To celebrate “X-O Manowar” #50, Valiant Entertainment put together a massive jam cover, combining the artwork of 50 different artists. Each artist provided their own take on the long-running hero, which was then composited in one, single image. Before the completed jam cover was revealed, Valiant provided comic websites with an exclusive first look at four of the images and one of those was by Co-Creator and Co-Founder of Valiant Comics and X-O Manowar, Bob Layton.
Official Press Release
50 epic issues. 50 superstar artists. 50 X-O Manowars. One colossal cover! Valiant is proud to announce 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 earthshaking issues for Valiant’s flagship series! Debuting as the standard shelf cover to September’s oversized X-O MANOWAR #50 milestone issue, this never-before-attempted comics landmark 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.
With masterful colors by Valiant-exclusive colorist David Baron (BLOODSHOT REBORN, DIVINITY II), the one-of-a-kind collection of artists featured on the X-O MANOWAR #50 All-Star Jam Cover spans the character’s storied 25-year history and includes modern-day superstars, up-and-coming talents, and major comics luminaries, alongside numerous Valiant veterans that helped forge X-O Manowar’s place in comics legend:
- Neal Adams (Green Lantern/Green Arrow)
- Raul Allen (WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR)
- Al Barrionuevo (The Authority)
- Diego Bernard (X-O MANOWAR)
- Doug Braithwaite (ARMOR HUNTERS)
- Dave Bullock (Wednesday Comics)
- CAFU (UNITY)
- Eric Canete (RunLoveKill)
- Carmen Carnero (X-Factor)
- Sean Chen (Iron Man)
- Collen Coover (Bandette)
- Clayton Crain (4001 A.D., RAI)
- Jay Fabares (Valiant cover artist)
- Tom Fowler (QUANTUM AND WOODY)
- Manuel Garcia (BLOODSHOT)
- Robert Gill (BOOK OF DEATH)
- Adam Gorham (Zero)
- Butch Guice (BLOODSHOT REBORN)
- Bob Hall (SHADOWMAN)
- Rebekah Isaacs (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
- Phil Jimenez (DC Universe: Rebirth)
- J.G. Jones (Final Crisis)
- Kano (Gotham Central)
- Matt Kindt (Mind MGMT)
- Bob Layton (X-O MANOWAR)
- Mike Leeke (X-O MANOWAR)
- Jeff Lemire (Essex County)
- Steve Lieber (The Fix)
- Emanuela Lupacchino (Supergirl)
- Mike McKone (Fantastic Four)
- Stephen Mooney (Half Past Danger)
- Cary Nord (X-O MANOWAR)
- Pat Olliffe (Thor)
- Pere Perez (FAITH)
- Brandon Peterson (Uncanny X-Men)
- Brent Peeples (Last of the Greats)
- Stephen Platt (Prophet)
- Rafer Roberts (HARBINGER RENEGADES)
- Paolo Rivera (THE VALIANT)
- Riley Rossmo (Batman)
- Juan Jose Ryp (BRITANNIA)
- Rafa Sandoval (X-O MANOWAR)
- Donovan Santiago (“Valiant 8-Bit” cover artist)
- Marguerite Sauvage (FAITH)
- Joe St. Pierre (RAI)
- Philip Tan (Batman & Robin)
- Michael Walsh (The Vision)
- Ryan Winn (DIVINITY)
- Kevin VanHook (BLOODSHOT)
- Ramon Villalobos (E is for Extinction)
In honor of the X-O MANOWAR #50 All-Star Jam Cover’s star-studded debut, Valiant has partnered with leading YouTube channel Variant Comics for an exclusive video spotlight, highlighting each artist’s respective contribution to the most ambitious jam project in decades:
“This cover represents more than a year’s worth of hard work on the part of Valiant’s editorial team and the extraordinary cast of artists you now see before you,” said Valiant Associate Director of Digital Media & Development Josh Johns. “We wanted to celebrate X-O MANOWAR #50 in the biggest way we could, and this cover is only the first surprise we have in store.”
The countdown to X-O MANOWAR #50 begins this June with “LONG LIVE THE KING” – a striking cosmic showdown beginning in X-O MANOWAR #47 by New York Times best-selling writer Robert Venditti (Hal Jordan & The Green Lantern Corps) and acclaimed artists Joe Bennett (52) and Roberto de la Torre (Daredevil). September’s X–O MANOWAR #50 will conclude Venditti’s historic run on the series with an oversized milestone featuring many top-secret guest stars. Look for more details on the contents of X-O MANOWAR #50 to be revealed shortly.
Plus: In celebration of X-O Manowar’s landmark issue #50 finale, Valiant is proud to reveal the X-O MANOWAR #50 COUNTDOWN GIVEAWAY – also beginning in June’s X-O MANOWAR #47! 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 will be, without a doubt, the single biggest milestone ever produced by Valiant,” said Valiant CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani. “Beginning with the incredible jam cover, this issue will stand on its own as both a tribute to the character’s vital place in the Valiant Universe and the entirety of the years-long epic that Robert Venditti – along with artists Cary Nord, Lee Garbett, Trevor Hairsine, Doug Braithwaite, Diego Bernard, Rafa Sandoval, Robert Gill, and Valiant’s amazing editorial team– forged into one of the greatest narrative feats of the modern era. Big moments don’t get much bigger than this.”
Born into battle, Aric of Dacia – heir to the throne of the Visigoth Empire – never knew peace. Raised under the oppressive thumb of the Roman Empire in fifth-century Europe, Aric’s entire existence was spent fighting a never-ending insurgency against history’s most brutal empire…until a far more terrifying enemy revealed itself and changed his destiny forever.
Abducted by a brutal race of extraterrestrials known as the Vine, Aric was forced into slavery on an alien world. Torn from his family, his people and his nation, he spent years plotting his escape…until the day came that he was able to seize a weapon of incalculable destruction – a sentient suit of alien armor – and become X-O Manowar!
Returning to Earth only to find that 1,600 years have passed during his journey across the stars, the world’s most primitive man now wields the universe’s most powerful weapon. Working in concert with Earth’s governments and other super-powered heroes like himself, Aric has defended the planet, brokered peace amongst the powerful, and even rebuilt his kingdom from the ashes of history.
But now he faces a unthinkable new foe far more terrible than any that have come before… They are The Torment – and their name means death. Thought to be a legend by the Vine, they have now become Earth’s violent reality. As old as the universe itself, they have traveled for eons to reach us…in search of Aric of Dacia and the unstoppable X-O Manowar armor. Can Aric challenge a seemingly omnipotent threat with motives beyond the comprehension of mortal men? Will the armor truly be our world’s salvation, just as the Vine’s myths foretold? And is this the beginning of the end for X-O Manowar – or the beginning of something even bigger?
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