Omni Vol.1

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 2 Stars

A young doctor suddenly and mysteriously acquires superpowers as do several other individuals on the planet. But only her power can answer "why".

Given how stale the superhero genre has been getting these past few years Omni is a fresh and original take on what human beings would do if they were given tremendous unexplained powers. This book has one of the most interesting premises for a superhero story I’ve heard in a long time. It’s culturally relevant, not afraid to tackle 'taboo' subjects and still fun and interesting enough to keep your attention.

The colour work and illustrations are fantastic. They work so well to clearly show how the ignited's powers work and any limitations they have. I especially like the neon colours used when Celina uses her powers.

The only reason that this book didn't get a 5 Star rating from me was that the tension seemed to decrease as the story went on. However, with all the questions the ending of this volume left me with and everything is set up so far, I will be sure to pick up the next issue when it's released.

You Should Read This Book if you Like:
+Inventive Science Fiction 🧪
+ Cool superpowers a la the Xmen 👩🔬
+ Diversity in Sci-fi 🙌
+Plot driven graphic novels 📑

Trigger Warnings: Discussions on Racial Profiling, Gun violence, internment camps, refugee children, family separation.

This is one to watch.

PREORDER this book now for only £11.99 🦸🏿♀️.

I received an advance review copy for free via NetGalley in alliance with H1 Publishers. I am leaving this review voluntarily 📚.

I received this ARC from NetGalley. (I've never been a book's first reviewer before! Pressure's on!)

This is a very fun, vibrant GN. It will be best to wait until more volumes are available and read them together, as this volume mostly sets up the story but doesn't answer many questions yet.

The characters are likable and interesting. The main character's enhanced ability is a very interesting idea, and the consistent use of color when she's experiencing her ability add to the story. The volume also introduces some societal questions-- about personal freedom, evolution, and the point of humanity-- that I hope later volumes explore more fully.

A series to watch!

Something is happening to people around the world - they are becoming "ignited..." developing strange powers that Dr. Cecilia Cobbina thinks are physical reactions to environmental stressors. Dr. Cobbina is one of these ignited. Her superpower: she is INSANELY intelligent. In fact, she is able to maximize all 9 of the accepted kinds of intelligence, and can think and respond faster than any human being on the planet. But when looking for others like her, a mysterious organization called Omni comes calling, and explains she is their new CEO. No one will tell her how Omni was founded, or how it is funded, or how they knew about her powers... which leads her friend Mae to believe it's all just a little too supervillainy for comfort.

I'm so glad I stumbled upon this one! Omni Vol 1 was a great read. The illustrations are so vibrant. I loved seeing a Black woman doctor as the main character. And not only is she a doctor, her sister is a doctor too. The premise is really interesting and I'm excited to see where this will go. I also enjoyed the comics from the character Mae. They were a fun addition and helped to clear things up. The story was a little confusing with the flashbacks. Great work from everyone involved. Very refreshing for a comic.

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!