Everyone loves a great buddy cop story. Whether it's an iconic film from the Die Hard franchise or something completely out of the ordinary like the slapstick symbiotic relationship in Venom, audiences love themselves some good ol' fashioned action smashed together with moments of levity. Valiant Entertainment is entering this field with X-O Manowar #1, the newest volume following the Jim Shooter creation from the 1990s.

Writer Dennis "Hopeless" Hallum artist Emilio Laiso and reunite here, standing as another reminder of the power of a great duo. The two creators are responsible for the Marvel's Spider-Man: Velocity comic series based in the Marvel's Spider-Man video game universe. Together, they produce an engaging read that's the tip of the iceberg for what Valiant currently has to offer. With a character who has been displaced across time, there are some hilarious punches at the prevailing pop culture landscape in the centuries since Arcis, X-O Manowar himself, was around.

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Arcis' living alien armor referring to legendary Los Angeles Lakers player Magic Johnson as a "magician," Hall of Fame Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird as simply a literal bird and Michael Jordan himself simply as a "man named Michael" is the type of zany quips readers have come to expect from Hallum. Even die-hard basketball fans have to crack a smile after these pages. What's more commonplace than two buddies shooting the breeze about sports?

In an issue so centered on the power of a two-person team, Laiso holds his own and proves to be a great pairing with Hallum. Laiso excels at both the bombastic moments that make superhero comics such an escapist delight and the personal, sublime panels that illustrate the humanity of Arcis despite his nature as a character who's spiraled through millennia. His linework for the cosmic battles is dynamic as Aric rips as spacecraft to shreds in outer space with explosions galore. Even in those instances, the detail in Arcis' face through his helmet shield is unmistakable. Arcis cares so deeply about delivering the promise of being a hero. When Arcis is grounded and interacting with supporting characters like Desmond and his mother, every gnarled wrinkle, every struggle and every subtle side-eye is on display.

X-O Manowar Valiant Comic Cover

The Hallum and Laios team-up is a perfect fit for the mix of hijinks and high-octane action that make up this adventure tale. Arcis and his X-O Armor simultaneously have the straight-man comedy routine down and the penchant for blockbuster clobbering. A man adjusting to the 21st century and a talking exoskeleton that is literally out of this world is a welcomed space opera twist on buddy cop tropes.

On the heels of Vin Diesel staring in last week's Bloodshot movie coupled with other Valiant relaunches in the next several monthsShadowman and Savage among them, there's never been a more opportune time to explore this this comic book universe. Whether fans have been falling along with the Valiant Universe since the early '90s or are just now exploring the publisher's books with this influx of releases, readers can assure themselves of classic superhero fun within X-O Manowar #1. when it arrives in their local comic shop on March 25th, 2020.

  • X-O MANOWAR #1
  • Release Date: March 25th, 2020
  • Written by: Dennis "Hopeless" Hallum
  • Art by: Emilio Laiso
  • Cover Srt by: Christian Ward
  • WIN THE BATTLE, LOSE THE WORLD. Aric of Dacia, a 5th century warrior catapulted into the modern day, has been bonded with the sentient alien armor, Shanhara. Together, they are the most powerful weapon in the world: X-O Manowar. As a mysterious new villain arises to threaten the world, will this ancient warrior evolve into the superhero we need today?

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