Sneak Peek: Valiant's X-O MANOWAR #50 anniversary issue

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Hard to believe Issue #50 marks the finale of X-O MANOWAR, the flagship title that started the Valiant re-boot in the 21st Century.  We’ll miss it, but anticipate some future mini-series and/or yet another re-boot.  This artwork was too good not to share . . . so take a good look below.  
From the official press release . . . . . . . . . .


 
For the first time anywhere, Valiant is proud to reveal that Eisner Award-winning artist Colleen Doran – best known for work on some of comics' most acclaimed series including The SandmanWonder Woman, and, most recently, FAITH – will contribute an all-new cover to X–O MANOWAR #50, the massive 64-page anniversary milestone arriving in stores this September! Springing off her Valiant debut in the pages of July's FAITH #1, Doran joins a formidable roster of comics all-stars – including New York Times best-selling writer Robert Venditti (Hal Jordan & The Green Lantern Corps), X-O MANOWARvisionaries Cary Nord (Conan), Doug Braithwaite (ARMOR HUNTERS), Diego Bernard (NINJAK), Rafa Sandoval (Green Lantern), and Robert Gill (BOOK OF DEATH), series artists Joe Bennett (52) and Roberto de la Torre (Daredevil), and special guest stars galore – for Valiant's biggest blockbuster milestone of all time!

Since debuting in 1992, X-O Manowar has sold more than 8 million copies and featured work by a distinguished roster of comics luminaries including current Marvel Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada, former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter, and comics legends Barry Windsor-Smith and Bob Layton.

Two decades later, as the lead title of "THE SUMMER OF VALIANT" relaunch in 2012, X-O MANOWAR #1 by New York Times best-selling writer Robert Venditti and Eisner Award-winning artist Cary Nord firmly established the Valiant resurgence with four sold-out printings and the single highest sales for any new comics publisher in more than a decade. With a single run totaling 56 issues, X-O MANOWAR has gone on to become one of the longest running superhero series of the modern era, earn a multitude of awards, nominations and critical accolades from some of the industry's most prestigious outlets, and form the backbone of Valiant's superhero universe along the way. Now, join one of the greatest legends in comic book history as Aric of Dacia faces his deadliest test yet…in the colossal X-O MANOWAR #50anniversary milestone!

For centuries, the sacred X-O Manowar armor has stood unrivaled as the universe’s most powerful weapon. Today, will it equal Earth’s doom? An unthinkable alien race known only as The Torment has come to our world in search of the armor’s secrets. Now, they stand opposed by Aric of Dacia – former slave, noble warrior, resolute king, and current master of the armor’s near-limitless capabilities. But is one man…and one weapon…enough to repel a force capable of leveling a thousand civilizations?

First: the seismic final story arc, “LONG LIVE THE KING,” goes out in a world-shaking blaze of glory with longtime scribe Robert Venditti (Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps) and extraordinary artists Joe Bennett (52) and Roberto de la Torre (Daredevil) manning the front line, alongside an all-star battalion of artists from across X-O MANOWAR‘s landmark 56-issue run: Cary Nord (Conan), Doug Braithwaite (ARMOR HUNTERS), Diego Bernard (NINJAK), Rafa Sandoval (Green Lantern), and Robert Gill (BOOK OF DEATH)!

Chronicling X-O Manowar’s five-year-long impact on the people of Earth, and setting the stage for galaxy-spanning adventures yet to come in 2017 and beyond, no comic book fan can afford to miss the ultimate cosmic battle for the fate of Valiant’s most powerful hero!

Plus: Valiant is marking 50 epic issues with a formidable line-up of covers from an all-star cast of comics greats! Leading the charge is the X-O MANOWAR #50 All-Star Jam Cover – the biggest-ever jam cover in comics history, featuring 50 major comics talents in celebration of 50 issues for Valiant’s flagship series! Debuting as X-O MANOWAR #50's standard shelf cover, this never-before-attempted comics breakthrough features a breathtaking collection of top talents as they each deliver an all-new take on Valiant’s leading hero in their own signature style.

On September 28th, get a front row seat as comics legend Colleen Doran joins a staggering celebration of the past and future of Valiant’s most powerful hero in the 64-page X-O MANOWAR #50anniversary milestone – also featuring covers by Paolo Rivera (THE VALIANT), Marko Djurdjevic(Avengers), Marcos Martin (The Private Eye), Mico Suayan (BLOODSHOT REBORN), Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife with Archie), Shane Davis (Superman: Earth One), Pere Perez (FAITH), Chip Zdarsky (Sex Criminals), Philip Tan (Batman & Robin), Kaare Andrews (Astonishing X-Men), and Phil Jimenez (DC Universe: Rebirth)!

Contact your local comic shop to reserve your copy today!

Finally, celebrate X-O Manowar’s landmark issue #50 finale with the X-O MANOWAR #50 COUNTDOWN GIVEAWAY, running through each issue of "LONG LIVE THE KING"! For no extra cost, each issue of “LONG LIVE THE KING” will come bagged with one of 50 exclusive, 4-by-6 inch “micro-prints” featuring the one and only X-O Manowar as realized by a sensational cast of comics’ biggest talents – or full-blown, beautifully rendered original artwork randomly inserted in each issue! The X-O MANOWAR #50 COUNTDOWN GIVEAWAY will continue all summer long across all issues of “LONG LIVE THE KING” – including the oversized, blockbuster issue #50 finale!

X-O MANOWAR #50 (64 PAGES!)
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI with JODY HOUSER, MATT KINDT, and PHILIP TAN
Art by JOE BENNETT and ROBERTO DE LA TORRE with DIEGO BERNARD, DOUG BRAITHWAITE, ROBERT GILL, TOMAS GIORELLO, CARY NORD, JAVIER PULIDO, PHILIP TAN, and RAFA SANDOVAL
Cover A (All-Star Jam) by CARY NORD, BOB LAYTON, BRANDON PETERSON, STEPHEN PLATT and 46 MORE X-O ALL-STARS!
Cover B by PAOLO RIVERA
Cover C by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Cover D by MARCOS MARTIN
Cover E by MICO SUAYAN
Cover F by FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
Cover G by SHANE DAVIS
Valiant x CGC Replica Variant by PERE PEREZ
Variant Cover by COLLEEN DORAN
Variant Cover by CHIP ZDARSKY
Variant Cover by PHILIP TAN
Variant Cover by KAARE ANDREWS
Variant Cover by PHIL JIMENEZ
Variant Cover by COLLEEN DORAN 
B&W Sketch Jam Cover by X-O ALL-STARS
$4.99 | 64 pgs. | T+ | Coming in SEPTEMBER!



X-O MANOWAR #50 – Jam Cover A by 50 X-O All-Stars


X-O MANOWAR #50 – Cover B by Paolo Rivera


X-O MANOWAR #50 – Cover C by Marko Djurdjevic


X-O MANOWAR #50 – Variant Cover by Colleen Doran
 




 

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