Customer Reviews

Omega: The Unknown

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

... although, there's symbolism all over the place suggesting Lethem's anger over the corporate meddling of the original Omega series.

In this trippy retelling of the Omega story, Lethem finally tells the abstract tale of the mute superhero and his strange bond with an erudite teenage boy and brings it to a satisfying - if open-ended - conclusion. This is a fate that the original Omega and his fans deserved and unfortunately have not received until now.

There are just enough references to the mainstream of the Marvel Universe to suggest that it takes place in the traditional (616) continuity, and it will be interesting to see if any other writers dare to take a crack at the Omega mythos. Still, as a stand-alone work, Lethem's Omega is a terrific read.

"I've met his counterpart on many planets. 'Where there's robots, there's blue guys...'"

The blue guy in question is the titular character of "Omega: The Unknown," where author Jonathan Lethem adopts Steve Gerber's quirky, silent hero. It's a suitably bizarre adventure for such a unique hero, and Lethem does a pretty good job with roaming hands, boy geniuses, bogged-down superheroes and the everyday tragedies of human life.

Teenage Alexander Island is en route to his very first day at an outside school, when there's a car crash. His parents are killed -- and even more shockingly, they turn out to be robots.

But while in the hospital, he's attacked by more mysterious robots -- and saved by a silent superhero, who leaves a pair of omegas burned into Alexander's hands. As Alexander struggles to handle his new urban life and a hostile school full of bullies, the mysterious blue guy -- Omega -- is being hunted by the city's resident celebrity superhero, Mink.

Unfortunately Mink has his own problems with the robots -- his hand has been taken over by nanobots, and subsequently escapes from the lab. More and more people are turning into robots across the city, and they fear only one thing: the hands of Omega. Unfortunately, Omega is no more invulnerable than the Mink, and Alexander learns that even a mysterious superhero can lose his way...

Steve Gerber first wrote about Omega in the 1970s, and it's pretty obvious that Jonathan Lethem is a die-hard fan -- the entire story is soaked in a sort of retro quirkiness, from the pajamas-y superheroes to the boy hero. Even Farel Dalrymple's art is a rougher-edged, unembellished, simpler sort of drawings without bright colours, like you'd see in older graphic novels.

Lethem doesn't always hit the mark -- the first half of "Omega: The Unknown" is a rather confusing tangle of subplots, and occasional plot threads lead nowhere (what's up with the robot parents?). The second half is where things tighten up plotwise, even if it leads to some extremely strange, surreal places both for Alexander and Omega. And the final chapter is the most unusual -- utterly without dialogue.

And Lethem goes full out on weird and satirical -- the Mink is a unheroic "hero" who declares war on Omega for threatening his "M" franchise, and the story is often narrated by a statue that only has hands and a head (and occasionally sings). Even weirder, one of the big threats to the city is Mink's robotic severed hand (which grows legs and walks out of the lab -- can it get much weirder than that?). Anti-robot salt, grilled birds and neighborhood bullies all play a part.

Though it's a stereotype that homeschooled kids are disconnected from the "real" world, Alexander makes a good hero for the story -- he's moral, hyperintelligent and becomes more determined and strong as the story goes on. But while Alexander grows more attuned to the world, Omega himself tends to wander through his journey, losing himself in wherever he happens to be.

While Jonathan Lethem occasionally loses his grip on the storyline, "Omega: the Unknown" is a suitably quirky revamp of an even quirkier superhero story, and definitely worth reading.

Omega The Unknown was an interesting but ultimately unsuccessful comic series (both creatively and commercially) created by cult fav comic writer Steve Gerber (Howard The Duck, Man-Thing) during the 1970's; it has inexplicably been brought back to life by writer Johnathon Lethem and illustrator Farel Dalrymple to no great effect.

Fans of the original comic book will be hard-pressed to recognize Mr. Gerber's original comic creation and will no doubt come away disappointed. I must wonder... why bring this niche character back in the first place if you intend on doing such a radical overhaul in tone and style? Why not just create a new character altogether? The indie-comic style art is OK, as is the story (yet another quirky, satirical, deconstructive look at the super-hero genre).

All in all, worth a read, if not a buy.

Fair warning: OMEGA THE UNKNOWN is one weird mother. So think twice about snatching this one up if you're not down with odd shenanigans involving alienated 14-year-olds, inimical nanobots deployed in fast food joints, an introspective stone statue, and a space alien wielding salt shakers for the benefit of mankind.

The bizarre plot: With the passing of his parents (who, by the way, turn out to be robots), 14-year-old prodigy Titus Alexander Island is declared a ward of the state, with guardianship of him falling to a nice young nurse who dwells in scuzzy Washington Heights, New York. As Alexander strives to fit in at his new school, the Sammy Sosa High School (no, really!), inexplicable things are going on around him. A mute, blue-clad being from outer space watches over Alexander and shares a tenuous psychic link with him. There are robots around, up to no good, and also malignant nanorobots. In the first issue, we meet the Mink, the sleazy self-designated costumed guardian of Washington Heights. He's not very likable and not much of a superhero. He's like the Stephen Baldwin of the cape & the cowl set.

On the surface, OMEGA THE UNKNOWN is a superhero comic. But, no, not really. It tends to deconstruct the superhero mythos. It's also just a bizarro story. The focus is on the kid, Alexander. So, Alex is a 14-year-old who is socially obtuse and boasts a comprehensive vocabulary. And there's his pyschic link thing. And, lest you think he's still a normal geeky teen, okay, he also happens to shoot laser rays out of his palms, palms which are then branded with the Greek letter Omega. So, no, not normal.

I'll backstroke some. Back in the mid-70s, writers Steve Gerber and Mary Skrenes created the OMEGA THE UNKNOWN comic book for Marvel (see Omega: The Unknown Classic TPB). This title was immediately weird and iconoclastic, and it didn't sit well with most comic book readers. It was axed after only ten issues, but not before garnering cult comic status. It definitely shook up the world of one young Jonathan Lethem.

This trade, then, is Jonathan Lethem's very recent revival and reimagining of OMEGA THE UNKNOWN, also all done in ten issues (ah, symmetry). It's his comic book debut, because Lethem in his everyday guise is a bestselling novelist, and a quirky one (The Fortress of Solitude and Motherless Brooklyn). He's never quite forgotten Steve Gerber and Mary Skrenes and their brand of 1970s oddity, so it makes sense that he gravitates towards this particular title. In a Newsarama interview, he's admitted to admiring the original OMEGA THE UNKNOWN #1 so much that he ended up borrowing prodigiously from it for his own first issue. Of course, Lethem's ensuing issues would begin to veer away from the original story. This trade also contains ten pages of Lethem and co-writer Karl Rusnak's reflections on the original OMEGA, as well as reprinting several panels of artwork from that comic.

Although set in the mainstream Marvel Universe, there isn't much in the way of cameos, guest-stars from or even many references to characters and things already established in that continuity. I think there's one mention of the Daily Bugle and one of the Avengers... What this does then is isolate Alexander and his strange cast and make their story into a more unique and unsettling experience. Without all the other Marvel Comics freaks around, you feel the strange impact even more. Farel Dalrymple's awkward, unconventional illustrations keep you further off-balanced.

Even I note that the robots' infiltration of society is a metaphor to technology's rapid encroachment into all aspects of our lives. But Lethem and Rusnak don't make it easy, not really. The narrative, often outrageous, sometimes ambiguous, will startle and flummox, will make you question the context of the authors' created reality. OMEGA THE UNKNOWN delves into themes of alienation and friendship, of franchising and technology run amuck and of the value of reading S. E. Hinton's Rumble Fish, and who knows what else. There's humor, but it's from around the bend and subversive. I like that the nanotech poisoning initiated at a fast food chain is combatted thru the ministrations of a food truck. And I really like the epithet on the deceased giant hand's tombstone. This hand, by the way, sprouted its own legs (again, so weird).

Wonderfully offbeat, but, in the end, I'm left reeling inside just a bit, and still with questions. Yeah, some of the enigmas are explained, yet not every truth is spelled out. This series is simply stingy with the clarity. For eff's sake, when all's said and done, I don't know that much more about the eponymous guy in blue. He is one truculent dude.

I guess it's apropos that the final issue is virtually without dialogue. Betcha it's another metaphor.

Among Marvel superheroes, Omega the Unknown is truly a third or fourth tier character, a minor character whose heyday was three decades ago. The writing of Steve Gerber--who was also responsible for such comics as Howard the Duck and the Defenders during their creative peaks in the 1970s--did give Omega sort of a cult following that never translated into commercial success.

Jonathan Lethem is a somewhat popular "literary" author, who like his fellow writer Michael Chabon, has an affection for superhero comics that is reflected in his works, most notably with Lethem's book Fortress of Solitude. Nonetheless, Lethem is not the first name you'd think of when it comes to comic book writing, which makes the graphic novel Omega the Unknown all the more interesting.

The basic origin story of Omega is the same as the original Gerber comic: Omega is a silent warrior created by an alien race to defend their planet from robot invaders. Now he has come to Earth where he has a link to the 14 year old Titus Alexander Island, a kid raised in isolation by--as it turns out--robots. When his guardians perish, Alexander is thrust out in the real world. Omega and Alexander both have the same power: from omega-shaped marks on their hands, they can project beams of destructive energy.

As Alexander adjusts to his new life and Omega works behind the scenes, other robot invaders have targeted humanity, using nanotechnology to possess people. Working to protect humanity is The Mink, a costumed hero that is almost all media image and is in truth more villain than good guy. The Mink views Omega as both an adversary and a resource for new powers.

Though this technically takes place in the Marvel Universe--as indicated by references to the Avengers and the Baxter Building--no familiar characters pop into this standalone story. And as would be expected by Lethem, this is a story that is both sophisticated and accessible, with both serious moments and a lot of humor, such as with the Mink's hand which takes on a life of its own. The art isn't always pretty, but has a distinct style that fits the narrative. So although Omega the Unknown would generally fit into the same category of forgettable `70s Marvel heroes like Killraven and the Human Fly, Lethem and company are able to make him a very memorable character indeed.

Whenever someone does a new take on a beloved comics icon from my illspent youth, I generally applaud the effort as long as the new approrach remains respectful of (if not absolutely true to) the original. Steve Gerber's cult classic OMEGA THE UNKNOWN breathed and seethed quirkiness. While Jonathan Lethem's version attempts at least a modicum of similar outre-ness, the result falls short. This is not to say that this isn't a literate, readable tale with competent, rather fun retro-art. It surely is and if I hadn't read and vividly recall the Gerber oeuvre, I'd probably like Lethem's story a lot better. So, there's a trade paperback edition of Gerber's run; read that instead; or at least before reading the Lethem.

"Omega: The Unknown" is apparently based off a 1970's comic of the same name. Yeah, I never heard of it, either, but it sounds like it was interesting. I know this particular version of it is.


The comic tells several stories. One is the story of Titus Alexander Island (Alex to his friends), whose parents are, more or less, killed in a traffic accident. He's lead a sheltered life, to put it mildly, and now finds himself dealing with high school in New York City. By reading "Rumblefish" he starts to learn a bit about high school life.

Another story is the tale of a mysterious mute man in a blue costume, and the group of bizarre robots who keep attacking him at every turn. But he knows the secret of salt, so he might yet save the day.

Yet another story is that of the Mink, a "super"-"hero" who seems to be neither. He's all about marketing and branding, and only bothers to round up bad guys if a film crew happens to be present. Let's give him all hand, shall we?

It's hard to know what to say about this book as far as reviewing it goes. It was interesting and intelligent and more than a little confusing at parts. The ending puzzled me greatly, as did some of the explanations for what was going on. Still, the artwork was decent and the book at least kept me going, so there's some points there.

If you're looking for standard super-hero fare, look elsewhere. Aside from a couple throwaway lines about the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, you won't find anything super-hero here. But what you will find is an odd, compelling, interesting, weird little story that probably requires at least a couple readings to make sense.

I'm not quite old enough to have read the original 'Omega: The Unknown', but a buddy of mine who's a few years older can't stop raving about it whenever we discuss our comic-reading youth. When I saw this 'remake' for sale on Amazon, I had to get it, just based on good press of the original concept.

What I found was beyond my expectations. The artwork, while a little sketchy (and that bothered me at first) really grows on you after the first chapter. It meshes perfectly with the story. The story itself is... wow. Socially-maladjusted kid, mute superhero, insidious alien robots, machine plagues, a guy called the Mink (how can you resist a book with a guy named the Mink in it?), and above and beyond all the gee-whiz hoo-haw associated with a superhero comic, some surprisingly deep meditations on what it means to be human, what being a friend is all about, and how loyalty is the best and worst of all things possible.

The physical makeup of the book is impressive as well - very nice, sturdy hardcover edition, containing all ten issues of the series.

So, I guess to sum up, I'll say that if the original Omega is this good, I need to get to my local comic store and hunt it down!

I am a fan of both Jonathan Lethem and the original Omega comics, and was thus very excited to read this. In the end, however, I was disappointed by some of the presentation. First, the artwork is very unsettling. While reading Omega I was constantly filled with an abhorrent sense of dread because the art was so bleak and surreal. It was rather like looking at Michelangelo's work in mannerism after spending the day in the Sistine Chapel. Second, the storytelling was also more surreal than I would have liked, including a talking and singing sculpture and a person-sized robotic hand. I found that by the end of the book, I no longer felt compelled even to finish it. While this is still a good comic, there are much better out there.

You don't get more mainstream than Marvel Comics these days, which is why it's somewhat odd to find a decidedly indie vibe in the revamp of the cult classic Omega: The Unknown Classic TPB series. Novelist Jonathan Lethem (The Fortress of Solitude) brings a clear appreciation (perhaps obsession) with the original Steve Gerber series and makes a point of staying far from anything that could be construed as a typical superhero tale. He is joined by artist Farel Dalrymple (Pop Gun War) and colorist Paul Hornschemeier.

There are enough superhero trappings - guys in costumes, evil robots, and orphaned hero - to make Omega: The Unknown seem, at first, like familiar territory, but Lethem soon takes readers into strange new territory. This includes a superhero fry cook, a musical interlude from a giant concrete head (and hands), fighting evil with a salt shaker, and an epic battle with a giant disembodied hand. This is the comic book equivalent of watching Pink Floyd's The Wall, and it's more than enough to send the average comic book fan running to the hills. I stuck around to the finish, but am still not sure what the ending, and indeed the whole series, really means.

As compelling as the story was (at least for the first half of the series), it's Farel Dalrymple's artwork that really shines. Again, it's far from the average superhero book, but his Mike Allred meets Paul Pope style works perfectly with Lethem's strange strange tale. And while I rarely credit the colorist, Paul Hornschemeier does an amazing job bringing these pages to life.

Omega: The Unknown is easily the "indie-est" thing to emerge from the House of Ideas. Fans of the classic series will find many familiar elements, but Lethem's unique vision may be a bit too much for many readers. I thought J.M. Straczynski's reboot of Squadron Supreme was edgy and somewhat subversive. Omega: The Unknown makes Supreme Power look safe by comparison.