Who created X-O....?

BodaZoffa · Post by **BodaZoffa** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 10:41 pm

I think I know the answer, but was it Bob Layton that came up with the concept of X-O Manowar.

Boda

dellamorte · Post by **dellamorte** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 11:27 pm

I think it's all in who you believe. Bob says it was his idea, Jim says it was a group idea that he led (and that Bob wanted to do a clear Iron Man rip off). I think the truth is closer to Jim's version of a group effort. After the hostile take over Bob seemed like he wasn't real interested in sharing the whole truth as it pertained to Valiants past, especially when it involved Jim.

The fact is Valiant wouldn't have been what it was if not for the whole group not just Jim or Bob or BWS or Perlin or Lapham or JJ or on and on.

depluto · Post by **depluto** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 12:40 am

Off Bob's web site under "Valiant":

Co-founder and Editor-In-Chief, created most of the characters popularized there, created and wrote X-O Manowar, Dr. Mirage, and Archer and Armstrong (with Barry Windsor-Smith).

...

Out of curiousity I checked out an X-O 1. What a great comic! Time to reread the series.

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 2:58 am

I think the truth is closer to Jim's version of a group effort. After the hostile take over Bob seemed like he wasn't real interested in sharing the whole truth as it pertained to Valiants past, especially when it involved Jim.

I agree with you 100%. The more I hear Bob downplay Jim's role at Valiant, the more I am inclined to believe Jim's version.

BodaZoffa · Post by **BodaZoffa** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 3:10 am

depluto wrote:Off Bob's web site under "Valiant":

Co-founder and Editor-In-Chief, created most of the characters popularized there, created and wrote X-O Manowar, Dr. Mirage, and Archer and Armstrong (with Barry Windsor-Smith).

...

Out of curiousity I checked out an X-O 1. What a great comic! Time to reread the series.

Read X-O issues #7 #8 & #9. The story line in these 3 books was one of the best that Valiant had to offer. Incredible stuff...!

Boda

myron · Post by **myron** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 9:17 am

It really is too bad how horrible it got at the end...the first part of the X-O run is some of valiant at it's best

ZephyrWasHOT!! · Post by **ZephyrWasHOT!!** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:43 pm

Daniel Jackson wrote:
I think the truth is closer to Jim's version of a group effort. After the hostile take over Bob seemed like he wasn't real interested in sharing the whole truth as it pertained to Valiants past, especially when it involved Jim.
I agree with you 100%. The more I hear Bob downplay Jim's role at Valiant, the more I am inclined to believe Jim's version.

Silly Bob.

myron · Post by **myron** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:52 pm

ZephyrWasHOT!! wrote:
Daniel Jackson wrote:
I think the truth is closer to Jim's version of a group effort. After the hostile take over Bob seemed like he wasn't real interested in sharing the whole truth as it pertained to Valiants past, especially when it involved Jim.
I agree with you 100%. The more I hear Bob downplay Jim's role at Valiant, the more I am inclined to believe Jim's version.
Silly Bob.

THE BOB IS GOD!!!!
HOW DARE YOU SAY ANYTHING LIKE THAT :x :x

ok...not the worlds greatest impression...but it's Friday

Todd Luck · Post by **Todd Luck** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 2:59 pm

dellamorte wrote:I think it's all in who you believe. Bob says it was his idea, Jim says it was a group idea that he led (and that Bob wanted to do a clear Iron Man rip off). I think the truth is closer to Jim's version of a group effort. After the hostile take over Bob seemed like he wasn't real interested in sharing the whole truth as it pertained to Valiants past, especially when it involved Jim.

The fact is Valiant wouldn't have been what it was if not for the whole group not just Jim or Bob or BWS or Perlin or Lapham or JJ or on and on.

I haven't heard Bob downplay the role of others in X-O's creation but I haven't read many interviews with him. From what I've read, Shooter and Layton did it with some design help from the grand BWS. I don't recall any other creators mentioned in the process by Shooter or Layton but it's very possible since the creations of the charactesr where typically a free-for-all of ideas during the Shooter era (never heard much about the character creating process under Layton).

x-omatic · Post by **x-omatic** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 4:00 pm

It has always been my impression that it was Jim's basic idea. Bob then "fleshed it out". And BWS put the final touches on the character.

BodaZoffa · Post by **BodaZoffa** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 4:11 pm

I remember reading something from Layton's site that said he walked into the Valiant offices with the concept for X-O in his hands.

Maybe he had a rough idea of what X-O was going to be, & they smoothed it out in a group setting.

Boda

BodaZoffa · Post by **BodaZoffa** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 4:14 pm

myron wrote:It really is too bad how horrible it got at the end...the first part of the X-O run is some of valiant at it's best

Sad, wasn't it...

If Layton is telling the accurate story, this is when Acclaim tried revamping X-O into something that game enthusiasts would enjoy. Layton stated he argued that Valiant is geared more towards mature/intellectual readers, but Acclaim did'nt want to hear it.

Boda

Master Dorque · Post by **Master Dorque** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 6:00 pm

Gee....and all this time I thought it was the Spider Aliens!

dave · Post by **dave** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 8:21 pm

i think it was a bad idea to get rid of the spider aliens...it would have been cool to find out that they had infiltrated every part of society...maybe even with some integrating with society...possibly even creating half-breed offspring...then aric would have to make some tough choices...could have made form some more great reading...

then one day-one of the little brats STEALS the x-o bicycle!!! ew...yeah...

Todd Luck · Post by **Todd Luck** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 12:17 pm

BodaZoffa wrote:I remember reading something from Layton's site that said he walked into the Valiant offices with the concept for X-O in his hands.

Maybe he had a rough idea of what X-O was going to be, & they smoothed it out in a group setting.

Boda

According to Jim: Bob wanted to basically do a Valiant version of Iron Man (a guy in "exo" armor). Jim thought the ideas Bob were throwing around were too close to Iron Man and suggested they combine it with another idea Bob had earlier about a Conan sort of character in modern times. Jim created Ken as a foil for Aric.

Their was a thread on here a few monthes ago about the armor's design (one of the last things Bob posted on in this forum). If i remember correctly it's Layton's original design on the armor itself with BWS doing the final touches on it (you'll notice the armor in the early ads and the cover of issue 1 is different than the X-O armor in the story). When they published the designs they went with for the spider aliens (saw them in Previews, I think they were from the trade) they were BWS's.

darthcire · Post by **darthcire** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 5:56 am

I think it s Bob Layton, I think He got the idea from Iron Man???

Todd Luck · Post by **Todd Luck** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 7:57 am

darthcire wrote:I think it s Bob Layton, I think He got the idea from Iron Man???

See the last post before yours (not to mention the rest of the thread) for the answer.