OMACtivation!

Some few reboots ago DC launched the "New 52", fifty-two titles which each promised to revise and revive the familiar icons of the DC Universe. It worked and it didn't (like nearly all reboots) in that it created an enormous buzz and interest but eventually gave way to more traditional variations on the classic heroes in subsequent reboots of the line. After a time you get fuzzy about where the characters are from and when you follow such things almost by proxy in the free comics press, it's even more difficult.

Now of all the fifty-two series DC launched, one that attracted me at the time was OMAC, a recreation of the classic Jack Kirby series near the end of his tenure at the company in the early 70's. I didn't get an issue at the time, though I remember fondling a few on the stands to get a gander at Giffen's artwork. The other day I found the collected series called "OMACtivate" for a mere five bucks, only a few dimes more than a single issue and it seemed foolhardy not to relent and get a good taste.

The OMAC series has been revised and woven into the larger DC tapestry a few different times in a few different ways over the years. John Byrne did a decent job of it in a somber four-issue event way back in the early 90's.

The OMAC concept was adapted into the background (and eventually foreground) of the DCU in the early parts of this century when Brother Eye was re-imagined as a malicious force.

A little of all of those iterations seem to be part of the heady brew with Dan Didio, Keith Giffen and Scott Koblish offer up in 2011. We meet (sort of) Kevin Kho who has been transformed into O.M.A.C. (One-Machine Attack Contruct) by the orbital computer Brother Eye. In his first battle he confronts the deadly creations of the Cadmus Laboratory run by Mokkari who seems affiliated with the corrupt Checkmate organization. All of it offers up echoes of DC Comics gone by and I'm not as steeped in that lore as many I'm sure.

The haples Kevin is whisked around the country by Brother Eye to confront and recruit other super-powered creatures such as Amazing Man (Absorbing Man by another name) and ends up battling agents like Sarge Steel and others from Checkmate which is run by a ruthless Max Lord.

He finds himself in prison and up against Psi-Fi Man, a powerful psychic with power-hungry tendencies. I get the sense more would've come of this relationship had the series lasted longer.

Even Kevin gets back home to his job at Cadmus Labs no less, he is hunted by Mokkari's deadly creations.

They even recruit other "New 52" creations such as Frankenstein of the SHADE organization to seek out and neutralize OMAC.

They have a nifty cross-over (I guess) but sadly DC didn't think it necessary to include the Frankenstein part of the crossover in the collection I picked up. That's a bit frustrating to say the least, but still I don't see getting the rest of the story unless I find an equally alluring deal.

Things seem to take a more Apokalyptian character when an assassin named Sweet Liliani comes to confront OMAC for someone dubbed "Granny".

And we get a hit of Kirby's Kamandi when OMAC finds intelligent zoo animals including one named Prince Tuftan which are the products of Simyan's Evil Factory.

The series wraps up with a story narrated by Kevin Khu and we learn more about his heritage and history. The series ended sooner than DC would've preferred but they apparently had sufficient lead time to craft what is something of a proper ending for such a tale.

If you find it, OMACtivate is a passingly entertaining read with nifty echoes of classic Kirby DC creations sprinkled throughout. There's a real gas to finding so many familiar faces realized in new fashion by craftsman of Giffen's quality. But ultimately this series is handsome with lush highly kinetic artwork but a story which seems to be slightly less than the sum of its heady parts.

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Jack Kirby Pencils And Inks!

What a great way to kick off the "Year of the King". I don't think I even knew this new volume from IDW Publishing was coming out, but when I stumbled across this beautiful tome a week ago I knew I had to have it. And the fact my local store was running a holiday half-price sale on hardbacks made it a must buy right that very minute. So I got this fifty dollar item for a sweet price indeed and it's exceedingly well worth it.

Jack Kirby Pencils and Inks - Artisan Edition pulls three number one issues from the catalogue of Kirby number ones and gives them a real royal treatment. The original artwork for these three issues is largely still extant thanks to Kirby having installed an early copy machine and making duplicates of his original art before inks by the great Mike Royer.

The set-up of the book is that we have the debut issues of The Demon, Kamandi Last Boy on Earth and OMAC and we get the pencil art (when available) reproduced directly next to the inked version.  It's a novel way to read the King's work, a way into his techniques like no other. There's an introduction by inker Mike Royer, who inked all three of these books as well as Kirby's own classic introductions to the each series from the respective debut issues.

Most of the material is here, save sadly for the inked cover of OMAC and the pencil versions of some amazing two-page spreads. The editors have even included some other material from New Gods and elsewhere to expand the volume just a mite. Beautiful volume and easy to read, not something one can say about the larger Artist's Editions which have been coming onto the market in recent years.

Highly recommended.

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The Art Of OMAC!

To close out this month-long look at Jack Kirby's OMAC, here are some of the "King's" delicious art in its raw original form.

And to see some raw Kirby in Italian go here. It's kismet.

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The Worlds Of OMAC!

After Jack "King" Kirby had left DC for Marvel and parts unknown, he left behind a remarkable trove of characters for the talent there to play with. There was a revival of the New Gods and Mister Miracle with great art by the likes of Don Newton and Marshall Rogers. But one of the most intriguing revivals was of OMAC (One-Man Army Corp) by the exceedingly talented Jim Starlin.

For his part Starlin revised the origin of OMAC, but first he brought the fans up to date and even supplied an ending of sorts onto the saga which had so summarily been halted with Kirby's abrupt departure.

In this variation of the OMAC story, the GPA  (Global Peace Agency) aren't human at all, but aliens seeking some measure of control of the Earth .

The saga unfolded first in the pages of Kamandi but when that book too was cancelled it was shifted over to Mike Grell's Warlord title.

OMAC in these stories is much more assured and while confronted with a somewhat new reality approaches it with a mixture of realism and bravura which keeps him still much the hero in a somewhat grittier universe.

After some spectacular battles Starlin takes his leave of the character.

But OMAC would continue for a few episodes further in the lands of other talents. The concept would prove to be a sturdy one for DC and has been revised and revisited many times since, always coherent largely due to the strong concepts originally devised by Kirby.

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OMAC #8 - End With A Bang!

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

I'm sadly reminded of this phrase as I look at OMAC Volume 1 #8, the final Jack Kirby installment of the series which folded as his ground-breaking contract with DC ended and he packed his bags to return to Marvel. He was gone so swiftly and with so little regard for the work he'd been doing for DC that this issue doesn't even sport a Kirby cover, but a rather odd one by the great Joe Kubert. OMAC seems oddly small in this cover and well, it's just not the same. One thing about this final issue is that Mike Royer returns as inker and letterer infusing the finale with a bit more energy than the capable but limited D. Bruce Berry had been able to muster.

The story begins where the last issue left off, with OMAC gone and his avatar Buddy Blank confused and seeking help.

As Brother Eye works to fix the problem, Buddy finds himself atop a dormant volcano, the mysterious base of the water-stealing mastermind Doctor Skuba, though of course Buddy has no idea of all of this. Then just as the energy which will rekindle OMAC arrives from space, Buddy is sucked into the volcano and the energy bolt lands with no effect. As far as Brother Eye can tell both OMAC and Buddy Blank have vanished.

Within the lair Doctor Skuba and his daughter Seaweed and her avaricious fiance Apollo look  upon the captive Buddy Blank with cold disdain. Then Buddy is given the grand tour of the base with Seaweed demonstrating some pride in what evil her father has been able accomplish with his plot to steal all the Earth's water and hold it hostage.

Doctor Skuba meanwhile gets in contact with the Global Peace Agency who order him to abandon his plot and stand down. He of course refuses.

Buddy then encounters some of Skuba's mutated creations developed from former men who rejected the fair Seaweed. It's also suggested that the relative beauty of Seaweed and Apollo is the creation of Skuba.

Skuba then appears and confronts Buddy but he runs away as the GPA begins its assault on the base. They drop mysterious canisters into the base which take control of Skuba's own equipment.

But Skuba is able to trace the source of the attack and turn it back against the satellite Brother Eye. Brother Eye becomes magnetized and draws in metallic meteor material which then covers the satellite which is the source of OMAC's might. But the backlash results in a powerful solar beam which heads toward the volcano base of Skuba. As Brother Eye goes dormant the beam causes the base to explode violently and with that explosion the adventures of OMAC come to an abrupt end.

It's a shame that Kirby was not able to give his series a proper ending, and sadly the ending we do have is not by Kirby but by some anonymous DC staffer who concocts a final panel showing the explosion of the volcano base.

Kirby had left the building and that's all that need be said. The final issue of OMAC is a shame really as the greatness of what Kirby hoped to create when he first arrived at DC was dashed from its truly epic possibilities to sadly not even being able to complete one more comic to properly finish what was proving to be a very creative series.

Something should have been worked out, but it wasn't and he have this truly disappointing end. Sigh.

While technically the story ended with a bang, the creative drive by Jack "King" Kirby ended with a whimper. More is the pity.

But surprisingly there is more to come as others come to play in the house that Jack built. More next week.

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