X-O Manowar #1 Review

X-O Manowar #1
Written by Robert Venditti
Pencilled by Cary Nord
Published by Valiant Comics
Review by Yusuf Alamo

I know what you're thinking: 'This isn't a DC title!' So what? I've never really collected a comic book series outside of the Marvel and DC publishing companies, except for the Conan and Red Sonja re-launches from Dark Horse and Dynamite Entertainment several years back. More on that later. I certainly never read a Valiant comic book before, even back when I was in high school in the 90's, although I admit that I was aware of the company's existence at the time. For some reason, there was nothing about the Valiant universe back then that caught my attention as a kid. I guess as a kid, their character's costumes weren't as aesthetically appealing to me as those worn by the members of the Justice League or the X-Men. Thankfully, I've grown since then. I'm now a married, 35-year-old man who still reads comic books. Yesterday, I saw the $1 sale of the first issues published during the Valiant relaunch which included the X-O Manowar title. I immediately went online and read several rave reviews for the title. It caught my attention even more when I read who was writing it as well as who was handling pencils: Robert Venditti (Demon Knights) and Cary Nord (Conan). I picked up the latest issue, as well as the previous eleven I missed, and read the first issue on the train ride home. I'm completely blown away and in shock because of how much I liked it. In a nutshell, the story is about a Visigoth warrior named Aric of Dacia from the year 402 C.E. who, along with his tribesmen, are fighting a hopeless battle against the Roman Empire for their freedom and independence. During the course of their struggle, they mistakenly attack a group whom they presume are Roman Legionnaires, but are in fact extra-terrestrial warriors known as the Vine. Aric and his men fail in their attack on the Vine and are captured, forced into slavery aboard the Vine space vessel, and taken millions of light years away from Earth. Now, they must fight the Vine in order to escape and return back to Earth. This is where the story really begins.

THE GOOD
The story. Robert Venditti is a really good writer. I mean it. His skills as a writer are right up there along with his DC colleagues Geoff Johns, James Robinson, Scott Snyder, and Jeff Lemire. The pencil work is amazing. Cary Nord is knocking it out of the park, panel after panel. I'm enjoying his work here more than I did during his Conan run, and I never thought that'd be possible.

THE BAD
Absolutely nothing. After so many disappointing and mediocre titles coming out of DC Comics since the launch of the new 52, this is a welcome surprise; the first pitch perfect premiere issue of a comic book that I've had the pleasure of reading.

THE UGLY
I waited so long to pick up this title in the first place that I had to pay a little over $50 to get all the issues which have come out so far. Still, it was well worth the hard earned money.

OVERALL SCORE
10/10