The Omac Project [Paperback]

I loved Jack Kirby's output for DC in the '70s, no matter how crazy or incomprehensible it was. One of my favorites was OMAC (One Man Army Corps), a story set on a future Earth, dealing with a satellite called Brother Eye and it's ability to transform milquetoast Buddy Blank into OMAC, a superhuman fighting machine with perhaps the coolest hairdo ever in comics. OMAC didn't last long as a series and, except for a well-done limited series by John Byrne, was pretty much forgotten; however, I have always held it closely to my heart. So imagine my excitement when I learn that a critical element of DC's major Infinite Crisis storyline involves the "Brother I" satellite and its war against superhumans, carried out by humans which it has transformed into... superhuman fighting machines!

This trade paperback collects the single-issue COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS, THE OMAC PROJECT #1-6, AND WONDER WOMAN #219... plenty of reading for your dollar. The writers are Greg Rucka, Geoff Johns, and Judd Winick, and overall, they do a bang-up job. I won't go into details of the plot, because too much info would spoil it. In short: the Blue Beetle begins to get a bit paranoid after Kord Industries is robbed, as well as having multiple attempts made on his life. He uncovers a conspiracy that is obvious to him, but unfortunately, the other heroes won't listen, much to their eventual shame. If you are new to the DC Universe, this story on its own might be a bit muddled and overwhelming. My suggestion is to pick up the 80-page PRELUDE TO INFINITE CRISIS, which will help to set the stage for this story and others to come in the "Countdown to Infinite Crisis" lineup. If you are a seasoned reader of DC, this story will expand greatly on several elements of stories from years past: the perception of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold in the DCU and Maxwell Lord's involvement with the '80s Justice League were two angles that greatly pleased a long-time reader like me. The artwork, by Jesus Saiz, Rags Morales, Ed Benes, Phil Jimenez, Ivan Reis, Jose Ladronn, and others, is consistenly spectacular.

So I liked this series for shaking up the DCU a bit, but what I really appreciated was that DC has given a classic property a second chance (and an origin of sorts). I always ask myself why DC and Marvel feel the need to create so many new characters for their stories, instead of mining their rich histories for something that can do the job just as well. Looks like DC asked themselves the same thing. The result is fantastic.

Okay, click on my user ID and read my review of Identity Crisis. I go into this huge exposition of being an ex-comic fan who has been drawn back in with the advent of Infinite Crisis.

After Identity Crisis, this is the next stop on your way to Infinite Crisis.

A continuation of the paranoia and gritty re-invention of the DC Universe, the book features deaths of beloved characters, revelations of old characters, and continue to build up to Infinite Crisis.

I will be honest and say that the themes in this book... a human world filled with fear of the potential power of meta-humans, is not a new one. The OMACs and Brother Eye are basically DC's version of the Sentinels from Marvel's X-titles and has the same basic point: Ultimate protection results in ultimate fascism.

While this book and Identity Crisis has me hooked on comics again, the actual main plot here, about Checkmate and the OMACs had me a bit bored, but it was the dark, new relationships of the super-heroes, and the potential lead up to Infinite Crisis that kept me intrigued.

If you plan on getting into Infinite Crisis, then get this book to lead yourself up to it. If you're looking for a single-reading experience, then try Identity Crisis...or delve back into something a bit older that you haven't read, such as Kingdome Come or such.

I do have one minor complaint about his book: A section of the OMAC Project apparently cross-overed into a 4-part story arc...the first 3 parts in the Superman books, and the 4th part ending in Wonder Woman. Rather than include all 4 parts of this crossover, DC opted to throw in a 2 page summary of what occurred in the Superman books, then print the last part from Wonder Woman in it's entirety right after that. I felt slighted by this...but at least they gave you the summary to keep you up to speed.

Next stop: Day of Vengence!

The OMAC project is another of the collected lead-ins to the Infinite Crisis storyline, DC Comics' major story event of the year. OMAC, of course, stands for "One Man Army Corps" and was one of the comics created by Jack Kirby when he moved from Marvel to DC in the early 1970's. Loosely borrowing on Kirby's ideas (very loosely) comes this story combining elements of A Brave New World and 2001 A Space Odyssey. It helps to have read Identity Crisis prior to this book but there's enough information provided even if you didn't. After the fallout from Identity Crisis we find 3rd string heroes Booster Gold and Blue Beetle going through some tough times. Booster has basically given up his super hero career and Beetle AKA Ted Kord, is nearly broke as someone is siphoning off his fortune. Add to that there was a break-in at Kord Industries and a large amount of Kryptonite has been stolen.

Beetle tries to convince the JLA that there is something going on but he's basically brushed off by the likes of Batman, Superman, and Green Lantern. Only Wonder Woman believes him although she may just be humoring him. A freak energy backslash from his computer nearly kills Booster and Beetle sets off on his own to find out who is behind all of this mayhem. He locates a secluded castle and sneaks in and hacks into the computer system where he finds that whomever is behind the mystery has extensive files on every superhero including their secret identities. Furthermore, Beetle's own file lists him as deceased. The truth is soon revealed. The organization is Checkmate and the black king is none other than former Justice League front man and financier Maxwell Lord.

Seems after the events in Identity Crisis Batman constructed an all-seeing eye in the sky to essentially watch everyone, naming it Brother I. Somehow, and it's never fully explained, but Lord has hijacked the system and is using it in an insidious plot to wipe out every meta human on the planet, even those not even aware that they have any powers. The irony of course is that unknown to the rest of Checkmate, Lord himself is a meta-human with powerful mind control abilities. To this end he's created a nanite virus that essentially turns the infected victims into cybernetic killing machines bearing a vague resemblance to Kirby's OMAC of the 1970's. Lord unleashes over a million of these on the world's population and now heroes and villains alike find themselves being hunted down by Lord's creations.

A computer system gaining full intelligence and an identity not exactly a new concept nor is it handled here with any new creativeness. Maxwell Lord as the books main villain was certainly a surprise and it's interesting when someone can come up with a new way to handle what is otherwise a mundane character. I know the writers wanted to be able to have Blue Beetle go off on his own but I guess I didn't care for the way the rest of the JLA came off as jerks in their treatment of Beetle. This point if further strengthened by Guy Gardner who clearly has an "Our League Vs. their League" when he has a confrontation with Wonder Woman. Clearly there is some bad blood and the Gardner/Booster/Beetle League has a bit of an inferiority complex when dealing with the present members.

Also it's being shown more evident that the JLA is getting more dysfunctional and mistrusting of their comrades all the time. When Superman questions Batman's creation of this spy network, Batman basically tells him he could care less what anyone else thinks. The Caped Crusader felt violated when his memory was wiped out during Identity Crisis and he's not about to let it happen ever again.

My only trepidation with the book and going forward into Infinite Crisis is DC's seeming need to try and reinvent its universe and characters every few years with these types of storylines. I sometimes think they underestimate the strength of their own creations. The OMAC project was far superior to the disjointed Day of Vengeance book and I will be on board with Crisis to see where this all leads.

Written by Greg Rucka, Geoff Johns and Judd Winick; Art by Jesus Saiz, Rags Morales, Ed Benes, Phil Jimenez, Ivan Reis, and others.

Reviewed by Tim Janson