X-O Manowar #43 Discussion

DirtbagSailor · Post by **DirtbagSailor** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 9:26 pm

My published review: http://all-comic.com/2016/x-o-manowar-43/

Michael_Ayer · Post by **Michael_Ayer** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 10:53 pm

So... It looks cool but do they ignore UNITY? I glanced at the preview and Someone says "the last time they worked together was cleaning up MI6". Which was before Unity...

I hope they didn't just pretend like all the other stuff has happened.

Keith · Post by **Keith** » Wed Jan 06, 2016 8:43 am

Michael_Ayer wrote:So... It looks cool but do they ignore UNITY? I glanced at the preview and Someone says "the last time they worked together was cleaning up MI6". Which was before Unity...

I hope they didn't just pretend like all the other stuff has happened.

Nope... I had the same concern, but then reread, and Neville specifically calls out the last time they worked as a duo.

I thought this was a great start to the arc. Read very fast and action packed, and I liked the surprise appearance (this early) by the Armorines.

jeremycoe · Post by **jeremycoe** » Wed Jan 06, 2016 4:44 pm

Keith wrote:
Michael_Ayer wrote:So... It looks cool but do they ignore UNITY? I glanced at the preview and Someone says "the last time they worked together was cleaning up MI6". Which was before Unity...

I hope they didn't just pretend like all the other stuff has happened.
Nope... I had the same concern, but then reread, and Neville specifically calls out the last time they worked as a duo.

I thought this was a great start to the arc. Read very fast and action packed, and I liked the surprise appearance (this early) by the Armorines.

And they very specifically reference events that take place in Book of Death between the two of them. I really enjoyed this issue and am excited for the rest of this arc.

jmatt · Post by **jmatt** » Wed Jan 06, 2016 9:13 pm

A good first issue for the arc. Lots of action. And we see Alexander again, it's been awhile.

Although why they have to be in the building to trigger a smart phone bomb doesn't really make sense, but it's a nitpick. And with Christopher's (the vine planting geneticist) bodyguards cleaved in half and sporting throwing stars in their heads, it wouldn't take long for the authorities to figure out who did it. But I guess this pair is operating under a higher authority so perhaps they don't care.

I have to admit that seeing them blow the geneticist up remotely felt a little un-superhero-ish... but I guess I can't feel much remorse for a guy that was planning to kill all humans with a lethal virus.

Brapbrap · Post by **Brapbrap** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 4:56 am

this is clearly post BoD & Unity since Aric is angry at Ninjak and doesn't trust him.

i think it was a really good issue too, the bit with capshaw made me laugh and it was good to see alexander again. I liked the cardboard x-o manowar kid making friends with the vine kid too.

jmatt · Post by **jmatt** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 8:52 pm

Brapbrap wrote: I liked the cardboard x-o manowar kid making friends with the vine kid too.

Yeah, I liked that as well. Not sure how they understand each other though.

And did we just see reformed Armorines? Was that the first we saw Gunny in a suit? I can't recall if we saw that in the X-O/Armorines arc...

Tony_H · Post by **Tony_H** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 9:59 pm

jmatt wrote:
Brapbrap wrote: I liked the cardboard x-o manowar kid making friends with the vine kid too.
Yeah, I liked that as well. Not sure how they understand each other though.

I had the same question. Was there some explanation about how cross-language comprehension occurred at the Nebraska site in one of the 2013ish issues? I recall wondering about that back when the Visigoths first came into contact with Americans.

On another note, Kindt and Venditti depict Ninjak in strikingly different ways. Kindt's Ninjak isn't nearly as sharp-tongued as Venditti's, and while Kindt's version seems to have a chaotic good alignment (using D&D terms), Venditti's is closer to chaotic neutral. I think Kindt's plots and stories have been excellent, but Venditti's characterization is more interesting.

Captain Craig · Post by **Captain Craig** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 2:35 pm

I was a good bit confused as well about that "working as a duo" phrasing. That seemed wholly unnecessary after time together on UNITY.

The Armorines was a nice touch. A very gentle almost under the radar re-introduction of what is likely to be the "main team" going forward after the concepts introduction. So it's Gold(leader), North, East, South, West as the code names. Give them all 5 robotic lions to pilot and I may have some more ideas to share for future Armorines stories!

I'm intrigued to see where this Trill/Planting uprising is headed!!

jmatt · Post by **jmatt** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 8:46 pm

Tony_H wrote:On another note, Kindt and Venditti depict Ninjak in strikingly different ways. Kindt's Ninjak isn't nearly as sharp-tongued as Venditti's, and while Kindt's version seems to have a chaotic good alignment (using D&D terms), Venditti's is closer to chaotic neutral. I think Kindt's plots and stories have been excellent, but Venditti's characterization is more interesting.

An excellent observation.

bribri · Post by **bribri** » Sat Jan 09, 2016 9:54 am

Captain Craig wrote:I was a good bit confused as well about that "working as a duo" phrasing. That seemed wholly unnecessary after time together on UNITY.

Yeah, a somewhat force effort to remind readers of 2012.

Captain Craig wrote:The Armorines was a nice touch. A very gentle almost under the radar re-introduction of what is likely to be the "main team" going forward after the concepts introduction. So it's Gold(leader), North, East, South, West as the code names. Give them all 5 robotic lions to pilot and I may have some more ideas to share for future Armorines stories!

Huh. I didn't think of them as code names. I thought they were instructions from Gunny: "North, south, east, west. One of you patrols each section of the fence line."

greg · Post by **greg** » Sat Jan 09, 2016 11:24 pm

The 'our story so far...' intro page almost implies Ninjak is a planting.

jmatt · Post by **jmatt** » Sun Jan 10, 2016 9:07 pm

I don't have it in front of me. How so?

greg · Post by **greg** » Sun Jan 10, 2016 10:19 pm

It mentions plantings are everywhere, but the panel about plantings just shows Ninjak.

jmatt · Post by **jmatt** » Sun Jan 10, 2016 10:48 pm

greg wrote:It mentions plantings are everywhere, but the panel about plantings just shows Ninjak.

Imagine if they went there?

But here's a question: Plantings aren't a thousand years old, right? So how do they continue the line? Planting to planting marriages?

dornwolf · Post by **dornwolf** » Mon Jan 11, 2016 1:19 am

little bummed that Gunny and the Armorines aren't really explored but here's hoping.

Tony_H wrote:
jmatt wrote:
Brapbrap wrote: I liked the cardboard x-o manowar kid making friends with the vine kid too.
Yeah, I liked that as well. Not sure how they understand each other though.
I had the same question. Was there some explanation about how cross-language comprehension occurred at the Nebraska site in one of the 2013ish issues? I recall wondering about that back when the Visigoths first came into contact with Americans.

On another note, Kindt and Venditti depict Ninjak in strikingly different ways. Kindt's Ninjak isn't nearly as sharp-tongued as Venditti's, and while Kindt's version seems to have a chaotic good alignment (using D&D terms), Venditti's is closer to chaotic neutral. I think Kindt's plots and stories have been excellent, but Venditti's characterization is more interesting.

I love *SQUEE* Ninjak

ChiptheRipper · Post by **ChiptheRipper** » Mon Jan 11, 2016 10:46 am

They should use the concept of a Ninjak planting to explain the personality differences between Kindt's and Venditti's Ninjaks. Kindt's goody-two-shoes Ninjak is actually a planting trying to infiltrate Unity by being a team player, meanwhile the real Ninjak is a cynical *SQUEE* who could care less about teaming up with the Superfriends. I know this isn't likely, but it's fun to wildly speculate

grendeljd · Post by **grendeljd** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 7:04 am

I enjoyed this issue quite a bit - really happy to see the appearance of the Armorines & also (finally) Alexander (also loved hearing that he is currently in charge of Orb Industries, a great nod to continuity & classic Valiant).

On my first read through I was also feeling like the meeting between Aric & Colin was lacking more of a proper nod to their time in Unity, but then I clued in to the fact that the most recent story event in their lives was probably Book Of Death. With that in mind, I really liked the way that was implied in this issue instead of being directly referred to. A great way to handle it, IMO.

grendeljd · Post by **grendeljd** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 7:07 am

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

http://onlythevaliant.com/episodes/vcr47/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks to any who listen in

agent_graves · Post by **agent_graves** » Fri Jan 22, 2016 6:10 pm

I'm back reading X-O starting with this arc (#50 coming

) and I thought this was pretty good. I'm not a big fan of Gill's, but his art is definitely serviceable, also, I thought the issue had some good character moments between Aric & Capshaw, as well as Aric & Ninjack...

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