Long unavailable due to its success, the first volume of the complete X-O Manowar is finally back. Will you follow this barbarian in his quest to save his people?
X-O Manowar, the relaunch of a mythical title
X-O Manowar is a series of Valiant comics. This American publisher has created since the 90s the third largest shared universe after Marvel and DC comics. He publishes short episodes every month unlike Franco-Belgian comics that release full albums. There is not one story but several arcs (stories spread over several issues). The writer is Robert Venditti for the main series. He is helped by Matt Kindt when the main hero of this volume joins Unity, a group of superheroes. Several cartoonists also share the episodes of this volume: Cary Nord, Lee Garbett, Doug Braithwaite, Trevor Hairsine… This complete edition published in France by Bliss éditions includes more than 30 episodes on 800 pages. Schedule hours of reading for an unbeatable price. In addition, the French publisher includes bonuses with all the covers and sketches of several cartoonists present in this volume. 
A barbarian in the contemporary world
Aric is a barbarian prince. Son of a powerful Visigoth chief, he fought for the survival of his people in the face of the advance of the Roman army but their situation was very perilous. While his father has just died after a severe defeat, his son discovers with other warriors a strange metal structure in the middle of the meadow. These soldiers believe that it is a secret weapon of the empire. By attacking it, the reader understands that it is actually an alien ship of the people of the Vines. These intergalactic warriors came to kidnap humans. They kidnap Aric and his group, and the ship leaves Earth's atmosphere. These soldiers are totally lost. However, afterseveral years of slavery, Aric manages to escape by wearing a powerful alien armor, the X-O Manowar. It allows him to return to earth but time has passed very quickly and the barbarian leader finds himself in the current world. How will this military leader adapt to the complexity of the modern world?
A disturbed hero
All adventures are centered around Aric and his alien armor. We follow in parallel his arrival in a world that disturbs him. His moral rigour and intransigence do not fit well in a troubled modern world. The Marvel fan can't help but think of Captain America but Aric doesn't have the same patience… Aric wants to do good for the most fragile and for the surviving Visigoths, but he often does it brutally and without diplomacy. In addition, his armor that allows him to fly, strengthens his strength and provides him with weapons can evoke Iron Man but unlike him, Aric does not master this technology. He discovers it by using it. It's a bit like Conan wearing Tony Stark's armor. To complicate the story, this powerful armor is sought after by all the great powers who see it as a strategic asset to recover or a threat to eliminate. For the good of his people, Aric chooses to collaborate with a secret organization, the G.Has.T.E. Together they protect the earth from alien threats, but Aric is still a barbarian who does not understand the intricacies of contemporary politics. 
Throughout the episodes, the reader will discover other Valiant heroes such as Ninjak, the eternal warrior or Livewire. You can also find the chronicles on these different heroes and heroines in the links above. This very generous integral is therefore an excellent gateway to discover these different series because it is quite possible that you will want to read much more once this volume is closed. With the return of this integral, Bliss offers a perfect gateway to discover the universe of Valiant comics. This series is captivating by the action that never stops and the multiple exciting characters. If you are lost, you can find the chronicles of the Valiant universe on this link and on the new X-O Manowar series here.
