The Omega Men: The End Is Near

This series about a team of cosmic superheroes was saved from cancellation by a vocal cult following that gave the book a reprieve long enough for writer King (Vision) and debut artist Bagenda to complete their ambitious run. On the surface, it seems like little more than a rip-off of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, but King and Bagenda turn what could be a simplistic space opera into an incredibly dark allegory about colonialism and the endless conflict in the Middle East. There are no good guys in this book, save for the former Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, whose conventional superhero ideals don’t guide him particularly well in the fog of political conflict. Unfortunately, the simplistic conventions of the superhero genre sometimes take over. There’s so much plot for the Omega Men to get through that developments occasionally feel rushed or undercooked. Bagenda and colorist Romulo Fajardo, Jr. give the story a taut, futuristic glaze. [em](Aug.) [/em]