Though Bloodshot and Rai might be more instantly recognizable to some, X-O Manowar remains one of Valiant's most popular and enduring heroes. An armored warrior from an age long gone, X-O Manowar, a.k.a. Aric of Dacia has been ubiquitous throughout the various permutations of the Valiant Universe.
With a new X-O Manowar series just getting underway, we're taking a closer look at the centuries-old history of this hi-tech hero, as well as taking a look at what his newest comic book series will have in store for him.
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WHO IS X-O MANOWAR?
Created by Jim Shooter, Steve Englehart, Bob Layton, and Barry Windsor-Smith, X-O Manowar debuted in the first issue of his eponymous comic book in 1992. In the modern Valiant Universe, the character was originally a Visigoth warrior named Aric of Dacia, whose life of endless warring against the tyrannical Roman Empire was upended when he and other Visigoths were abducted by the alien Vine. He and his fellow captives were made slaves to the Vine until Aric finally led a revolt against their cruel masters. This led to him discovering and bonding with the aliens’ greatest weapon: the mysterious Shanhara armor. This sentient armor gave him immense power, which was enough to turn the tide against his captors and bring him back to Earth.
When he arrived back on his home planet, he discovered that 1,600 years had passed while he was in the Vine’s captivity. Now stuck in the 21st century, he exiled himself to the Peruvian jungle, while the Vine plotted to regain their ultimate weapon. Using human disguises planted within the government, they manipulated the secret agent superhero Ninjak into trying to kill Aric and recover the X-O Manowar armor. However, Aric was able to reveal the truth to Ninjak and they worked together to destory the Vine’s earthly presence.
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ARMOR HUNTED
Wishing to be free of the Vine’s hunting, Aric commandeered one of their ships after successfully fending off an invasion attempt from the aliens. Decimating the slavers’ homeworld, he freed the many captives that they had taken throughout the centuries, including several Visigoths. He returned to their modern home of Romania on Earth, though this quickly drew the ire of the Russian government. Though he defended his people against the ensuing military strikes, he was eventually captured by the organization M.E.R.O., nd in exchange for protecting America on and above the Earth, he and his people would be granted asylum.
The Shanhara armor that Aric wears is a living creature that's composed of both alien metal and organic elements. The bond that Shanhara shares with Aric is unique since they're tied at both a physical and mental level. This union continues even if the two are separated, and any separation is incredibly hard to force on either of them. Shanhara not only greatly augments Aric’s physical attributes to superhuman levels, but also grants him abilities such as flight, x-ray vision, energy manipulation, stealth powers and a healing factor. The armor’s ability to absorb and interpret information also made it pivotal in Aric’s becoming accustomed to the 21st century.
The armor's origin is mysterious since it was not originally created by the Vine. Ironically, they discovered the armor when they were being persecuted by a race known as the Torment. One of the Vine’s ranks was able to bond with Shanhara, but all other attempts to do the same ended with the potential host dying in the process. Despite this, a Vine prophecy states that another member of their race will wear the armor one day, making Aric’s taking of it all the more problematic.
Aric and Shanhara both became targeted during the "Armor Hunters" storyline. Led by an alien named Reebo, the Armor Hunters had seen firsthand the destructive potential of Shanhara and sought to do whatever it took to destroy the armor. They rain down savage destruction wherever they go and decimated the planet Earth in a bid to rid the universe of the X-O Manowar armor. Aric, Bloodshot, the superhero team Unity and several other Valiant heroes finally fended off the invaders at an immense cost to the world’s population.
X-O MANOWAR 2020
As one of Valiant's core heroes, X-O Manowar never goes too long without his own monthly series from Valiant, and his latest series just kicked off last month. Written by Dennis "Hopeless" Hallum and illustrated by Emilio Laiso, the book aims to be a sort of fresh start in the wake of renewed interest in the Valiant Universe surrounding the release of Bloodshot.
In its first issue, the series has dealt with Aric’s attempts to balance taking down Earth-shattering threats in space while also fitting in as a local superhero in Harlem. Hopeless has stated that the book will feature a litany of world-building since Aric will find himself in new situations with a new supporting cast and incredible new weapons. With its first issue out now, there's never been a better time to jump into the Visigoth’s armored adventures.
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