X-O Manowar: Commander Trill #0

[Phoenix8008]

Can't believe nobody's posted for this one yet, so I guess I'll start it up.

Really good issue I thought. Loved the background on Trill. No wonder he hates Aric so much. There's no hate like that of someone jilted and mad over someone/something they were convinced was theirs by right. Neat to see a little more history of the Vine as a whole weaved into the story too. Good setup for making him X-O's arch-enemy and a valid threat for later.

[tiredofmyself]

My only problem is that BOD:XOM completely spoiled the fate of Trill, making the upcoming conflicts significantly more uninteresting to me.

[jeremycoe]

My only problem is that BOD:XOM completely spoiled the fate of Trill, making the upcoming conflicts significantly more uninteresting to me.

How he got to that point is where the story is.

I really liked the issue. It helps paint a picture of who Trill is and why he acts like he does.

[CongoBill]

Good issue! I enjoyed it.

[tiredofmyself]

My only problem is that BOD:XOM completely spoiled the fate of Trill, making the upcoming conflicts significantly more uninteresting to me.

How he got to that point is where the story is.

That's my implicit point. Spoiler for BOD: Thrill is basically the same person in BOD:XOM as he's been narrated in XOM:CT. It is exciting to see how the story points in Bloodshot will happen, how Harada has become less villainy, but Trill's story looks like a flat line going foward. (Ninjak was not mentioned because his issue is basically prequel for Rai)

[jmatt]

Really good issue I thought. Loved the background on Trill. No wonder he hates Aric so much. There's no hate like that of someone jilted and mad over someone/something they were convinced was theirs by right. Neat to see a little more history of the Vine as a whole weaved into the story too. Good setup for making him X-O's arch-enemy and a valid threat for later.

Well stated. Trill essentially sees Aric as having stolen what he envisioned as the pinnacle of his destiny.

[hunter_peterson]

Can't believe nobody's posted for this one yet, so I guess I'll start it up.

Really good issue I thought. Loved the background on Trill. No wonder he hates Aric so much. There's no hate like that of someone jilted and mad over someone/something they were convinced was theirs by right. Neat to see a little more history of the Vine as a whole weaved into the story too. Good setup for making him X-O's arch-enemy and a valid threat for later.

Yep, he'll rain down on Aric with great vengeance and furious anger, Samuel L style. Pretty terrifying resume too. This just sold him as Aric's archenemy to me- they're literally mirror images of each other, and the guerilla war between them should be amazing. And seeing Vine society and history from their perspective was wonderful. I particularly liked how the enslaved races Aric freed were framed as defeated enemies... sure, the victory is impressive, but glossing over the slavery shows how warped Loam was.

Man, I love zero issues!

[hunter_peterson]

My only problem is that BOD:XOM completely spoiled the fate of Trill, making the upcoming conflicts significantly more uninteresting to me.

How he got to that point is where the story is.

That's my implicit point. Spoiler for BOD: Thrill is basically the same person in BOD:XOM as he's been narrated in XOM:CT. It is exciting to see how the story points in Bloodshot will happen, how Harada has become less villainy, but Trill's story looks like a flat line going foward. (Ninjak was not mentioned because his issue is basically prequel for Rai)

Sort of. It seems he'll eventually come to terms with Aric, but that his death will make him lust for the power of the armor again. And then he'll come to terms with it, again. So it's more that he's got two revenge plots, one for each XO. And he's still a big damn obstacle for Aric to overcome.

[Brapbrap]

yeah, from what I remember of BOD:XOM he has actually come to respect Aric but then starts throwing a tantrum because he doesn't believe aric's daughter is a worthy successor and doesn't wear shanhara

[grendeljd]

If anyone would like to hear our OTV:VCR podcast discussing/reviewing this issue, please follow the link;

http://onlythevaliant.com/episodes/vcr43/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks to any who listen in

[agent_graves]

My only problem is that BOD:XOM completely spoiled the fate of Trill, making the upcoming conflicts significantly more uninteresting to me.

+1.. Trill #0 was aight, for what it was, a nice little origin tale...

[greg]

Agreed. It would have been funny (maybe) if little boy Trill was a hotshot podracer.

[DirtbagSailor]

[Dallow Spicer1]

Enjoyed this zero issue, Trill is a great character. I hope the 'Fall Of' books are not how things turn out as that does spoil story lines ( in this case knowing Trill outlives Aric), has anyone had confirmation that those books are definitive?

Enjoyed the story and art, very solid all around. 3.75/5

[kjjohanson]

I feel the only thing this issue really reveled is that Trill considers himself worthy of the armor. One of the reasons X-O is near the bottom of my list of Valiant titles is that it's too thin. Too many issues are just a progression of events, with not much character development. This issue is basically all character development and not much in the way of events that we're not aware of. Bits of this should have been incorporated into the first and third X-O arcs so we had a greater understanding of the motivations of the adversary.

[hunter_peterson]

I feel the only thing this issue really reveled is that Trill considers himself worthy of the armor. One of the reasons X-O is near the bottom of my list of Valiant titles is that it's too thin. Too many issues are just a progression of events, with not much character development. This issue is basically all character development and not much in the way of events that we're not aware of. Bits of this should have been incorporated into the first and third X-O arcs so we had a greater understanding of the motivations of the adversary.

Maybe FVL and Clayton Henry should take over XO after #50?

[jmatt]

Too many issues are just a progression of events, with not much character development.

I've been saying that for a long time. Recent issues are better, but the title is very one-dimensional and linear. First a then b then c. Early X-O might have been even more interesting if this rivalry had been weaved into the storyline. The fact that it wasn't indicates to me that the reason for Trill's enmity toward Aric is a recent plot construct.

I wouldn't mind seeing a fresh author. Dan Jurgens is good with an 'uber' character such as X-O.

[kjjohanson]

Venditti would have been a good fit for Unity. I kinda thought he and Kindt should have swapped books. A then B then C works better for a super team

[jmatt]

Venditti would have been a good fit for Unity. I kinda thought he and Kindt should have swapped books. A then B then C works better for a super team

I sometimes wonder if Valiant's loyalty to Venditti doesn't actually work against them, sometimes. I'll be honest; I'm a little underwhelmed by his writing.

[Manaf82]

Venditti would have been a good fit for Unity. I kinda thought he and Kindt should have swapped books. A then B then C works better for a super team

I sometimes wonder if Valiant's loyalty to Venditti doesn't actually work against them, sometimes. I'll be honest; I'm a little underwhelmed by his writing.

I second that..He writes like writing a story synopsis and his story lacks characterization..

[jeremycoe]

Venditti would have been a good fit for Unity. I kinda thought he and Kindt should have swapped books. A then B then C works better for a super team

I sometimes wonder if Valiant's loyalty to Venditti doesn't actually work against them, sometimes. I'll be honest; I'm a little underwhelmed by his writing.

I almost always enjoy his writing. Sometimes I am underwhelmed, but I don't think there's a writer that I haven't been underwhelmed by at some point.

[BugsySig]

Venditti would have been a good fit for Unity. I kinda thought he and Kindt should have swapped books. A then B then C works better for a super team

I sometimes wonder if Valiant's loyalty to Venditti doesn't actually work against them, sometimes. I'll be honest; I'm a little underwhelmed by his writing.

I almost always enjoy his writing. Sometimes I am underwhelmed, but I don't think there's a writer that I haven't been underwhelmed by at some point.

I was not a huge fan of the first year or so of XO, but it's been pretty on point since then, and the last few arcs and one-shots have been really good. His style is super decompressed, which can be annoying at times, but because he's been able to stay on the book for nearly 4 years now, we are seeing the plots laid out over that time finally payoff.

[jmatt]

... but because he's been able to stay on the book for nearly 4 years now, we are seeing the plots laid out over that time finally payoff.

Agree on that point. There's something to be said for the continuity of the creative team. And as I mentioned, the book's been getting a little more intricate, so there's that.

[kjjohanson]

... but because he's been able to stay on the book for nearly 4 years now, we are seeing the plots laid out over that time finally payoff.

Agree on that point. There's something to be said for the continuity of the creative team. And as I mentioned, the book's been getting a little more intricate, so there's that.

I'm about an arc behind. I think I only read the first part of Exodus. I have some reading to catch up on.

[tiredofmyself]

On toilet I just have this idea that comics books should abandon the usual one-writer-one-book thing. We already have books with two writers collaborating, and books with multiple artists collaborating. I mean Matt Kindt would be the perfect guy for concept and pitch, Robert Venditti for story and plots, and maybe go revolutionary and find a third guy to write characters with voice.

Also they need to work on their ending/climax. It has been at least three or more books with severely underwhelming ending serving the only purpose to setup another new series.