Omega the Unknown Classic

Having read almost all of Steve Gerber's work for Marvel, DC, and the short-lived Malibu (during the early 90's comic boom), I can safely say that although Omega the Unknown was abruptly cancelled with no solid or worthy ending (written by Steven Grant rather than Steve Gerber), it is one of the best pieces of comic literature I've experienced. Steve Gerber put himself on the comics map with his awesome story-telling and character insight in titles like Man-Thing and The Defenders, and reached the height of his comics mastery when he created and wrote Omega the Unknown. Being a comic fan since 1989, I'd put this story (along with Steve Gerber's 10-issue Foolkiller miniseries) at the top of my list along with Watchmen, the Dark Knight Returns, Miracleman, Kraven's Last Hunt, and Jack Kriby's 3rd world. I won't tell about the story, but if you appreciate deep, thought-provoking comics that deal with real world issues and portray "super" people with extraordinary powers becoming conflicted by their petty and universal human desires, this is a story you'll surely appreciate and remember.

This is one of those rare comic books that actually exceeded my expectations. Omega the Unknown was created a few decades ago. Many older works are fun it terms of nostalgia, art style, and a more light-hearted tone compared to today's straight-laced grim and gritty works. However, today's explosion of art styles, creative freedom, and high-quality production make many older works seem obsolete. Omega the Unknown seems cutting-edge when read today. It must have really blown some circuits when it first came out. The strength is certainly the writing. It proceeds at a natural pace but never bores the reader. Its sense of mystery keeps the reader intrigued throughout yet never frustrates or loses a reader. The characters are likable and believable. The wording has clearly been carefully-chosen and will force its audience to do some work. Yes, a lot of people will have to get up and find their dictionary, and everyone will have to pause for a few moments and think about the storyline in order to get all they can from this work. Perhaps the reason this comic failed was because the people who originally were buying it only wanted to see some spandex-wearing chumps beat up on each other. Speaking of spandex fight scenes, Steven Grant tries to wrap this up in a two issue arc of The Defenders. I'm not a fan of Grant's work; I thought the two included issues of the Defenders were painful compared to the ten issues of Omega, and the conclusion is far from satisfying. However, Omega the Unknown needed closure, and I have to give the man respect for taking a shot at a very difficult task. It could have been done much worse, and I was glad it was included in this collection. Regarding the artwork, I have read it being descibed as "pedestrian". That is far too harsh a criticism. The artwork in this book is nearly always polished and professional. I don't think Jim Mooney's name is brought up very often in debates regarding the greatest comic artists ever, but I do think he should feel proud of his contribution to this work. This comic is an early attempt to bring in new elements to the comic book landscape. It examines the human condition, brings in elements of surrealism, and doesn't bore or insult a reader's intelligence. Putting all that in a superhero book is no small accomplishment!

I was watching the fourth season DVD box set of the Batman Animated Series a while ago (I'd write a glowing review for any of those sets if there weren't so many glowing reviews for them already) and I was especially struck by a line from one of the creator commentaries. On the "Critters" episode, which was written by veteran comic scribe Steve Gerber, show-runner Bruce Timm claimed that Gerber "doesn't really believe in heroes" and proceeded to not really elucidate on that statement. I couldn't really figure out what to make of Bruce's assertion. Is he saying that Gerber felt that the superhero genre was becoming crowded and trite, or did he believe in something more pessimistic like that no one could ever make great personal sacrifices for others for purely altruistic reasons? The Batman creative team offered no rebuttal or closure to that ostensible denunciation. That's why I sought some closure myself by checking out the new full color, paperback collection of Gerber's enigmatic series, Omega the Unknown. As most Marvelites know, Gerber's canon also includes Howard the Duck and the Man-Thing, certainly not standard superheroic figures, as well as a run on the Defenders which distinguished itself from other teams by being relentlessly self-effacing and tongue-in-cheek (I don't think the Elf with a Gun would have shown up in even the most lighthearted Spider-Man tale). However, Omega is his most straight-forward, Silver Age-style comic creation, at least by all initial appearances, and so I picked it up as a test to divine exactly where Mr. Gerber stands on this "hero" business. In the first six pages of the first issue, a caped limber figure that can spew streams of fire from his palms fights for his life on some war-scorched realm while a thoughtful twelve-year-old boy survives a horrific car crash and learns that his doting parents were robots. Welcome to the wild and wonderful world of Steve Gerber, friends! The story of Omega the Unknown is thus about the mysterious and tenuous relation between those two protagonists. The silent alien warrior known only as Omega has fled to Earth from his devastated planet and apparently decided to occupy himself with occasional vigilantism (after all, he already has the outfit for it). Meanwhile, the young James-Michael Starling, who sure looks a lot like a younger Omega, tries to adapt to foster life in New York City. It's no easy order for a kid who is so socially naive, coldly analytical and emotionless that he would make Reed Richards blush. The duo's lives are buoyed along by a colorful supporting cast including Omega's curmudgeonly old caretaker "Gramps", James-Michael's fussy worrywart nurse Ruth, and Ruth's roommate Amber, a free-spirited redhead who's a freelance photographer for the Daily Bugle (I know, she's like Mary Jane Watson with Peter Parker's resume). The list of villains is a little less inventive with a large quantity of guest stars like Electro, the Foolkiller, Nitro the