The Many Worlds Within The Oasis

July 17, 2009 by Richard Caldwell
Filed under Featured, Reviews

Oasis: Omnibus
Written & Illustrated by Nicholas Myers
Self-Published
Reviewed by Richard Caldwell

Oasis, an original graphic novel by Nicholas Myers, is a motherload of a work.

An epic tale involving dozens of characters and spanning decades, Oasis is the story of not just a revolution, but an ultimate revolution- and on an alien world at that.

In a totalitarian society ruled hand and fist by a god gone mad, the citizenry are deluded into believing their own less than meager crumbs are something akin to manna, while any brave enough to stand up and speak out are faced with brutal public execution or worse- expatriation. Patrick Nichleson was trying to get by, attempting a career as a writer and looking to have his own modest needs filled, until he made the criminal mistake of having friends somewhat involved in the growing network of rebellion, leading to Patrick losing everything he owned and being cast outside of the giant walled-city, naked and beaten and on the run from both hunter-seekers and demon dogs. As the saga then unfolds, Patrick transitions from joining the revolution to becoming the revolution himself. Along the way, friendships are forged, enemies are made, and lives are lost, as everything changes forever.

Myers has built not merely a city or a world to house his magnum opus drama, he has created a universe. The narrative slides at times easily into one of a metaphysical voice, with grandiose impressions given to give the scale of things at play a feeling of the full intentions of otherworldly gods at work, or whim. The story of Patrick and Oasis is about evolution itself, from the personal to the societal, from the physical to the spiritual. This is a setting of unadulterated science fantasy, where dragons fly high above robots the size of tenement buildings, while laser technology and psychic phenomena color the personalities implored. Not only does the weight of political anarchy fail to entirely stomp out the dreams of its victims here, but the dreams themselves can sometimes open unto literal omnidimensional realms.

In terms of stylistic vision, such massive examples of the winds of change should be a given, as the world of Oasis is home to all manner of strange creatures. Some are born with wings, some with abilities to speak internally with others over great distances, and yet some are born with desirous ambitions of such lethal magnitude that destruction of everything seems the only viable course of action. Myers has noticeable fun in drawing these inhabitants, his style being generally loose and caricaturesque. The physicalities of many of his characters have to be seen to be believed. Design-wise, many persons can illustrate cyborgs, but what about beings consisting of nothing but multiple right hands? Or persons with giant fish in place of natural limbs? Or enormous squids that graze in fields while hovering about, completely ignorant to the fact that squids do no such things in our world? Though often animated in spirit, the art never comes across as childlike or rudimentary. If anything, the more bizarre and surreal and monstrous the faces and settings, the more Myers’ creative flair explodes with glee.

Very very very imaginative.

As a whole, one can see a glimpse of the many things that may have inspired this book, from a fondness for Anne McCaffrey-authored dragon stories to a love for the cartoony expressionism of Chuck Jones and Tex Avery to a solid understanding of political science and a yearning for fulfillment from religious dogma. Even some Lovecraft. Oasis: Omnibus is eco-centric science fiction. Oasis: Omnibus is an Aesopian fable. Oasis: Omnibus is a multi-year long effort from a spectacularly inspired writer/artist.

A good story, no matter the medium, should provide an escape of sorts, preferably while provoking us with questions and giving some cause to think outside of our timid little boxes. Take us away someplace new, and teach us something along the voyage. Oasis: Omnibus, by Nicholas Myers, well succeeds in both aims.

Even if it does not necessarily have a happy ending.
Find it here: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/oasis-omnibus/489372