REVIEW: Kindt and Giorello Breathe New Life into X-O MANOWAR #1
X-O Manowar #1 is a satisfying return to the character.
This year, Valiant Entertainment is relaunching X-O Manowar with a new creative team of Matt Kindt and Tomas Giorello. Not only is this issue is the perfect jumping-on point for new readers interested in the Valiant Universe, but it’s also a welcome return for fans of one of Valiant’s flagship characters.
Having knowledge of the previous run is not a necessity, as Kindt kind of starts all over again with X-O Manowar #1. The story shows our protagonist Aric of Dacia now living a quiet life as a farmer in an alien planet. Naturally of course, conflict still follows him, and later on he was forcefully drafted as a soldier into an ongoing war.
Kindt does not really explain why and how Aric ended up in this planet, but it would most likely be explained in the next issues. Nevertheless, even without reading the previous run or knowing the full context, the story is easy to follow and understand. It’s a simple opening story so far – the “hero being pulled out of retirement” trope has been done countless times, but in this one it works perfectly. Kindt’s steady pacing throughout is a big plus. He takes Aric being content from living a farming life in the beginning to returning to his life as a warrior, donning his X-O Manowar suit once more, by the end of the issue.
Perhaps the biggest draw of X-O Manowar #1 is Tomas Giorello’s art. Having worked on Dark Horse’s Conan comic books, Giorello should feel right at home in this one. It’s a testament to his artistic and storytelling skills that he manages to illustrate a tame setting in the first half then suddenly an all-out war in the rest. His pencils really bring out the years of combat in Aric’s physicality, and when needed, he easily adds a layer of brutality in the subsequent fight scenes. Diego Rodriguez’ choice of color palettes also add to the overall tone of the issue, a nice complement to Giorello’s pencil work.
X-O Manowar #1 is a satisfying return of the titular hero to Valiant’s lineup. Kindt and Giorello give a fresh but familiar take to X-O Manowar. And if you missed the previous run, this is the perfect way to jump into the character.