Valiant’s Aric of Dacia, also known as X-O Manowar will remind you of those old school westerns. You know the ones with the simple premise, but a complex narrative. The kind where the hero allies himself with flawed, shady people because it’s for the greater good. Aric needs to get rid of the Vine who have allied themselves with his greatest enemy Trill, preserve the peace between the stranded Vine who want to coexist on earth, uncover and stop a plot, all the while helping to establish New Visigoth.
There’s action and mistrust, but there’s also compassion. It’s ironic really, here we have a man enslaved by the very people he now is desperately trying to save. That alongside defending the earth with the suit (Shanhara) sacred to the people of the Vine. Where does this humanity come from? How can Aric forgive losing his family and way of life to an alien life-form, then turn around and help them? Robert Venditti successfully shows the complexity of Aric’s dilemma through the interactions of two boys, one Visigoth and one Vine who have both suffered losses. It puts what Aric is attempting to do in perspective for the reader. Sometimes it’s not a matter of forgiveness, but of getting on with it.
Still, don’t get it twisted, the non-linear narrative in “X-O Manowar: The Kill List Part One†is not strictly a morality tale. You’re not beaten over the head with proselytizing. There are moments where you can hear the spaghetti western music as a planting is found out. Oh yes, plantings are just what they sound like, Vine who are able to masquerade in human form. These infiltrators into important aspects of human society are part of Trill’s faction of the Vine, a dangerous enemy who like all villains wants to destroy everything. Ultron in the Avengers attempts to do it. In a Justice League animation Grod’s (the super-intelligent gorilla) master plan is to turn everyone into apes so that he can rule the planet. But that’s just another form of ending the world. Trill with all his machinations, if he succeeds will do the same thing; while destroying two species in the process.
Issue 43 also brings amazing artwork. Robert Gill expertly fleshes out every scene and character. There’s fluidity and movement much like watching an animated film. Characters leap out of frames, while there’s also intimacy and stare-downs; all done with appreciation to detail in telling this story.
What X-O Manowar does best is help connect all aspects of the Valiant universe. You see Aric’s animosity towards Ninjak and you want to know why. You question why Trill wants to destroy his own kind and why Aric has so much hatred for him. You can just hear the venom in our hero’s voice when he mentions Trill’s name. The search begins for Ninjak and Trill themed comics. You want to know their stories as well as continue along with Aric on his journey. That is a special byproduct of good storytelling.
Leave a Reply