Omar Valdivieso
Omar Valdivieso | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Valdivieso at San Diego Comic Con in 2026 | |
| Born | Lima, Peru |
| Other name | The Uncanny Omar |
| Occupations |
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| Instagram information | |
| Page | |
| Followers | 19,100 |
| TikTok information | |
| Page | |
| Followers | 42,900 |
| YouTube information | |
| Channel | |
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Genre | Comic Books / Graphic Novels |
| Subscribers | 133,000 |
| Views | 55 million |
| Last updated: July 17, 2026 | |
Omar Valdivieso, also known online as The Uncanny Omar, is an American YouTube creator, comics reviewer, and commentator best known as the creator and host of the YouTube channel Near Mint Condition. Through the channel, he reviews collected editions of comic books, including omnibus editions, trade paperbacks, deluxe editions, and other hardcover collections, and conducts interviews with comic book creators and publishers.[1]
Valdivieso has conducted over two hundred long-form interviews with prominent comic book creators, including Chris Claremont, Jim Starlin, Todd McFarlane, Mark Waid, and others.
The channel focuses on collected editions published by companies including Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Image Comics, and Dark Horse Comics. Its programming includes reviews, release announcements, reading guides, creator interviews, and weekly livestream discussions with viewers.[1]
His videos emphasize collected editions rather than comic book speculation or investment, and frequently provide reading recommendations for new readers.[1]
In recent years, Valdivieso's collaborative partnerships with major companies like Marvel and DC have allowed him to serve as an advisor, relaying fan community requests which have influenced publisher selections for collected editions. Valdivieso also advises publishers on production-related concerns such as mapping, box size, and covers.[2]
Early life
Born in Lima, Peru, Valdivieso discovered comic books in 1984 at age 5 while recovering from appendix surgery in a children's hospital.[3] His uncle, who lived in the United States, sent him care packages of English-language superhero comics, including Uncanny X-Men #168. Valdivieso then began seeking out translated editions of American comics in Peru and collecting back issues.[4]
In 1987, Valdivieso moved to the United States with his family and began to read monthly comic books as he developed his English skills. Valdivieso worked at a comic book store from 1993 to 1996.[5]
After a six-year gap of not reading comics from 1996 to 2002, Valdivieso began seeking out collected editions to read the material he missed in single-issue format.[4] By 2004, Valdivieso began reading comics exclusively in collected edition format.[6]
Valdivieso wrote for various websites from 2003 to 2006, including Komikwerks and Beckett Anime magazine, in which he reviewed anime and manga titles in a monthly column titled "Fantastic Plastic".[5][7] During that same period, Valdivieso co-hosted a comics podcast called "About Heroes", offering reviews of comics, anime, and manga, which later transitioned into a standalone website.[4][7]
Career
Valdivieso launched the Near Mint Condition YouTube Channel in 2016 as a group discussion show in which he and several friends would discuss video games, anime, toys, and comics.[2] He began filming videos featuring reviews of omnibus editions from his personal collection and reading order breakdowns for various Marvel and DC collected editions.[2]
In 2018, Valdivieso made a video at his daughter's suggestion during a comic book store visit on Free Comic Book Day.[1] The video was shared around the Marvel offices and David Gabriel, the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Publishing, reached out to Valdivieso to begin sponsoring announcement videos on Near Mint Condition.[6] In 2020, at 42 years old, Valdivieso became a full-time content creator after being laid off from working as a project manager in IT, due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.[6][8]
The steady growth of his channel allowed Valdivieso to create direct relationships with comic book publishers, particularly Marvel Comics, which sponsors regular "Breaking News" segments featuring detailed announcements of upcoming omnibus editions.[8]
In February 2026, Valdivieso was selected to speak on a panel at ComicsPro about the role of online creators in connecting publishers with readers.[1] The same month, Valdivieso was announced as a contributor to the comics journalism fanzine Comics Staple.[9] In July 2026, Omar was invited to speak at San Diego Comic Con on the industry panel "Reels to Register: Is Short-Form Video the New Comics Journalism?".[10]
Industry impact
Valdivieso's efforts to increase engagement between readers and publishers has been cited as having a large impact on the increased production and availability of first-time collected editions and reprints.[6][8]
Comics writer Mark Waid has called Valdivieso "the luckiest guy working in comics".[8]
When Valdivieso previewed the digitally-recolored cover of the Sensational She-Hulk by John Byrne omnibus on his Saturday live stream, the fan reaction was so negative that Byrne personally contacted Marvel to restore the original coloring.[8][11]
Valdivieso creates annual Reader Polls to inform Marvel and DC of the "most wanted" collected editions and reprints as voted by his viewers.[8]
Valdivieso has become a prominent figure within the comic book collected-edition community. In 2026, The Beat described him as "a trusted expert" on graphic novels and collected editions and noted that his channel had surpassed 127,000 YouTube subscribers.[1]
Valdivieso has appeared as a guest on several comics-related podcasts discussing collected editions and the growth of his channel.[4] In 2024, Near Mint Condition co-produced an exclusive hardcover edition of Extremity by Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer,[12] and in 2026, co-produced an exclusive hardcover of Stray Dogs by Tony Fleecs and Trish Forstner.[13]
His Near Mint Condition channel has achieved YouTube's Silver Play Button award for reaching over 100,000 subscribers. Valdivieso and Near Mint Condition won the Comic Book Community Award for Best Omnibus Overview in 2024,[14] and received the Comic Book Community Hall of Fame Award in 2025.[15]
Personal life
Valdivieso lives in Kentucky with his wife Melanie, who often co-hosts on Near Mint Condition under the name "The Astonishing Melanie".
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cirone, David (March 25, 2026). "Interview: Near Mint Condition's Omar Valdivieso keeps the dialogue alive between publishers and fans". The Beat. Retrieved July 18, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "TopShelf Magazine August 2023". Issuu. August 20, 2023. p. 37. Retrieved July 18, 2026.
- ↑ Near Mint Condition (October 11, 2018). What Started Your Collection Obsession?. Retrieved July 18, 2026 – via YouTube.
- 1 2 3 4 Dollar Bin Bandits (November 16, 2023). Omar Valdivieso (Near Mint Condition). Retrieved July 18, 2026 – via YouTube.
- 1 2 Near Mint Condition (May 25, 2017). Episode 52: Origins - Get To Know Us!. Retrieved July 18, 2026 – via YouTube.
- 1 2 3 4 Harper, David (June 29, 2026). "Off Panel #558: The Luck Factor with Omar Valdivieso". SKTCHD. Retrieved July 18, 2026.
- 1 2 "About Heroes: About". www.aboutheroes.com. Archived from the original on May 26, 2006. Retrieved July 18, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Taylor Talks Comics! (December 9, 2021). Taylor Talks Comics w/ Omar of Near Mint Condition!. Retrieved July 18, 2026 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Tiffany Babb Launches the 'Comics Staple'". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved July 18, 2026.
- ↑ San Diego Comic Con (July 23, 2026). "Comic-Con 2026: Reels to Register: Is Short-Form Video t..." comiccon2026.sched.com. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
- ↑ Near Mint Condition (June 10, 2020). Sensational She-Hulk by John Byrne Omnibus Overview!. Retrieved July 18, 2026 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Extremity Deluxe HC Near Mint Condition Variant". Walt's Comic Shop. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- ↑ "Stray Dogs HC Near Mint Condition Variant". CheapGraphicNovels.com. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- ↑ "CBC Awards 2024". Comic Book Community Awards. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
- ↑ "CBC Awards 2025". Comic Book Community Awards. Retrieved July 19, 2026.