In The Omega Eleven, James Aquilone and Zac Atkinson re-introduce Doctor Omega — a classic sci-fi character who’s said to be the inspiration behind Doctor Who!
Before picking up Thee Omega Eleven, I had absolutely no idea who Doctor Omega was, not least that he was apparently the inspiration behind everyone’s favorite British time-travelling Doctor Who. But in issue #1 of James Aquilone and Zac Atkinson, all the signs were there. It’s fast-paced, time-hopping chaos — and I loved it. As Doctor Who himself would say, it’s packed with “wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey” stuff.
If, like me, you’re unacquainted with the original Doctor Omega, the character was introduced in a French novel in 1906. The novel (Le Docteur Oméga) follows the Doctor and his companions as they embark on adventures throughout space and time in his spaceship, Cosmos. Sound familiar? The character is believed to be one of the biggest inspirations behind Doctor Who. I mean, look no further than Omega’s appearance in comparison to William Hartnell, the first Doctor.
In The Omega Eleven, our protagonist, Doctor Omega, gathers the greatest thieves in history to pull off a nigh-impossible heist. The heist will save the Omniverse.
In issue #1, The Merlin Job, the titular Doctor and his companion, 14-year-old Jack Dawkins — aka the Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist — embark on a journey to the legendary English kingdom of Camelot, where they attempt to steal the Philosopher’s Stone from Merlin’s cave. But in typical fashion, it all goes pear-shaped. I like the idea that Doctor Omega isn’t exactly a ‘good guy’ but more of a self-centred miscreant, it makes his story much more interesting.
To say the issue is fast-paced would be an understatement; it has your eyes darting across the panels. And the art form Atkinson is electrifying: it’s vibrant, dynamic, and explosive.
The Omega Eleven is an exhilarating journey through space and time. It’s an ideal choice for fans of witty and whimsical science fiction, such as Back to the Future, Time Bandits, and of course, Doctor Who. Plus, fans of classic heist movies like Ocean’s 11 will get a lot of enjoyment, too. With all these comparisons, what’s not to love?
There’s all sorts of excellent easter eggs to behold, most notably pop culture references galore. You never know what chaos is going to unfold on the next page. I wouldn’t say The Omega Doctor offers anything inherently new, but it relishes and indulges in telling its story, making it a joy to behold. And this is only issue #1 out of 5. I’m very excited to see what’s in store next!
I highly recommend checking it out!
