The Alpha Omega

As I mentioned not too long ago, Jonathan Lethem's version of Omega the Unknown was due out this week, and I've just finished reading it. While I suspect that my comic store owner's reaction to the art style ("Ugh. How do I sell this?") may end up being typical of how it's received, I really loved the first issue!

Lethem perfectly retains the original series' mood and basic setup, but simply writes circles around the 1970s version. He's renamed and re-imagined each of the main characters, with the exception of Omega himself, and imbued most of them with more interesting personalities. Gone is much of the weird-for-weird's-sake narrative blather that I found added nothing to the original's appeal. We still don't know what's going on, and should be as disoriented as Hell by the end of the debut issue, but this Omega the Unknown doesn't read like it was written on acid (or under delusions of grandeur). It's a much more comfortable experience, this time around, knowing that someone of Lethem's talent is behind the wheel and is well aware of exactly how many issues he has to tell the entire tale.

Ironically, despite my positive response to the comic, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the sales on Omega are rather pathetic. It's not at all what today's comic readers are used to, partly because it's based on a story from a different era, partly due to the off-kilter nature of the characters themselves, and then there's the artwork. I used to care a lot about who drew my comics, and would rank my top artists on a regular basis - George Perez, Brian Bolland, Neal Adams, Mike Zeck and the rest - but at some point not too long after Alan Moore arrived on the scene, I kind of lost my enthusiasm for the topic. I can still get excited about the odd assignment - Ethan Van Scriver on Green Lantern, anyone? - but as I mentioned to Vicki tonight, all I really require anymore is that I can tell who the characters are, from page to page! Against that bar, the style in which 2007's version of Omega the Unknown is drawn is just fine!

I can hardly wait for the next issue in this series, and the eight that are planned to follow it! Jonathan Lethem did not disappoint!