X-O Manowar #15 puts the Aric in barbaric

X-O Manowar #15

Written by: Matt Kindt

Art by: Trevor Hairsine

Published by: Valiant Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: 05/23/2018

 

What if an alien-abducted barbarian from earth’s past discovered an alien suit of armor and was able to control it? Well that’s what you get with X-O Manowar from Valiant Comics and the current issue from the creative team of Matt Kindt and Trevor Hairsine does not disappoint.

Issue #15 sees Aric in Earth orbit trying to decide whether or not to interfere in Harbinger Wars 2. Earth’s satellites have been destroyed and there has been a worldwide blackout from Livewire’s attack in Harbinger Wars 2 Prelude. The Manowar armor is talking to Aric and is asking him to make a decision while showing him various conquests from Earth’s past and all Aric wants is a moment to truly think about his decision. Will he be welcomed back as a hero or a barbarian?

Matt Kindt is an incredible writer and has worked on a few Valiant titles but it really feels like he has found his sandbox to play in and not only does his build on the previous mythos of X-O Manowar but he has introduced new ideas. He has such a great grasp on the character and you feel that this is a man with not just the weight of the world on his shoulders but the weight of the universe itself. Aric is a man of war who really only wants peace. He is tired of fighting and Kindt embraces that and runs with it delivering one of the best characters and titles in comics to date.

The art by Trevor Hairsine is so realistic and the detail is incredible. Seeing Earth with a debris field around it from the destroyed satellites beautiful and haunting at the same time. The details in the battles in the flashbacks that the suit provides is absolutely stunning. He does a great job with light and shadows and blends them perfectly. The scene where Aric is in orbit above the earth looking down is breathtaking and shows the stakes of Harbinger Wars 2.

I love this title and will continue to read it as it is released.

5 floating Aric’s out of 5