We’ve made it! X-O is here! After two issues of failures and setbacks for Aric, not just from The Vine but also from his loss at the hands of the Romans, and years of slavery, he finally gets to let loose. It’s been obvious since the beginning that Aric has a temper, so giving him a weapon as powerful as this one would only mean pain and destruction for his enemies. Sadly, while Aric enacts his fair share of carnage on The Vine, ultimately he loses against them. His friends and allies are all dead, and The Vine live to return.

Aric steps from the rubble

This issue was fantastic. It is great to finally see the suit in action, and Cary Nord pulls it off beautifully. From the sci-fi action, to the scenes of Aric in Rome (I love the shot of Aric stepping out of the rubble), to Aric’s facial expressions, Nord kills it.

Another cool thing was Commander Trill. In the Only The Valiant podcast interview with Robert Vindetti, he said that Trill would be a recurring threat to Aric, and I was wondering what would make him so dangerous compared to the other Vine, seeing how powerful Aric was in the armor. This issue proved that he may not be stronger than the average Vine, but he is quick on his feet and cunning, as he caught Aric off guard and basically defeated him, as Aric barely escaped being blown to bits. He’s proven himself a worthy adversary, and I can’t wait to see how he tackles Aric with more planning.

All-in-all, another great issue. It’s cool to see him back on earth, as this is where the story really begins. I can’t wait for more!