X-O Manowar 10 Discussion

[kevinbastos]

Whoa.

This hit me like a ton of bricks.

Just starting to get going here.

[grendeljd]

Holy. Crap.

That was just... Epic. Awesomeness.

Very cool to see yet another nod to the abilities of the original XO from the past - when Gafti wore Shanhara it became a physical reflection of his tormented self. When he first took off, for a second there I thought it was going to be a huge twist where Gafti actually went to the Vine homeworld instead of Aric... then I remembered we've seen a preview of 11... still, yet another amazing new ability of the armour revealed at the end. Its kind of scary how powerful the suit is... and yet I still don't feel like Venditti is over-reaching on the believability here.

I was really hoping Gafti was going to make it through, it would have been so good for Aric to have one other person from his past around. Alas, its not to be... but that is yet another great angle to the tragic character of Aric.

Great stuff.

[Xtianhardy]

I dropped X-O after the Ninjak arc. This issue convinced me that was a mistake. I'll be reading this series in trades from now on so my impatience doesn't get the better of me.

[grendeljd]

I dropped X-O after the Ninjak arc. This issue convinced me that was a mistake. I'll be reading this series in trades from now on so my impatience doesn't get the better of me.

Dude!

When you wrote that you had previously dropped XO in an earlier post, I was all like wtf? How could you?

At least you have seen the error of your Wheys

[iwantvaliant]

So I love XO. It's my favorite series so far.

I did not like this issue. What was going on with the suit there at the end? How much power does it have? If the suit can destroy an armada of invading aliens in three pages, when would Aric ever be in peril? And if he's not in any real danger why would I read the series?

Now I understand that Gafti died to defeat the armada, and if Aric were to try to use that much power he would probably die too. But it just seemed too much. And if Gafti died does that mean that the host is like a battery for Shanhara? If that's the case I have a red pill I'd like to sell you.

All that said, I'm very excited for the next issue. Cary Nord (the exclusive artist who hasn't been on the book for six issues ) is back. All his teases on twitter and facebook have me very excited for what's next.

[blujay]

The flashback sequences were great, Aric was very selfless in this issue. Glad to see he's not a caveman anymore. This was a great issue, it felt a little rushed at the ending but for a 2 issue prelude it worked pretty well.

I wonder if we'll be seeing how things are going for Alexander back on Earth over the course of the next few issues

[pixierosa]

The flashback sequences were great, Aric was very selfless in this issue. Glad to see he's not a caveman anymore. This was a great issue, it felt a little rushed at the ending but for a 2 issue prelude it worked pretty well.

I wonder if we'll be seeing how things are going for Alexander back on Earth over the course of the next few issues

I was pleased, too. We haven't seen the softer side of him except in some flashback instances with his remembering his wife. Of course, he's not been in a situation to let this side of himself show before now. I hope it continues.

I figured the only way Gafti could get the armor was if Aric gave it to him. Seeing Gafti mortally wounded signaled to me that this would be the case. What I didn't know was how Gafti's return would play out - would he become an ongoing character or would he battle to the death with Aric.

On that note, I was glad that Gafti ripped him a new one for his brash ways. His own father had warned him of this, too. Aric needed to hear it. Again, I'm immensely pleased that Aric showed heart and loyalty and accepted his responsibility for his actions. Also glad that Gafti overcome his own anger and disappointment. Vendetti actually made this quite moving.

Bravo! Excellent prelude. Hated to see it end.

[pixierosa]

Also, I think it would be cool if Ninjak popped in (not making a big event of his being in the book) and saved Alexander's bacon. This owuld handle the issue of how Alexander survives without Aric as well as give the opportunity to re-introduce what Ninjak and Neville have been up to since the last time we saw them discussing aliens.

[kevinbastos]

Great to see Aric's show of honor with Gafti - and Gafti's response, too.

This felt the most real - as well as the attack on the Vine above the Earth.

Interesting how Aric willed control of the armor over to him. Almost a symbiotic relationship now - instead of just master and servant.

[Paradigm38]

Anyone notice the character driving the car looked a bit "Shooteresque"?

[somewhatlazy]

I'm wondering if I should be reasonably confident that Trill is finally dead. It was just a tad ambiguous.

Hated that b-----d.

[Bubba]

So shannhra can only bond with humans?

[BugsySig]

Also, I think it would be cool if Ninjak popped in (not making a big event of his being in the book) and saved Alexander's bacon. This owuld handle the issue of how Alexander survives without Aric as well as give the opportunity to re-introduce what Ninjak and Neville have been up to since the last time we saw them discussing aliens.

It looked to me like Alexander was holding trill's Commando helmet at the end there. That would be one way to protect himself: Become XO Commando! He could then join Ninjak and Livewire in Secret Weapons

As for the rest of the issue, I thought it was a great little prelude. A little deus ex machina at the end there, but I'm used to that after 20+ years easing comics. I have to wonder, if Shanhara can tap onto the energy of a human, was it just charging its batteries for centuries with Vine warriors before Aric tried it out? I'm sure it's more complicated than that, but still...

Also, could Gafti's consciousness now be part of Shanhara? Might we see some interaction between the two Visigoths again some day?

[SJS4]

Wow, really enjoyed this issue. One of the best issues so far.

I liked seeing Aric interact with Gafti. Also was intrigued by Alexander picking up the helmet at the end...

[somewhatlazy]

Also was intrigued by Alexander picking up the helmet at the end...

Hopefully, Trill's severed head was inside it.

[erwinrafael]

Who ordered the upgrade in the paper? WOW. It made the art pop out, especially the Cary Nord preview. Amazing.

For a while there I thought Valiant would mess with us and have Gafti actually be the one to attack Loam.

X-O, Harbinger and A&A are firing on all cylinders this month. they're making Bloodshot and Shadowman look bad.

[hawkeyeps]

Also, I think it would be cool if Ninjak popped in (not making a big event of his being in the book) and saved Alexander's bacon. This owuld handle the issue of how Alexander survives without Aric as well as give the opportunity to re-introduce what Ninjak and Neville have been up to since the last time we saw them discussing aliens.

It looked to me like Alexander was holding trill's Commando helmet at the end there. That would be one way to protect himself: Become XO Commando! He could then join Ninjak and Livewire in Secret Weapons

As for the rest of the issue, I thought it was a great little prelude. A little deus ex machina at the end there, but I'm used to that after 20+ years easing comics. I have to wonder, if Shanhara can tap onto the energy of a human, was it just charging its batteries for centuries with Vine warriors before Aric tried it out? I'm sure it's more complicated than that, but still...

Also, could Gafti's consciousness now be part of Shanhara? Might we see some interaction between the two Visigoths again some day?

Once again our brain waves align, Alaxander looking at the Commando helmet really jumped out at me

I'm still thinking of my theory of Aric returning from Planet Death in the 41st century and Alexander being left behind with Ninjak and Neville in the 21st. I think just those three could carry a book and XO 5-8 did an excellent job of setting that dynamic up.

The XO armor does seem excessively powerful but would it be so in the 41st century?

[jmatt]

Arg. I typed up a nice lengthy post and it was eaten by some kind of server timeout or disconnect.

We never saw Trill's corpse, nor Gafti's. That one panel when he annihilated the fleet looked a little Solar-esque...

Also a little concerned that the armor could wipe out an armada in just a few pages, not even a battle per se. And with a character that had worn the armor for all of ten minutes. That's a little too powerful.

"Shanhara, take me home". Hmm, I wonder where that's going... Loam ain't home....

I liked that Aric was rebuked for his headstrong ways; Gafti is right, Aric got a lot of people killed because he won't be prudent.

Awesome paper! VEI, if you keep this quality, I'll stop complaining about the cover price! Deal?

Fantastic issue. Just super.

[nonplayer]

Did you notice it read all the way to the last page no preview! Thanks valiant. Great issue 5/5

[hawkeyeps]

Did you notice it read all the way to the last page no preview! Thanks valiant. Great issue 5/5

I liked that too, the nice Valiant ads spread out in stead of the same old preview at the back.

Good move and the ads really popped with the better quality of the book.

[nonplayer]

Did you notice it read all the way to the last page no preview! Thanks valiant. Great issue 5/5

I liked that too, the nice Valiant ads spread out in stead of the same old preview at the back.

Good move and the ads really popped with the better quality of the book.

Congratulations on 500 posts.
The whole book in its self was a fuller book.

[Xtianhardy]

I dropped X-O after the Ninjak arc. This issue convinced me that was a mistake. I'll be reading this series in trades from now on so my impatience doesn't get the better of me.

Dude!

When you wrote that you had previously dropped XO in an earlier post, I was all like wtf? How could you?

At least you have seen the error of your Wheys

Haha well I hate to say it, but I am one of those fans who does not love the decompressed direction of the new book. At least, not in single issue form. I love how much Venditti has been setting up his story since the very beginning, as it seems like everything that happens in this story matters. I am just not patient enough to consume the story in single issues, so I'll have to wait until the Planet Death trade comes out to fully appreciate the story he's telling.

[Xtianhardy]

Who ordered the upgrade in the paper? WOW. It made the art pop out, especially the Cary Nord preview. Amazing.

For a while there I thought Valiant would mess with us and have Gafti actually be the one to attack Loam.

X-O, Harbinger and A&A are firing on all cylinders this month. they're making Bloodshot and Shadowman look bad.

Oh man I freaked when I felt the new paper upgrade. Hope it stays that way.

[apainter]

I loved the paper quality. I wasn't so crazy about the art though. Hairsine seemed sketchier than usual. Alexander looks rather unkempt under Hairsine's pen. Perhaps, with all that's going on, he hasn't had time for his usual grooming.

To cover some already trod ground:

Trill isn't dead. He begged Aric to "finish it". "I always do", Aric replies, then proceeds to get interrupted by Gafti. If Trill were dead, we would have seen it.

I was a little bit confused by what Alexander was holding at the end, then I concluded it must be one of the X-O Commando helmets. (Trill's? Or one of the others?) Like the infamous blue pill in Harbinger #1, I thought the appearance of the helmet was too sudden, like it just dropped into his hands from the sky. Some better continuity in the art, showing that the helmet was at least nearby in the previous panels, would've helped.

(I'm too lazy to post in X-O 09s subject, but I was puzzled by an art continuity issue there, too. The commandos blocked Aric's hands with Spider-man's webbing. It looked like some kind of solid goop. After Aric knocked out the two commandos, this webbing just disappeared between panels. I expected it to disable his main weapon, those "PAFF" blasters or whatever you call them, but nope, they just magically disappear!)

Is the *entire* fleet destroyed? It looked like some ships had already headed toward Earth before Gafti destroyed the main armada.

Art

[grendeljd]

Is the *entire* fleet destroyed? It looked like some ships had already headed toward Earth before Gafti destroyed the main armada.

Art

I kind of hope some escaped - while there are also still all the Vine plantings living on Earth to deal with in the future, I think it would be cool if they still had a ship or two full of warriors in hiding somewhere. Not that it really matters much, Aric can make short work of any survivors he finds...

I'm curious to see what will happen post-Planet Death as well; whether the story ends in the destruction or annihilation of Loam, there are also Vine 'plantings' on other worlds out there in the Valiant Universe. As long as there are still some Vine spacecraft left out there somewhere, they'll be able to bring them back into XO in a future storyline still. I basically am hoping we won't be seeing the last of them after Planet Death wraps up.