X-O Manowar #39 has the Vine arriving on Earth seeking to establish a new homeworld while contending with Earth’s military. Since Dead Hand destroyed the planet of Loam, the Vine have been searching for a new home, and the Priest hasn’t forgotten how much Aric helped them during the attack. So when Shanhara wakes Aric in the middle of the night, and the Visigoths all rally with weapons to defend against a Vine ship that suddenly appeared in their midst, there’s an initial concern about how to greet them. When the Priest emerges from the ship he tells Aric that they’ve travelled to Earth to make a new life for their people the same way Aric did for his. Aric understands this, however, the last visit from extraterrestrials was by the Armor Hunters, and the Earth still hasn’t fully recovered from the destruction they caused 6 months ago. The harm was multifaceted, such as what has been occurring with Captain Franklin Trolley, a hero during the battle of Los Angeles. He received numerous accolades and everyone views him as a hero but privately he suffers from PTSD despite still being on active duty. Will the Vine’s sudden appearance spark another war due to misunderstandings or will Aric being able to prevent that knowing the Vine come in peace?

SUMMARY

X-O Manowar #39 is an enjoyable start to the story arc and successfully sets the stage to address the Vine’s current situation in a multi-faceted and entertaining way. Their sudden arrival on Earth creates a myriad of problems, and the actions of a jet fighter pilot only highlights one aspect of it. I do wish the Vine’s connection to the armors, and as a result the Armor Hunters, was addressed at least a little but that can still happen down the line. For now, I’m interested in seeing where things go from here.

Release Date: 8/12/15

Writer: Robert Venditti

Artist: Rafa Sandoval