“Yesterday’s” Comic> X-O Manowar #4 (2012)

“I swear, officer, it was like this when I got here.”

X-O Manowar #4

Valiant Comics (August, 2014)

“Then & Now”

WRITER: Robert Venditti

PENCILER: Cary Nord

INKER: Stefano Gaudiano

COLORIST: Moose Baumann

COVER ART: Doug Braithwaite & Don Kramer

LETTERER: Dave Lanphear

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Josh Johns

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Warren Simons

Aric fights the police and the military before learning how much time has passed and the present day world he is in has no Visigoths or Roman Empire. As he flees the Vine (I guess that IS their name) is concerned. On the ship, the priest wants to study why the armor chose a human, the commander just wants to destroy the thing, and the leader consults the council on which option to take. On Earth we learn there are Vine agents among the humans, and one named Alexander has just been tasked with reclaiming the armor.

What they got right: What we lack in summary we make up for in things happening. We see Aric fighting what he thinks are the Romans, then his reaction to learning what time period he’s in. We see the discussion…well, argument…between the various factions of the Vine. And we learn that human agents, possibly the Vine in human form or humans that the Vine have sought out as agents, who all seem to be part of the religious caste since they refer to the armor by its relic name, now influence the world as the Vine in the past time has become the secret rulers of Earth and human civilisation.

What they got wrong: How horny is Alexander? The comic wants to slowly reveal it with one woman in his bed, then two, then in another room we see other women who all turn out to be prostitutes (not sure if the guys are since they’re in suits)…this is an odd way to show us how rich he is, but at least he’s apologetic for ending their session early. Not that it matters because the preview for the next issue shows us he ain’t living much longer, and that this version of Ninjak is not a hero.

What I think overall: These four issues interest me more than the original series, and it’s something I wouldn’t mind checking further into in the future, as well as the Acclaim re-imagine.