DCU Comic Book Reviews

THE OMAC PROJECT #2

There Is No I In Team

July 2005

Written by Greg Rucka

Pencils by Jesus Saiz

Inks by Jesus Saiz

Cover by Jose Ladronn

Synopsis

Bruce Wayne (aka Batman) remembers what the Justice League did to Doctor Light.  And he remembers what they did to him.  And he was damned if he was ever going to let it happen again.  So he designed Brother MK I, a semi-automatic surveillance system, designed to do what he couldn’t:  watch them all the time.  Batman tells this to Superman, Wonder Woman, and Booster Gold.  He then tells them that he thinks the satellite is the reason Ted Kord (aka Blue Beetle) was murdered.  He tells them that Checkmate has stolen Brother I.  Watching via Brother I is Max Lord, Black King of Checkmate.  He sees Kord’s broken goggles and realizes it was someone within the organization.  He asks Brother I to look into the traitor and then decides to provide a distraction for Superman and Wonder Woman:  he orders an OMAC to kill Arnold Beck (aka Overthrow).  He then summons Sasha for a meeting with the other King and Queens, who attempt to Kill.  The Black Queen orders Jessica Midnight to attack, but Lord telepathically stops her and then forces her to kill the King and Queens.  Later, Batman is at Lord Omniversal warehouse when he sees Sasha.  They kiss.  Via Brother I, Lord is watching.  He orders OMACs to retrieve Sasha and neutralize Batman.

Review

My grandfather had a saying that was a play on words, but as a kid certain things stick in your head and this certainly one of them.  He used to say:  “The Thickens Plot.”  I’m not sure why he felt the need to reverse the words, but as I was reading this issue that is what stuck with me.  This is a thriller and, as such, things are going to get very nasty and it may not get any better.  Well, at least for the characters.  For the reader, things are going to get better.  This is easily by far the best of the 4 series that were done out of Countdown and I am uncertain how things are to play out.  Sometimes, it is easy to see how a plot with resolve itself, even if you don’t what the final resolution of that plot will be.  In this case, the how the plot will be resolved escapes me utterly.  Greg Rucka has done a masterful job with this series so far. 

My favorite part of the issue actually occurred around the edges of the story.  It happens right after Lord asks Brother I to find the traitor.  While we see Sasha getting summoned to Lord’s office and Lord deciding to kill Overthrow in the main portion of the story, underneath we get Brother I’s surveillance as it whizzes around Checkmate looking for the traitor.  There are drawings of people talking with the conversations replayed, sometimes even corrected for bad audio.  And then Brother I warns Lord of an assassination attempt the moment Sasha walks into the room.  If you weren’t paying attention to what was going on the top and bottom of the page, that timing could have really thrown you for the loop.  As it is, I thought it was brilliant.  I’m not sure if that was Rucka or Saiz who did the layout, but kudos to both for making it work so well.

The conversation among the group on the Watchtower was also well done, especially Booster’s anger and his statements concerning Batman.  Batman is not someone who would easily admit a mistake.  It is still very strange that someone as controlling and prepared as Batman could have his satellite stolen by Checkmate.

The beginning with Batman telling his side of the story is long over due and I’m glade it is here.  But I’m curious to know about the one scene with Robin.  Is that supposed to be Dick Grayson?  The pixie boots would suggest that but that meant the incident with Dr. Light occurred a long time ago.  As Nightwing, Dick is in another panel, but I can’t tell if that is supposed to Jason Todd or Tim Drake as Robin.  I also wonder about the top panel with Cassandra Cain as Batgirl.  When exactly did Batman shed the yellow in his insignia on his chest?  I could have sworn that occurred before Cassandra became Batgirl.-- MRB

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