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OMAC (Buddy Blank)

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For the OMAC cyborgs, see OMAC (comics).
OMAC
Cover of OMAC #6 (July–August 1975) with the original OMAC.
Art by Jack Kirby and D. Bruce Berry.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceOMAC #1 (October 1974)
Created byJack Kirby
In-story information
Alter egoBuddy Blank
Team affiliationsGlobal Peace Agency
Notable aliasesOne-Man Army Corps
AbilitiesSuperhuman strength, speed, durability and explosive energy generation provided by Brother Eye

OMAC (Buddy Blank) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.[1]

Publication history

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OMAC was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby towards the end of his contract with the publisher following the cancellation of his New Gods series; it was reportedly developed strictly due to Kirby needing to fill his contractual quota of 15 pages a week.[2][3] The character is inspired by Captain America, but lives in the future, an idea Kirby had conceived years earlier while at Marvel Comics but had never realized.[3]

Fictional character biography

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Set in the near future ("The World That's Coming"),[4] OMAC is a corporate nobody named Buddy Blank who is changed via a "computer-hormonal operation done by remote control" by an A.I. satellite called "Brother Eye" into the super-powered One-Man Army Corps (OMAC).[5]

OMAC works for the Global Peace Agency (GPA), a group of faceless people who police the world using pacifistic weapons.[6] The world balance is too dangerous for large armies, so OMAC is used as the main field enforcement agent for the Global Peace Agency. The character initially uses his abilities to save a female coworker at the Pseudo-People factory (manufacturers of androids initially intended as companions but later developed as assassins). The coworker is revealed to be in actuality a bomb, and Blank is left in the employ of the GPA, sacrificing his identity in their relentless war, with faux parents his only consolation and companions.[5]

The original OMAC series ended with its eighth issue (December 1975),[7] canceled before the last storyline could be completed, and Kirby wrote an abrupt ending to the series. In Kamandi #50 (May 1977), by other creators, OMAC is revealed to be Kamandi's grandfather.[8] An "OMAC" back-up feature by Jim Starlin began in issue #59 (October 1978), but Kamandi was cancelled after its first appearance. The story was later printed in The Warlord, and led to a new OMAC back-up series in that title (#37–39, 42–47). OMAC appeared with Superman in DC Comics Presents #61.[9]

In 1991 OMAC was featured in a four-issue prestige format limited series by writer/artist John Byrne that was independent of the previous series. Byrne later reused OMAC in Superman & Batman: Generations 3, an Elseworlds limited series.

A contemporary incarnation of Buddy Blank appears in Countdown to Final Crisis.[10][11][12][13][14] Following the release of the Morticoccus virus, Blank and his grandson flee to the scientific facility "Command D", where Brother Eye rescues them and transforms Blank into a prototype OMAC.[15]

Powers and abilities

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As OMAC, Buddy Blank possesses various abilities derived from Brother Eye. For example, an increase in his density grants superhuman strength and enhanced durability, and a decrease in his density allows flight and super-speed. Brother Eye could provide other abilities as well, such as self-repair functions and energy generation.

OMACs

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The modern OMAC; cover to The OMAC Project #5 (Oct. 2005), art by José Ladrönn.
Main article: OMAC (comics)

The character and the Brother Eye satellite were reimagined for the Infinite Crisis storyline. OMACs are portrayed as humans whose bodies have been corrupted by a nano-virus. The acronym has multiple meanings throughout the series: "Observational Meta-human Activity Construct",[16] "One-Man Army Corps",[17] and "Omni Mind and Community".[18]

Other versions

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In other media

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Television

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OMAC as he appears in Batman: Brave and the Bold.

A contemporary version of Buddy Blank / OMAC appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Jeff Bennett.[26]

Video games

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Buddy Blank / OMAC appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[27]

Merchandise

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Collected editions

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  • Jack Kirby's O.M.A.C.: One Man Army Corps collects O.M.A.C.: One Man Army Corps #1–8, 200 pages, May 2008, ISBN 1-4012-1790-7[29]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 222. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  2. ^ Callahan, Timothy (June 5, 2008). "Jack Kirby's O.M.A.C.: One Man Army Corps". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on June 17, 2011. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  3. ^ a b Evanier, Mark (2008). "Introduction". Jack Kirby's O.M.A.C.: One Man Army Corps. New York: DC Comics. pp. 3–5. ISBN 978-1-4012-1790-7.
  4. ^ McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1970s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 161. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. In OMAC's first issue, editor/writer/artist Jack Kirby warned readers of "The World That's Coming!", a future world containing wild concepts that are almost frighteningly real today. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b Kirby, Jack (w), Kirby, Jack (p), Royer, Mike (i). "Brother Eye and Buddy Blank" OMAC, no. 1 (October 1974).
  6. ^ Cronin, Brian (November 3, 2012). "The Abandoned An' Forsaked – Who Are the Global Peace Agency?". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on April 21, 2015.
  7. ^ OMAC at the Grand Comics Database
  8. ^ O'Neil, Dennis (w), Ayers, Dick (p), Alcala, Alfredo; Auad, Manuel (i). "The Death Worshippers!" Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth, no. 50 (May 1977).
  9. ^ Wein, Len (w), Pérez, George (p), Marcos, Pablo (i). "The Once-and-Future War!" DC Comics Presents, no. 61 (September 1983).
  10. ^ Dini, Paul; McKeever, Sean (w), Garcia, Manuel (p), Ramos, Rodney (i). "New Frontiers" Countdown to Final Crisis, no. 31 (November 2007 (September 26, 2007)).
  11. ^ Dini, Paul: Bedard, Tony (w), Barrionuevo, Al (p), Thibert, Art (i). "Now, Forager" Countdown to Final Crisis, no. 28 (December 2007 (October 17, 2007)).
  12. ^ Dini, Paul; McKeever, Sean (w), Magno, Carlos (p), Ramos, Rodney (i). "Disasters Great & Otherwise" Countdown to Final Crisis, no. 29 (December 2007 (October 24, 2007)).
  13. ^ Dini, Paul; Beechen, Adam (w), Norton, Mike (p), Palmiotti, Jimmy (i). "Outbreak" Countdown to Final Crisis, no. 6 (May 2008 (March 19, 2008)).
  14. ^ Dini, Paul; Beechen, Adam (w), Starlin, Jim (p), Ramos, Rodney (i). "End Times" Countdown to Final Crisis, no. 5 (May 2008 (March 26, 2008)).
  15. ^ Dini, Paul; Giffen, Keith (w), Derenick, Tom (p), Faucher, Wayne (i). "Loose Ends" Countdown to Final Crisis, no. 1 (June 2008 (April 23, 2008)).
  16. ^ Rucka, Greg (w), Saiz, Jesus (p), Saiz, Jesus (i). "---Part One--- The Eye in the Sky" The OMAC Project, no. 1 (June 2005).
  17. ^ Rucka, Greg (w), Saiz, Jesus; Richards, Cliff (p), Saiz, Jesus; Wiacek, Bob (i). "---Part Five---...Long Live the King!" The OMAC Project, no. 5 (October 2005).
  18. ^ Rucka, Greg (w), Saiz, Jesus; Richards, Cliff (p), Saiz, Jesus; Wiacek, Bob (i). "---Conclusion---Loss of Signal" The OMAC Project, no. 6 (November 2005).
  19. ^ Kesel, Karl; Simmons, Tom (w), Phillips, Joe (p), Rodriguez, Jasen (i). "B-B-B-Blackout!" Tangent Comics / The Joker's Wild, no. 1 (September 1998).
  20. ^ Azzarello, Brian; Lee, JIm (2009). Absolute Superman: For Tomorrow. New York, New York: DC Comics. p. 328. ISBN 978-1401221980.
  21. ^ Kesel, Karl (w), Grummett, Tom (p), Kesel, Karl (i). "OMAC: One Million and Counting!" Superboy, vol. 4, no. 1,000,000 (November 1998).
  22. ^ Millar, Mark (w), Wieringo, Mike (p), Case, Richard (i). "System's Finest" DC One Million 80-Page Giant, no. 1,000,000 (August 1999).
  23. ^ Waid, Mark (w), Ross, Alex (a). "Truth And Justice" Kingdom Come, no. 2 (June 1996).
  24. ^ Davis, Alan (w), Davis, Alan (p), Farmer, Mark (i). JLA: Another Nail, no. 3 (2004).
  25. ^ Morrison, Grant (w), To, Marcus (p), Siqueira, Paulo (i). "Maps and Legends" The Multiversity Guidebook, no. 1 (March 2015).
  26. ^ "OMAC Voice - Batman: The Brave and the Bold (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved April 27, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  27. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 4, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  28. ^ Pickett, Daniel (September 14, 2010). "Mattel's DCUC 15 – OMAC". Action Figure Insider. Archived from the original on November 8, 2015.
  29. ^ "Jack Kirby's O.M.A.C.: One Man Army Corps". DC Comics.com. 9 March 2012. Archived from the original on March 25, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
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