“Yesterday’s” Comic> X-O Manowar #2 (2012)

No colors, very dark…now I’m worried this cover will convince them to let Zack Snyder make the movie.

X-O Manowar #2

Valiant Comics (June, 2012; digital edition)

“Escaping Eden”

WRITER: Robert Venditti

PENCILER: Cary Nord

INKER: Stephano Gaudiano

COLORIST: Moose Bauman

LETTERER: Dave Lanphear

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Josh Johns

EDITOR: Warren Simons

It’s been years since the Visigoths, and other human tribes, were captured as slaves by the aliens, who refuse to understand the humans don’t understand their language, so they don’t know that they’re plant people or that the supposed fruit is actually their offspring. Aric lost a hand defending one of the other slaves, but he hasn’t given up. Together with the others they come up with a plan to break free from their prisons and make their way to the armory. There, Aric attempts to access the armor, which the aliens call “shanhara”. It hasn’t chosen any of them…but it has choses Aric.

What they got right: I only have three issues of this story so I’ll probably bring this up again, but the violence here isn’t gratuitous, being bloody only when it needs to be. It’s only in service to the story, and it works. The story flows well, the art is really good, and the action properly framed.

What they got wrong: All this time and the aliens (I think they’re called the Vine but I’m not certain and I don’t think that was their original name in the 90s comics) still haven’t figured out the humans can’t understand them? A five year old can realize the dog doesn’t understand them. Also, there are surprisingly few deaths among the humans with makeshift spears compared to the aliens with guns. I know they’re underestimating the Visigoths and other groups (though I’m curious how the Visigoths and Chinese understood each other, among the other races picked up), but Stormtroopers from Star Wars have a better track record, despite the usual jokes about them.

What I think overall: One more issue in my ComiXology and I kind of wish I had more. This is more interesting to me than the original 1990s series.