JONATHAN LETHEM TO HANDLE MARVEL'S OMEGA, THE UNKNOWN

[MattBrady]

His Fortress of Solitude and short stories have been peppered with comic book references from the 1970s, and now, novelist Jonathan Lethem will get to take them on for real, and be the latest novelist to give comics a go. According to a brief note in this week’s Time Magazine, Lethem will revive Omega the Unknown for Marvel in 2006.

"Marvel dared me to put my love on the line," Lethem told Time adding that the character is "kind of a meta-superhero…[a] bewildered visitor to the Planet Earth"

For most fans today, Omega really is unknown, having debuted in early 1976, and running only 10 issues. Written by Mary Skrenes and Steve Gerber (with some sweet Jim Mooney art), the series was remarkable for a couple of reasons – it featured the debut of Foolkiller (okay, maybe that doesn’t make it too remarkable), and its title character being killed in the final issue.

The original story…if Lethem so chooses, is up for a healthy dose of re-interpretation or reimagining (not to mention the costume). Originally, Omega was the creation of an alien race called the Protar. A robotic/mechanical race, the Protar created Omega as the first in a line of humanoid robots who would survive the coming Protar apocalypse. After creation, Omega was set loose to avoid destruction at the hands of the Protar’s enemies.

Avoidance didn’t work well, and by the time Omega reached earth (as all space-faring heroes in the Marvel Universe do), the killers of his former race were right behind. Omega held the invaders off, and found a friend in small boy, James-Michael Starling, which whom he shared a sympathetic bond. It was later revealed that James-Michael was the final model of the Protar’s artificial beings created to succeed them in the universe.

Omega was killed in issue #10, and to add insult to injury, James-Michael learned his origin in The Defenders #76 in 1979, and, in a two-issue arc, nearly wiped out the hero team before himself committing suicide.

Update: Omega isn't a character Lethem is coming to cold, either - click here and read #5.

[algertman]

Oh hell, A new SpeedBall series isn't far behind is it?

[pfunk70]

haha first post. i have nothing to say this. i wonder who's the artist?

[pfunk70]

still waiting for Brother Voodoo. c'mon Bendis. New Avengers would sell way more issues with the BV rather than Wolvie.

[adamcasey]

I thought only Slash-Dotters cared about first posts.

[choisez]

Good to hear. I liked his "Motherless Brooklyn" a lot and look forward to reading "Fortress of Solitude" someday.

Omega was one of those odd '70s Marvel characters that just slipped through the cracks, so it'll be interesting to see what Lethem does w/ him. Maybe Marvel can bring back the Human Fly next.

-Eddy

[absherlock]

Originally posted by algertman
Oh hell, A new SpeedBall series isn't far behind is it?

Paging Dr. Dorkin...

[pmpknface]

YES!!!!!!!!!!! Now maybe they'll make a tpb of the OLD series too!

[Jed Saxon]

Originally posted by MattBrady
[b]Omega the Unknown

Who?

[Kevin T. Brown]

Matt, April 1st was a month ago... C'mon now.

[ParisCub]

Now that's interesting. I remember reading Omega the Unknown in the 80s (borrowing the series from a friend) and thinking that it had a lot of potential.

This in fact has as much potential as Sentry.

[Bakema NL]

I know the name, but that's it. And it doesn't look like I need to know more. But who knows, I have been wrong at times.

[minmin]

I hope this is the beginning of the revival of the b-rated Marvel characters!!

I am digging DC right now coz I get to read about b-rated characters like Blue Beatle and Ragman...

It's all about changing it up... tired reading about the big guns.

[cleazer]

Wow, I sure didn't see this one coming.

I'm not sure what I think about Omega the Unknown, but I do think that its great that Marvel keeps reaching out to bring new writers to the comics industry.

[chbryan]

I'd be very interested in picking this up. I was a fan of the original way back when.

It'd be nice to see Steve Gerber get a chance to finish it.

[The Champion]

Great news! Now if we can get a new Quasar series, I'll be very happy!

[twoarmman]

Originally posted by algertman
Oh hell, A new SpeedBall series isn't far behind is it?

-Oh if we could be so lucky. That would just make me so happy I may have to change my pants.

[Robot H Brian]

Originally posted by MattBrady
Omega was killed in issue #10, and to add insult to injury, James-Michael learned his origin in The Defenders #76 in 1979, and, in a two-issue arc, nearly wiped out the hero team before himself committing suicide.

That's the saddest story arc in the history of ever.

[CrazyFool]

Uhm, huh? If it wasn't for seeing these issues in one of my dad's long box, I'd have no clue about the property, so reinterpreting it probably isn't such a bad idea. Probably won't sell well at all unless Marvel puts one their MVP artists on it.

[Jeremy Williams]

Originally posted by minmin
I hope this is the beginning of the revival of the b-rated Marvel characters!!

I am digging DC right now coz I get to read about b-rated characters like **Blue Beatle** and Ragman...

...wich are repeatingly getting killed and maimed.

[Mr Wesley]

Originally posted by twoarmman
-Oh if we could be so lucky. That would just make me so happy I may have to change my pants.

Change 'em anyway. Go ahead, we'll wait.

Really.

[brokencowboy]

Originally posted by Jed Saxon
Who?

dude, he's unknown. that's why you don't know who he is.

[wishlish]

This is actually pretty big news. Lethem's a great writer, and is a huge comic book fan. He's done an essay about his love for comics in "Give My Regards To The Atomsmashers!", and also did a short story collection called "Men and Cartoons" which featured stories about superpowers. Lethem's a genre-bender, and this work should prove pretty interesting. Big score for Marvel- I'm more excited about this than a lot of other projects out there. This could really bring in some outside interest.

[twoarmman]

...wich are repeatingly getting killed and maimed.

Not really. Just 2 by my count. I'm loving the b-character resurgence in DC. And this is coming from a Blue Beetle fan.

And thanks for caring Mr Wesley

[JLAJRC]

Gerber also wrote a Foolkiller mini in the early 90's and he made an cameo during the New Avengers breakout.

First Killraven, then Shana, now Omega? Wonder who's next.