OMAC Project Infinite Crisis special - Synopsis & Review - Spoilers

[Sheldon]

Of the three IC crisis specials out thus far I think this is the weakest of the bunch.

Here'e a quick and dirty run down. It takes place after IC#6
SPOILERS:

Brother Eye crashes to earth and lands in Saudi Arabia. Some poor schmoes stumble upon the satelitte and get turned into omacs or should I say one big omac.

John Stewart takes Sasha, Black Lightning, Mr. Terrific, Black Canary, Green ARrow, Metamorpho and Booster Gold back to earth.

Batman via Green Lantern video conferencing tells Sasah to destroy the satellite because it has info on every hero and villian on earth. He sends her because everyone else is going to Metropolis for a big hero/villian brawl.

Amanda Waller gets made the acting Black King of Checkmate to clean up the mess.

Cut to military folks trying to get the Brother eye, they meet up with a super huge OMAC and the battle ends predictably...

Waller shows up to the Checkmate global HQ w/Fire and flexes her new authorative muscles so to speak...

Cut to Russians and Israeli's planning there own attempts to retrieve Brother Eye...

Sasha argues with Waller via video screen and says she's gonna destroy Brother eye. Waller seems to think that Sasha is still under the influence of Brother Eye, so she sends Fire and Midnight to deal with it.

Ok I'm getting bored with this, so long story short, the different countries are fighting the OMAC, Fire, and Midnight and Sasha show up. Sasha goes into the satellite and Brother Eye tries to take her over, and she detonates a bunch of explosives hoping to die with it. Big explosion....but Sasha lives...the nanobots protected her but they all died doing so and tada Sasha is normal again....


End of synopsis...

Blah....this was just kind there, I guess if I had more of an attachment with Sasha it would have had more of a punch, but it was fairly predictable and boring. Not horrible, but not all that great. The art was run of the mill too, no pics that blew me away.

I just hope at this point we don't see anymore of those silly OMACs anymore...




Lets hope the Villians United Special is better.

[UniqueFrequency]

alright while i don't feel particularly hyped by the synopsis, i guess i'll be getting the book since it ties into IC

who is Amanda Waller? name's familiar but i can't place it off the top of my head

[Sheldon]

Amanda Waller was the government person who put together the suicide squad, she also was the secretary of metahuman affairs in Lex's government....

[shaxper]

I agree that this issue pretty much blew.

I never read the OMAC mini-series because it seemed that I got all the info I needed about that conflict in IC. Maybe if I'd read it, I'd have cared about this story more. But the writing seemed kind of crappy, which surprised me since I love Rucka. That ending in particular was just poorly done. And I didn't feel for any of the characters, nor did I particularly care that Amanda Waller was ruining their organazation as a result.

This issue does not make me want to pick up Checkmate #1 when it comes out.

[jerrymcl89]

It was a pretty lackluster issue. I would have thought Sasha's transformation would have had more lasting implications, but it really went nowhere.

[20yrslater]

I'm pretty bummed I spent $4 on this. I hated the wya it ended with the whole "I'm free of nanobots, huzzah!" thing. At the very least, it could've set-up the new Chekmate series more.

The one good thing is that it certainly explains why Fire is so willing to slit a man's throat. Apparently she was deep in the wet-work with the Brazilian intelligence agency.

[BoosterBronze]

Yeah. Pretty disapointing... and why wasn't Booster Gold wearing his new uniform?

[Barrister]

This is the one plotline (Max, Checkmate, Brother Eye, the OMACs) that started out the strongest but ended up the most lackluster out of all of them. I still don't understand how they tie into everything - Brother Eye was working for Max and Alex? Did Max know about Alex? Were the OMACs created, not to neutralize superheroes so Max and the "normal humans" could live in safety, but so that they wouldn't interfere in Alex's plans? How is Brother Eye doing whatever he was doing with the planets?

[LordEd1976]

Here's my question, who was the guy sent by the Chinese as part of their attempt to retrieve Brother Eye's computer core?

The ending did seem a little blah. I am glad to see Fire back after she was wounded in the mini. I did love the exchange between Waller and Director Bones. I have to agree with jerrymcl89 and 20yrslater, the ending just didnt have an impact and it seemed to easy for Sasha to get rid of her nanites. That said though, Judging from the cover to Checkmate #1, Sasha still has the silver around the eyes so looks like she's not completely rid of what happened.

What does everyone think about the new Rocket Red armor? I thought it was ok.

[aeastwic]

This is the one plotline (Max, Checkmate, Brother Eye, the OMACs) that started out the strongest but ended up the most lackluster out of all of them. I still don't understand how they tie into everything - Brother Eye was working for Max and Alex? Did Max know about Alex? Were the OMACs created, not to neutralize superheroes so Max and the "normal humans" could live in safety, but so that they wouldn't interfere in Alex's plans? How is Brother Eye doing whatever he was doing with the planets?

Agreed. OMAC started off as a WTF kind of thing, with OMACS appearing in a lot of other titles and they were genuinely scary. But by the time IC #6 came out, they just weren't (Cassie handled them quite nicely in IC 6).

Brother Eye was working for Max Lord. When Lord died, there was a protocol to activate all the OMACS. Lord was unknowingly being manipulated by Alex. Alex secretly gave Brother Eye life and upgraded him, thereby taking him away from Batman. I'd guess that somehow he allowed Lord to use it, to further his own purposes.

The Omacs were created, ultimately, to provide a private army for Alex. Their secondary task for Max Lord was to police or kill superheroes. Brother Eye knew about Alex Luthor, but Max Lord did not. (He got played).

Overall, it ties in like this:

* Alex subverted Brother Eye and upgraded him to be able to map the multi-verse. Brother Eye was able to do the mathematics that allowed Alex to re-create all the earths.

* Either as a side-effect, or intended by Alex, Max Lord used Brother Eye for his own ends.

* When Max Lord was killed, all the Omacs were activated. As far as Alex's plans, this was probably outside of them, but he didn't have to care. he could take control of the Omacs whenever he wanted to, it didn't matter whether they were active or not.

The OMAC mini dealt with the fall-out of Alex's actions with Brother Eye. It's unknown how much of the events that happened there he was directly responsible for. But stealing Brother Eye and chaning him, caused the events of that mini to happen.


And yes, it got pretty lackluster after issue 4. This mini was paint-by-the-numbers to set up the new checkmate series and not worth $5 at all.

[Meta 05]

I thought it was interesting. I hadn't orginally intended to pick it up with my OYL samplings but the new issue of FIrestorm was out so i managed to tac this title on.I really liked it, if this is a tie into checkmate an is showing what this title is going to be like its a keeper.I think DC doing a black ops type of team is an interesting depature from its usual heros in tights flying an punching stuff.OYL is proving there taking baby steps away from everything being JLA styled big action zero dialgue for most of its titles except the batfamily.I enjoyed this crises tie in alot more then the
"Rann Thanagar War" it had great action an a good story line

[SuperManny]

Yeah. Pretty disapointing... and why wasn't Booster Gold wearing his new uniform?

Artists seem to screw up Booster's uniform status quo everytime, since even the days of Morrison's JLA. Just chalk it up to editorial negligence.

I've learned to ignore it.

[Periscope]

I actually enjoyed the issue, but as soon as I finished I realized this wasn't an "Omac Project" issue. This could easily have been called Checkmate #0. It sets up Waller as the new Black King, informs us that the agency is going to be reformed under the U.N., and puts everything into place for the new series.

If Brother Eye had burned up in the atmosphere (as was Batman's plan) in IC #6, it wouldn't have made any difference in the end.

So while yes it was pointless, I still thought it was a good read.

[davros42]

Yeah, pretty meh.

A few things:

1) Amanda Waller sent Fire? Fire??? She just signed up Atom Smasher a few months back and the person she sends to deal with potential OMAC nonsense is Fire? And Fire's made the swap from 90's bimbo superhero to 90's angsty, reluctant, "I've got a secret in my past and it makes me DARK" superhero, nice. At least One Year Later and she's back with the Global Guardians.

2) Love the new costume Bea, but the X-Men want their look back.

3) OH POOR SASHA, MY POOR LITTLE EMO ROBOT! WHY DOES NO ONE LOVE YOU? WHY WON'T BATMAN PAY ATTENTION TO YOU? WAH WAH WAH... maybe it's because he's busy trying to save, I don't know, THE ENTIRE WORLD/UNIVERSE/MULTIVERSE and that you (and the rest of Checkmate) helped throw the world under the bus? Nah, must be because you're a robot/cyborg/OMAC/convenient plot device. That's it, that's it exactly.

[glennsim]

Artists seem to screw up Booster's uniform status quo everytime, since even the days of Morrison's JLA. Just chalk it up to editorial negligence.

I've learned to ignore it.

Maybe it has the ability to rotate between 2-3 looks, and he just switches it when he gets bored. Kinda like changing your desktop wallpaper...

[DMike]

And Fire's made the swap from 90's bimbo superhero to 90's angsty, reluctant, "I've got a secret in my past and it makes me DARK" superhero, nice.

I have no real problem with this part since her Secret Origins issue back in the 80s already established her as a Brazilian spy/intelligence agent before she was a model.

[K'Nort]

My main problem remained that Sasha is Kate Spencer's identical twin.

[Will.S]

Gah! Forgot this was out.

[Young Avenger]

I thought the issue was boring. The world's superpowers want the information stored in Brother Eye. I thought the plot was weak and I couldn't tell if Brother Eye was that huge Omac or still laying on the sand. Ending was predictable too.

[Ian J.N.]

So, if Brother I is dead, and Checkmate has changed its mandate, how is it we're getting an OMAC series?

[UniqueFrequency]

So, if Brother I is dead, and Checkmate has changed its mandate, how is it we're getting an OMAC series?

actually we're getting a Checkmate series. which makes sense since Checkmate is now a pretty much different entity

[titanfan]

This was the special I was looking forward to the most, but I too thought it was extremely blah. More or less a big set up issue.

Fire actually being an ex-assassin as opposed to an inept secret service agent is sort of a retcon, but it's not totally unbelievable that she may not have wanted anyone to know about her dark past. How exactly did she hook up with Waller though?

Still looking forward to the Checkmate series though. The cast that they have lined up is terrific.

[seaflower]

It is a complete waste of money, I don't see why this one note storyline couldn't be reveal during 52. A DC character could have easily just mention that Sasha died while destroying the files.

[sudoku]

I feel a need to throw in and say I liked this one a lot. I have really dug Rucka's stuff over the last couple years and this seemed like a nice resolution to Brother Eye (we get a good explanation for why Brother Eye couldn't just upload himself wherever he wanted - he needed a suitable host as complicated as the human brain) and it gave Sasha a nice transition to the new Checkmate series (while still explaining the lingering plot question of the OMAC miniseries - WHY was Sasha turned into a cyborg?).

A job well done.

[Ian J.N.]

actually we're getting a Checkmate series. which makes sense since Checkmate is now a pretty much different entity
There's an OMAC series coming out as well. It's in the Brave New World preview (http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/June06previews/previews.htm).

[UniqueFrequency]

There's an OMAC series coming out as well. It's in the Brave New World preview (http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/June06previews/previews.htm).

whoops you're right. my bad! this is a sign of too many books, DC!! :D

[Silvermane]

Yeah. Pretty disapointing... and why wasn't Booster Gold wearing his new uniform?

'Cause the new one sucks.

[Lex]

I'm SO glad I didn't waste $4.99 on this book.

[Krys Nyteshade]

I guess I'm in the vast minority that liked the book. I thought it did a good job tieing up some loose ends from OMAC and IC. It wasn't mind blowing or anything, but I actually enjoyed it a lot. I may have to check out Checkmate #1 now.

When's the Villians United one coming out?

[Otto Print]

I've liked Sasha since she was introduced in Detective and I'm glad she's not a machine. It was kind of easy but the same thing happened to most of the OMACs. Checkmate looks like international intrigue with a fantasy edge. That may not go over with many superhero fans but it is one I will be checking it out as most of DCs new projects look rather typical.

[handOFfate]

3) OH POOR SASHA, MY POOR LITTLE EMO ROBOT! WHY DOES NO ONE LOVE YOU? WHY WON'T BATMAN PAY ATTENTION TO YOU? WAH WAH WAH... maybe it's because he's busy trying to save, I don't know, THE ENTIRE WORLD/UNIVERSE/MULTIVERSE and that you (and the rest of Checkmate) helped throw the world under the bus? Nah, must be because you're a robot/cyborg/OMAC/convenient plot device. That's it, that's it exactly.

This is exactly what I thought when reading this issue. Sasha does not deserve to be pitied. This issue was easily the worst of the three IC specials, and far worse than any issue of Infinite Crisis. Had no significant impact at all. I don't understand why they didn't let Brother Eye die in IC #6.

[Crimson Avenger]

I guess I'm in the vast minority that liked the book. I thought it did a good job tieing up some loose ends from OMAC and IC. It wasn't mind blowing or anything, but I actually enjoyed it a lot. I may have to check out Checkmate #1 now.

When's the Villians United one coming out?

I didn't like it so much the first time I read it, but my opinion of the book improved after a second reading.

The Villains United IC Special is scheduled for April 26 according to DC's website. (http://www.dccomics.com/comics/?cm=5081)

I don't know if that is still the case or not.