X-O Manowar #50 Discussion

Keith · Post by **Keith** » Wed Sep 28, 2016 11:26:15 am

All around great issue! I think the most disappointing thing is, after the revelation of The Torent's motives, we won't be able to see the result unpacked any further. Either way, great ending, and with so much promise of what's to come...

... and, of course, the Kindt piece is a massive WTF moment that clearly sets up the next series!

Loved all the other stories in here. I read the Houser Ninjak story in a rush and need to go back to give it a proper viewing.

The Van Lente story was awesome, and truly surprised me with the incredible guest star! Great great writing, and a very satisfying ending.

Sad to see X-O end, but with the teases as to what's next, I don't think we're going to have long to wait before we're reading an X-O Manowar comic again.

TheeBaldMoose · Post by **TheeBaldMoose** » Wed Sep 28, 2016 12:59:38 pm

gotta say, I absolutely love the "making fun of the Spiderman-Obama" cover, pretty darn funny!

Brapbrap · Post by **Brapbrap** » Wed Sep 28, 2016 1:17:13 pm

Best one of these milestone specials they have ever published and an excellent end to Venditti's run as well, I think the near omniscience is a really interesting angle for the next run and I hope they actually capitalize on it.

TheeBaldMoose · Post by **TheeBaldMoose** » Wed Sep 28, 2016 1:36:12 pm

OOOHH! Great ending! Loved the little side stories too. Van Lente's story was superb! Although a bit predictable, you couldn't have asked for a better ending! Enjoyed Jody's story as well, fit right in! Oh, but the tease, the tease at the end!!!

sonicdan · Post by **sonicdan** » Wed Sep 28, 2016 1:41:00 pm

I agree the best of the milestone ending issues so far. Every story was great and contributed.
Would have loved a cover gallery or something else supplemental.
Still, the mini-print and original art promotion has been pretty cool.
Loved that teaser story at the end. Is that an XO ring?

Brapbrap · Post by **Brapbrap** » Wed Sep 28, 2016 2:08:15 pm

also i think the Van Lente story gives more evidence to the theory that we essentially got Ivar's whole story in Ivar, Timewalker and Archer & Armstrong. I think Neela will be the Timewalker from now on, although obviously Ivar coming back is possible.

grendeljd · Post by **grendeljd** » Wed Sep 28, 2016 6:40:36 pm

If anyone would like to hear our OTV:VCR podcast discussing/reviewing this issue (& Gen. Zero #2, & Bloodshot Reborn #17), please follow the link;

http://onlythevaliant.com/episodes/vcr84/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks to any who listen in

QUARTZ · Post by **QUARTZ** » Thu Sep 29, 2016 7:08:49 am

Such a beautiful and uplifting ending. I had my doubts going in, but it definitely feels like the end of one chapter and the beginning of something else, and it actually made the Torment seem sympathetic to a degree. The description Aric gives of the void and the feeling of death is amazing, poetic and even the side stories clicked and were worthy character studies, progressing the narrative of where Aric has been and where he is heading. The gift the Torment gave him and the armor is incredible, I can't wait to see where future writers bring this character, hope they took notes from this run! Long live X-O!

greg · Post by **greg** » Thu Sep 29, 2016 11:19:01 am

Great finish to the series!

sonicdan wrote:Loved that teaser story at the end. Is that an XO ring?

That's how I saw it.

TheeBaldMoose · Post by **TheeBaldMoose** » Thu Sep 29, 2016 11:45:07 am

Any speculation on where the story might be heading with that last teaser? Sure looks like the XO ring, but he looks seriously *SQUEE* off (which always makes for a great comic).

What is he *SQUEE* about? Where might the story be heading now? Does it look like this will be a continuation of the comic, or are we going somewhere else totally different?

grendeljd · Post by **grendeljd** » Thu Sep 29, 2016 5:10:09 pm

TheeBaldMoose wrote:Any speculation on where the story might be heading with that last teaser? Sure looks like the XO ring, but he looks seriously *SQUEE* off (which always makes for a great comic).

What is he *SQUEE* about? Where might the story be heading now? Does it look like this will be a continuation of the comic, or are we going somewhere else totally different?

I'm saying it's gonna be an alternate universe Aric somehow.

jeremycoe · Post by **jeremycoe** » Thu Sep 29, 2016 5:21:11 pm

I thought all the stories in this issue were great. What a way to end this series!

TheeBaldMoose · Post by **TheeBaldMoose** » Thu Sep 29, 2016 5:27:39 pm

grendeljd wrote:
TheeBaldMoose wrote:Any speculation on where the story might be heading with that last teaser? Sure looks like the XO ring, but he looks seriously *SQUEE* off (which always makes for a great comic).

What is he *SQUEE* about? Where might the story be heading now? Does it look like this will be a continuation of the comic, or are we going somewhere else totally different?
I'm saying it's gonna be an alternate universe Aric somehow.

I don't know, he looks pretty ticked off in that last image. Could he want revenge on someone, or has he grown past that point now? I would guess he has grown past that point, but we've seen normal men reach their breaking point, what is his?

An alternate universe would be pretty sweet, would the short story with the time traveler have something to do with it? He does owe her...

grendeljd · Post by **grendeljd** » Thu Sep 29, 2016 5:30:57 pm

jeremycoe wrote:I thought all the stories in this issue were great. What a way to end this series!

I really enjoyed the time travel story.

And I think it would be pretty amazing if Thomas Giorello is the artist on the next volume of XO coming next year, or at least for one story arc - that last story had incredible art!

Phoenix8008 · Post by **Phoenix8008** » Thu Sep 29, 2016 8:03:01 pm

Argh! My LCS got shorted several comics this week, and this issue and this weeks Bloodshot were both MIA. I don't get to read the finale for 2 weeks! Sounds really good from what I'm reading, but I can't wait to read it for myself.

jmatt · Post by **jmatt** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 8:56:07 pm

Great, great issue in so many ways.

dornwolf · Post by **dornwolf** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 11:44:03 pm

grendeljd wrote:
TheeBaldMoose wrote:Any speculation on where the story might be heading with that last teaser? Sure looks like the XO ring, but he looks seriously *SQUEE* off (which always makes for a great comic).

What is he *SQUEE* about? Where might the story be heading now? Does it look like this will be a continuation of the comic, or are we going somewhere else totally different?
I'm saying it's gonna be an alternate universe Aric somehow.

I'd love this personally. I want to see how Valiant would approach alternate universes. The only evidence I see that could maybe make it an alternate universe is that Aric's hair is cut in a style that we associate with Romans. While Arics done some growing I can't see him cutting his hair in the style of Romans.

Dallow Spicer1 · Post by **Dallow Spicer1** » Mon Oct 03, 2016 5:24:59 pm

Enjoyable ending to the run, particularly liked the retrospective part when Aric was inside the Torment. De la Torre's art for me was far the best in the main story. Not sure how I feel about the 'knowledge' the Torment have given Aric, he was powerful enough beforehand, not sure he needed this extra? Wonder why Vditti did that, there must be a plan down the line?

On reflection, I think Trill could/should have been a long term adversary of Aric and the general Valiant universe for many years to come...however, knowing that eventually (as shown in BOD) he becomes a follower of Aric in the future kind of undermines him as a bad guy IMO and I wished they hadn't gone down that route as VEI needs more credible bad guys. Trill is left off here as an 'uneasy' truce with Aric but knowing he outlives Aric and converts spoils the character for me.

Thought it was a nice touch how they had the previous artists pencil a few pages each relevant to their run on the book.

Didn't really enjoy Bennett's art in this arc. When Aric came out of the Torment near the end he looked massively 'juiced up', what was that about?!

As for the other stories the FVL/Henry story was so-so, neither of them are my favourite creators. The Jody Houser tale was ok.

Loved the Kindt cliffhanger to end on

...that was good! Minimal dialogue but sometimes less is more! Giorello art was outstanding, hope we get more of that.

Very pleased that they've moved away from the goofy stories in the milestone books, perhaps VEI have listened to feedback?

For this issue 4/5

For VDitti's 50+ story run 5/5

ShadowTuga · Post by **ShadowTuga** » Tue Oct 04, 2016 11:31:06 am

50 of these

to RV. I loved this issue, but I loved even more these 4 years of X-O, my Very First Valiant read. I got a bit emotional, seeing the work of the various artists who worked on this fantastic run, and thinking how phenomenal was the character progression of Aric.
Being a reader from day 1, I really appreciated this celebration ish. It felt like finishing a series of books.

And of course, I can't wait for Aric's return. Those last pages were insanely good looking and bada**.

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