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Omega: The Unknown Hardcover – January 1, 2008
- Print length240 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherMarvel Enterprises
- Publication dateJanuary 1, 2008
- Dimensions7 x 0.5 x 10.75 inches
- ISBN-100785130527
- ISBN-13978-0785130529
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Product details
- Publisher : Marvel Enterprises (January 1, 2008)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 240 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0785130527
- ISBN-13 : 978-0785130529
- Item Weight : 1.57 pounds
- Dimensions : 7 x 0.5 x 10.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,175,684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #9,294 in Marvel Comics & Graphic Novels (Books)
- #32,395 in Superhero Comics & Graphic Novels
- #908,196 in Literature & Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors

Jonathan Lethem was born in New York and attended Bennington College.
He is the author of seven novels including Fortress of Solitude and Motherless Brooklyn, which was named Novel of the Year by Esquire and won the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Salon Book Award, as well as the Macallan Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger.
He has also written two short story collections, a novella and a collection of essays, edited The Vintage Book of Amnesia, guest-edited The Year's Best Music Writing 2002, and was the founding fiction editor of Fence magazine.
His writings have appeared in the New Yorker, Rolling Stone, McSweeney's and many other periodicals.
He lives in Brooklyn, New York

Farel Dalrymple's latest book, THE OFTEN WRONG is a collection of comics and, drawings and illustrations from IMAGE comics.. Farel is the creator of the comic series Proxima Centauri (Image 2018,) IT WILL ALL HURT ( Image 2018), Pop Gun War: Chain Letter (2017 Image) and POP GUN WAR: GIFT (2016 Image, 2001 Dark Horse), The Wrenchies (First Second Books 2014), and Delusional (Adhouse, 2013). Farel was a co-founder and contributor to the comic anthology, Meathaus, and the artist on Palefire (Secret Acres, 2015) written by Mk Reed, Prophet (Image comics 2012) by Brandon Graham, Omega the Unknown (Marvel Comics 2010) by Jonathan Lethem, Jenny Finn (Dark Horse 2018) by Troy Nixey and Mike Mignola, Caper (DC Comics 2003) by Judd Winick, and various other short stories and collaborative projects.
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This book collects the 10 issue miniseries, which rebooted the original short lived "Omega the Unknown" series from the 1970's while maintaining its spirit. The plot can be summarized "where there's robots, there's blue guys." Robots have a... habit, let's say, of taking over or destroying planets, but a blue-suited, red-caped (hmmm...) hero arrives to fight them, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. When nanomachines invade the Earth, nothing is safe, not textbooks, not action figures, not fast food. Salt, on the other hand, might be a good thing. Speaking of hands, make sure you don't lose yours, or they may turn on you.
Again, in context, this makes all makes perfect sense. Normally, I wouldn't care for the "scratchy" art style, but it fits the quirky mood of the series. If you like Grant Morrison, particularly Doom Patrol, you should like this.
Lastly, I thought it was quite amusing that the co-author Karl Rusnak chose to give the Mink's alter ego his own name in reverse, "Kansur."
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2008
Lastly, I thought it was quite amusing that the co-author Karl Rusnak chose to give the Mink's alter ego his own name in reverse, "Kansur."
Jonathan Lethem is one of the most imaginative and acclaimed novelists of his Post-Millennial generation. His work is idea-heavy, and though he often references comic-book and science-fiction themes, the awards piling up around him as he taps away on his keyboard, his skillfully crafted prose, and virtuoso plotting, all keep him well-ensconced in the 'Literature' section at the local bookstore, instead of the Genre Ghettos of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Michael Chabon, who is Lethems' nemesis in every way (or perhaps Lethem is Chabons' nemesis), is also devoted to comic-books, SF, and pulp-fiction. His Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, 'The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay', told the story of two young Jewish men who left Europe for America, where they made their names in the nascent comic-book industry of the 30's with 'The Escapist'. Loosely based on the creators of Superman, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, it incorporates the experiences of the many young Jewish immigrants who helped build the comic-book format and the concept of Superheroes (Stan Lee, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, Al Feldstein, Harvey Kurtzman, Bernie Krigstein, etc.). When he moved to try his hand as a comic-writer, telling the story of 'The Escapist' in a meta-textual spinoff Grant Morrison would approve of, it came out as a solid, but mostly uninspired debut in his newest medium. Douglas Rushkoff, a respected writer, created a dull mess called 'Testament' for Vertigo.
Lethem successfully makes the transition to sequential art, unlike his peers. He retains the weirdness of the 70's series and adds weirdness of his own. The character of 'The Mink', a nominal superhero whose boasting and shameless attempts at commodifying his brand contrasts with his occasional bravery and competence, is unforgettable and hilarious. This tale of an alien order of superheroes, determined to stop a nano-robotic epidemic that has wiped out planets across the galaxy, is perfectly suited for Lethem. When this plague reaches earth, turning humans into zombie-like slaves immediately compelled to build macro-scale robot warriors programmed to hunt down and kill their various Omega rivals, young Alexander Island is attacked by these Omega-hunters, losing both parents in the process. Even more disturbing, he learns that they were quite obviously not his biological parents, since they too were robots. As the incredibly bright young man finds a new home, a new school, and new friends (despite his intellect and manners), he begins to learn the secrets of his origin, and the role he must play in saving the planet he knows as home. This beautifully designed hardcover collects what is unquestionably one of the best mainstream comics of the new millennium. Farel Dalrymple is one of the most unique artists in comics and illustration, and his work on Omega the Unknown is 260 pages, two endpapers, two covers and a dust-jacket of the best art in modern mainstream superhero comics history. I know the names that people could throw like weapons in rebuttal -- Alex Ross (Marvels), Dave McKean (Arkham Asylum), Lee Bermejo (Joker), Paul Pope (Batman: Year 100), J.H. Williams III (Batwoman: Elegy), Frank Quitely (All-Star Superman), Eduardo Risso (Batman: Broken City) -- because those are the names I would throw. Those are personal favorites; but for one single virtuoso effort, Omega the Unknown is unassailable, the dark horse that takes it all. Apparently Marvel is letting this under-appreciated masterpiece go quietly out-of-print, and yet you can pick it up from marketplace sellers for the cost of shipping. It's such a great book, I had to buy a second copy... for this price, even at full price, this is a must-buy.
Top reviews from other countries
Jonathan Lethem is one of the most imaginative and acclaimed novelists of his Post-Millennial generation. His work is idea-heavy, and though he often references comic-book and science-fiction themes, the awards piling up around him as he taps away on his keyboard, his skillfully crafted prose, and virtuoso plotting, all keep him well-ensconced in the 'Literature' section at the local bookstore, instead of the Genre Ghettos of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Michael Chabon, who is Lethems' nemesis in every way (or perhaps Lethem is Chabons' nemesis), is also devoted to comic-books, SF, and pulp-fiction. His Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, 'The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay', told the story of two young Jewish men who left Europe for America, where they made their names in the nascent comic-book industry of the 30's with 'The Escapist'. Loosely based on the creators of Superman, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, it incorporates the experiences of the many young Jewish immigrants who helped build the comic-book format and the concept of Superheroes (Stan Lee, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, Al Feldstein, Harvey Kurtzman, Bernie Krigstein, etc.). When he moved to try his hand as a comic-writer, telling the story of 'The Escapist' in a meta-textual spinoff Grant Morrison would approve of, it came out as a solid, but mostly uninspired debut in his newest medium. Douglas Rushkoff, a respected writer, created a dull mess called 'Testament' for Vertigo.
Lethem successfully makes the transition to sequential art, unlike his peers. He retains the weirdness of the 70's series and adds weirdness of his own. The character of 'The Mink', a nominal superhero whose boasting and shameless attempts at commodifying his brand contrasts with his occasional bravery and competence, is unforgettable and hilarious. This tale of an alien order of superheroes, determined to stop a nano-robotic epidemic that has wiped out planets across the galaxy, is perfectly suited for Lethem. When this plague reaches earth, turning humans into zombie-like slaves immediately compelled to build macro-scale robot warriors programmed to hunt down and kill their various Omega rivals, young Alexander Island is attacked by these Omega-hunters, losing both parents in the process. Even more disturbing, he learns that they were quite obviously not his biological parents, since they too were robots. As the incredibly bright young man finds a new home, a new school, and new friends (despite his intellect and manners), he begins to learn the secrets of his origin, and the role he must play in saving the planet he knows as home. This beautifully designed hardcover collects what is unquestionably one of the best mainstream comics of the new millennium. Farel Dalrymple is one of the most unique artists in comics and illustration, and his work on Omega the Unknown is 260 pages, two endpapers, two covers and a dust-jacket of the best art in modern mainstream superhero comics history. I know the names that people could throw like weapons in rebuttal -- Alex Ross (Marvels), Dave McKean (Arkham Asylum), Lee Bermejo (Joker), Paul Pope (Batman: Year 100), J.H. Williams III (Batwoman: Elegy), Frank Quitely (All-Star Superman), Eduardo Risso (Batman: Broken City) -- because those are the names I would throw. Those are personal favorites; but for one single virtuoso effort, Omega the Unknown is unassailable, the dark horse that takes it all. Apparently Marvel is letting this under-appreciated masterpiece go quietly out-of-print, and yet you can pick it up from marketplace sellers for the cost of shipping. It's such a great book, I had to buy a second copy... for this price, even at full price, this is a must-buy.
Man kann sagen: Das ist voll gelungen! Omega, the Unkown, ist eine faszinierend und völlig untypisch erzählte Superheldengeschichte. Zahlreiche Gedankensprünge, Zwischenblenden, ein mystischer, fast göttlicher Erzähler lassen den Leser die Geschichte erst nach und nach erschließen, dabei aber immer neugierig auf den Fortgang der Dinge bleiben. Viele Details erschließen sich erst ein paar Kapitel später und machen Omega, the Unkown, zu einem großen Lesespaß, der einen schnell einsaugt und verlangt, in einem Zug durchgelesen zu werden.
Toll!






