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The OMAC Project #1

The OMAC Project #1

Scheduled to arrive in stores: April 20, 2005

Cover date: June 2005

Writer: Greg Rucka
Penciller: Jesus Saiz
Inker: Jesus Saiz

"The Eye In The Sky" - Part 1

Reviewed by: Nick Newman

Click to enlarge


[This issue picks up immediately after Countdown to Infinite Crisis]

Max Lord sends Sasha Bordeaux in to clean up Blue Beetle's corpse. As they dispose of the body, she thinks how Checkmate used to be balanced, but now the Black King Max Lord has taken over the organization.

At the OMAC terminal, Lord questions the computer how almost all of the OMAC files could have been deleted. The computer speculates that it was its creator. Max instructs the computer to begin surveillance of all associates of Blue Beetle. The cameras zoom in to Batman in his cave. Batman attempts to link to the Brother Mark 1 satellite, but the satellite won't respond. Suddenly a report comes in of Rocket Red battling Overthrow in Moscow. As the two battle, an inconspicuous man in the crowd transmits the entire thing to Max.

On a ledge of the castle, Sasha looks at Beetle's goggles, when the other Black Knight approaches her. Jessica asks Sasha why Max had to kill Beetle. Sasha accuses her of being disloyal, and the two fight. Sasha forces the other woman back and holds her over the wall. Receiving a call, Sasha lets Jessica go, telling her the next time she talks treason she dies.

OMAC zooms in on Booster Gold, just leaving the hospital. After being taunted by a man, Wonder Woman appears on the scene and flies Booster away. Diana tells him that no one has heard from Beetle, and she's worried. The two of them go to search for him together.

Sasha tells Max that they've disposed of everything, and she's heading to Paris to leave a false trail there. He then tells her that he is in charge and if someone is treasonous he will deal with them.

As her team goes to scatter clues, Sasha sneaks away to a post office.

Batman continues to try to access the satellite when Alfred brings him a package from the 'Bordeaux' region. Inside he finds Beetle's goggles and a note, "You don't control it anymore". Batman tells Alfred that Ted Kord is dead, and none of them are safe. High above the earth, the Brother satellite looks down.

3Story - 3: This was a reasonably strong start to OMAC, if an anti-climactic one. I'm still not sure how I feel about Sasha being used here, but I can accept it as long as it works, which it did in this issue. Her treason will be interesting, especially considering that there is really no way to hide it from Max if he's watching her. I like the fact that Batman built the satellite, but it does bother me that this theme is so close to the JLA storyline of about six years ago, when Ra's Al Ghul used Batman's files to defeat the JLA. I liked the redemption of Wonder Woman. Having her actually care about Beetle was a nice change from the out-of-character Diana that appears in Countdown. Now they just need to redeem J'onn and I'll be happy. At least my question about Rocket Red being alive was answered. However, his appearance does make me worry that he'll be a casualty. Overall, I enjoyed this issue, and I believe that the series will be great, but this was such a setup issue that I really can't rank it that highly. Other than some internal Checkmate squabbling, not much really happened. Regardless, still a slightly better than average issue, and one that makes me look forward to the next.

4Art - 4: I was torn on this art. On one hand, I really don't like how Sasha is drawn. She is inked much too heavily, and Diana and Booster suffered from the same thing to a lesser extent. Batman, however, looks absolutely incredible. The panel at the end with Bats in front of the computer screen really stood out to me. The pencils are very solid. If Saiz would just lighten up on the inks a tad we'd have a solid five here.

3Cover Art - 3: This cover really fits the issue, with Batman in the all-seeing eye of Brother, but it was just too plain for me. I am a much bigger fan of the cover on the upcoming second printing, where Batman is holding Beetle's goggles. This one is nice, but a little too plain for me. Average.

Mild Mannered Reviews

2005

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.

January 2005

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