OMAC (Buddy Blank) explained

Character Name:OMAC
Publisher:DC Comics
Debut:OMAC #1 (October 1974)
Creators:Jack Kirby
Alter Ego:Buddy Blank
Alliances:Global Peace Agency
Aliases:One-Man Army Corps
Powers:Superhuman 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

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] 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

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.

The original OMAC series ended with its eighth issue (December 1975), 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.[7] 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.[8]

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.[9] [10] [11] [12] [13] 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.[14]

Powers and abilities

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

See 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",[15] "One-Man Army Corps",[16] and "Omni Mind and Community".[17]

Other versions

In other media

Television

thumb|right|200px|OMAC as he appears in Batman: Brave and the Bold.A contemporary version of Buddy Blank / OMAC appears in , voiced by Jeff Bennett.[25]

Video games

Buddy Blank / OMAC appears as a character summon in .[26]

Merchandise

Collected editions

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Cowsill . Alan . Irvine . Alex . Korte . Steve . Manning . Matt . Wiacek . Win . Wilson . Sven . The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe . 2016 . DK Publishing . 978-1-4654-5357-0 . 222.
  2. Web site: Jack Kirby's O.M.A.C.: One Man Army Corps. Timothy. Callahan. June 5, 2008. Comic Book Resources. https://web.archive.org/web/20110617121459/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=user_review&id=162. June 17, 2011 . live. January 6, 2013.
  3. Book: Evanier, Mark. Mark Evanier. Introduction. Jack Kirby's O.M.A.C.: One Man Army Corps. DC Comics. 2008. New York . 3–5. 978-1-4012-1790-7.
  4. Book: McAvennie. Michael. Dolan. Hannah, ed.. 1970s. DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. 2010. London, United Kingdom. 978-0-7566-6742-9. 161. 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..
  5. Kirby, Jack. Kirby, Jack. Royer, Mike. Brother Eye and Buddy Blank. OMAC.
    1. 1
    . October 1974.
  6. Web site: The Abandoned An' Forsaked – Who Are the Global Peace Agency?. Brian. Cronin. November 3, 2012. Comic Book Resources. https://web.archive.org/web/20150421220840/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2012/11/03/the-abandoned-an-forsaked-who-are-the-global-peace-agency. April 21, 2015. live.
  7. O'Neil, Dennis. Ayers, Dick. Alcala, Alfredo
    Auad, Manuel
    . The Death Worshippers!. Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth.
    1. 50
    . May 1977.
  8. Wein, Len. Pérez, George. Marcos, Pablo. The Once-and-Future War!. DC Comics Presents.
    1. 61
    . September 1983.
  9. Dini, Paul
    McKeever, Sean
    . Garcia, Manuel. Ramos, Rodney. New Frontiers. Countdown to Final Crisis.
    1. 31
    . November 2007 (September 26, 2007).
  10. Dini, Paul: Bedard, Tony. Barrionuevo, Al. Thibert, Art. Now, Forager. Countdown to Final Crisis.
    1. 28
    . December 2007 (October 17, 2007).
  11. Dini, Paul; McKeever, Sean. Magno, Carlos. Ramos, Rodney. Disasters Great & Otherwise. Countdown to Final Crisis.
    1. 29
    . December 2007 (October 24, 2007).
  12. Dini, Paul; Beechen, Adam. Norton, Mike. Palmiotti, Jimmy. Outbreak. Countdown to Final Crisis.
    1. 6
    . May 2008 (March 19, 2008).
  13. Dini, Paul; Beechen, Adam. Starlin, Jim. Ramos, Rodney. End Times. Countdown to Final Crisis.
    1. 5
    . May 2008 (March 26, 2008).
  14. Dini, Paul; Giffen, Keith. Derenick, Tom. Faucher, Wayne. Loose Ends. Countdown to Final Crisis.
    1. 1
    . June 2008 (April 23, 2008).
  15. Rucka, Greg. Saiz, Jesus. Saiz, Jesus. ---Part One--- The Eye in the Sky. The OMAC Project.
    1. 1
    . June 2005.
  16. Rucka, Greg. Saiz, Jesus; Richards, Cliff. Saiz, Jesus; Wiacek, Bob. ---Part Five---...Long Live the King!. The OMAC Project.
    1. 5
    . October 2005.
  17. Rucka, Greg. Saiz, Jesus; Richards, Cliff. Saiz, Jesus; Wiacek, Bob. ---Conclusion---Loss of Signal. The OMAC Project.
    1. 6
    . November 2005.
  18. September 1998 . Tangent Comics / The Joker's Wild . B-B-B-Blackout! .
    1. 1
    . Kesel, Karl
    Simmons, Tom
    . . Rodriguez, Jasen.
  19. Book: Azzarello. Brian. Brian Azzarello. Lee. JIm. Jim Lee. Absolute Superman: For Tomorrow. DC Comics. 2009. New York, New York. 328. 978-1401221980.
  20. November 1998 . . OMAC: One Million and Counting! .
    1. 1,000,000
    . 4 . Kesel, Karl . . Kesel, Karl.
  21. August 1999 . DC One Million 80-Page Giant . System's Finest .
    1. 1,000,000
    . . . Case, Richard.
  22. Waid, Mark. Ross, Alex. Truth And Justice. Kingdom Come.
    1. 2
    . June 1996.
  23. . Davis, Alan . . .
    1. 3
    . 2004.
  24. Morrison, Grant. To, Marcus. Siqueira, Paulo. Maps and Legends. The Multiversity Guidebook.
    1. 1
    . March 2015.
  25. Web site: OMAC Voice - Batman: The Brave and the Bold (TV Show) . April 27, 2024 . Behind The Voice Actors. 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.
  26. Web site: Eisen . Andrew . October 4, 2013 . DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide . April 27, 2024 . IGN.
  27. Web site: Mattel's DCUC 15 – OMAC. Daniel. Pickett. September 14, 2010. Action Figure Insider. https://web.archive.org/web/20151108025404/http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/mattels-dcuc-15-omac/. November 8, 2015. live.
  28. Web site: Jack Kirby's O.M.A.C.: One Man Army Corps. 9 March 2012. DC Comics.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20130325002529/http://www.dccomics.com/graphic-novels/jack-kirbys-omac-one-man-army-corps. March 25, 2013. live. January 6, 2013.

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