This was awesome! The colours are beautiful, the characters were amazing! I rarely dislike a graphic novel, but this was one very cool one that I think a lot of people would love.

This was amazing! I'm so grateful that I got to read this and I'm already dying to get my hands on the next volume because I need to know what happens next.

Omni follows Cecelia Cobbina and how she uses her superpower of drawing upon multiple ways of thinking about things to unravel the mystery of what the Ignited Humanoids/H1's superheroes are, and why they might exist. The plot is very original and the characters are skillfully written.

Okay, first, go read the publisher synopsis, it'll make more sense than I will trying to explain the story. I'll start with what I liked: a diverse cast of characters, including an African American woman MC, who is smart, is a doctor, is solving problems using her brain rather than kicking posteriors, and isn't scantily clad or treated as eye candy. Supporting character friend is a plus-sized woman, and there's no mention of her weight. Other Ignited characters are POC. Tough issues are discussed, such as racial profiling, police brutality, detention centers and separation of immigrant families, misogyny, and human involvement in climate change. The art is gorgeous, with bold graphics and color that pops, and the color-coded personality types graphics and text for Cecelia is especially helpful in seeing how her mind is working. The story is good, and has a lot of promise, but my only complaint lies in the story: I expect a lot of set-up at first, but events, like Antony's arrest and the events at the detention center, get wrapped up too quickly and neatly, and I'm not feeling a sense of struggle or urgency. I feel like the stories need more fleshing out. Hopefully, we'll get more meat in future volumes, because I do like where the story is going!

#OmniVol1 #NetGalley

An interesting story with beautiful artwork. But the story was more interesting in concept than execution. The explanation of powers didn't come until the third issue when I didn't feel an explanation was necessary. The main character likable and so is her sidekick which helped. But my desire to see what happened was all that kept me reading. However I don't intend to continue with this series because it just was Meh.

I originally read this book in single issues and enjoyed the story all the way through. Everything that's being done with the Humanoids world is intriguing; the stories are fully fleshed out, the different characters are interesting and fun to read, and the world and its powers are fresh and original.

Unfortunately, the artwork and lettering in the digital review file I received meant that I couldn't clearly reread the story in its final form, which was a disappointment; this would obviously not be an issue with a physical or even finalized digital copy.

I was able to see, however, that issues were clearly separated from each other, although the covers were gathered in the back rather than looped in with the issues themselves.

A good science fiction comic with high quality writing and good art that you should check out.

Omni follows Cecelia Cobbina, a doctor who suddenly gets superpowers along with some other individuals after an incident in Africa. Her power is the only one that can answer why.

I really loved getting a Black female lead in a sci-fi superhero graphic novel. That alone won me over. The art style is also wonderful and worth praising. And the story is interesting and complex in the best ways, with good versus evil being nuanced and about an individual's morals over black and white definitions. If you enjoy sci-fi and superhero stories, you should definitely read Omni.

Holy hell, this was AMAZING! I'm so grateful that I grabbed this from NetGalley and I'm already dying to get my hands on the next volume because I NEED to know what happens next. I'm not usually into superhero stories, but the twist on this plotline makes it such a breath of fresh air that I couldn't help loving it.

Omni not only has a beautiful art style and some very lovable characters (seriously, is anyone else shipping Cece and Mae as hard as I am?!), but the storywriting here is brilliant. Cece and Mae are a self-recognized play on Sherlock and Watson, which I love enough all on its own, but when you add in the "is Earth trying to eradicate humanity" theme and the commentary on people from disenfranchised communities taking back the power? Brilliant. Brilliant.

Seriously, I rooted for every single Ignited character we've met so far, and I feel like this is one of those rare graphic novel series I'm going to be shoving at people for a long time to come. Please, do yourself a favor and check this one out — you won't regret it!

✨ Representation: Dr. Cecelia "Cece" Cobbina, Dr. Livi Cobbina, and Antony are all Black; Mae is plus-sized; all 'Ignited' side characters are Black, Latinx. or Asian.

✨ Content warnings for: violence, police brutality, racism, depiction of internment centers & separation of migrant families

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!

An interesting addition to superhero stories. I enjoyed the timely references to racial profiling, police brutality, immigration, child separation, poverty, treatment of women in the military. Cecelia is a smart, strong Black women and she is a fantastic protagonist for this story.

Omni v. 1 follows Dr. Cecelia Cobbina as she comes to terms with being an Ignited, someone who has gained super powers, in her case super-intelligence. She's accompanied by a regular sidekick who thinks that the super-powers are fun and interesting but the Dr. believes that they're a response to the changes humanity has on their environment, that these powers are an adaptive response to the environmental changes or possibly something worse. At the end of the volume we find the Dr. and Mae give the charge of a company called Omni, to find and study more Ignited, potentially with a more nefarious purpose. This is an interesting concept for a graphic novel and I'm looking forward to seeing more of Omni. I received a free e-copy of this volume from NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Humanoids for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

At last year's Comic-Con, Omni's artist Alitha E. Martinez told a story about a woman who asked a panel of comic book writers why Black women are always portrayed in comics as mothers of gang members, in sexy roles, and the woman started crying when the response she got was these representations "reflect the world." Needless to say, this anecdote shows the necessity of challenging these tropes and of supporting Black voices and Black creators as they develop multifaceted and diverse representations of Black characters and communities.

Martinez continues on to say that she is "proud to be say that [Omni] is about a very smart woman, people who use their brains to problem solve." It is about a character who is saying "I don't yet know yet, because she's figuring it out" and people who work through problems with brain power rather than brawn.

Martinez's comments point to the importance of a comic like Omni, which gives us an engrossing plot, vibrant art, and a group of unique, diverse women characters including a Black woman protagonist. This volume introduces us to Dr. Cecelia Cobbina, a medical doctor, whose "superpowers" are ignited during a particularly stressful event working for Doctors Without Borders. However, these are not typical superpowers. Cecelia, to quote her colleague Mae, becomes a "multi-modality hyper-genius" capable of perceiving situations from nine distinct "intelligence modalities" (logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, visual-spatial, intrapersonal, interpersonal, verbal-linguistic, musical-rhythmic, naturalistic, and existential). Cecelia learns that she is not the only one who has had new powers activated during moments of intense stress, though the powers differ depending on the individual. These individuals are called the Ignited and each issue explores a distinct Ignited character and their situation, along with Cecelia and Mae's efforts to reach out to them and figure out what is going on. Cecelia hypothesizes that the ignition of these powers is symptomatic of a global crisis related to climate change, but the specifics remain mysterious. I'm excited to read on and learn more.

The story here, skillfully written by Devin Grayson, is entertaining and fast-paced, but it also compels readers to question some of their assumptions about superheroes, superpowers, and numerous topical political issues. The comic addresses themes such as police violence and racial profiling, immigration detention, and disenfranchisement as a result of race, gender, and class. Although these are heavy topics, Omni incorporates quite a bit of humour and playfulness as well. I loved witnessing the relationship between Cecelia, who is more serious, and Mae, who is charming and excitable, as they navigate new and challenging situations.

Martinez's approach to the art is perfect for representing Cecelia's unique powers, as her varying - and sometimes competing - perspectives of any one situation are represented as different coloured thought bubbles. I really enjoyed the visual style of the comic, which is colourful and vibrant. Each issue begins with a little interlude by Mae giving a recap of what happened in the prior issue, which I thought was very effective. "Mae's" art style is also a little different than the main comic; it is a little more simplistic and very cute. I found the inclusion of these little interludes quite effective and creative.

I recommend Omni to those looking for:
-diverse representations of BIPOC characters
-narratives centered on smart and unique women with strong friendships
-stories trying to shake up and add something new to the superhero genre
-stories that explore contemporary political and social issues
-vibrant and eye-catching art
-an enjoyable, action-packed time

Content Warnings for:
-police violence
-racial profiling
-immigrant detention and family separation

This graphic novel/comic is intelligent, multi-layered, and fascinating! It incorporates present day issues with sci-fi in such an engaging manner. The artwork is stunning. I initially was in love with the cover. When I first started reading, I was a bit confused about what was going on, but as the narrative continued, a lot of aspects cleared up. Now that I know certain things that were brought up later, I want to go back an reread it multiple times to catch what I might have missed the first time! The main character, Cecelia, is intricate and analytical, which is shown through her various thoughts that she can utilize in at amazingly quick speed.

I plan on purchasing a physical copy of Omni, as well as hopefully continue with the series!

A very original and interesting comic. I hadn't heard much about but I am glad that I gave it a chance. In the beginning issues it was very confusing, but as the story unraveled I began to enjoy it more and more. The powers Cecelia Cobbina has are very unique and something I don't think I've seen before. It helped the overall story feel fresh and form its own identity. I would definitely be interested in collecting the issues for Vol. 2.

Doctor Cecilia is a gifted surgeon working for "Doctors Without Borders" when she discovers she may be the future of human evolution. It's a phenomenon she calls "Ignited." Humans placed under extreme stress or afraid for their lives manifest super-human abilities. For Dr. Cece, it so happens that she thinks and can project herself into the nine different learning modalities to solve any problem she's put in. But, she's not the only one. With Ignited sprouting up all across a volatile U.S and world landscape, how can they come together to put their powers to good use, and what does this mean for the evolution of the un-ignited humans?

This may be another in a long-line of superhero comics, but Grayson's approach to super-human powers is unique and intriguing. There are only a few ignited so far who have powers similar to other comic book characters, but definitely Cece's 9 modalities is new and different. Cece often talks amongst herselves, and the dialogue provides a fascinating look at the different way people can approach a solution. Grayson also makes use of real and stressful situations, like the detention facilities on the U.S./Mexico Border, instead of drumming up his own fictitious situations that may ring hollow in comparison to the real world today. There's a nice cliffhanger ending here to keep readers going as well. Martinez' illustrations make use of a bright color palette to denote each of Cece's modalities, but the world itself is shaded with natural colors and makes use of a typical, solid comicbook style.

Humanoids does not have age ratings for their material. There is some mild violence with a very small amount of blood, and that's about it. A knowledge of current events would help readers understand events of the book and connect with characters.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

This review was made possible with an advanced reader copy from the publisher through Net Galley. This graphic novel will be on sale September 1, 2020.

Some interesting things going on in this book. Using Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory as a basis for her powers is unique and fun to consider but I think it’s going to weigh the book down long term. I was constantly trying to remember which color was which intelligence

Found this a little hard to follow but ultimately a refreshing read from a poignant voice. Will be looking forward to the next entry in the series.

THis book is amazing! This is truly a modern and even post-modern superhero story. How a person with enhanced abilities would truly live in our world with real world problems. It also has relatable and diverse characters. I would say early teens, maybe even middle grades can read the books, though there are some mature/YA topics.

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity for me to receive an e-arc and write a review.
First, I would like to address the AMAZING cover art.
The story itself is vibrant, tackling tough issues that involves racial proficiling, family separation, gun-violence. But, it is woven into the futuristic science ficiton graphic novel series that brings diversity.
I appreciated the main character, Ceceilia Cobbina, not immediately accepting her new powers into grace and seeing it as a burden she literally would have the answers to everything.
I like it so far, look forward to seeing how the series develop. I hope that the plot develops in a stronger sense, as I did see myself lose interest after a while. The illustrations are eyegazing and the color usage is beautiful.
I would include this in my classroom library, as I hope my future students can appreciate it as much as I did.

Doctor Cecelia Cobbina, already at the top of her field, finds her world a bit more complicated when she discovers she can now analyze thoughts faster than the speed of light. She's one of the "ignited" a group of humans who suddenly have powers they were not expecting. This first volume follows the good doctor on her initial trips to locate and help the other ignited, so they can figure out how this happens before it's too late.

An amazing graphic novel with smart art and design choices, the color pallet is perfect. The author works topical issues into the plot without seeming forced or blunt. I look forward to the next volume!

Cecelia Cobbina used to work with doctors without borders, until a traumatic event “ignited” her super human intelligence power. She’s not the only one, either. All over the country, random people are igniting and unleashing various super powers. Cobbina thinks it may be related to catastrophic environmental events we’ve been experience these last few years, and she doesn’t know if it’s another stage of evolution, or a sign to prepare us for much worse things to come. So she’s traveling around the country to try and find other ingnited people and to help however she can.

I loved this comic, and I can’t wait to keep going. It blends sci-fi with psychology and social justice issues in an intriguing way. It weaves immigration issues with the Black Lives Matter movement and I think the author does a good job of bringing these important issues into a compelling, entertaining sci-fi super powers story.

This volume collects issues 1-6, and it’s not just the story that’s on point. The art is stunning. I’d love to have a couple of prints of some of these covers on my walls. No idea when the next volume is out, but it seems like half of the next trade (issues 7-9) are out as singles now, so hopefully it won’t be too long of a wait.

Check out Humanoids’ website or your fav. local shop to grab your copy.