X-O Manowar #24 Discussion

kjjohanson · Post by **kjjohanson** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:00 pm

Looks like I get to get this discussion rolling. Big first appearance by the Armor Hunters. Other than that, a pretty thin issue.

kjjohanson · Post by **kjjohanson** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:04 pm

I have to say that the content of the issue leads me to believe even more that my previous hypothesis is correct; that the "final" target being referenced in all of the marketing copy for AH isn't going to be Aric, but rather is Malgam. Probably a big problem with mistaken identity until that all comes out, but I think we're going to be left at the end of the event with a new super-team in the Armor Hunters (maybe a new ongoing?). My guess is that Malgam is going to have a lot of tricks up his sleeve and will probably at some point take possession of Shanhara for a big final battle.

nonplayer · Post by **nonplayer** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:33 pm

I see this as the armor is a parasite taking over its victim. And wont let you die. The armor is in Aric's eye for god sake. I think the hunters will follow malgalams signal and end up finding aric. Wrong place at the wrong time. Hopefully Mal is dead I worry his armor will attach its self to someone else. How come they were picking up the bits and pieces.

dornwolf · Post by **dornwolf** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:45 pm

nonplayer wrote:I see this as the armor is a parasite taking over its victim. And wont let you die. The armor is in Aric's eye for god sake. I think the hunters will follow malgalams signal and end up finding aric. Wrong place at the wrong time. Hopefully Mal is dead I worry his armor will attach its self to someone else. How come they were picking up the bits and pieces.

I think the bits and pieces are what the armours are compacting them selves into when the host dies. I don't think the big beach ball mode is what Shanara is supposed to look like. Also, I wouldn't mind Malgam sticking around we need villains.

David_Cody · Post by **David_Cody** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 2:49 pm

I thought it was a decent issue. Didn't really like the concept of the Armor Hunters, but after reading this, I think it might be OK.

kjjohanson · Post by **kjjohanson** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 3:35 pm

dornwolf wrote:
nonplayer wrote:I see this as the armor is a parasite taking over its victim. And wont let you die. The armor is in Aric's eye for god sake. I think the hunters will follow malgalams signal and end up finding aric. Wrong place at the wrong time. Hopefully Mal is dead I worry his armor will attach its self to someone else. How come they were picking up the bits and pieces.
I think the bits and pieces are what the armours are compacting them selves into when the host dies. I don't think the big beach ball mode is what Shanara is supposed to look like. Also, I wouldn't mind Malgam sticking around we need villains.

By "bits and pieces" do you mean the bag of pieces that looked similar to the little red and blue triangle thingy on Aric's chest? I'm thinking now that those might be something that are completely separate from the armor. Maybe pieces of something larger. Maybe a parasite of some sort.

greg · Post by **greg** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:22 pm

Those pieces being kept like that make me think they could be the "proof" that's needed for some big boss who sent them on the mission to gather/kill all the manowar armors.

Who would be a big enough boss who would want every manowar armor hunted down and killed?

The Torment?

bamaphilosopher · Post by **bamaphilosopher** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:28 pm

kjjohanson wrote:I have to say that the content of the issue leads me to believe even more that my previous hypothesis is correct; that the "final" target being referenced in all of the marketing copy for AH isn't going to be Aric, but rather is Malgam. Probably a big problem with mistaken identity until that all comes out, but I think we're going to be left at the end of the event with a new super-team in the Armor Hunters (maybe a new ongoing?). My guess is that Malgam is going to have a lot of tricks up his sleeve and will probably at some point take possession of Shanhara for a big final battle.

Hmm...that sounds intriguing. That would be cool, I think. I've been wondering how they can wrap something like this up, if their mission is to destroy Shanhara. It seems like a kill or be killed scenario. Your solution would be a good way to resolve it, I think.

bamaphilosopher · Post by **bamaphilosopher** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:30 pm

greg wrote:Those pieces being kept like that make me think they could be the "proof" that's needed for some big boss who sent them on the mission to gather/kill all the manowar armors.

Who would be a big enough boss who would want every manowar armor hunted down and killed?

The Torment?

Agree! That would make sense...I bet they bring in the Torment in some way, as being somehow involved in all this.

David_Cody · Post by **David_Cody** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 6:49 pm

greg wrote:Those pieces being kept like that make me think they could be the "proof" that's needed for some big boss who sent them on the mission to gather/kill all the manowar armors.

Who would be a big enough boss who would want every manowar armor hunted down and killed?

The Torment?

If it's The Torment, I didn't see this coming. Brilliant.

bygranddesign · Post by **bygranddesign** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 6:52 pm

I thought this was a great issue. Diego Bernard has quickly become one of my favorite artists at VEI.

I know this will sound like blasphemy, but I actually prefer him over Nord. I think he is better at action scenes and better at conveying the emotion of the characters. Nord is still fantastic especially with the big sprawling battle scenes but Bernard's work has been through the roof amazing since he took over the art on this book. Reber's colors are fantastic as always too.

I find Vditti to be the worst offender when it comes to slow plot development but I think he has developed a good rhythm with his storytelling - he has really hit on what works best in an issue of XO.

Plenty of action
A little bit of mystery and plot development
And build up anticipation for the next big fight

I like the interactions between capshaw and Aric - it wasn't hamfisted. It was to the point with little drama and tension but nothing over the top. I like the scene with Aric and Saana - I like the continued development of that relationship. And the official introduction of the armor hunters was pretty great - highlighted by that amazing artwork.

overall 8.5/10

Mandrakk · Post by **Mandrakk** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:27 pm

greg wrote:Those pieces being kept like that make me think they could be the "proof" that's needed for some big boss who sent them on the mission to gather/kill all the manowar armors.

I do not think they are simple proofs,the way the hunters talk about the armors I would think that those things are something akin to spores that might eventually grow into a new armor,and it is quite posssible that those things require a specific procedure to destroy which they cannot implement on site hence why they take those things with them.

greg wrote:Who would be a big enough boss who would want every manowar armor hunted down and killed?

The Torment?

I do not think their is a boss wanting the armor killed,I think the hunters hound them and destroy because they each come from a worl or a civilisation that got destroyed because of an XO.

dornwolf wrote: I think the bits and pieces are what the armours are compacting them selves into when the host dies.

It could be that too.

dornwolf wrote:I don't think the big beach ball mode is what Shanara is supposed to look like. Also, I wouldn't mind Malgam sticking around we need villains.

I agree,I do not think the"ball"state is natural for the armors,something could have induced it into shanhara as...a containment procedure perhaps ?

silverwolf · Post by **silverwolf** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:31 pm

I really enjoyed this issue, and think it is probably the strongest thus far in terms of artwork.

The theory of the big bad being the Torment is pretty cool. I always figured they'd return eventually, just wasn't sure when. I also think it might be cool if Livewire uses the armor again (or perhaps she'll help purify Malgam?).

jmatt · Post by **jmatt** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 9:25 pm

Thoughts:

Okay, well it seems like the armor is a true parasite in that it can totally invade the host. We've seen it wrap and protect a host, and we've seen it augment the host by regrowing an appendage -- but we now see it completely invade a host body.

Aric's looking at his regrown arm when he ponders "How..?"

Cracked faceplate. We've seen this at least two times prior.

Aric hasn't seen indoor plumbing before? He hasn't used a toilet since arriving on Earth?

Okay, now the use of speech in a vacuum and gravity from nowhere is starting to bother me a little. They could easily just change the balloons to zig-zagish to let the reader know that the two combatants are using their armor to communicate.

Greg, I like your Torment theory.

Good issue and art.

David_Cody · Post by **David_Cody** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 11:45 pm

I thought the same thing, "cracked face plate", but the other X-O is out there in space without any mask.

After reading this issue a second time, I think the Armor Hunters are zeroing on Malgum and Aric is in the cross-hairs by mishap.

dornwolf · Post by **dornwolf** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 1:18 am

Okay time to play help the newb. What the heck is The Torment?

Sir Sandrick · Post by **Sir Sandrick** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 1:57 am

Just an outstanding issue for so many reasons-

I found the art to be top quality throughout and much better than some of the more recent issues.

Finally there are some new and interesting villains for Aric to go up against rather than modern government shenanigans, Harada, or the Vine. I am really intrigued where things go from here!

I thought that the flow of the issue (although X-O always reads fast) was really great. Just a really fun read. I can't wait for them to finally explore Shanhara's character a bit more. It is time! I am so glad that Venditti has stayed in this whole time. It may not have had some of the high points that other books had, but I would say that it is the most consistently strong book.

SJS4 · Post by **SJS4** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 5:37 am

dornwolf wrote:Okay time to play help the newb. What the heck is The Torment?

They were introduced back in the Planet Death arc.

Keith · Post by **Keith** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 7:50 am

I think they are after the armor. Malgam is an addict, addicted to X-O Armors and sent out by the Hunters like a bloodhound to find them. Once he has located one, they follow him in.

It does appear that the armor is a parasite, capable of spreading and wiping out entire planets... Or is that what we're supposed to believe. Agree with all above... It would be quite the swerve if it turns out The Torment are behind it all. Maybe the X-O Armors were sent out in advance to protect planets from The Torment, but now they have tricked the Hunters into eliminating the X-Os. And now there is only one left to defend the galaxy from The Torment!

greg · Post by **greg** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 8:18 am

SJS4 wrote:
dornwolf wrote:Okay time to play help the newb. What the heck is The Torment?
They were introduced back in the Planet Death arc.

First five pages (or so) of X-O #11.

Bone-A-Fach-ee · Post by **Bone-A-Fach-ee** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 2:56 pm

Gotta say, an enjoyable issue. Diego Bernard is great. Love the art. No qualms there.
A lot of intrigue as to Malgam's allegiance?
Also, I like the armor hunters taking the "badges" as a token of their victory. Can an armor maybe not function without it?

Loved the panel of the guard saying "why do we even bother with the guns, ya know?" Hah! So funny to hear a comic character say the thing that you often wonder when reading books like this. Pretty funny.

bygranddesign · Post by **bygranddesign** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 3:36 pm

jmatt wrote: Aric hasn't seen indoor plumbing before? He hasn't used a toilet since arriving on Earth?

it was a cute moment

but yeah i was thinking the same thing

Those type of fish out of water moments should have been explored when Aric first got back to modern Earth. Instead he was too busy blowing *SQUEE* up

But perhaps .. he hasn't used a toilet yet ..

Maybe he does his business in Shanhara and the armor uses it for fuel.

There has to be something powering that armor.

Sun light and poop - the future of energy independence.

Captain Craig · Post by **Captain Craig** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 3:43 pm

"I brought you the most interesting thing I could find."

That you did VEI, that you did!

I found this to be a very enjoyable issue. We see the growing restraint in Aric when he attempts to discuss things with Malgam and not just fight. Something he's learning from Gilad no doubt.

The interaction with Col.Capshaw is great and again, showing respect for authority(especially a woman) is character growth for Aric. Something no doubt attributed to Livewire I'd think at minimum.

I felt it teased the Armor Hunters just enough. The art was top notch, the story, pacing and depth were spot on. I'd like to comment on the quite moments back at "New Dacia" as well. We get to see through Saana's perspective how the other Dacians are likely dealing with their new surroundings from a non "super powered" perspective. It's clear she and Aric have settled into a more than sex relationship. It's getting very domestic or at least this scene illustrates it can be that way at times.

Bring on the Anniversary issue #25 and AH #1!!!

jmatt · Post by **jmatt** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 9:34 pm

bygranddesign wrote:Maybe he does his business in Shanhara and the armor uses it for fuel. There has to be something powering that armor.

Sun light and poop - the future of energy independence.

Okay, that me me laugh out loud.

jmatt · Post by **jmatt** » Thu Apr 17, 2014 9:37 pm

Sir Sandrick wrote:...although X-O always reads fast...

I would like to see this remedied. Every time I get to the end I'm like "What?! Already?"

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