X-O Manowar #1 is the start of a new ongoing series with Aric trying to find his place on an alien world torn by civil war. It opens up with Aric in the arms of Schon, his lover. She asks him if he saw the soldiers preparing for war and tells him that she thinks it’s justified. She states that her people have been oppressed for generations but Aric doesn’t see it that way. His current abhorrence for war is due to whatever happened that made him leave Earth.

However, Aric is forcibly drafted to go to war or rather serve as cannon fodder to protect the soldiers. He was wise enough to prepare ahead of time by taking a piece of Shanhara. But he doesn’t use the sacred bond to obtain a piece of the armor and instead elects to forcibly cut a piece off. What occurred on Earth that changed Aric so drastically? And can he find what he’s looking for on this alien planet?

The first part of this issue did an excellent job conveying Aric’s mentality and current situation. Clearly he missed Earth and his wife despite his current detachment from them. So whatever turned the once optimistic king into a man with the desire to just be left alone was intriguing. And so was his relationship with Schon. But what really set him apart from his previous portrayals was his treatment of Shanhara knowing the bond that was there. What could lead him to bury her so deeply in the ground?

SUMMARY

X-O Manowar #1 does an outstanding job in portraying Aric’s mentality and creating a fresh, new scenario for him. His relationship with Schon and Shanhara speaks volumes and are responsible for the riveting start. The action sequences here work mostly because of Tomas Giorello’s artwork. Since the overall context for the war isn’t clear and Aric isn’t the narrator, it’s not as engrossing as the beginning. However, I’m looking forward to what’s next after this exciting start.