Michael Costner

OMAC (Michael Costner) is a DC Comics superhero. He was introduced in OMAC #1 (2006).

Fictional character biography

After Brother Eye's downfall, Michael Costner, a former petty theif and drug addict, is left as the last OMAC active. Brother Eye, a sentient sattellite, crafted an entire legion of soldiers with nanon-viruses infecting unwilling, unwitting members of the general population. The partly decommissioned Brother Eye, thought deactivated, needs Michael's help in its rebuilding efforts. Partly corrupted, Brother Eye is only able to build a shell out of nearby space debris. Its agenda shifts from an effort to control and contain the Earth's metahumans, to an outright war on them. It also intends to rebuild the OMAC army, taking control of the innocent citizens now free from his influence. Michael at first is unable to control the influence of Brother Eye. Due to a unique combination of his first innoculation with the nano-virus and controlling his drug addiction through willpower, Michael eventually finds a way to rebel. At first he can only slow his powered form down, such as when he fights Firestorm after hearing of Firehawk. Soon he is open rebellion against the empowering sattellite.

Vienna Barstow

Still on the run, both as an OMAC, and as a thief, he soon crosses ways with Vienna Barstow, a showgirl who takes interest on him. She first helps him escape the consequences of another theft. When Brother Eye, mad at Michael for refusing rebuilding requests, casts him to earth, Vienna is there to give first aid. Michael saves Vienna from a truck accident. Later he kill her abusive, murderous manager in order to protect her life. Around this time Michael finds he is fully from OMAC control and can access various powers even while human. The two, hiding out in a remote cabin, make love, unaware Brother Eye is still maintaining a small connection. Vienna is infected by Brother Eye, turning her into an OMAC. Afflicted by a wave of hallucinations, and arrested for squatting the log cabin with Vienna, Michael fakes severe catatonia to avoid further conflict with Brother Eye. In space an assembly of heroes try unsuccessfully to destroy Brother Eye. This fails and Superman is captured. He is imprisoned in a special cell designed to strip him of his powers. Superman makes contact with Michael, encouraging him to fight back for Vienna and their unborn child. Vienna, fully turned into an OMAC, attempts to kill Michael, but he shocks her back into full control. Michael fools Brother Eye into thinking he is dead.

Final Battle

Michael returns to space for a showdown with Brothe Eye. Superman assists. Vienna pulls a few tricks of her own, fooling Brother Eye and Michael. Vienna is the one to destroy Brothe Eye, at the cost of her life. Michael, now de-powered, mourns her alongside Superman. A still active Brother Eye monitor is seen and Michael says that even now he cannot exclude an eventual return of the villainous satellite.

Countdown

The cover for Countdown #51 (first issue) shows an OMAC among the characters assembled, and within the issue as a pawn on a chessboard amongst the other main characters in the series. Whether or not this is Michael remains to be seen, and the character has yet to appear in the main series.

Powers

Before being depowered Michael Costner has shown the fullest abilities of every other OMAC before him. Able to access the extensive knowledge on metahumans stored by Brother Eye and shapeshift parts of his body accordingly, or enlarging his bodly mass. At first completely unconscious, his main personality submerged under the OMAC main program, a unique set of circumstances gave Michael full control of his abilities. Shortly before being depowered by Brother Eye's destruction he could retain his invulnerability, his heat vision and partial shapeshift even in human form, turning his limbs into tools or weaponry partly covered in OMAC armor, or simply into giant, enlarged, OMAC body parts. OMAC virus can be transmitted by exchange of body fluids, essentially turning whoever, like Vienna Barstow, makes such contact into another OMAC, still needing "activation" by Brother Eye to access his/her powers. While infected by OMAC virus Vienna expressed the very same abilities of Michael, clinging to her free will to free herself by Brother Eye's thrall in shortest time than his "predecessor". Is stated that there's no known cure for OMAC nanovirus, and EMP disruption can now only put on "remission" the infection, so Michael in a fashion still is the last OMAC standing, only unable to access his powers, and still able to "spread the infection". Is still unknown what it means for the DCU, or for Michael himself.