X-O #36

[Bone-A-Fach-ee]

First of all, I can't believe I'm starting this thread?

First off, there are some absolutely gorgeous splash pages. I'm envious of whoever buys those original pieces.
Loved the humor of Aric asking "what are you? Can you even fight?" And the things response
Is Aric going to turn into a hive mind with all the other X-O armors, or will they all die, sort of negating that effect on him and Shanharra?
Good issue, but it seemed like editorial was just like "okay, have him go get his army in this issue", and that's all that really happened.
Not bad, but wish there was a little more meat. V-Ditti rules.

[BugsySig]

First of all, I can't believe I'm starting this thread?

First off, there are some absolutely gorgeous splash pages. I'm envious of whoever buys those original pieces.
Loved the humor of Aric asking "what are you? Can you even fight?" And the things response
Is Aric going to turn into a hive mind with all the other X-O armors, or will they all die, sort of negating that effect on him and Shanharra?
Good issue, but it seemed like editorial was just like "okay, have him go get his army in this issue", and that's all that really happened.
Not bad, but wish there was a little more meat. V-Ditti rules.

Agree with all this. Cool issue. Greta splash pages. Some fun scenes. Definitely a set up issue for the end of the arc.

Really hoping we get some gaps filled in at some point on Shanharra, the Armors and the Armor Hunters. It's starting to drag on and it's not even being built as a mystery. I'm afraid if it doesn't happen soon, it'll just be dropped. Hopefully that XO special will do the trick.

[pixierosa]

I thought the hive mind was cool. It immediately reminded me of The Vine and their shared awareness, but this is obviously not a trait that the armors picked up from one growing on Loam. They must have had a shared meeting before when they all converged on the planet with the armor hunters. I don't think it was so much that they were called home, but it may have been a call from one of the armors. Interesting fight or flight impulse considering they were made as a weapon. Perhaps they gained a sentience and through the hive mind were all awakened to a means of survival - a parasitic one. Who knows? I hope they reveal this information.

[jxm640]

I thought the hive mind was cool. It immediately reminded me of The Vine and their shared awareness, but this is obviously not a trait that the armors picked up from one growing on Loam. They must have had a shared meeting before when they all converged on the planet with the armor hunters. I don't think it was so much that they were called home, but it may have been a call from one of the armors. Interesting fight or flight impulse considering they were made as a weapon. Perhaps they gained a sentience and through the hive mind were all awakened to a means of survival - a parasitic one. Who knows? I hope they reveal this information.

Is it possible that the Vine Hive mind evolved from the armors? In theory, the armors tap into parts of all of their hosts brains. Aric can speak Vine without Shanhara attached to him (I am not sure about entering commune).

All in all, this was a nice filler issue to read. A decent calm before the storm, although more could have been done with it.

[hunter_peterson]

I thought the hive mind was cool. It immediately reminded me of The Vine and their shared awareness, but this is obviously not a trait that the armors picked up from one growing on Loam. They must have had a shared meeting before when they all converged on the planet with the armor hunters. I don't think it was so much that they were called home, but it may have been a call from one of the armors. Interesting fight or flight impulse considering they were made as a weapon. Perhaps they gained a sentience and through the hive mind were all awakened to a means of survival - a parasitic one. Who knows? I hope they reveal this information.

Is it possible that the Vine Hive mind evolved from the armors? In theory, the armors tap into parts of all of their hosts brains. Aric can speak Vine without Shanhara attached to him (I am not sure about entering commune).

All in all, this was a nice filler issue to read. A decent calm before the storm, although more could have been done with it.

I think they're communicating over their respective race's Akashic Plane. They can't access the Record like Archer, but they can use it as a psychic meeting ground. Which, if true, would tie together even more of the Valiant Universe.

EDIT: I assume Aric can speak Vine because Shanhara modified his vocal chords somehow. They don't make noises humans can naturally replicate, I think.

[apainter]

Is it possible that the Vine Hive mind evolved from the armors? In theory, the armors tap into parts of all of their hosts brains. Aric can speak Vine without Shanhara attached to him (I am not sure about entering commune).

According to the Vine High Priest

"Shanhara guided us. It taught us to access the gatherings, a spiritual plane where our minds could meet to share knowledge and memories." - X-O # 11

One thing I miss (that they did in previous issues) is use the black speech bubbles and angle brackets whenever Aric was speaking the vine language and switched back when he wasn't.

Art

[greg]

The other X-O says "In time, you will become armor of the name Aric."

So, the warrior who wore Shanhara to save the Vine homeworld Loam was consumed by that armor.
He didn't leave it behind after defeating the Torment.
He couldn't leave it behind... apart from Aric and Livewire, the armors have never stopped consuming their wearers.

The warrior that defeated the Torment was Shanhara... and he/she/it became the armor of the name Shanhara.

[greg]

By the way... tell me you all saw the X-O Goatowar.

[jmatt]

Really hoping we get some gaps filled in at some point on Shanharra, the Armors and the Armor Hunters. It's starting to drag on and it's not even being built as a mystery.

Agree.

The one thing that I don't really like is that the X-O armor concept is as much an evil as is the AH and Dead Hand. The armors 'infect' worlds and kill all of the inhabitants (for some reason we've never been told) and the AH 'save' the universe by killing everything in it so it can't be infected.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the AH arcs, I find myself not being able to root for anyone except Aric. Yeah, yeah, a morally gray universe and all of that -- but how cosmically bleak do they have to make it?

I enjoy all of the action and characters but the foundation of this premise leaves me uneasy, leaves my not seeing the armor as a force for good. And yet there it is, conceptually wrapped around my hero in every issue. I dunno, it's almost too far afield of the armor idea I loved in VH1.

[BugsySig]

I think the outcome of this war with Dead Hand could be the XO Armors becoming like a Green Lantern Corps. Gaining independence over the hive mind as they learn from Aric.

[greg]

Good point --- it's possible that the other X-O armors simply selected a random member of the population. Shanhara chose Aric, who was (destined to be) a king.

X-O #36 may be known as the issue where "Aric becomes King of the X-O Armors"

[Captain Craig]

I don't think any long time comic reader could dismiss the GLCorps/Nova Corps vibe going on in this issue. As groundwork for something like that anyway. It didn't feel like it was as strong a narrative issue as it could've been. We are aware that the story is as much about Shanara as it is Aric and there are things VEI is still going to explore so maybe one day we'll get told why the armors could be seen as a plague. However, the AH & Control's way of dealing with them is the axiom that the cure is worse than the disease. So the AH method also isn't viable cause it's genocide.

I also would've enjoyed it if the aesthetic of the armors were different. I feel that as each armor is born on it's planet that certain environmental factors should account for slight changes in each armor.

[jmatt]

Wild Card: There are still two (?) Armor Hunters alive, I think. Helix for sure and I think Quartz? Malgam may even qualify.

So what if Dead Hand finds some living Armor Hunters? Does it just turn off and go back into 'wait' mode?

[BugsySig]

Wild Card: There are still two (?) Armor Hunters alive, I think. Helix for sure and I think Quartz? Malgam may even qualify.

So what if Dead Hand finds some living Armor Hunters? Does it just turn off and go back into 'wait' mode?

Are we even sure Primary and Lilt are dead? Last we saw were their bodies on a table at GATE. They could very easily be in cryogenic refrigeration.

[hunter_peterson]

Wild Card: There are still two (?) Armor Hunters alive, I think. Helix for sure and I think Quartz? Malgam may even qualify.

So what if Dead Hand finds some living Armor Hunters? Does it just turn off and go back into 'wait' mode?

Are we even sure Primary and Lilt are dead? Last we saw were their bodies on a table at GATE. They could very easily be in cryogenic refrigeration.

I would like that! They were all such cool characters, killing two of then off felt like a shame. Even if they brought them back, their separation will have made them even more interesting!

[jmatt]

Wild Card: There are still two (?) Armor Hunters alive, I think. Helix for sure and I think Quartz? Malgam may even qualify.

So what if Dead Hand finds some living Armor Hunters? Does it just turn off and go back into 'wait' mode?

Are we even sure Primary and Lilt are dead? Last we saw were their bodies on a table at GATE. They could very easily be in cryogenic refrigeration.

I was gonna mention Reebo. We saw a body but it never went in the ground. I think Bloodshot carved organs outta Lilt, so that's less likely. But yeah. I think it's even possible Control is still around out there.

[Dallow Spicer1]

Enjoyed this issue, as always VDitti plays a 'long game' so the real appreciation of what's happening occurs when the arc finishes.

It's difficult to not see the XO army and not be reminded of the Green Lantern Corps which is a tiny bit distracting, but I like where things are headed!

3.5/5

[ilzuccone]

I dig the hint at the history of the armor. I want shanhara's story. I also dig the green lantern corp vibe. I enjoyed this issue far more than the previous.

[String]

Even being a filler issue, V-ditti does a great job here. The hive mind scenes were great, seeing Aric challenge the other armors to stand up and fight instead of avoiding it (which I thought was a nice twist on why they signaled Shanhara over the approaching Dead Hand to Loam).

Bernard's art is very a great fit for this type of story. Yeah, it's hard not to see some GLC overtones here, but seeing all the different alien armors is a treat. If Aric does manage to sway them towards being some form of galactic guardian or law force in the future, I'd be all for that. I just love that this series is still focused on the cosmic/space side of the Valiant Universe.

[Big Red]

V-Ditti rules.

Agreed.

I'm really enjoying this book right now.

[leonmallett]

An enjoyable issue for me. The dead Hand arc has had a nice trajectory for me, mixing good writing and art.

[leonmallett]

I think the outcome of this war with Dead Hand could be the XO Armors becoming like a Green Lantern Corps. Gaining independence over the hive mind as they learn from Aric.

Yep, same thought crossed my mind.

I thought VEI were also trying to do their own take on having a broad mythology with sub-sets (like DC's emotional spectrum of corps) when they did the Houses thing in EW, but that didn't seem to stick. At all.

[leonmallett]

I don't think any long time comic reader could dismiss the GLCorps/Nova Corps vibe going on in this issue. As groundwork for something like that anyway.

Agreed. And not a bad thing IMHO. But kind of shows that the Armor Hunters were not as successful as it first appeared.

I also would've enjoyed it if the aesthetic of the armors were different. I feel that as each armor is born on it's planet that certain environmental factors should account for slight changes in each armor.

For me there is sufficient variation so as not to look identical, mixed with sufficient recognisability, so mileage varies.

But more importantly, these are space-faring armours, so need to adapt to many environments, not just one.

[leonmallett]

Enjoyed this issue, as always VDitti plays a 'long game' so the real appreciation of what's happening occurs when the arc finishes.

It's difficult to not see the XO army and not be reminded of the Green Lantern Corps which is a tiny bit distracting, but I like where things are headed!

3.5/5

I liked the decision, so was not distracted. While not a big GL reader over the years, I do think VEI needs to broaden its mythoi/mythoses where it can, and this seems a logical extension.

[hunter_peterson]

I think the outcome of this war with Dead Hand could be the XO Armors becoming like a Green Lantern Corps. Gaining independence over the hive mind as they learn from Aric.

Yep, same thought crossed my mind.

I thought VEI were also trying to do their own take on having a broad mythology with sub-sets (like DC's emotional spectrum of corps) when they did the Houses thing in EW, but that didn't seem to stick. At all.

Hopefully that plays into either Book of Death or the Warmonger arc of Unity. The Warmonger seems like a demigoddess of that EW pantheon, by the look of her father. It was cool and I'd like to see it fleshed out.