X-O Manowar #4

If you are not following the adventures of Valiant's super armored Visigoth, you should. Read Full Review

X-O Manowar #4 delivers on action, intrigue, and a unique chemistry between Aric & Shanhara all while inspiring hope that the best is yet to come with a jaw-dropping cliffhanger. I can't wait to see what's next! Read Full Review

Out of the frying pan and into the fire, X-O Manowar successfully fends off one foe and then immediately finds himself in the grasp of another. X-O Manowar (2020) #4moves at an impressive pace and ultimately leaves readers rocking at the edges of their seats, eager for more--eager to find out if X-O lives to fight another day. Read Full Review

Action-packed and one heck of an emotional ride as usual. X-O Manowar #4 was worth the anticipation that we felt since that insane cliffhanger they left us on in issue #3. Read Full Review

X-O Manowar #4 takes the time to empathize and communicate with its readers to the point where the reader feels like they play an important part of the story. They genuinely feel the excitement, anticipation, and frustrations that come off the pages. The plot points and moods never feel like hand holding, just different points-of-view that the reader jumps into. Every character and artist brings out their best to reach out to the general audience, creating an experience where everyone is a piece of a bigger picture. Read Full Review

After speaking to Hopeless himself and reading this issue I'm 100% on board for more X-O Manowar. The third and fourth issues have done an exceptional job to raise up the narrative, the stakes, and the complexity of this character. There are dynamics in play that are intriguing and add so much potential to this superhero seeking public approval. Read Full Review

X-O MANOWAR #4, available from Valiant Entertainment on January 27th, 2021, raises the threat level while concluding the Yakiov storyline neatly. With the strongest art in any monthly comic right now and an action-packed story, this series remains one of our favorite series of 2021 so far. Read Full Review

This issue is a step in the right direction when it comes to rebounding after X-O Manowar #3, and leaves you wanting more. It's unlikely to be the best book you read today, but it is certainly entertaining and ultimately that's what matters when it comes to comics. Read Full Review

X-O Manowar #4 seems to bring this run's first arc to an end"with a whimper, at that. Read Full Review

DiRT

May 13, 2021

When the pandemic hit last spring, I remember purchasing X-O Manowar #1 for no better reason than I was desperate for something to read while new comics were on hold. It was not the greatest book on the racks, but it wasn’t the worst either. As the virus continued to mandate shut-downs and played havoc with the comic book publishing schedule, I continued to read the series mainly because, again… it wasn’t terrible. I’ve never felt like the series was the best superhero book on the market, or even the best version of X-O Manowar to hit store shelves, but it’s entertaining enough to keep me from becoming disinterested, and that’s more than I can say about the majority of comic books being published today. One of the problems in this series is the extended cast around Aric of Dacia. Since Aric is now for some reason living in New York City, he’s making friends with street-wise kids who “talk tough” like characters in a Disney Channel Original Movie and hang out with a homeless guy who pushes a shopping cart full of garbage while talking to himself, but can also fix just about any kind of gas powered vehicle and machine. These feel like the characters found in the 1990’s explosion of superhero films and tv shows written by people who never read comic books, but think they understand them regardless. Considering that Dennis Hopeless (Spider-Woman, Cable and X-Force) is the writer behind it all, I’m somewhat shocked at how bad they are. (Although to be completely honest, I would argue that his being a part of the era of All-New X-Men is among the worst of the X-Men to ever exist, but that’s also partly to blame on Brian Michael Bendis.) At the same time, the actual story is entertaining. As Aric struggles to be a hero in a era the doesn’t appreciate a guy who can pulverize any enemy into dust without things like due process and considering collateral damage, he’s approached by a billionaire genius who not only knows how to amp up the armor with his own nanites, but can also help Aric navigate the tricky world of Public Relations. Of course Aric isn’t interested, but when his latest attempt to stop a third-world warlord from causing genocide and massive destruction still leads to massive destruction, Aric has to join with him even though little is known about this man. This new ally could lead to bigger problems down the road, but there really isn’t much of a choice for the former warrior turned general turned emperor turned superhero. The art is fine and serviceable, though I feel it gets a little too cartoony at times. In the end, it makes for a book that is… okay. It’s fine. It’s all right. It’s not terrible. It’s better than most other books on the shelves these days. http://ThePopC.Net http://dirtmound.com more