ODY-C #1 Review

ODY-C is not for the weak of heart and mind but this gender-bending, sci-fi, mind trip of a classic tale is well worth the effort.

Official description from IMAGE:
An epic 26 centuries in the making: In the aftermath of a galactic war a hundred years long, Odyssia the Clever Champion and her compatriots begin their longest, strangest trip yet: the one home. A gender-bent eye-popping psychedelic science fiction odyssey begins HERE.

The Odyssey has been retold and re-imagined in every form of medium and comics have done they’re fair share of adaptations as well. However, writer Matt Fraction and artist Christian Ward make two very distinct changes to the centuries old tale. The first is all the major male characters are now female but beyond the gender bending the heart and soul of the characters remains the same. Odyssia remains the brave champion and leader and even Gods like Zeus remain stylistically the same and traditional. The second, and most notable change is setting this story in a futuristic, war-torn planet of Troija. This is where Fraction shines in his take on The Odyssey and Ward brings striking and trippy visuals which makes the story feel as epic in scope as a story like this should.

The only issue I see is the story possibly alienating readers who might have a tough time grasping the epic scope and feel of ODY-C that Fraction is building. However, the tale is grand and Fraction’s take is a sci-fi head trip and really not for those who aren’t willing to invest in such a grandiose story. As a father of two daughters I applaud Fraction’s gender swap so women have strong female characters and heroes of such a classic tale to look up to. Fraction also uses mostly narration and captions and to the reader feels like a storybook but with all the advantages of the comic book medium can utilize. Which also leads to the acknowledgement of the lettering by Chris Eliopoulos which is easy to follow and understand what storytelling device is being used to guide the reader.

Ward’s work is integral to the success of the first issue. He uses such glorious effects in tight line work helps guide the reader as well and keeps the abstract form and colors from becoming too muddled or confusing. The art is simply as impressive as the storytelling.

Don’t pass this up even if it seems somewhat intimidating. The bottom line is that this is a complex and beautifully visual take of a classic and if invest the effort it is well worth reading. It’s a great start to what will be an epic run from Fraction and Ward who takes chances and with ODY-C succeeds on every level.