Omaha the Cat Dancer
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| Omaha the Cat Dancer | |
 Omaha the Cat Dancer vol. 1 #1, featuring the principal characters, Charles Tabey Jr. aka Chuck Katt and Omaha. |
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| Publisher | NBM Publishing (current); Kitchen Sink Press, Steel Dragon Press, Fantagraphics (former) |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Bimonthly |
| Format | ongoing |
| Publication date | October 1986–1992; 2005–present |
| Number of issues | 36 |
| Main character(s) | Charles Tabey Jr. AKA Chuck Katt Omaha |
| Creative team | |
| Creator(s) | Reed Waller Kate Worley. |
Omaha the Cat Dancer is an American furry comic book created and drawn by Reed Waller, and mostly written by Kate Worley.
Contents |
[edit] History
This comic was one of the first major furry series to introduce a furry subgenre called "slice of life", in which the furry nature of the characters is mostly a cosmetic artistic style for realistic stories anchored in contemporary human society. The furry nature is usually restricted to animals' heads, fur colour, and tails. It deserves mention that Reed Waller has on several occasions demurred at the terms "furry" and "anthropomorphic", and described his work as belonging firmly in the category funny animal.
Omaha was written like a sexually explicit soap opera in plot structure and melodrama. It was highly praised for its writing, especially for its confident feminist sensibility. However, it lies firmly within the camp of sex-positive feminism, with the lead character usually enjoying her job as a stripper and preferring it to other careers. For example, Omaha once works in a clerical setting, but feels humiliated and belittled with the sexist management. In response, she quits in defiance and immediately successfully auditions at the local strip club which proves a more acceptable work environment for her.
Reed Waller had conceived the idea of using "Omaha" to satirize the Minnesota blue laws concerning erotic dance clubs. Kate Worley, during a visit to Reed with her husband, saw unfinished panels and discovered Reed had lost interest in working on the comic. She was able to encourage him to pick up the comic again.
The series drew considerable controversy with numerous obscenity charges for its sexual content. The Toronto police department, in one raid of a comic book store, charged that it depicted bestiality, an accusation fans dismissed as ludicrous. By contrast, in 1991 the New Zealand Indecent Publications Tribunal ruled that since the series depicted sexuality in the context of ongoing emotional relationships between the characters in a mature and realistic way, it was not indecent (Omaha #16, p. 32).
The comic had an erratic publishing history aggravated by a serious accident suffered by Worley and the ensuing poor medical care for it. In addition, Waller developed cancer, prompting two fundraising comics titled Images of Omaha, published by Kitchen Sink Press in 1992 but further interfering with publication. Additionally, there was growing friction between the partners (Waller and Worley had married) which culminated in a violent incident at a convention. After that, the team disbanded and the comic ceased publication.
In early 2004, Waller and Worley had moved beyond their disagreement, and were collaborating to finish the hanging storyline. However, Worley's death interrupted that work. Her widower, Jim Vance, using her notes, took her place. The title has been picked up by NBM Publishing, and has resumed publication as of November, 2005 with the new work being serialized in the magazine Sizzle, as well as bringing back into print new trade paperback collections of the comics.
Its influence is noted in the furry comic book scene, with Shanda the Panda being the most successful series to emulate Omaha in many respects.
[edit] Characters
- Omaha is the stage name of Susan "Susie" Jensen (though very few of the other characters know her real name), an anthropomorphic feline exotic dancer. She has a pet ferret named Squeak. She was previously married years before meeting Charles Jr., but a divorce was later amicably arranged with her separated husband.
- Charles "Chuck" Tabey, Jr. AKA Chuck Katt, who turns out to be the heir to Charles Tabey, Sr. and lover to Omaha.
- Charles Tabey, Sr., a powerful, yet mentally ill business tycoon.
- Shelly Hine, a bisexual exotic dancer and Omaha's best friend. She was caught in the line of fire and gunned down by a man named "Andre DeRoc" and is now in a wheelchair. Shelly was Charles Tabey, Sr.'s lover and confidante. In the very early comics that appeared in Vootie magazine, she and Omaha were lovers.
- JoAnne Follett, a bisexual prostitute.
- Kurt Huddle, Shelly's nurse and later lover. Huddle was the personal assistant and valet to Tabey, Sr.
- Rob Shaw, a homosexual photographer.
- Maria Elandos Tabey, Chuck Tabey's mother, whom he has not seen for years. She was blackmailed into leaving by Calvin Bonner over her homosexual brother. She also bears a very striking resemblance to Omaha.
- Senator Calvin Bonner, a state senator and business tycoon. A vocal public morality crusader and a complete hypocrite since he is one of Joanne's regular, and more abusive, customers. Was murdered by an unknown assassin during a session set up by Joanne to compromise him by having Rob Shaw take incriminating photos of him.
- George, owner of the "Kitty Korner Klub", Omaha and Shelly worked at.
- Ceecee and Angie two lesbian exotic dancers who work at Mr. Pip's Nite Club.
[edit] Plot summary
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Volumes are based on Amerotica volumes by NBM Publishing.
[edit] Volume One
- Collects Bizarre Sex #9, Omaha #0–1
Susan "Susie" Jensen is an aspiring model from the Midwest and new in the town of Mipple City, Minnesota. The story starts out as Susie uses her modeling to begin working at the strip club "Kitty Korner Klub" with her newfound friend Shelly Hine, where she now goes by the stage name of "Omaha"[1]. Omaha starts to become well known after she is featured for the first time in Pet Magazine, an adult entertainment magazine as the centerfold "Kitten of the Month"[2].
After working as a locally popular dancer, she and Shelly meet Chuck Katt, an artist who begins to fall in love with Omaha and whom she considers "normal". [3] After a new blue law is passed, "all strip clubs are to be closed down", Omaha and Shelly are put out of work. Shelly soon finds a hidden sub-basement at a restaurant that is owned by a man named Charles Tabey, a powerful, yet mentally ill business tycoon, whom Shelly is his lover in secret. With Omaha out of work, Chuck Katt starts working for his former boss, Andre DeRoc, a media mogul in the town and the arch-rival of Charles Tabey. He is also re-acquainted his old girlfriend, JoAnne Follett who is the personal secretary of Andre DeRoc. Charles Tabey, the wealthy and influential businessman, falls in love with Omaha as a dancer, and arranges for her to dance at the grand opening of a new secret strip club. Charles, who has control over the local police, is able to open the club which is meant exclusively for the most powerful of the city. However, DeRoc sabotages the opening night by placing a chemical in the liquor turning the crowd into a sexually violent mob aimed at Omaha. All three rush to escape through the back door. Upon exiting, a hitman hired to kill Charles Tabey mistakes Chuck Katt for him and accidentally shoots Shelly Hine. She then tells the two to find JoAnne Follett.
The couple soon go to find JoAnne and are almost killed on the way there by the man aiming for Charles. Instead they walk in on JoAnne in bed with Charles Tabey. Chuck then reluctantly reveals to Omaha that his real name is Charles Tabey, Jr. and that he is Charles' son. [4] After everything that has happened, the two return to their car and drive off to San Francisco. [5] On the way to the city, their car breaks down. The two are then picked up by a man and woman, who claim to run a modeling agency in San Francisco and promise work for Omaha. She and Chuck, feeling relieved, settle in a penthouse apartment belonging to the seemingly kind pair.
While Chuck is out running errands, the real owner returns. It is revealed to be JoAnne Follett. She explains that she has quit working for Andre DeRoc and now works for Charles Tabey. She brings them money from Charles so Chuck and Omaha can hide out for as long as they need to. After Chuck comes back, the three go out shopping and drinking later that night. Afterwards, at the apartment, JoAnne and Omaha begin to sexually experiment with each other while Chuck is passed out drunk. Upon Chuck's waking, the experimentation turns into an all out threesome between the pair and JoAnne. After Omaha and Chuck fall asleep leaving JoAnne alone, she is surprised by the man who claimed to run a modeling agency, but is in fact working for DeRoc. He nearly throws JoAnne off the balcony, but Omaha wakes up in time and knocks him out with a liquor bottle. He escapes, the two then go to bed together leaving Chuck to sleep on the living room floor.[6]
[edit] Volume Two
- Collects Omaha #2–5
After the threesome with Cluck and Joanne, Omaha has a nightmare about Shelley. Waking up and finding Joanne in bed with her, the shock and brandy the night before makes her ill. So she decides to writes a note and takes a walk. Chuck wakes to a closing door, looking for Omaha. But finding Joanne instead, the two make coffee and fetch aspirin. After wanding into Chinatown Omaha entices going into a restaurant for lunch, while studying the menu a young Chinese man makes a call to Mipple City. Omaha finds a large chauffer who forces her outside to a car inside Charles Tabey Sr, who takes her to a private estate near San Pedro, whare she meets Pamela, Charles Tabey Sr's personal assistant. Back in San Francisco Cluck and Joanne hear a messenger, with a note saiding that Charlie has taken Omaha for her own protection, Chuck is now angry at his father's meddling, but Joanne agrees with Charlie's good intentions. Cluck refuses to believe in his father's good intentions, Joanne loses patience with him, Cluck apologizes to her and the two wind up in bed. At the private estate of Charles Tabey Sr's all three have dinner. Later Pamela shows Omaha a special workout studio, so she can stay in shape for the re-opening of the Underground. Horrified and runs back to her room and cries herself to sleep. Later she is awakend by a storm, she undresses for bed fantasizing about Chuck and Masturbating. She hears a noise and finds Charles in the room terrified she refuses to listen as he grabs her and drags her showing her the real reason for the abduction "Shelley is alive".[7]
[edit] Volume Three
- Collects Omaha #6–9
[edit] Volume Four
- Collects Omaha #10–13
[edit] Volume Five
- Collects Omaha #14–17
[edit] Volume Six
- Collects Omaha #18–20
[edit] Volume Seven
- Collects Omaha Vol. 1 #21-24, Vol. 2 #1–4
[edit] Volume Eight
- Collects Omaha from Sizzle #28–30, 32, 34
[edit] Awards
- 1989 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards—Nominee—Best Black-and-White Series
- 1989 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards—Nominee—Best Continuing Series
(Lost to Concrete, created and written by Paul Chadwick for Dark Horse Comics.)
