X-O Manowar #15 discussion

[BugsySig]

I feel very similarly to Leon as far as Aric is concerned.

I agreed initially, then I reread the first arc as a whole and suddenly had a totally different appreciation for Aric as a character and how his personality has been shaped--from the very beginning--into what he is now.

I made no secret that the first arc was not my favorite as I read it month-to-month because of the same reasons Leon mentioned, but the reread really made me change my mind.

[lorddunlow]

Don't get me wrong. X-O is a good book. Emphasis on good, not great. It is however, consistently good with no dips in my opinion. Leon nailed the reason for me. Aric isn't that interesting right now. Heck, even the Vine are more interesting to me. I've come to expect consistent improvement in the VEI books: Bloodshot started out pretty good and has become great in my eyes (it's right up there neck and neck with Harbinger every month now); Archer and Armstrong went from a book that I was considering dropping at issue #3 to one of my favorites; Harbinger started great and has consistently gotten better and better; even Shadowman that had a pretty mediocre start, is slowly but surely improving issue after issue. X-O #15 is at the same level as X-O #1 for me. Obviously, different aspects of a book float my boat, as Bloodshot #13 got hammered almost universally by everyone here, and it tied with Harbinger as my 2nd favorite for the month. I think the problem I have with X-O is the lack of mystique. The secrets of the Vine have mostly been revealed; X-O never questions how Shanhara works or where it came from. One thing I really miss about the VH1 X-O is the dialogue between Aric and Shanhara. Everything is too convenient; too classic sci-fi "the hero has perfect aim and never gets hit and always escapes from seemingly insurmountable odds".

Spiderman is my favorite comic character for a reason - he screws up a lot. He has thrown in the towel several times - he gets love ones killed by his mistakes - he seems like a real person. Aric does not. He's the only VEI character so far for which I can say that.

[Big Red]

Spiderman is my favorite comic character for a reason - he screws up a lot. He has thrown in the towel several times - he gets love ones killed by his mistakes - he seems like a real person. Aric does not. He's the only VEI character so far for which I can say that.

You mean like Aric got his father killed in the first issue by rushing in and screwing up?

[lorddunlow]

Spiderman is my favorite comic character for a reason - he screws up a lot. He has thrown in the towel several times - he gets love ones killed by his mistakes - he seems like a real person. Aric does not. He's the only VEI character so far for which I can say that.

You mean like Aric got his father killed in the first issue by rushing in and screwing up?

That's a good point you make. He's just so damn cocky. He seems like someone that would have beat me up in elementary school.

[BugsySig]

Spiderman is my favorite comic character for a reason - he screws up a lot. He has thrown in the towel several times - he gets love ones killed by his mistakes - he seems like a real person. Aric does not. He's the only VEI character so far for which I can say that.

You mean like Aric got his father killed in the first issue by rushing in and screwing up?

That's a good point you make. He's just so damn cocky. He seems like someone that would have beat me up in elementary school.

Which is why I can't wait for Eternal Warrior to give him a good dose of humility.

Gilad would actually be a good mentor for Aric. It would seem he was similarly rash in his judgment when he was young, but now has the benefit of thousands of years experience to temper that (except when a Geomancer dies, of course ). Gilad could impart that wisdom on Aric, who now lacks his father or uncle to help guide him.

[Big Red]

And what about Alexander?!?

He was left in a bad spot in issue 10!

When are going to find out what happened to him?

I hope that he returns as a supporting character.

[BugsySig]

And what about Alexander?!?

He was left in a bad spot in issue 10!

When are going to find out what happened to him?

I hope that he returns as a supporting character.

He'll be in Secret Weapons with Ninjak and Livewire

[AnthonyF]

And what about Alexander?!?

I trust in VDitty

[jmatt]

Leon, Grendel and Bugsy all make good points in that:

1) Aric seems a little one dimensional
2) As a man out of his element, he reacts in ways a person would
3) I'm sure a reread would achieve greater continuity and make the character seem more fleshed out. Rereads always do that.

[String]

I'm still trying to get a good sense of this book. Maybe I will after I read his portion of the Lending Library, but after two issues, I've seen Aric finish taking down an alien empire and travel to Earth in seeming hopes of restoring his own ancient empire/homeland.

Would it be safe to say that he acts as a barbarian, as in he destroys any and all that stand between him and what he desires? If so, then I wouldn't foresee him becoming civilized at any point in the near future. In fact, his ancient outlook on life and honor versus the 'modern' view of life could be an ongoing characterization highlight for the book, at least for me.

Still, I quite enjoyed this issue, very intense, especially his conversation with Gilad. I liked the sense of history between these two, of their friendship yet also how the passage of time has come to affect them both. Looking forward to the next.

[erwinrafael]

Spiderman is my favorite comic character for a reason - he screws up a lot. He has thrown in the towel several times - he gets love ones killed by his mistakes - he seems like a real person. Aric does not. He's the only VEI character so far for which I can say that.

You mean like Aric got his father killed in the first issue by rushing in and screwing up?

Or got Deidre and a lot of his fellow Visigoths captured by the Romans because of his rash moves.

Or got his patrol decimated by blindly charging against the Vine.

Or got all his fellow inmates killed when he led a prison break against the Vine.

Gafti captured this perfectly when he told Aric in the Prelude to Planet Death that it is always Aric who only survives.

[Big Red]

Would it be safe to say that he acts as a barbarian, as in he destroys any and all that stand between him and what he desires? If so, then I wouldn't foresee him becoming civilized at any point in the near future. In fact, his ancient outlook on life and honor versus the 'modern' view of life could be an ongoing characterization highlight for the book, at least for me.

+1

I couldn't agree more.

I thought that one of the shortcomings of the original X-O Manowar series was that Aric adopted a modern view of life too quickly.

I don't want him to simply be Valiant's version of Marvel's Iron Man.

His ancient outlook on life is what makes this book so unique.

[Carson]

And what about Alexander?!?

He was left in a bad spot in issue 10!

When are going to find out what happened to him?

I hope that he returns as a supporting character.

Wow. I forgot all about that slippery *SQUEE*!

Hope he returns too!

Will all the vine plantlings on earth step in line behind their new god, Aric?

[Carson]

Would it be safe to say that he acts as a barbarian, as in he destroys any and all that stand between him and what he desires? If so, then I wouldn't foresee him becoming civilized at any point in the near future. In fact, his ancient outlook on life and honor versus the 'modern' view of life could be an ongoing characterization highlight for the book, at least for me.

+1

I couldn't agree more.

I thought that one of the shortcomings of the original X-O Manowar series was that Aric adopted a modern view of life too quickly.

I don't want him to simply be Valiant's version of Marvel's Iron Man.

His ancient outlook on life is what makes this book so unique.

+1000

All the folks that think he's too one dimensional might want to consider the possibility that he seems simpler simply because he is from a simpler and more primal period in humanity's existence.

He grew up a Visigoth. He roamed the countryside, persecuted by Romans, in search of a place to call home. He was defined by his enemies for decades. So now that he is free of Roman persecution he has replaced his mortal enemy with the Vine, and he still seeks a place to call home.

His character seems perfectly consistent and believable to me. This is my #2 book behind Harbinger, and I wouldn't feel that way if I didn't find Aric to be a believable (if not very like able) character.

[Bl00dsh0t]

I'm concerned for the Eternal Warrior in the upcoming confrontation with XO...

Why you ask?

Well I recently read A&A TB 2 where EW has his a$$ handed to him by Archer in #9. Given XO has a weapon of planet destroying capability I am wondering how EW could possibly match this? Without the armour, sure, with it (and based on the battle with Archer) I wouldn't bet on him...

[lorddunlow]

I'm concerned for the Eternal Warrior in the upcoming confrontation with XO...

Why you ask?

Well I recently read A&A TB 2 where EW has his a$$ handed to him by Archer in #9. Given XO has a weapon of planet destroying capability I am wondering how EW could possibly match this? Without the armour, sure, with it (and based on the battle with Archer) I wouldn't bet on him...

Except for that whole "Earth won't let him die" thing.

[Bl00dsh0t]

I'm concerned for the Eternal Warrior in the upcoming confrontation with XO...

Why you ask?

Well I recently read A&A TB 2 where EW has his a$$ handed to him by Archer in #9. Given XO has a weapon of planet destroying capability I am wondering how EW could possibly match this? Without the armour, sure, with it (and based on the battle with Archer) I wouldn't bet on him...

Except for that whole "Earth won't let him die" thing.

Ha, yeah forgot about that! My bad

[Chiclo]

I'm concerned for the Eternal Warrior in the upcoming confrontation with XO...

Why you ask?

Well I recently read A&A TB 2 where EW has his a$$ handed to him by Archer in #9. Given XO has a weapon of planet destroying capability I am wondering how EW could possibly match this? Without the armour, sure, with it (and based on the battle with Archer) I wouldn't bet on him...

I think Archer managed to out-fight Gilad. Had the fight gone on longer or had Gilad landed a few solid blows, that fight could probably have gone differently.

Aric does not fight with subtlety. His fighting style is more that of an accomplished brawler than any specific martial art. No matter how accomplished the brawler, Gilad is three steps ahead of that.

[lorddunlow]

I'm concerned for the Eternal Warrior in the upcoming confrontation with XO...

Why you ask?

Well I recently read A&A TB 2 where EW has his a$$ handed to him by Archer in #9. Given XO has a weapon of planet destroying capability I am wondering how EW could possibly match this? Without the armour, sure, with it (and based on the battle with Archer) I wouldn't bet on him...

I think Archer managed to out-fight Gilad. Had the fight gone on longer or had Gilad landed a few solid blows, that fight could probably have gone differently.

Aric does not fight with subtlety. His fighting style is more that of an accomplished brawler than any specific martial art. No matter how accomplished the brawler, Gilad is three steps ahead of that.

+1... and he comes back after being killed. That sort of prevents anyone from "beating" Gilad. Your best hope would be to trap for a very long time (or possibly, as someone else suggested, removing him from the power of Earth into space where he may be vulnerable).

[hulk181man]

Would it be safe to say that he acts as a barbarian, as in he destroys any and all that stand between him and what he desires? If so, then I wouldn't foresee him becoming civilized at any point in the near future. In fact, his ancient outlook on life and honor versus the 'modern' view of life could be an ongoing characterization highlight for the book, at least for me.

+1

I couldn't agree more.

I thought that one of the shortcomings of the original X-O Manowar series was that Aric adopted a modern view of life too quickly.

I don't want him to simply be Valiant's version of Marvel's Iron Man.

His ancient outlook on life is what makes this book so unique.

Agreed. It's ok for the armor to educate him for modern times but maintaining his ancient Visigoth edge/connections adds character depth.

[retrovideogameaddict]

Fun issue, it was great to see this kind of interaction between Aric and Gilad. I like when good guys clash, it always makes for a fun story and it shows that just because you're good you are not always going to see things the same way. I feel for Aric and for what he said about his people being forgotten, he just wants a place for himself and his people to live and be free but unfortunately he's faced with a modern time and things aren't handled the same anymore. Gilad just wants Aric to do it the right way and Aric doesn't know any better than what he knows.....man, what a situation.

[Carson]

Fun issue, it was great to see this kind of interaction between Aric and Gilad. I like when good guys clash, it always makes for a fun story and it shows that just because you're good you are not always going to see things the same way. I feel for Aric and for what he said about his people being forgotten, he just wants a place for himself and his people to live and be free but unfortunately he's faced with a modern time and things aren't handled the same anymore. Gilad just wants Aric to do it the right way and Aric doesn't know any better than what he knows.....man, what a situation.

Right on. The thing I love about it is that it didn't feel like a forced collision of the good guys. They are both meaning to do the right thing. Kudos to V-ditty on that!

[MoonChild]

Great Issue. V-Ditty and Dysart have really harnessed the Best aspects of the originals and took them to the next level. Let's hope for more of that with VEI's continuing relaunch.