Oblivion (1995) #1-3 by Jack Herman, Andrew Dimitt, Neil Trais and others
A couple years after the previous thing Comico published, we get something new: Oblivion!
The publisher (or somebody) explains that this is COMICO 95, and if you haven’t heard about COMICO 95, you must have been living in a cave, boy!
COMICO 95 has all the biggest names in the business! Alex Ross! Simon Bisley! Dave Gibbons! Geoff Darrow!
Except that none of those big names work on Oblivion. Instead we get (*groan*) Jack Herman, who’s been with Comico since the mid 80s, and has written several of the absolutely worst issues of Elementals over the years.
And Andy Dimitt — he’s apparently a relative newcomer?
So…
So what is this, then? Yes, exactly — it’s an Elementals spin-off, but the word “Elementals” isn’t used once in the first issue. Which makes you wander why — why do this? If Elementals is a bankable name, then why not mention them? If they’re box office poison, then why do a spinoff?
Especially since it means that the first issue is page after page of infodumping to bring readers up to speed. But all you need to know can be said in a couple sentences, really: Oblivion is a “hell planet” that has entered the Solar System, and a mythical evil guy from Earth has conquered it. Hey! That’s only one sentence… OK, there’s a comma in there…
Anyway, Saker (the Earth guy) is a feminist — he has all the male Oblivion soldiers killed.
And a romantic, to boot!
Heh, there a “Comico Games” now? And they are launching a card-based game? Let’s look at the rules to play:
Sounds awesome! “Chrysalis is a hit!”
OK, this is the laziest thing ever… I don’t think this will induce anybody to collect them all…
Well, that’s one way to introduce your characters.
We’re in 1995! I guess the Image thing had dissipated slightly by now? But it was still the big thing in US super-hero comics, at least stylistically, and it makes total sense to try to capture that market. So… they do it by having a book that’s half exposition, half torture, and then a kick ass splash page! Yeah! That’s the ticket! It can’t fail!
The new monster villains seem to be, like, 20% Cenobites and 50% Lobo? Odd mix.
The first issue had a bunch of ads for other things Comico were publishing, but it took half a year for those to get published — which is when the second issue of Oblivion landed. So I’m going to go ahead and guess that the first issue of Oblivion didn’t shift lots of copies, and that COMICO 95 had money flow issues from the get go.
Huh. That’s a different style, I have to say… but it only lasts a couple pages.
Oh, and it’s introducing yet another character. She’s from the anti-Oblivion planet (or something?), which makes her an angel, I guess. So her character’s trauma is that she was subjected to thousands of years of super-rape in hell.
Did I mention that I find Jack Herman’s comics to often be kinda… skeezy? Yeah. I think that’s the correct word.
Heh heh. “How’s this for a new Image?” Subtle!
“I don’t trust the pope or his church but I am in love with the man in comparison with how I feel about the Dominions”.
Man, that Jack Herman sure has a way with words. Sheer poetry.
It’s not enough to have the Heaven people and the Hell people — now there’s Earth people butting into the action, too.
Dimitt’s artwork isn’t bad — it’s very of its time, but it’s got some personality. The storytelling is OK — it’s sometimes more confusing than I think it was meant to be, but it’s fine.
Hey! A mention of the Elementals! The only one in the series.
The third and final issue has a recap of the… I hesitate to call it a plot, because very little actually happens.
(Also note the date: This is four months after #2.)
The main thing about this series is just how odd it is.
Not in a fun way, but in a “what am I reading?” way.
Yeah, it’s a Jack Herman book alright.
And this is how it ends: With a “next”, but the series was mercifully cancelled at this point.
COMICO 95 would stagger on into 1996 with a bunch of other Elementals spin-offs, but this time around with “Elementals” on the cover.
After Andrew Rev bought the bankrupt Comico, he couldn’t seem to get any press. For the COMICO 95 relaunch, that was something that was remedied.
Overstreet’s FAN #1, page #73:
Rather than lead off with an established
series (The Elementals – more on them
later), Comico has chosen to go to bat with
Oblivion, a comic epic debuting this May.
We wanted to create a fresh jumping on
point with Oblivion,” states series editor
Vzarello. “Our marketing department decided
that a new beginning was in order for a
relaunch, rather than leading with all estab-
lished property. Oblivion certainly fit the bill.
You don’t have to have ever read a previous
Comico title to understand Oblivion. It stands
on it’s own.”
Oblivion chronicles the exploits & intrigue
of a summit meeting between Heaven & Hell.
This though, is a Heaven you probably won’t
recognize, complete with super hero angels and
massive, high-tech armadas that have to be seen
to be believed. Yes, Heaven’s still a good place,
only, in this series, they have the firepower to
back up their position. But then, so does Hell.
– The series is written by Jack Herman. He’s
not just a comic writer, but a CD-ROM game
designer (Ultima, Wing Commander) as well.[…]
“First and foremost, this is a super hero
book,” states Herman. “It’s
just that all those particular
genres deal with the fantastic,
with a higher state of man.
Comics just happen to be
best suited for super heroes.
What I set out to do was
work within the super hero.
genre while bringing all these
other genres to the forefront
of my story. So, in the end,
what we may have looks and
reads like a super hero
comic, but it deals with
‘super power’ on a spiritual
or scientific level. It keeps
the reader guessing and pre-
vents anybody from figuring
things out, which, to me, is cool. There’s no
denying that this is a super hero book. That’s
just not all that it is.”
Art for the series is provided by talented new-
comer Andy Dimitt, of whom Herman had noth-
ing but accolades. “Working with Andy has been
a dream! As a writer, I always try to script to an
artists strengths, and when those
strengths are considerable, the
sky’s the limit. He’s the kind
of artist that younger read-
ers will go ga-ga for,
what with all that in-
your-face action
Right.
Hero Illustrated #22, page #87:
To put it all in a nutshell, the old
Comico (which produced such comics
as Jonny Quest, Mage, Maze Agency
and Elementals during the 1980s) met
with financial problems and ultimately
bankruptcy. New ownership came in
and spent a considerable span of time
problem-solving-some problems left
by the previous owners, some of their
own device. The new Comico struggled
to get the company back on its feet
while publishing comics. In April of ’93,
they suspended publication. Why?
Comico Editor In Chief Brian
Azzarello explains: “The break was at
the time we were doing reasonably
well, [but the publisher] and I saw the
glut coming. On one hand, I’m sorry we
were right because a lot of people real-
ly got screwed. On the other hand, it
gave us the ability to hold on to a lot of
stuff, sit back, see where the mistakes
were being made and give us the time
to correct [them]. We were probably on
the way to making [them] ourselves.
Now that the dust seems to be [set-
tling], I think this is a good time for us to
come out. So when everybody’s
retrenching, that’s the time to attack.
“By taking two years off from publish-
ing, we were certainly allotted the nec-
essary time to figure out what makes
comics good, and … I guess the down-
side of what the market had become,
where so many of the books that are
out there are just interchangeable at the
moment.”
Comico may have halted publication,
but they continued to produce comics
and now have over roughly 30 issues
completed and ready to go. Comico
also spent that time talking to fans and
retailers, developing what they believe
is a solid marketing plan to support
those books.
Hell On Earth-And
Heaven, Too!
Comico has chosen to launch with a
new miniseries, instead of leading with
clearly their most recognizable property,
The Elementals. What kind of market-
ing plan is that?
“Rather than start off with what we
we’re known for,” Azzarello explains,
“we wanted to create a fresh jumping-
on point for people with Oblivion.“
May sees this jumping-on point, the
six-issue Oblivion miniseries, from
writer Jack (Elementals) Herman and
artist Andy (Dark Horse Comics, Slash)
Dimitt.
Can what Brian Azzarello says be true? I mean, it sounds unlikely, especially considering how slow this book was published…
OBLIVION #1-#3
Comico
Written by Jack Herman, penciled by
Andy Dimitt, inked by Neil Trais
Comico Comics may have published a
lot of really crappy stuff during their
final days, but this series rocks! It’s
packed with intrigue, dozens of charac-
ters, and subplots galore, not to mention
incredible babes and buckets of gore. It’s
heaven vs. hell, but our heroes are from
hell! And hell is a planet called Oblivion.
Lord Saker, from the original Elementals
series, has staged a hostile takeover of
Oblivion, and now he’s trying to take
over the rest of the universe as well,
starting with a little meeting right here
on Earth. Most comics with balls are also
unfortunately pretty awful packages.
This is slick, badass publishing.
RATING: 10
Wow. What kinda magazine was Flux anyway?
Oh.
I guess just don’t believe they produced 30 comics during 1993-95 in a 1995-ish art style.
The series returned again in 1995 with
three issues that took place after the
Oblivion War. Willingham was again not
involved, and this small run is pretty
forgettable.
Elementals never got the wrap-up it
deserves, having instead just faded away.
The Slings and Arrows Comic Guide #2, page #482:
When the first issue’s editorial is arrogant and foolish
enough to claim that “two talented individuals” have
created ‘a stunning amalgamation of superheroics, science
fiction, espionage and cold war intrigue’ it’s inviting
contradiction. What writer Jack Herman has done is read
Jim Starlin’s Dreadstar and some Clive Barker books, and
what artist Andrew Dimitt has done is to watch Clive
Barker films when he should have been paying attention
in his anatomy classes. Utter bollocks, and derivative
bollocks at that.~FP
Fair.
Hero Illustrated #21, page #47:
Is it Worth It: Yes. Although not perfect,
this has many great touches. The
science-fiction interpretation of
Christianity is very entertaining. This is
a very cynical book, with cartloads of
subplots and oodles of intrigue. It’s
not a shy book either; the gore is quite
graphic. The summit meeting of the
angels is hilarious. Jesus is described
as an incompetent operative who
botched his mission. There is also a
mystery as to who or what Falamak is.
Falamak is obviously the equivalent of
“God,” but with the mortal status of
other mythical beings in this book, it is
definitely left open to question whether
Falamak is just another “Oz.” The
backstory-very evident but slowly
revealed-adds a nice overall touch.
The Good: The historical identity given to
“Lord Saker.” I’m not telling-read it
yourself!
The Bad: The recon team that the
Charnel Church assembles is a bit too
superheroish.
The Ugly: The view of the stars close to
Nirvana. It’s a killer.
Comics International #87, page #46:
Oblivion is a machaevel-
lian story line of com-
pelling complexity.
Oblivion is a hell planet
at war with Edonoplis.
Both planets are rife with
competitive factions
jockeying for power, in
the middle is the reli-
gious order the “First
Church of Carnage”
a hero. The demons
they’ve got to stop aren’t
exactly your average slob-
bering monstrosities:
They’ve got more brains
than our heroes put
together!
Wizard Magazine #46, page #32:
Oblivion, written by CDROM game designer
Jack Herman with art by Andy Dimitt, is the
first six-issue mini-series to begin in June. The
premise is a “summit meeting” between Heaven
and Hell that evolves into a war.
See? COMICO 95 got into all the 90s comics magazines — Wizard, Hero Illustrated, Comics International… And they were all ecstatic about Oblivion. The Comics Journal #175, page #29 had a news story about COMICO 95:
Comico Revs Up for Return
Comico the Comic Company, after a two
year hiatus from publishing, is back in busi-
ness. Comico Publisher Andrew Rev has an-
nounced several new projects featuring new
and old properties, which will debut over
several months beginning this May.
Comico filed for Chapter 11 reorganiza-
tion in 1990 after the company had accumu-
lated $1.19 million in debt, most of which
was owed to its former distributor, DC Com-
ics, and primary printer, Sleepeck Printing.
That same year, Chicago entrepeneur Andrew
Rev applied to the bankruptcy court to take
over the Comico name and assets.
Rev’s takeover of Comico was met with
resistance at first, but ultimately a challenge
by rival suitor Malibu Comics in early 1991
was defeated. Malibu had bought the claims
of several secondary creditors and filed its
own claim for Comico in late 1990, but in
February of 1991 the bankruptcy court ap-
proved Rev’s plan.
Rev’s reorganization plan involved a
$7,000 payout to Comico’s creditors, which
amounted to less than two cents for every
dollar owed. In return, Rev obtained
Comico’s name, inventory, and domestic
publication rights to contracted yet unpub-
lished works. Also during this time, Rev
made a seperate deal in his own name for the
rights to Bill Willingham’s Elementals series,
which had been Comico’s most popular title.
Malibu submitted a counter-bid of
$10,000, which was rejected by the court,
and prompted an appeal by Malibu of the ap-
proval of Rev’s plan. Dark Horse Comics
also filed an appeal to the Rev plan on behalf
of former Comico artists Matt Wagner and
Dave Stevens, but withdrew the objection be-
fore a ruling, stating that the situations sur-
rounding the artists had been resolved.
Rev, 42, is a native of Hungary who has
done consulting on information services for
Citibank and has been involved in the direct
mail business.
Rev reports that Comico never officially
went out of business. “We’ve been essen-
tially a hard-working production house, and
what we’ve been able to do is complete over
30 books with the thought that when we pub-
lish again we would avoid any shipping prob-
lems whatsoever,” he said in a press release.
Comico’s first comic to be released in
several years will be a new series titled
Oblivion, a six-issue miniseries set to debut
in May. The title will be written by CD-Rom
game designer Jack Herman, with art by
Anddy Dimitt.
Comico’s flagship title, Elementals, will
be back on the stands in July, and will be
written by the series’ creator, and former
owner, Bill Willingham. The title will be
drawn by Tony Daniels.
They’re consistent about the story of having 30 books on hand to publish. “[W]ith the thought that when we publish again we would avoid any shipping problems whatsoever” is amusing — they only managed to publish three issues of Oblivion over a year before giving up, so I’m sticking with my guess at this all being a lie.
I mean, “a good line for publicity” or whatever they call it.