XO Manowar #23 Discussion

[BugsySig]

That was the quickest read possibly ever. I mean it wasn't bad...the art was good and the action was fine...but man did very little happen.

Multiple full page spreads and repeated panels just sucked the life out of the read. This was like a throwback to some of those early issues that barely contained dialogue.

Hoping for a little more next issue, but I'm thinking #23 and #24 are just filler to get to #25 and Armor Hunters. A little disappointing.

[dornwolf]

I actually didn't mind it. Yes a little light but still a little some-what filler arc of two issues isn't bad in my eyes. It continues the status-quo of him working for the States and his mass dislike of it while prepping the next arc. Still better than most of the books coming out.

[hunter_peterson]

I agree this read very quickly. But it was pretty enjoyable regardless- Aric's moon was great. Male am seems slightly interesting, assuming he was an XO host who only has his implants left. Curious to see how this arc sets up Armor Hunters.

[bygranddesign]

I really enjoyed this issue

Yeah it was quick .. But it was fun

Sometimes it's nice to have a break from plot development and just get a good old action packed throw down.

It helps if the art is good

And the art was fantastic - this might be one of the most visually appealing issues VEI has put out to date. Beautiful splash pages. The action was clean and interesting. And the colors were fantastic. Bernard and Reber deserve a little extra in their paycheck for this issue.

Even though it had mostly action .. There was some interesting things that did happen that furthers the story. This armor monster had his head blown off and the armor just repaired it with more armor. I can only assume this would happen to Aric if he were severly wounded.

It also seems like capshaws threat from last issue - had no real teeth to it. She had no authority to make that threat - it was just used as a leash to control Aric (who doesn't know any better)

[pixierosa]

Even though it had mostly action .. There was some interesting things that did happen that furthers the story. This armor monster had his head blown off and the armor just repaired it with more armor. I can only assume this would happen to Aric if he were severly wounded.

That was interesting. He had a huge hole in his head and was repaired before he died somehow. Gives some credence to the parasite armor theory. Wonder what would happen if the host never needed repaired, per say? Would it still entangle itself in their body systems?

Quick read but enjoyable. Aric continues to show more character than his original grunting alpha male persona.

[apainter]

I'm kind of mixed on this one. The V-Ent universe is expanding, and in the process, seems to be becoming more generic. I liked the Vine; they seemed alien enough to me. This new guy in the half-X-O armor? Seems rather run-of-the-mill "alien", where he's basically just a human with a lumpy head and sharp teeth. We haven't seen much of him yet, but I was half expecting him to shout "FEEL!!!! MY!!!! POWER!!!!!" at any moment. I had the same feeling when I saw the WWII "Unity" team in Unity last week: too generic comic-booky.

A couple of other quibbles:

-- What language is everyone speaking? We get angle brackets around the Chinese speakers' text, but everyone else is without. Is everyone else -- the Visigoths, the alien -- speaking English?
-- Explosive decompression. Sure, the atmosphere would rush out of the smashed ship, but not at limb-rending force! Perhaps the limb-rending had more to do with Aric's strength than the wind, somehow. If so, Aric better be real careful if he hugs Saana while wearing the suit.

One thing I liked:
"Lady Colonel"!

Some general questions I've had:
-- How would a Visigoth like Aric have reacted to taking orders from a "lady colonel"? I don't think women were warriors or leaders in his culture. Would he have been offended the very moment she came forth to meet with him in the camp?
-- Aric's "visigoths" landed on Earth without getting any type of inoculations, as far as we've seen. The common cold could be as fatal for them as it was for HG Wells' martians. On the other side, since they grew up in Loam, what diseases are they carrying that could spread among the rest of the Earth? I would imagine these are the types of concerns that MERO would be dealing with. From what we've seen, there have been no health problems at all. On the contrary, it's a very robust community. I would expect this to be an issue at some point, especially if the Visigoths are going to get integrated into the modern world. (I expect they would, at some point.)

Art

[lorddunlow]

too generic comic-booky.

Are you seriously complaining that this comic book is too "comic-booky"?

-- What language is everyone speaking? We get angle brackets around the Chinese speakers' text, but everyone else is without. Is everyone else -- the Visigoths, the alien -- speaking English?
-- Explosive decompression. Sure, the atmosphere would rush out of the smashed ship, but not at limb-rending force! Perhaps the limb-rending had more to do with Aric's strength than the wind, somehow. If so, Aric better be real careful if he hugs Saana while wearing the suit.

Both of these bugged the hell outta me.

-- Aric's "visigoths" landed on Earth without getting any type of inoculations, as far as we've seen. The common cold could be as fatal for them as it was for HG Wells' martians. On the other side, since they grew up in Loam, what diseases are they carrying that could spread among the rest of the Earth? I would imagine these are the types of concerns that MERO would be dealing with. From what we've seen, there have been no health problems at all. On the contrary, it's a very robust community. I would expect this to be an issue at some point, especially if the Visigoths are going to get integrated into the modern world. (I expect they would, at some point.)

I just assumed Vine medicine rendered them and their slaves virtually disease free.

I'll second the short read detracting from my overall enjoyment. However, this issue was fun. I cackled at Aric mooning the satellite.

This book is always ultra decompressed - it's why it lay at the bottom of my pull list for most of its run (until Unity).

[SJS4]

I enjoyed the issue. I think Bernard's art really suits XO.

The story moved things along and gave us a little more info (via implication) about the parasitic effects of the armor, not to mention the fact that someone else had indeed used the armor before Aric.

Looking forward to the next issue.

[jmatt]

I have to say that I really liked the issue, great action and art. And I especially like that it's space action, the book needs more of this. It's like the good old days with Aric and Solar fighting aliens in space.

I like that we finally see some action at the debris belt. You'd think the US would have him up there cherry picking the debris all night, every night. (and maybe they are)

I'd like it if at some point we see a night shot from earth with the debris ring faintly glowing. It's a new phenomena for the entire planet, Valiant should definitely make it a part of background detail throughout all of the titles. Show readers that they've changed the world in a visceral way!

Now, it appears that Malgam knew exactly where Shanhara was on Earth, and that he is on the run from someone, obviously the Armor Hunters. This is an interesting setup, much moreso than the Hunters simply showing up on Earth's doorstep. Also interesting it that Malgam seems to have only half an armor.

[Captain Craig]

A fun read, if fast one. Not very heavy on dialogue or caption boxes this month.

I also liked the "Lady Colonel" bit. I think at this point Aric knows that women hold a higher stature in today's world vs the one he came from. If nothing else I think we can attribute this to Livewire and her bonding with the armor.

I honestly don't get caught up in brackets and parenthesis for various language identifications so I'm not upset. If I didn't read that some are noticing it I would still be oblivious. I read the english and keep going. Not saying there isn't some validity to drawing attention to it, I'm just not hung up on it.

Probably, and it's been noted already, my biggest complaint was the whole arm ripping from the body moment. Of all the things I can dismiss, language issues, an out of time barbarian in a high tech suit of alien armor I still need things I recognize as plausible/implausible to be treated as "real world" as possible. His arm ripping off seems to me implausible and was just an excuse to draw something the artist/writer perceived would look cool.

[Aomalle27]

A good read, definitely going back in the right direction, and leading into something I hope will be phenomenal, Armor Hunters. I'm thinking Malgam is actually a future version of Aric. One with more knowledge and experience with the Armor, and thus the wherewithal to defeat the Armor Hunters. Thinking the Armor Hunters will end up being sent from the future as well, ala Terminator, thus presenting the likelihood that the Armor will spawn more armor in the future, and thus present a terrible future verse. This would also tie into the new 4001 universe of RAI. (Again, this is all just speculation on my part) This issue itself had some nice art, good action sequences, actually broken up for a change instead of the standard 5 or 6 complete page layouts. It brings more to the action to break it up into panels instead of resorting to the multipage epic pose battle scene. Actually looking forward to the next issue of a Valiant book for a change. This hasn't happened in a couple of months, so that's a plus.

[BugsySig]

A good read, definitely going back in the right direction, and leading into something I hope will be phenomenal, Armor Hunters. I'm thinking Malgam is actually a future version of Aric. One with more knowledge and experience with the Armor, and thus the wherewithal to defeat the Armor Hunters. Thinking the Armor Hunters will end up being sent from the future as well, ala Terminator, thus presenting the likelihood that the Armor will spawn more armor in the future, and thus present a terrible future verse. This would also tie into the new 4001 universe of RAI. (Again, this is all just speculation on my part) This issue itself had some nice art, good action sequences, actually broken up for a change instead of the standard 5 or 6 complete page layouts. It brings more to the action to break it up into panels instead of resorting to the multipage epic pose battle scene. Actually looking forward to the next issue of a Valiant book for a change. This hasn't happened in a couple of months, so that's a plus.

I also originally thought Malgam might be a future version of Aric because of the arm, but I hadn't thought of the possibility of the Armor Hunters coming from a future where Shanhara had spawned. Very interesting.

I said a while back that I believe Aric will eventually (through the Faraway) become the original "wanderer" who bonded with Shanhara and freed the Vine from the Torment. And thus why Shanhara would only bond with him/humans.

This could play into a future Aric being Malgam somehow through time travel.

[lorddunlow]

I forgot to talk about my biggest peeve about this week's books:

The preview in all the books was of the next issue of X-O, and therefore picked up immediately after the cliffhanger ending of this issue.

I read Bleeding Monk first, and there was no indication that the next page in the book was going to spoil that week's issue of X-O. I didn't read the preview (as I usually avoid them) , but it was hard to unsee (and unread) what was on that first page of that preview - I knew that Malgam was going to grow armor where Aric shot him in the head, I knew Aric was going to fight with him, etc. I've mentioned not liking the previews, but this one made me pretty mad, as I hate having plot points ruined (especially in an issue which skipped on plot development so much and was already a quick read). It really took away from my enjoyment of the issue.

I honestly don't get caught up in brackets and parenthesis for various language identifications so I'm not upset. If I didn't read that some are noticing it I would still be oblivious. I read the english and keep going. Not saying there isn't some validity to drawing attention to it, I'm just not hung up on it.

It's definitely a total OCD nitpick, but if they bracket the Chinese and Vine, then we must assume that Malgam is speaking English. Otherwise don't give anyone brackets. I'd be perfectly fine if everyone just spoke English in the word bubbles and no one was brackets. I'm fine with consistently pretending everyone speaks English - that is super common in sci-fi and I accept it, as it is too difficult to accomplish a realistic system without cheating with a universal translator explanation.

However...

I'm thinking Malgam is actually a future version of Aric.

If Aomalle27 is correct, then there is a reason he is speaking English.

[jmatt]

I honestly don't get caught up in brackets and parenthesis for various language identifications so I'm not upset. ... Probably, and it's been noted already, my biggest complaint was the whole arm ripping from the body moment. ...His arm ripping off seems to me implausible and was just an excuse to draw something the artist/writer perceived would look cool.

Agreed. I don't care that everyone isn't trying to gesticulate with body language to make themselves understood to one another.

[Sir Sandrick]

I know that it's a comic book, but I hate it when there is talking in space between characters. I think that it would have kept a bit more mystery about the alien if he was not speaking until he got down to the surface. Otherwise, establish that Aric can hear him through Shanhara somehow.

I really wish that they would establish the link between Aric and Shanhara more. I feel like there is a lot more room for Shanhara to grow. I loved when Livewire was describing how it felt to talk to it and why it chose Aric etc. Need more like that, showing why the most powerful weapon in the Universe is choosing to be with him. Maybe have it start protecting him without his command, doing things on its own to a degree?

[Baramos]

I actually think Malgam (which clearly is supposed to sound like Amalgam, implying that Malgam is an amalgam of some humanoid creature and an X-O Armor) is Gafti. Some of the armor remained in his system and is trying to reconstitute him from being blown to smithereens, but something's gone horribly wrong after the explosion back during Prelude to Planet Death and its regrowing and fusing into him instead of onto him, causing intense pain. He needs the "real" armor to fix himself.

That was just my initial impression, anyway.

A good save for the Visigoths not succumbing to Earth diseases is thus far they've been pretty isolated from the rest of humnanity--no one got particularly close and in their face in Romania other than some Russian troops and then the Unity team, and they're now isolated in America away from civilization.

While there are certainly lots of "environmental" diseases that could kill them, stuff like the common cold is passed person to person, and we can presume it's been around for thousands of years, not just the past 1600 years. Malaria, typhoid, etc. I'm assuming their ancestors would all have had certain immunities to (and so would they), and honestly a modern human has trouble with those without antibiotics and modern medical treatment.

Their ancestors were taken in 400 A.D., that's pretty late in the game in the world of human diseases. The thing that would really kill them are diseases that appeared afterwards and rampantly killed millions, like the Black Death or Spanish Flu. But both of those are human-borne diseases, not environmental.

The spread of Vine diseases into humanity is a more pressing concern than the other way around. The Visigoths are descendants of Earthlings, but the only Vine on Earth thus far have human DNA. Now beings have come directly from Loam to Earth, carrying Loam microbes.

[jmatt]

We could similarly sit here and debate how people from a world with a presumably different mass could operate so seamlessly back on Earth, or adjust to its different atmospheric air content, but that's way over-thinking things for a comic book, imo.

[Aomalle27]

I forgot to talk about my biggest peeve about this week's books:

The preview in all the books was of the next issue of X-O, and therefore picked up immediately after the cliffhanger ending of this issue.

I read Bleeding Monk first, and there was no indication that the next page in the book was going to spoil that week's issue of X-O. I didn't read the preview (as I usually avoid them) , but it was hard to unsee (and unread) what was on that first page of that preview - I knew that Malgam was going to grow armor where Aric shot him in the head, I knew Aric was going to fight with him, etc. I've mentioned not liking the previews, but this one made me pretty mad, as I hate having plot points ruined (especially in an issue which skipped on plot development so much and was already a quick read). It really took away from my enjoyment of the issue.

[.

That's a continual peevish thing for me, seeing as they include these spoilers/previews in the back of EVERY issue now. It's gotten to the point, where I don't know when to turn to the next page, because there's now warning page that a preview of another comic is coming. Seriously, If I wanna see previews of the next issue of a book, I'll go direct to the Valiant website, seeing as they post previews of all their upcoming books. Lose the previews at the back of the books VEI.!!!!

[lorddunlow]

I forgot to talk about my biggest peeve about this week's books:

The preview in all the books was of the next issue of X-O, and therefore picked up immediately after the cliffhanger ending of this issue.

I read Bleeding Monk first, and there was no indication that the next page in the book was going to spoil that week's issue of X-O. I didn't read the preview (as I usually avoid them) , but it was hard to unsee (and unread) what was on that first page of that preview - I knew that Malgam was going to grow armor where Aric shot him in the head, I knew Aric was going to fight with him, etc. I've mentioned not liking the previews, but this one made me pretty mad, as I hate having plot points ruined (especially in an issue which skipped on plot development so much and was already a quick read). It really took away from my enjoyment of the issue.

[.

That's a continual peevish thing for me, seeing as they include these spoilers/previews in the back of EVERY issue now. It's gotten to the point, where I don't know when to turn to the next page, because there's now warning page that a preview of another comic is coming. Seriously, If I wanna see previews of the next issue of a book, I'll go direct to the Valiant website, seeing as they post previews of all their upcoming books. Lose the previews at the back of the books VEI.!!!!

I understand why they do it, and usually the first page is no big deal - Harada flying in the air with entourage in tow doesn't ruin anything and I can then skip the rest of the preview - no harm, no foul.

If they are going to show a preview with such a big spoiler for a book that comes out that same week on the very first page, then they should place a page letting people know. It really did ruin my enjoyment of X-O this week.

[apainter]

too generic comic-booky.

Are you seriously complaining that this comic book is too "comic-booky"?

Too generic comic-booky, yes.

The Marvel and DC universes are replete with "aliens" that are just a different shade of human, with very little to set them apart from terrestrial civilizations. I can probably understand and relate more to a Kree or Shi'ar or a Kryptonian than a Yamanami Indian or !kung tribesman. I like the Vine, I like the spider-aliens from the old Valiant -- they were sufficiently alien enough for my tastes. I even like "the bouldermen from Petros" (despite the cliche name)! I'd rather have Close Encounters in the Valiant Universe be rare occurrence than in other comic book universes. I don't want to see Star Trek version of aliens, which is just a person with a bumpy forhead. I'd like Valiant remain rather low key and grounded, and not get too lost and cluttered with lumpy-headed aliens.

I honestly don't get caught up in brackets and parenthesis for various language identifications so I'm not upset. If I didn't read that some are noticing it I would still be oblivious. I read the english and keep going. Not saying there isn't some validity to drawing attention to it, I'm just not hung up on it.

It's definitely a total OCD nitpick, but if they bracket the Chinese and Vine, then we must assume that Malgam is speaking English. Otherwise don't give anyone brackets. I'd be perfectly fine if everyone just spoke English in the word bubbles and no one was brackets. I'm fine with consistently pretending everyone speaks English - that is super common in sci-fi and I accept it, as it is too difficult to accomplish a realistic system without cheating with a universal translator explanation.

The inconsistency is what bothers me most; as you and I noted, the Vine and Chinese dialogue is marked out.

This same problem took me out of the story a bit during the Homecoming arc, when Saana overheard Aric and Alexander talking and she asked what a CEO was. What, did Saana understand the rest of the conversation? Were they speaking English? Visigothian? Esperanto? In that same arc, I think all the Russian was in brackets, but not Saana, Aric, or Alexander.

Art

[lorddunlow]

Too generic comic-booky, yes.

The Marvel and DC universes are replete with "aliens" that are just a different shade of human, with very little to set them apart from terrestrial civilizations. I can probably understand and relate more to a Kree or Shi'ar or a Kryptonian than a Yamanami Indian or !kung tribesman. I like the Vine, I like the spider-aliens from the old Valiant -- they were sufficiently alien enough for my tastes. I even like "the bouldermen from Petros" (despite the cliche name)! I'd rather have Close Encounters in the Valiant Universe be rare occurrence than in other comic book universes. I don't want to see Star Trek version of aliens, which is just a person with a bumpy forhead. I'd like Valiant remain rather low key and grounded, and not get too lost and cluttered with lumpy-headed aliens.

While I agree there should be some wildly different aliens out there than the bipedal humanoid looking aliens of Star Trek and many comic books, there very likely would be many that looked like "humans with bumpy foreheads". The reason for this is already seen in unrelated species on Earth. If we suppose life requires certain conditions of gravity, water, light, etc., then creatures of similar intelligence would likely occupy a similar niche in their environment. Therefore, they would likely evolve analogous anatomy. Seeing is a beneficial trait. Therefore, eyes have evolved in separate ways for different groups of animals. Vertebrates have eyes and cephalopods (squid, octopus, etc.) have eyes, but each structure is thought to have arisen in separate ways. Dolphins and sharks have similar body shapes because they live in similar ecological niches.

It's not so far-fetched that there would be similar appearing aliens. However, there should be vastly different ones, too. I think VEI has done well as far as variation so far.

[jmatt]

However, there should be vastly different ones, too. I think VEI has done well as far as variation so far.

Yeah, take a look at the Armor Hunters line-up. If a guy with a floating head ain't different enough for ya, I don't know what could suffice.

[String]

Hm...nice to know that the King of the Visigoths isn't afraid to let his moon shine.

Is it such a wise idea for the Chinese space station to be that close to a large debris field? That one astronaut had only a tether line and jet pack to reach the debris from the station. Seems rather dangerous to me.

Plus, Capshaw's comments to Aric about any Russian and Chinese salvage crews would seem to suggest that America hasn't sent any salvage crews yet which is odd.

If Malgram still has armor implants, then shouldn't Shanhara be able to communicate with/control those implants?

[Blood of Heroes]

Plus, Capshaw's comments to Aric about any Russian and Chinese salvage crews would seem to suggest that America hasn't sent any salvage crews yet which is odd.

America doesn't have a space program.

[lorddunlow]

Plus, Capshaw's comments to Aric about any Russian and Chinese salvage crews would seem to suggest that America hasn't sent any salvage crews yet which is odd.

America doesn't have a space program.

That was exactly what I thought.

Also, you cannot maneuver a space station - at least not much. It gets assembled in space in a geosynchronous orbit and stays there (hopefully - otherwise you get Skylab strewn across Australia). Likely the Chinese space station was just lucky (or not so lucky considering their fate) to be in an orbit close to where the ring formed.