OMAC (Buddy Blank)

Publication history

Set in the near future ("The World That's Coming"), 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).

OMAC works for the Global Peace Agency (GPA), a group of faceless people who police the entire world using pacifistic weapons. 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 (November–December 1975), canceled before the last storyline could be completed, and Kirby wrote an abrupt ending to the series. In Kamandi #50, by other creators, OMAC is tied into the back-story and shown to be Kamandi's grandfather. An OMAC back-up feature by Jim Starlin began in issue #59 (Sept.–Oct. 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.

In 1991 OMAC was featured in a four-issue prestige format limited series by writer/artist John Byrne that tied up loose ends left from previous series. Byrne later reused OMAC in Superman & Batman: Generations 3, an Elseworlds limited series.

In Countdown to Final Crisis, Buddy Blank is featured as a retired, balding professor with a blond-haired grandson. In #34, he is mentioned but not seen, and is referred to as having direct contact with Brother Eye. He is contacted by Karate Kid and Una in Countdown #31, and appears in #28 and 27. A version of Buddy from Earth-51 appears in #5 and 6, in which the Morticoccus virus is released. The virus results in worldwide destruction. Buddy leaves his Project Cadmus laboratory job; assisted by Una, he attempts to rescue his daughter and grandson. They search for Buddy's family in Metropolis, where they are attacked by humanoid rats. Una and Buddy's daughter are both devoured, but one of them manages to pass a Legion flight ring to Buddy. He uses it to take his grandson to safety in the scientific facility "Command D" in Blüdhaven. In the final issue, Countdown to Final Crisis #1, Brother Eye rescues Buddy and his grandson from the bunker and from starvation by turning Buddy into a prototype OMAC with free will. This entity resembles the original Jack Kirby OMAC.

Powers and abilities

Through interfacing with the Brother Eye satellite, via an invisible beam to his receiver belt, Buddy Blank is transformed into OMAC and imbued with an array of superhuman abilities based on density control. An increase in density causes superhuman strength and enhanced durability, and a decrease in density allows flight and super-speed. Brother Eye could provide other abilities as well, such as self-repair functions and energy generation.

OMACs

The character, along with the Brother Eye satellite, was reimagined for the Infinite Crisis storyline. OMACs are portrayed as cyborgs, humans whose bodies have been corrupted by a nano-virus. The characters retain OMAC's mohawk and Brother Eye symbol on their chests. The characters are featured in The OMAC Project limited series which precedes Infinite Crisis, and a subsequent OMAC limited series. The acronym has multiple meanings through the series: "Observational Meta-human Activity Construct", "One-Man Army Corps", and "Omni Mind And Community."

Other

Television

Video games

Toys

Collected editions