king.
X-O Manowar Unconquered By All But Himself
Writer duo Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad confront Aric’s lack of direction in X-O Manowar Unconquered. Despite his larger-than-life reputation that new readers learn in the first pages, he has a death drive. Aric’s struggle to fit in with the modern world as well as people after the armor always leaves him on the run. His anxiety and depression are starting to weigh on him to the point of seeking a good death.
But that doesn’t mean Aric’s about to let Shanhara be taken by the Visigoths’ historic enemies, the Roman Empire. These spacefaring survivors of Ancient Rome continue their imperialist ways while adopting the methods of the Vine. All of which are in stark contrast to Aric who is ready to give the Romans what for. But visions from the Roman’s seer suggests, that might not be for the best. Sure the empire will fall, but it will cost the lives of a lot of people with Aric ready to throw his life away.
Furthermore, a new rival Thyra Antius is ready to challenge Aric’s direction. As a foil, Thyra reflects Aric’s confidence and death drive. While Thyra is ready to give her life to the space Romans with her T-O Armor slowly killing her, she wants more out of her life. And if some visions are any indication, she might just get that at Aric and Earth’s expense.
Like A Space Frazetta Painting
Liam Sharpe’s artwork makes the delays for X-O Manowar Unconquered completely worth it.
The level of detail and color balance alone makes every page look phenomenal. They evoke the awe-striking paintings that adapt epics of legend. If that’s not enough, the panel presentation is nothing short of amazing. One of the best is in a two-page spread where X-O Manowar makes a mad dash as his life flashes. Across the emptiness of space, the light Aric gives off becomes brighter. In juxtaposition, the rustic looking flashbacks look violently discouraging. It gives readers everything they need to know about Aric including his death wish.
Another point for the artwork comes in the form the armor takes in its recovery state.
The closed helmet makes Aric look withdrawn like he’s blocking everything else out. Even better is how expressive Sharpe makes it look, almost comparable to The Mandalorian in presentation. With only Aric’s lips shown, readers can practically feel everything Aric does. From his frustrations to his fury.
Some of Troy Peteri’s lettering tell stories of their own. From the seer’s vision her distorted black caption boxes shows her fear. The way Aric speaks in this vision from one of Shanhara’s gold word balloons to his standard kind implies that he and the armor became one. As if they have become a force of nature to be reckoned with. But even if it’s not a berserk X-O Manowar that scares the seer it’s her domineering emperor with sharp cornered light blue captions.
Fortunately a new voice in a lighter more comfortable blue appears in the third issue. Despite how alien the font looks, it gives the feeling of a calming presence. It feels like she’s holding out for hope despite her situation. Something that she could share with Aric after viewing a terrible vision.
X-O Manowar Goes Unconquered
X-O Manowar Unconquered is shaping up to be something truly special. This is an epic story in the making with a hero at his highest and lowest at the same time. The New Roman Empire might have everything to fear Aric, but readers can’t help but love him. Right now this series gets 9/10.
Is the destruction that this New Roman Empire will bring be what breaks Aric? Will his newfound goal to fight the empire lead to another bout of emptiness? Will this new rival triumph where Aric fails? More importantly can X-O Manowar find some kind of peace? Find out in the coming issues.
Thanks for coming to the end and as always remember to look between the panels.