ODY-C

Last updated
ODY-C
ODY-C Cycle One.png
Cover of the ODY-C Cycle One hardcover collected edition.
Publication information
Publisher Image Comics
Format Ongoing series
Genre Science fiction
Publication dateNovember 2014 to present
No. of issues12 (24 planned [1] )
Creative team
Written by Matt Fraction
Artist(s)Christian Ward
Collected editions
SC Vol 1 (#1–5) ISBN   978-1632153760
SC Vol 2 (#6–10) ISBN   978-1632156037
HC Vol 1 (#1-12) ISBN   978-1632159274

ODY-C was a comic book series created by Eisner award winning writer Matt Fraction and artist Christian Ward. [2] The series is a science fictional and gender-bent re-imagination of Homer's Odyssey . The first issue was published in November 2014 by the American company Image Comics. It depicts the journeys of three warrior queens, Odyssia, Gamen, and Ene, as they return from their century-long siege on the city Troiia-VII. ODY-C has been described as a "masterfully psychedelic, gender-bending, space-operatic retelling of Homer’s Odyssey." [1]

Contents

The first issue of ODY-C was published on November 26, 2014. [3]

Development

Matt Fraction became aware of Christian Ward's work as a graphic designer and reached out to him to illustrate a comic. Fraction conceived of ODY-C with Ward in mind to be "the greatest Christian Ward comic that Could Ever Be." [2] ODY-C is Ward's second comic after his last book, Infinite Vacation. [1]

Fatherhood has influenced his work—especially the plot of Odyssia returning to her son. [2] Fraction wanted to rewrite the Odyssey for his daughter as a story about a mother trying to get back home to her daughter, but realized it would be far too inappropriate for a four-year-old. [4] The diverse body types, races, and sexualities are partly because of Fraction wanting to write characters his daughter could look up to, but they also function to ground the fanciful story in humanity. [5] While doing research for the book, Fraction was most influenced by Odysseus in America by Jonathan Shay, Margaret Atwood's The Penelopiad , and Herodotus's The Histories. [4] Other influences on the development of the comic include Barbarella, Jodorowsky, Heavy Metal comics, Cirque du Soleil, burlesque, and fetish. [4] Most of the comic is written in dactylic hexameter like the original, but two issues are written entirely in limerick. [1] [6]

Publication History

ODY-C is planned to mirror the Odyssey: it will have 24 issues, one for each of the Odyssey's 24 chapters. [1]

A hardcover edition of ODY-C collecting issues #1-12 was released on November 23, 2016. [7] It includes the ten-page fold out present in the comic's first issue, essays by the classicist Dani Colman, and teaching aids.

ODY-C Cycle Two will pick up in late 2017 and will mirror the structure of the first cycle: five issues following Odyssia, five following He and Ene, and two issues following the fall of the house of Atreus. [4]

Art

Chris Ward's illustrations tell the story of the Odyssey by way of 1970s European science fiction. [5] He notes that European science fiction at that time was more organic and existential than American hard sci-fi, which was more focused on possible future technologies. He employs much underwater imagery as a reference to the literal sea that Odysseus sailed on, [5] and he also frequently uses circles and rounded shapes to invoke femininity. [1] The main characters' space ships are based on female reproductive organs, as opposed to the commonly phallic rocket. [5] Whenever the gods enter the narration, the already psychedelic art becomes even more so, as a symbol of the gods' influence on the lives of the characters. [5] The colorful representation of the gods was influenced by Hindu iconography. [1] The main character Odyssia is purposefully illustrated as someone with indeterminate race in order to be more relatable to all readers, but Matt Fraction insisted that she must have a muscular build befitting the warrior that she is. [5]

Gender in ODY-C

ODY-C was originally conceived as a direct binary gender-swapped version of the Odyssey that would take the archetype of a male hero and explore how making him a woman would change the feel of the story, but their take on gender soon became more complicated. [5] Fraction wanted to deconstruct traditionally male-centric stories by not simply switching one gender for another, but "killing all men and really exploding things and showing how different literature looks when you invert traditional gender politics." [4] Fraction and Ward agree that the original Odyssey has some seriously flawed gender politics; for example, male suitors waiting around to have sex with Penelope to gain her land and money. ODY-C explores how archetypes like Leia Organa's metal bikini would look in a gender-swapped world in the form of He's fetish gear-inspired outfit, which looks very different but reduces him to a symbol of sexual availability and fertility all the same. [4]

Some men (Aeolus, Herakles) and women retain their original gender in ODY-C, but the most significant change to the original concept was the introduction of a third gender, Sebex. In the world of ODY-C, Zeus kills all men in order to eliminate any potential challengers, and instead of stealing fire from Olympus, Prometheus steals a future for humanity by creating a third gender, Sebex: brightly-skinned feminine people who have the ability to be impregnated by a woman's egg.

He, the equivalent of Helen, is the first man born in ten thousand years, due to the interference of the gods, and a handful more follow, forming much of the conflict of the books. [8] The gods themselves also display diverse gender expressions, from the bearded Athena and Hera to the "mother-father" Zeus. [9]

Synopsis

ODY-C tells the story of the Odyssey, the Oresteia , and parts of the One Thousand and One Nights . [2] It follows the main points of the Odyssey, but Fraction attempted to make the story more relatable and human than the poetic original. Christian Ward describes the story both as a psychedelic retelling of the Odyssey set in a burlesque universe and the story of a mother travelling home to her family. [1]

The story follows Odyssia, Gamen, and Ene (mirrors of Odysseus, Agamemnon, and Menelaus respectively), warrior queens of Achaea after their sack of the city Troiia-VII. Achaea went to war with Troiia-VII over He, the first man born in ten thousand years. After, the three women go their own way.

The first five issues follow Odyssia, a trickster and a mother who longs to go home to her Sebex wife and young son but is caught up again and again in strife. ODY-C represents Odyssia as both a victim of PTSD and somebody who isn't satisfied with a peaceful, quiet life. [4]

Issues #6-10 follow Ene and He as they are tossed by a storm to the planet of Q'af, a land frozen in time and ruled by the two sons of Herakles. Ene is captured by Proteus, who prevents anybody from leaving the world, and He befriends a young boy. He and the boy are chosen to be the twin kings' brides for a night before they are to be beheaded, as has happened every night since the kings killed their spouses for having a secret affair. He delays the slaughter by telling the kings stories every night, in the hope that Ene will return and save them. This arc has a recurring theme of sexual assault and the revenge and justice that follows. [9]

Issues #11 and #12 follows Gamem's return home and retells the Fall of the House of Atreus. Gamem's wife, Menstra, plots to murder her for killing their daughter and take her place on the throne.

Reception

While ongoing, the series has attracted favorable reviews and attention, including from IGN, USA Today , and Wired. [10] [11] The first volume was on the Otherwise Award honor list for 2015 [12] and Ward's art for the first volume earned him a nomination for the British Comic Awards Emerging Talent. [13]

At the review aggregator website Comic Book Roundup, the series received an average score of 8.5 out of 10 based on 82 reviews. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agamemnon</span> Figure from Greek mythology

In Greek mythology, Agamemnon was a king of Mycenae who commanded the Achaeans during the Trojan War. He was the son of King Atreus and Queen Aerope, the brother of Menelaus, the husband of Clytemnestra, and the father of Iphigenia, Iphianassa, Electra, Laodike, Orestes and Chrysothemis. Legends make him the king of Mycenae or Argos, thought to be different names for the same area. Agamemnon was killed upon his return from Troy by Clytemnestra, or in an older version of the story, by Clytemnestra's lover Aegisthus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aegisthus</span> Figure in Greek mythology

Aegisthus was a figure in Greek mythology. Aegisthus is known from two primary sources: the first is Homer's Odyssey, believed to have been first written down by Homer at the end of the 8th century BC, and the second from Aeschylus's Oresteia, written in the 5th century BC. Aegisthus also features heavily in the action of Euripides's Electra, although his character remains offstage.

<i>Odyssey</i> Epic poem attributed to Homer

The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the Iliad, the poem is divided into 24 books. It follows the Greek hero Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his journey home after the Trojan War. After the war, which lasted ten years, his journey from Troy to Ithaca, via Africa and southern Europe, lasted for ten additional years during which time he encountered many perils and all of his crewmates were killed. In his absence, Odysseus was assumed dead, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus had to contend with a group of unruly suitors who were competing for Penelope's hand in marriage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Odysseus</span> Legendary Greek king of Ithaca

In Greek and Roman mythology, Odysseus, also known by the Latin variant Ulysses, is a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in that same epic cycle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calypso (mythology)</span> Nymph in Homers Odyssey

In Greek mythology, Calypso was a nymph who lived on the island of Ogygia, where, according to Homer's Odyssey, she detained Odysseus for seven years against his will. She promised Odysseus immortality if he would stay with her, but Odysseus preferred to return home. Eventually, after the intervention of the other gods, Calypso was forced to let Odysseus go.

<i>Age of Bronze</i> (comics)

Age of Bronze is an American comics series by writer/artist Eric Shanower retelling the legend of the Trojan War. It began in 1998 and is published by Image Comics.

<i>The Penelopiad</i> 2005 novella by Margaret Atwood

The Penelopiad is a novella by Canadian author Margaret Atwood. It was published in 2005 as part of the first set of books in the Canongate Myth Series where contemporary authors rewrite ancient myths. In The Penelopiad, Penelope reminisces on the events of the Odyssey, life in Hades, Odysseus, Helen of Troy, and her relationships with her parents. A Greek chorus of the twelve maids, who Odysseus believed were disloyal and whom Telemachus hanged, interrupt Penelope's narrative to express their view on events. The maids' interludes use a new genre each time, including a jump-rope rhyme, a lament, an idyll, a ballad, a lecture, a court trial and several types of songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Fraction</span> American comic book writer

Matt Fritchman, better known by the pen name Matt Fraction, is an Eisner Award-winning American comic book writer, known for his work as the writer of The Invincible Iron Man, FF, The Immortal Iron Fist, Uncanny X-Men, and Hawkeye for Marvel Comics; Casanova and Sex Criminals for Image Comics; and Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen for DC Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pepper Potts</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Virginia "Pepper" Potts is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee and Robert Bernstein, and designed by artist Don Heck, the character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #45. Pepper Potts is a supporting character and love interest of the superhero Tony Stark / Iron Man. The character has also been known as Hera and Rescue at various points in her history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie McKelvie</span> British illustrator of comic books and graphic novels

Jamie McKelvie is a British cartoonist and illustrator, known for his both work on books such as Phonogram, Young Avengers and The Wicked + The Divine, and his approach to comic character design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dark X-Men</span> Fictional comic book characters

The Dark X-Men are a fictional team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They made their debut during the crossover between Dark Avengers and Uncanny X-Men written by Matt Fraction, as part of the broader Dark Reign storyline. Each member but Namor has been handpicked by then–H.A.M.M.E.R. director Norman Osborn for his own criminal agenda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TidalWave Productions</span> Comic book publisher

TidalWave Productions is an independent production studio of comic books and graphic novels. Based in Portland, Oregon, United States, Bluewater publishes biographical comics, adaptations from films, and original titles with self-created characters.

Mike S. Miller is a Native Hawaiian-American comic book illustrator and writer, who has done work for Malibu Comics, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Image Comics, as well as self-published work under the imprint Alias Enterprises and online. Some of his better known work is on DC's Injustice: Gods Among Us series.

<i>Dreadstar</i> Comic book series

Dreadstar was the first comic-book series published by American publisher Epic Comics, an imprint of Marvel Comics, in 1982. It was centered on Vanth Dreadstar, sole survivor of the entire Milky Way galaxy, and an ensemble cast of crewmates, including cyborg sorcerer Syzygy Darklock, and their struggle to end an ancient war between two powerful, evil empires: The Church of The Instrumentality, run by the Lord Papal; and the Monarchy, administered by a puppet king.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fear Itself (comics)</span> Superhero comics story

"Fear Itself" is a 2011 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a seven-issue, eponymous miniseries written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger, and Laura Martin, a prologue book by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Scot Eaton, and numerous tie-in books, including most of the X-Men family of books.

<i>My Little Pony</i> (IDW Publishing) Series of comic books based on the Hasbro franchise

IDW Publishing, an American comic publisher which has published tie-in comic books to Hasbro properties since 2005, began to publish monthly My Little Pony comics beginning in November 2012. The comics are primarily based on the characters from the 2010 relaunch of the franchise and its television series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, as well as the anthropomorphic spin-off Equestria Girls. Beginning in 2022, many of the comics also feature the characters from the fifth generation of the franchise and its associated television series My Little Pony: Make Your Mark.

<i>Sex Criminals</i> Comic book series by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky

Sex Criminals is a comic book series published by American company Image Comics. It is written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Chip Zdarsky, set in the Image Universe. The first issue was published on September 25, 2013, and the last issue was published on October 28, 2020, running for 31 issues and one special over six volumes: One Weird Trick, Two Worlds One Cop, Three the Hard Way, Fourgy!, Five-Fingered Discount, and Six Criminals. Since publication, the series has continuously received critical acclaim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cullen Bunn</span> American writer

Cullen Bunn is an American comics writer, novelist, and short story writer, best known for his work on comic books such as Uncanny X-Men, X-Men: Blue, Magneto and various Deadpool miniseries for Marvel Comics, and his creator-owned series The Damned and The Sixth Gun for Oni Press and Harrow County for Dark Horse Comics, as well as his middle reader horror novel Crooked Hills, and his short story work collection Creeping Stones & Other Stories.

<i>Punisher War Journal</i> (2006 series) American comic book series

Punisher War Journal or The Punisher War Journal is an American comic book series published from 2006 to 2009 by Marvel Comics featuring the character Frank Castle, also known as the vigilante the Punisher. It is the second series under the title The Punisher War Journal. Unlike the main Punisher series at the time of its publishing the events of this edition of War Journal take place in the main Marvel Universe, Earth-616. The series was mainly written by Matt Fraction and drawn by Howard Chaykin.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "EXCLUSIVE: Christian Ward Talks ODY-C With Process Pages". Comicbook.com. Retrieved 2017-04-01.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "'ODY-C' writer Matt Fraction talks about creating a comic epic". EW.com. 2014-11-20. Retrieved 2017-04-01.
  3. "ODY-C #1 | Releases | Image Comics". imagecomics.com. Retrieved 2017-04-01.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "How I Became a Feminist: Matt Fraction and Christian Ward Talk ODY-C". The B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog. 2016-11-28. Retrieved 2017-04-01.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Visual Interference of the Gods: Interview with Christian Ward of Ody-C". Women Write About Comics. 2015-03-30. Retrieved 2017-04-01.
  6. "Balancing ODY-C, ULTIMATES, SUICIDE SQUAD with CHRISTIAN WARD". Newsarama. Retrieved 2017-04-01.
  7. "ODY-C Receives Epic Hardcover Edition". TalkNerdyWithUs. 2016-09-22. Retrieved 2017-04-01.
  8. "She Made Them in Their Image: Sebex in the Universe of ODY-C". Sequart Organization. Retrieved 2017-04-01.
  9. 1 2 "ODY-C". Image Comics. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  10. "'ODY-C' creators hit a Homer switching up epic tale". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  11. "ODY-C #1 Review - IGN". IGN. 26 November 2014. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
  12. "The James Tiptree, Jr. Award Database". James Tiptree, Jr. Literary Award. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  13. Oliver, Andy (5 Oct 2015). "British Comic Awards 2015 Shortlist". Broken Frontier. Retrieved 28 Nov 2022.
  14. "ODY-C Reviews". Comic Book Roundup. Retrieved November 29, 2022.