When I first opened the envelope containing various issues of this series I was downright in euphoria. The big beautiful Black woman was running straight at me from the cover. Having been a comic book fan since I could read I was happy to see a Black comic female character other than the X-Men's Storm. However, once I began to read the issue my heart sank into a deep, deep depression. For like many comics the Omega 7 series was more about art than story, and fell into that awful American Obsessive need to have every comic book be dominated by super heroes.
The Omega 7 characters were created to counteract the images often portrayed by the media and even Black people themselves (and people know what I am talking about so I will not go into how certain entertainers seek to constantly portray Black Americans). They deal with the issues of racism; civil rights, sexual abuse, and hate crimes against gays, right up to the Million Man March. Omega Man, Original Boy, Original Woman, The Mighty Ace, and Dark Wolf are all drawn spectacularly. Any bonafide sequential art fan would fall in love with the daring physiques and looks (especially Dark Wolf a ninja/Punisher type).
The only thing I can say to give you a mental picture of the story is that it is a mix of X-Men, Spider-Man, Superman, Batman, and Kung-Fu Cinema, with a militant science fiction spin. Aliens from the future are planting instigators in the past in order to destroy Black People in America (OK I admit that was original). The Omega 7, who reside in the future as well, are sent to the past to stop them, and with their superpowers of flight, lasers, psychic abilities, you know the super hero deal and save the day. I just find it a little WAY out there (even for a comic book) to just having the aliens plotting against JUST Black Americans no less? Come on.
Right there I knew I was not going to like this comic. The story then tried to implicate aliens as the perpetrators of some of the most heinous acts of humanity and that irked me. In some way the stories presented seemed to undermine humanities cruelness. A good example of this is in the issue starring Original Boy and Omega Man entitled Day of Atonement. Here members of the Omega 7 return to stop the interference of aliens on the day of Million Man March. Instigators are planted by the aliens in order to start a race war, and of course are thwarted.
The story lines seem like they were written out of initial upset at past and current events than creating a feasible story. There is a clear and understandably frustrating anger present throughout the comics and I believe this reflect that in the choppy storylines which literally jump from panel to panel with no cohesion. Not only that the comics offer no real resolutions. Not that in dealing with the issues presented could be resolved so clear and easy.
While I admire the efforts of this series I think with a little tweaking in the story department this comic could be a success. The series already has its own line of action figures sold in a Toys R' Us in Kansas. I would be personally interested in seeing them, especially Omega Woman-she ROCKS! But note I do not agree with products being created for the sake of toys. How many wonderful products have we lost because of such beliefs (RIP Jem and the Holograms). Other than this I cannot vouch for this series as being anything but another independent comic book in desperate need of an editorial staff.
Send your comments and or questions about this article to JenniferJ@ybfree.com.