Oblivion Song Compendium

Oblivion Song #1-6

by Robert Kirkman, Lorenzo De Felici (Artist), Annalisa Leoni (Artist)

The entire series collected in a single volume for the first time! A decade ago, 300,000 citizens of Philadelphia were suddenly lost in Oblivion. The government made every attempt to recover them, but after many years, they gave up. Nathan Cole...won't. He makes daily trips, risking his life to try and rescue those still living in the apocalyptic hellscape of Oblivion. But maybe...Nathan is looking for something else? Why can't he resist the siren call of the Oblivion Song? Collects OBLIVION SONG #1-36

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction

824 pages, Paperback

Published August 15, 2023

About the author

Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead, Invincible for Image Comics, as well as Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt. He is one of the five partners of Image Comics, and the only one of the five who was not one of the original co-founders of that publisher.

Robert Kirkman's first comic books were self-published under his own Funk-o-Tron label. Along with childhood friend Tony Moore, Kirkman created Battle Pope which was published in late 2001. Battle Pope ran for over 2 years along with other Funk-o-Tron published books such as InkPunks and Double Take.

In July of 2002, Robert's first work for another company began, with a 4-part SuperPatriot series for Image, along with Battle Pope backup story artist Cory Walker. Robert's creator-owned projects followed shortly thereafter, including Tech Jacket, Invincible and Walking Dead.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty cool.
I wasn't all that impressed by the first volume way back in the day, so it wasn't until I saw this compendium that I even thought about reading the rest of it.



I have to give it to Kirkman, he usually manages to wrap up his comics in a way that makes me smile, and Oblivion Song was no exception. When it was over, I didn't want to kick myself in the ass for wasting days of my life reading it.



Ok, the skinny gist is that our dimension collides with another due to some scientist's shenanigans. We have some things they need to survive, they have natural resources our governments would love to get their greedy hands on. There are a lot of little people, we will call them the main characters for the purposes of this review, who are trying to simultaneously survive and do the right thing for everyone. Results vary.



At the heart of this are two brothers. And you don't really get to know their full story until it's almost over, but they care about each other and they're angry with each other.
So. Brothers.
But brothers with a sci-fi twist!



There's so much more to it than that.
It's about lovers and family and friends.
And the friends who become family and the lovers who become friends.
BUT WITH A SCI-FI TWIST!



Ya done good, Kirkman.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Invincible so I had high hopes for this high-concept Sci Fi series but it wasn't all that satisfying for me, particularly the conclusion when somehow Nathan becomes Luke Skywalker? and they do a particularly heavy-handed fakeout death for his brother Ed that felt like Frodo walking into the final scene of Return of the King and telling Sam "Pysch!"
.

[Jakub Kvíz · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Oblivion Song flew under the radar, unlike his hit series The Walking Dead or Invincible, don't get fooled like I did. It is really good, and just like TWD, it gets better with every book.

It's a pure sci-fi story (which usually struggles to capture the broader audience) with an intriguing premise - during the "transference" event, a part of Philadelphia, including its 300,000 citizens, is transferred to an alien world called Oblivion and vice versa. The story starts ten years after the event when the government has already cut the funding to save the people from the Oblivion, and only a small team of scientists, including the main protagonist, Nathan Cole, keeps trying.

Within those six books, Kirkman does what he does best - creating relatable characters and building a world that feels real. While the first two books (the first third of the compendium) focus on Nathan's search for his brother, the rest focus on the threat to the Earth hiding in Oblivion.

Kirkman is not afraid to move the story forward by jumping ahead in time, so there is no loss of pace or boring parts where stuff gets tediously explained. Instead, he introduces you to a new status quo a few times while giving you some background by using an occasional flashback.

The art by Lorenzo de Felici is not my cup of tea, and along with the slower start, I find it the only downside of this book.

[Zedsdead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ch1. Ten years after a chunk of Philadelphia was sucked into a dimension filled with people-eating monsters, a poorly equipped team goes on search-and-rescue missions to bring (mostly feral) survivors back to reality.

Ch2. Nathan finds his brother Ed in Oblivion. Nathan's secret is revealed: it was his team's experimental device that caused the Transference. Nathan and Ed break out of prison and steal his device to prevent the military from weaponizing it. They cause another temporary transference.

Ch3. Nathan is released from prison. Access to Oblivion has led to a wave of massive medical and technological breakthroughs, turning Nathan from a villain into a hero. Outcast Keith's 'Faceless Men' capture and experiment on Ed's people.

Ch4. Keith is helping the Faceless Men study humans in preparation for an invasion of Earth. The good guys build an elaborate platform system that mirrors the Faceless Men city for a rescue operation that is mostly successful. Nathan is trapped in Oblivion when his transfer equipment is damaged.

Ch5. Nathan and Heather both make antiwar Faceless Man friends/allies over the three years he is trapped in Oblivion. The Faceless Men reverse engineer human tech and finally launch their invasion. Nathan defeats the enemy leader in a duel but not before Paris, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles are Transferred to Oblivion.

Ch6. Nathan assassinates the Faceless Men's emperor. Which was an awfully convenient silver bullet, as their army immediately devolves into infighting factions. Duncan and Bridget determine that it's human respiration that keeps the Growth in check; by establishing human colonies in Oblivion, that world is saved and the Faceless Men don't need Earth. Conflict resolved......but human authorities make plans to strip-mine and dump pollution into Oblivion, so Nathan destroys all of his tech. The End.


It's an epic, decades-spanning story. There's an intriguing tension between the desire of most to live in the real, monster-free world, and the affinity of some for the dangers of Oblivion...people who could never quite make normal life work but who thrive in simple survival mode. Wild Cards explored similar territory to great effect in the Low Chicago Meathooks story.

The illustration is mostly functional but action scenes are confusing, alien flora and fauna tend to be an unparsable hot mess, and action scenes involving alien fauna are a hopeless wreck. Despite the problems, I found it to be a rewarding read.

[Lukasz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert Kirkman knows how to write, and Lorenzo De Felici's artwork is amazing. I expected to love Oblivion Song, but ended up having mixed feelings about it.

Don’t get me wrong; it’s an enjoyable and self-contained sci-fi story with an interesting premise and excellent art. However, it loses its momentum in the middle section, and I can’t say that the major twists surprised or awed me.

I don’t love it as much as other readers do, but I’m glad I read it.

[Chris Greensmith · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Is this...food?"

[Jimmy Leavens · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5
Started off strong but lost alot of momentum and a very one noted baddy to boot. But a quality, short and well drawn graphic novel I’d recommend.

Spoiler:
A stronger dramatic turn for a “antagonist” for the book could’ve been if the brother turns and grows mad trying to make the whole world go to oblivion for a more “perfect” world.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kirkman with another gem. A very well-crafted sci-fi tale that acts as an allegory for the ever worsening ecological nightmare we live in.

The characters have depth and the stakes escalate in a satisfying way as the story progresses. There are very few misses.

The art is also pretty great. It has a slight tinge of the grotesque and it makes for an effective companion to the storytelling.

[Coen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weer kwaliteit van Kirkman

[Roman Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this and could not put it down until I finished it. Ended up spending my entire Saturday glued to this book; marathoning all 36 issues contained in it. Say what you will about Robert Kirkman, but he knows how to tell a damn good story.

If you like stories about alternate dimensions and alien invasions, this one’s for you. While the ideas and concepts presented here are nothing new, (I was reminded of James Cameron’s Avatar, Netflix’s Stranger Things, and Stephen King’s The Mist in certain parts), Kirkman remixes them in a way that feels fresh. The art by Lorenzo De Felici and Annalisa Leoni is also excellent and enhances the story.

While the concept of alternate universes to me is always cool, the true highlight of this series is the various character dynamics. The relationship between the main protagonists, Nathan Cole and his brother Ed, as well as all the secondary characters and their relationships. I appreciated how trauma was explored in this series. If someone got stuck in another world for years, of course they would have PTSD from that. And what happens when some people find they like living in another world and don’t want to return? Kirkman explores these questions and more; taking them to their logical conclusions.

Highly recommend. I believe this series getting adapted into a movie or tv show sooner rather than later, so best get your copy now before the IP blows up.

[Daniel Freer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really enjoyed it, little slow to start I think but it worked.

It all worked I think to create the style this was ment to be from the odd drawing almost sometimes bad looking drawing or lack of detail to the whole story line and the way the enemy looks. Just all of it came together in the end and made for one of the more entertaining read I've had in a while. While extremely far fetched this is a trip into the unknown and with that in mind also the story works. The art, the dialogue. At first I'm going why does this dude care so fucking much and then the way that all unfolds I just thought was genius. Colors were very good considering and not overly done like some sci-fi pieces can be. This had action, heartache, revenge, love, hate, just a little bit of it all and was happy to finally get to read it as I am a fan of Kirkman. Would recommend the compendium because it takes a little to drive home all the nails that suck you in and u might give up going by issue or volumes but either way, don't and by the end you'll be very happy.

[Howell Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very imaginative series. The aliens and alien landscapes are very creative, though sometimes so much that it is hard to tell who,is who,or what is happening, especially in battles. And the flashbacks and time jumps can be confusing. Still a great tale!

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concepts and story themes are worth 5 stars - unfortunately the execution did not find its way to my heart. Definitely worth the read, but I wanted to feel more.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oblivion Song, chapter 1 – Robert Kirkman
Dimension shifting between Earth as we know it an alternative dimension. A guilt-ridden scientist wishes he could fix it. His brother is missing and mutant-monster reign.
#1 – “We’re .. home? M-m-monsters are GONE?”
#2 – “That’s him, alright – Where does he come from, and what is he DOING?”
#3 – “You’re .. HUMAN?” “What ELSE would I be?”
#4 – “This is about where I was when I came back last time. Sorry to keep you out here so long.” “Just be careful in there, okay?”
#5 – “I’m different now. This place has changed me. It’s changed ALL of us.. It’s made us BETTER.” – Ed
#6 – “But still.. the fact remains, it was my technology .. my experiments.” – Nathan
.

Oblivion Song, chapter 2 – Robert Kirkman
The apocalyptic family drama continues
#7 – “To peer through a window into the UNKNOWN.”
#8 – “I’m going HOME. I know my way from here.” – Ed to Nathan in the Oblivion
#9 – “What happened? Feel like I’ve been hit by a car.” – Ed. “Your body isn’t used to shifting this frequently. It’ll pass.” – Nathan
#10 – “—police are on the scene, but it appears the area is UTTER CHAOS.”
#11 – “Send these people back and they won’t HAVE lives to risk. You don’t understand. You’re not LISTENING.” – Ed
#12 – “Can I STAY? You found peace here.. I wonder if it’ll be the same for me.” – Lucy
.

Oblivion Song, chapter 3 – Robert Kirkman
Politics get involved and heighten the tension in this next chapter of the saga.
#13 – “Oblivion has PROVEN itself to be an abundant resource that should be further explored and studied.” – Bridget’s speech
#14 – “There’s a SCAR on this world, and I put it there.” – Nathan
#15 – “It wasn’t hurting us – it was CAPTURING them. Our people are out there, Ed – they’re ALIVE.” – Dane
#16 – “We have to organize! We have to SAVE them before it’s too late!”
#17 – “The – camp. We fooound themm.” – creatures
#18 – “What I saw looked like a BASE. I think I KNOW how to find them.” – Nathan
.

Oblivion Song, chapter 4 – Robert Kirkman
The story takes a darker turn with the ‘alien’ civilisation having its own inter-tribal rivalry.
#19 – “So MANY of your kind we have now. Answers we seek .. will come MUCH FASTER now.” – Lord Halaak
#20 – “Your time has come. Bring the small one. We must hurry.” – Dakuul to Lucy
#21 – “They almost SAW ME! I barely got out in time .. but I think I know where everyone is.” – Marco
#22 – “I’m just trying to get ANSWERS.” – Nathan to Ed
#23 – “I don’t like this .. it’s like they WANT us to keep going.” – Oscar
#24 – “So effective immediately, all access to Oblivion is cut off PERMANENTLY. I’m sorry.” – Ward
.

Oblivion Song, chapter 5 – Robert Kirkman
Great return to the series. The character arcs are excellent and compelling.
#25 – “It’s worse than I thought.”
#26 – “They’ve replicated your device.” “They’re planning an INVASION.”
#27 – “A head-to-head conflict would NOT go our way.”
#28 – “I am GHOZAN DAKUUL of the KUTHAAL. I am here to inform you that our invasion is IMMINENT.”
#29 – “By rite of the GHOZAN ORDER – I call for this contest to be settled by DUEL.” – Nathan
#30 – “But .. you’re TOO LATE.”
Plus Bonus Story: “This looks weird, but it’s Earth, I PROMISE.”
.

Oblivion Song, chapter 6 – Robert Kirkman
Fitting conclusion to an excellent series.
#31 – “I TRUSTED you! How could you DO this?” – Heather to Dulaam
#32 - “Okay. I’m STILL not EXECUTED. Should I take this to mean you’re ready to resume our talks?”
#33 – “Was kind of FOOLISH of us to think this would work a SECOND time..” – Nathan
#34 – “So, .. we know how to reverse the growth.” – Duncan
#35 – Finally we get the backstory to Ed & Nathan’s younger years. “I know, man. I wish he was here, too.” – Ed
#36 – “Isn’t it BEAUTIFUL? It really is, Eddie. It really is ..” - Nathan

[Pavel Pravda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jsem nadšený. Zpěv Neznáma se naprosto přesně trefuje do toho, co mám rád, a kupodivu neobsahuje nic z toho, co rád nemám. Čtení mi zabralo celý týden, a po náročném dni v práci bylo vždy otevření knihy jako přijít domů. Vždy jsem naprosto hladce jsem vklouzl zpět do příběhu.

V některých bodech ze začátku může zápletka trošku připomínat Remenderův příběh Black Science. Zpěv Neznáma ale jde úplně jinou cestou. Čtenář poměrně rychle dostane zcela jasnou představu o situaci, ve které se tento komiksový svět nachází. I přes silnou fantastickou linku jde vyprávění do hloubky. Hned od začátku se řeší osobní roviny jednotlivých postav i nálady ve společnosti. Takový způsob vyprávění mě okamžitě pohltil. Potom se něco málo odhalilo a spousta věcí se zcela přirozeně zkomplikovala. V tu chvíli jsem začal tušit, jak bohatý příběh mě čeká na následujících stovkách stránek, a zároveň jsem vůbec neměl představu, jakým směrem se bude ubírat. Viděl jsem spoustu možných cest a měl jsem chuť prozkoumat každou z nich. Ten příběh se ale nakonec stejně vydal tam, kam jsem nečekal.

Hrozně se mi líbí, že v příběhu není nějaká velká záporná postava, kterou byste měli nenávidět. Jasně, jsou tam postavy, které konají proti zájmům hlavních hrdinů, ale je to o úhlu pohledu. Tak nějak totiž chápete jejich motivaci. I bez výrazného záporáka to ale není nuda. Konflikty a napětí zde nevznikají kvůli střetu dobra se zlem. Vznikají kvůli střetu civilizace s divočinu, a koneckonců, i kvůli střetu civilizací samotných. Vznikají kvůli střetu dobrých důvodů. Děj je kupředu poháněn zvědavostí, touhou po vykoupení a snahou o přežití. Zkrátka z toho mám pocit, že je to docela pozitivní příběh. I přes všechny ty statisíce mrtvých.

Kresba je úžasná. Moc pěkná se to čte. Povedené jsou jak komorní situace v interiérech, tak i běžné situace v ulicích Filadelfie, či epické krajiny Neznáma. Mimozemské stavby doslova berou dech. Skvělou energii a dynamiku mají dramatické akční scény i běžné rozhovory. Obličeje nejsou vždy nakreslené dokonale. Ale vždy jsou v nich naprosto přesně zachycené ty emoce, které tam být mají. Barvy to potom celé dotahují k dokonalosti. Na konci knihy jsou rozsáhlé bonusy, včetně skicáře, ve kterém Robert Kirkman a Lorenzo de Felici komentují vznik designů jednotlivých postav, příšer i prostředí. Je to zajímavé.

[Mason Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10 - It started off very strong but, it loses a lot of steam halfway through, and it never elevates to anything rewarding. Most of my problems come from how rushed the last half of this book feels. The editing was terrible, and certain scenes and story beats and characters just don't feel developed enough. And without any spoilers once everything gets revealed it's very underwhelming.

All that being said though it's not a total loss. The artwork by Lorenzo De Felici, and the coloring by Annalisa Leoni is very great. They create this beautiful world that looks so unique, and their character designs feel so human, and genuine that I would almost recommend this book for that alone. Overall, this isn't a terrible book but, I don't see myself going back and reading it again.

[Maarten Schilder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oblivion Song by Kirkman and De Felici

A really great sci-fi series from Kirkman. As you've come to expect from him: great characters, lots of twists and time jumps, and a really cool ending.

With its 36 issues, it might be a bit long, and there are some plot holes here and there, but nothing really bothersome.

I think De Felici's artwork, with colors by Leoni, is truly beautiful, and it just keeps getting better as the series progresses. It seems like Felici is letting go of his clean lines and daring to draw more abstractly, which blends beautifully with the coloring. (Sometimes almost Mignola-/Kirby-esque).

Very cool.

[Salamanderinspace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't much like the protagonist, or the art style, but the plot offered some twists and turns. Revelations. Intriguing stuff. I like the complexity. Sometimes a horrible mistake ends up helping people.

Dnf 529 / 791 - Just after the beginning of chapter 5, after a three year time jump. The combination of reading small text on hoopla and the confused art style made my eyes hurt. However I am curious what the "faceless" aliens were using humans for, and whether they can come to work together with people in future chapters.

Nothing that I read passed the bechdel test and there were no overtly queer characters.

[Mariano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would say it's a 4.5, but it deserves to round up. I really enjoyed this. I just kept going and couldn't put it down. It's fun, gripping, has the usual Kirkman twists and keeps you surprised and engaged until the end. The art and the narrative is amazing. Perhaps the aliens are too confusing at times (especially when fighting) and it's difficult to figure out what's happening, but they are aliens, they don't have to make a lot of sense.

Overall a great sci-fi / fantasy series that it strongly recommend

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This might be the weakest thing I've read from Kirkman but still very good. The creatures of Oblivion are so weird to look at and the Kuthaal are just eerie in a good way. Some of the fighting sequences were really hard to follow and some story moments didn't feel properly earned, but the world building was awesome and Nathan Cole is fun to root for despite being a pretty generic protagonist. If this story wasn't in Kirkman's hands I will admit I could see this not being nearly as good due to it not being the most original plot but luckily he's such a great writer it works.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went in knowing nothing about it, and was pleasantly surprised by a complex and gripping sci-fi adventure. A good compliment to the writing is that I did not notice where issues ended and began as the story was a seamless flow between the six major chapters. Wonderfully consistent artwork from Lorenzo is a highlight, and though the book falls to some of the same kirkman ending trappings as other works, it is an enjoyable ride.

[Reyne Derrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read. Lots of great characters and development. Lots of twists and turns. I think this is the first comic I have seen where the art for the main characters has progressively made them all younger as they went on. Like I swear Nathan looked younger by the end than the begging. I really enjoyed this and probably will read it again.

[Radim Sedláček · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kirkman umí skvěle vyprávět příběhy, s ničím se moc nepáře, děj odsýpá a tady tomu není jinak. Kresba je taky super, jen občas se mi některé panely moc nelíbily a většinou ty s mimozemskou rasou. Na plný počet to ale nebylo. Už aby byl březen 2025 a vyšel Vyvrhel.

[Thomas McGowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Kirkman story with fantastic interiors. Love the dynamic between Oblivion and the real world, as well as using the parallels in the action sequences. I love a complete story with a somber ending

[w1T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Dominic Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun cosy read

[Luke John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dimension hopping adventure (even if only between two dimensions) with well executed drama and well drawn characters.

[Grace Staley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling idea and thrilling buildup but wrapped up too quickly and too many time jumps. Though the artwork is beautiful the Faceless Men’s unknown anatomy made panel action hard to follow.

[Minki Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

+ Well paced plot
-Slow beginning, dull ending/final arc

[Logan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 star series, self contained and decent, story was a little strange and pacing before and after we knew of the faceless men was pretty inconsistent