Wednesday, November 16, 2011

O.M.A.C. #1-3 (Review)

Right from the get-go, this title is entertaining & exciting, with an "old-school" feel & plenty of action.  "Kirby-ish" in style and story, it is one of the most enjoyable reads in the "New 52".  Written by Dan DiDio (DC Comic's Co-Publisher), with artwork provided by Keith Giffen.

Issue #1 introduces us quickly to Kevin Kho, although we don't actually see him until toward the end of the issue. He works at Cadmus Industries, along with his girlfriend Jody Robbins. But Cadmus Industries has secrets and secret research and secret employees and secret "no longer employed" sentient computer satellites orbiting the earth.....a.k.a. Brother Eye*** (known henceforth as just "Eye").


Out of nowhere we meet O.M.A.C. (the One Machine Attack Construct....though we don't actually learn the acronym until the first page of Issue #2), who purposed and controlled by Eye is there to track down the Cadmus Mainframe. As O.M.A.C. makes his way toward the hidden inner chambers of Cadmus Industries, we are introduced to some of the "secret" and strange employees that work there. Lord Mokkari seems to be in control of everything "secret", along with his aids Dubbilex and a "build-a-friend".  Dubbilex; with his telepathic abilities, is unable to slow down Eye's "feet on the ground".  Build-a-Friend and some of Lord Mokkari's Gobblers are unable to slow down O.M.A.C. either, as he shreds the mainframe so Eye can gather all the info he needs from it.  After that, O.M.A.C. transports away (from henceforth known as "Blinking").

On the last couple pages we finally meet Kevin Kho (when Eye doesn't have him transformed into O.M.A.C.), who is an unwilling participant in all that Eye has going on.

In Issue #2 we learn that the acronym stands for One Machine Attack Construct, and that Eye has infected Kevin Kho with a virus that perfectly blends biology and technology. This gives Eye the power to transform Kho into O.M.A.C. whenever Eye wishes, and that when O.M.A.C. is "blinked" out by Eye he goes wherever Eye wishes him to.  We also learn that Cadmus Industries is part of Checkmate, the Covert World Enforcement Agency.  Sarge Steel at Checkmate is put in personal charge of of capturing/eliminating O.M.A.C. and that Kevin Kho is now listed as a "terrorist".

Marooned in Wayne, Texas....Kevin Kho seeks food and rest, but Eye has other plans.  A "throw down" with Amazing Man includes throwing buildings and giants.  Eye uses the Amazing Man's abilities to take on the properties of anything he touches, and takes control of him......seemingly "storing" him as data until Eye needs him in the future. Kho just wants to go home, but Eye has other plans......the issue ends with Brother Eye conversing with Lord Mokkari, who reveals himself as Maxwell Lord.

Issue #3 begins with Kevin Kho having a conversation with an A.T.M. in Shreveport, Louisiana. He is arrested (since he's listed as a terrorist now by Homeland Security), and transported to the local prison.  There is where he meets Professor Arous; who after performing experiments on himself has greatly enhanced telepathic abilities enabling him to control the prison guards & population, a.k.a. Psi-Fi Man.  Psi-Fi Man wants to "get to know" Brother Eye, who has Kho transform (from henceforth known as "omactivate") into O.M.A.C., but is stopped mid-way by Arous....who wants to "share the experience".  Unfortunately for Psi-Fi Man, Eye is aware of his powers and O.M.A.C. and he begin their "rumble".

Meanwhile, Checkmate hones in on the omactivation, and transports Sarge Steel and 2 other operatives to the prison to capture Eye's "agent". They try using Ambient Tech to bring down their formidable foe, but are unsuccessful as O.M.A.C. blinks away after becoming rude with Eye and telling him to "Shut up!".  Psi-Fi Man escapes during all the commotion as well, and commandeers a vehicle to get away and formulate a plan against Eye.

I love this series!  When the solicitations first came out for it with the rest of the "New 52", I wasn't at all interested....but I happened upon it at my local comic book shop, picked up issue #2 and paged through it.....and I WAS HOOKED!! DiDio's writing is fun and comical, the plot is surprisingly indepth, and the artwork is absolutely amazing.  The "updated" abilities and the addition of Brother Eye makes this character fit right into the "New 52", and the world of superheroes today. A fun read which takes you back to the wild imaginings of your teenage years......Citizen's Grade: Awesome.

[***The series has yet to reveal if Brother Eye has the same origins (a creation of Batman) as before the "revamp".  All we know at this point is that Eye was once part of Cadmus, "imprisoned" by Maxwell Lord, has now freed itself and is gathering information and data to defend itself and/or get revenge.  It is unknown whether the virus Eye used to infect Kevin Kho is the same used previous to the "revamp" (see: Infinite Crisis). Eye is definitely sentient, and Kevin Kho/O.M.A.C. is Eye's agent on Earth.  Eye is a satellite in space orbiting the Earth.]


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