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Omega The Unknown #4: Review

Sep 1976
Steve Gerber, Jim Mooney

Story Name:

Cats and No Dogs!


Synopsis

Omega The Unknown #4 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Omega the Unknown stands brooding near the docks of New York when he sees a woman falling from a bridge. By instinct he flies out and catches her, both of them falling into the water. Swimming to shore, he builds a fire to warn her, igniting driftwood with his hand. She thanks him but he can only ask why…

At home, Amber Grant and Ruth Hart debate whether to send James-Michael Starling back to public school, Amber’s incessant mockery beginning to provoke James-Michael. At school he meets his friends Dian Wilkins and John Nedley; Dian offers him a copy of One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. They also encounter Nick Delbello and his gang, demanding money. JM reasons with him and Nick responds with threats. Dian says they are harmless—unless they catch you alone. JM doesn’t know how long he can tolerate this method of instruction….

Back at Gramps’ pawnshop, the woman rescued by Omega panics at the sight of a cat. She tells them her name is Teresa Mendez and cursed. The local brujo (warlock), El Gato, was responsible for Teresa’s mother’s death, seeking to profit from selling her magic items when she needed a heart doctor. Teresa refused to pay El Gato the money he is owed and so she has been tormented by nightmares, minor troubles, and major—her fiancé being killed in a traffic accident and the floor of her apartment collapsing….

In chemistry class, Nick switches two bottles on the lab table; when James-Michael warns the teacher, Mr. Lucien, that he has the wrong bottle, Lucien accuses him of playing some kind of prank. Nedley grabs the beaker and throws it out the window where it explodes. Lucien takes the two boys to the Principal, accusing them of having sabotaged the experiment to make him look like a fool. The Principal, familiar with Lucien’s reputation for obstinacy, sends the boys to their next class. As James-Michael heads to class, Nedley goes into the rest room, where he is seized by Nick and his gang who accuse him of informing on them to the Principal and give him a brutal beating….

Gramps calls for help to Omega who stops a limousine as it pulls away from the curb. The car belongs to El Gato, who is taking Teresa away with him. Omega hits him but there is no reaction; El Gato, however, knocks Omega down with a punch. The hero hurls a garbage can at the villain, who calls down a clowder of cats to attack Omega. Gramps opens a fire hydrant and the spray of water scatters the nasty cats. El Gato allows Omega and Gramps to speak with Teresa and the young woman, obviously under hypnosis, insists she is going with the brujo under her own will. They drive off, leaving Omega and Gramps helpless, with a little mockery from some nearby kids….


 

Review / Commentaries

Rating:
4 stars

Omega The Unknown #4 Review by (December 27, 2023)

Review: While the sinister El Gato keeps the neighborhood enthralled by his mystic powers, James-Michael encounters…a nasty teacher. And it’s the latter that is more believable, as Mr. Lucien becomes the best villain this series features. In fact, it occasionally seems like this series would be more intense and involving if they took out the superhero stuff. But I digress….

But really, El Gato is a nasty piece of work himself, preying on the poor and desperate of his depressed neighborhood, the sort of small-scale villain Luke Cage dealt with around this time as well. And El Gato seems to have gotten away with things as nothing he has done is clearly illegal but wait another issue and he will get what’s coming to him.

Meanwhile, we’re all worried for John Nedley….

Comments: Part one of two parts. Written by Steve Gerber and Mary Skrenes. First appearance of El Gato (Spanish for “The Cat,” if you didn’t know). Page one lettered by Gaspar Saladino. Lettering by Ray Holloway and Karen Mantlo. The letters page includes one by (possibly) future comics artist Jed Hotchkiss.




> Omega The Unknown comic book info and issue index

Elektra

Excelsioring your collection:
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Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

Jim Mooney
Pablo Marcos
Phil Rachelson
Howard Chaykin (Cover Penciler)
Frank Giacoia (Cover Inker)
? (Cover Colorist)


Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.


Plus: Amber Grant (Amber Douglas), Dian Wilkins, Ruth Hart.