X-O Manowar #15 kicks off a brand new story arc after the events of the terrific Planet Death story. Aric is a man lost in time with unstoppable power and a warrior mentality. How can he survive in the modern age without destroying the world?

Official description from VALIANT:

X-O Manowar VERSUS the Eternal Warrior! Aric of Dacia returns to Earth with his mind set on reclaiming the ancestral lands of his people. The code of a fifth century Visigoth is about to clash with the militaries of the modern world, and the only one who may be able to convince Aric to stand down.

Aric of Dacla had his hands full in the first fourteen issues of X-O Manowar. Losing his homeland, his people and his freedom. Now he returns to earth with the single minded goal taking back what was lost and with the power of a God to accomplish the task. With no concept of the modern world things only get more complicated when he comes to face to face with an old ally, Gilad, who has his own cross to bear. This marks the first appearance of the Eternal Warrior in the current Valiant Universe and his story is as complex as his old friend’s. Gilad has lived through Aric’s time loss and is now a modern warrior and maybe the only one who can stand toe to toe with the Manowar armor.

This was the logical next step in the evolution of X-O Manowar and writer Robert Venditti treats it with just the right touch. Planet Death was chaotic but necessary. Now is the time to switch gears without destroying what makes X-O such a great book. We see Aric’s passion to return to his homeland and reclaim it with God-like powers but we also see him struggle to understand why the Visigoth have become just a footnote in history. Artist Lee Garbett returns in this issue and continues to do a very solid job. His work is more straight forward and to the point but maintains the overall style and feel we have come to expect on this title. He’s not splashy but he’s no slouch either.

This is a perfect jumping on point for new readers and a great introduction of the Eternal Warrior who gets his own title in September. X-O Manowar #15 is a slower pace but it’s a perfect pace to finally see Aric struggle with the loss of his people. Things are more complicated for Aric but Venditti sets the stage for a terrific new arc and an epic battle for two warriors fighting for home, honor and a future. Get on this title immediately!

4.5/5