X-O Manowar Part 28: Solar, Man of the Atom #17 (January, 1993)

Aric fights Solar for possession of the X-O spore, and then things get interesting.

I have this issue.

Aric is still in the energy dampening net of the Spider-Aliens from X-O Manowar #12 when Solar shows up and frees him. He sees Solar shine a light at the Good-Skin and it tells him that Solar wants the Spider-Aliens to have the seed. Aric responds with laser fire and the two battle their way back onto the Moon. The battle ends when Aric cuts Solar’s arm off, and after witnessing Solar reattach it, he follows the Man of the Atom back to the Spider-Alien base. They argue a bit, but Aric agrees to a compromise when he learns of Solar’s plan to follow the new X-O back to the Spider-Aliens' homeworld and destroy them all. The Spider-Aliens gather, Aric removes the Good-Skin (giving the ring to Solar) and challenges to fight the Hard-Skin’s champion for possession of the spore.

Notes of Interest:

1) Aric respected Solar before they fought this issue, but more so after learning Solar’s plan.

2) His determination shows when he withstands the 150 degree temperature inside the X-O armor during the fight.

WTF? Moment: When Aric removes the armor and makes the challenge, he’s just wearing underwear. Then he waits for an hour before getting into the arena - in his underwear. And then he enters the arena…in his underwear. Maybe Solar used his power to keep Aric warm before the fight? He’s on the Moon for crying out loud, and in a Spider-Alien complex. I don’t think they keep it as warm as humans would. This is an issue that goes back to his walking around naked in the cold in X-O Manowar #1. Can all Visigoths stand the cold or is it just him? I do seem to recall several of his kin, including Alaric himself, wearing furs in X-O Manowar #10, so I don’t know…