Posted in: Comics, Review | Tagged: bobby torres, insane comics, oblivious, rowel roque, superheroes

Oblivious #1 Review: Classic Heroism with a New Angle

A catastrophic battle has taken place in New York City. A hero has died, and the Statue of Liberty has been destroyed. Now the city must cope with the aftermath. The city must rebuild. The heroes must mourn their loss. The mayor must decide the future of NYC. Also, a store clerk has to get her life together.

The villain responsible for it all, Oblivion, was thought to be killed in the battle. However, he actually lives, but he has no memory of who he is and what he's done. Now he must decide what happens next.

Oblivious feels quite classic in a lot of ways. Bobby Torres has set up a premise that feels like it could be the end of any number of climactic battles from a comic by the Big Two. It also focuses the point-of-view with the villain of the fight and puts them in the position of seeking redemption for things they've not done. This, of course, is somewhat reminiscent of the tale of the Winter Soldier and some parts of Wolverine's backstory, and I'll be damned if I ever fail an opportunity to reference Bucky Barnes.

Even the dialogue feels classic, but not in an inherently negative manner. People often use a colorful turn of phrase. Most are quite friendly, and snark and sarcasm are in short supply.

The plot is interesting for sure; you are left wondering where Oblivious is heading with its premise. Plus, it has Sasha, who is quite likable despite a slight case of "explaining my entire pathos to near-complete strangers." Oblivious/Oblivion also has a charming moment at the end wherein he essentially justifies the name joke of the title.

One of the heroes, Hi-Rise, is given a pretty compelling backstory to boot, and you can't help but feel for him when it's revealed.

Also feeling quite classic is the art by Rowel Roque and Ronson Edulan. It has a style that was common in the mid-2000s and continues to some degree no within the Big Two. It's visually appealing. The detail is good despite one or two bug-eyed moments with Sasha. The characters are expressive, and the color art is bright and well balanced.

Oblivious is a nuanced take on classic superhero tales. The characters are interesting, the plot grabs you, and the art is quite good. This one earns a recommendation, and you should check it out given the chance.

Oblivious can be acquired from the publisher's website.  Physical copies can be acquired from conventions, and the schedule of Insane Comics appearances are on the website, too.

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