The world ofInvinciblehas exploded in popularity, making one fact known around the world: thatthe similarities between Omni-Man and Superman are obvious, if the DC icon was ever pushed to the breaking point. But fans will be delighted to know that in the original plan forInvincible, the name given to Omni-Man made the parody of Superman impossible to miss.
The comparison between the two superpowered alien demigods is almost as obvious as it can get, even judging simply by the amount of time fans spend debatingwho would win in a fight, Superman or Omni-Man. But asInvinciblecreator Robert Kirkman reveals in the supplemental bonus material forInvincible Vol. 1: Family Matters,the original vision for Omni-Man might have been the most obvious Superman spoofcreated to date, and likely to get the wrong kind of attention from DC’s own legal team.
The Original Name For Omni-Man Was Supra-Man
Invincible’s Father Has One Weakness: Fear of DC’s Lawyers
Taking the opportunity to give readers an insight into the behind-the-scenes development ofInvincible, Kirkman reveals not only the original name, but the original designs for Mark Grayson and his father inInvincible Vol. 1: Family Matters' back matter. Paired with his and co-creator Cory Walker’s initial sketches of the series hero ‘Bulletproof,’ Kirkman drops the bomb:Omni-Man was originally called ‘Supra-Man.’
“Another little known fact is that when Invincible was called Bulletproof, Omni-Man was called Supra-Man. Image made us change it fearing that DC might not enjoy us using a name then when pronounced out loud is almost impossible to distinguish from their beloved trademark character.”
While this insight from Kirkman makes it perfectly clear hust how much Omni-Man is supposed to resemble (and benefit from) the most iconic and beloved element of Superman’s mythos, some changes stand out. Sure, Omni-Man’s equally iconic mustache was in place from the very beginning. But elements of the character’s uniform, and the larger message they send, are drastically different.
How Old Is Omni-Man? Why the Invincible Character Is So Strong, Even for a Viltrumite
Omni-Man is one of the strongest Viltrumites in the Invincible comic and an in-depth look into Nolan Grayson reveals the real secret of his power.
Looking beyond Kirkman’s likely legally-actionable chest insignia, the initial concept for Supra-Man broke with Superman’s bare-faced appearance, including a mask to conceal his identity. As fate would have it, this exact style of cowl and mask would be translated to his son Mark, whose initial design as Invincible had no such headgear. And in the most tragic twist of fate for those who long forthe return of Superman’s underwear,Omni-Man’s own belted shorts were removed from the designbefore publication.
Omni-Man vs Superman: The Debate Will Never End
Omni-Man’s Role as A Modern ‘Evil Superman’ is Set in Stone
As if comic book fans needed any more fuel for thecompetition for Kryptonian or Viltrumite supremacy, this scrapped origin for Omni-Man might be the most significant piece of evidence to support the debate. After all, even if Kirkman was advised to change the name to avoid too obvious a connection to Superman, it’s unlikely that the inspiration or overall ideas for theInvincibleseries were changed along with it.
So the real question fans should be asking is: How would the story ofInvinciblechange if its shocking father figure was tellingly named Supra-Man, in a world outside of DC’s own continuity?
Invincibleis available now from Image Comics, and airing on Prime Video.
