The sneak preview for The Omega Men released last month showed grainy footage of what looked like the execution of White Lantern Kyle Rayner by the titular intergalactic terrorist group, a short story that gave the sci-fi series one foot in the real world by likening the Omega Men to ISIS. But as this preview of this week’s The Omega Men #2 shows, there’s more to Kyle’s fate than what the Omega Men wanted the universe to see when they released that tape. Writer Tom King served as part of the CIA’s counterterrorism unit before his career as a novelist and comic book creator, and his work on Grayson and The Omega Men pulls from that background to deliver superhero comics with a political edge. That’s an especially valuable trait for the Omega Men, a lesser-known cosmic superhero team that needs a strong hook to grab new readers.
Trevor Hutchison’s bold covers accentuate the Omega Men’s stance as a larger political force, scrawling the team’s name over propaganda posters intended to turn public opinion against them. The interior artwork by Barnaby Bagenda and colorist Romulo Fajardo Jr. is less stylized than the covers, but the crisp detail of Bagenda’s linework blends beautifully with Fajardo’s atmospheric color palette to give the book a distinct visual identity. Part of that identity comes from the nine-panel grid layout, which the creative team has used very well to create tension and draw the reader into the setting. With a captivating concept, unpredictable story, and rich artwork, The Omega Men is one of the most intriguing new titles from the DC You initiative.