Comix Portal: DC Comics And Beyond
Written by Wayne Hall on February 18, 2010 – 12:00 pm -The snow continues to melt, and the comics continue to be released! Let’s dive into this week’s offerings:
1. Atomic Robo Volume 4, #1 of 4. Atomic Robo was the first comic from the Red 5 company that I ever picked up. It was one of those books recommended by the folks at a local comic store, and I always appreciate when someone steers me to something I can sample. I liked it, so I continue to buy the book.
Here’s the basic info on the main character from Wikipedia: Atomic Robo is a robot possessing “automatic intelligence,” created by Nikola Tesla in 1923. He is a core member of Tesladyne Industries, “a think tank dedicated to exploring the fringes of scientific inquiry”, whose Action Scientists often respond to paranormal and supernatural emergencies. Robo has a developed sense of humor, and makes numerous wise cracks at his foes’ expense. In the past, he has secretly worked with the United States government as well as NASA. Robo’s personality is based on Clevinger’s grandfather.
Since the first volume came out in October of 2007, I’ve kept up with the series. It’s been a fun ride, with Robo taking a kind of “everyman” look at the dangers he faces, very much like Hellboy. Hey, Robo even works for an organization resembling the B.P.R.D. The books have jumped around in Robo’s history, but this volume returns to 1999 when he was working at Tesladyne.
The story is titled, “Bernard’s First Day,” and here’s the synopsis: New York City, 1999. An Action Scientist position recently became available at Tesladyne, the world’s premiere investigators of and defense against the unexplained. Dr. Bernard Fischer’s interview is this morning. What could go wrong?
Of course, a lot goes wrong (or there would be no point to telling this story), including the release of vampire-like monsters who are ageless, super-strong, and feed on the blood of the living. Bernard, apparently used to being a desk jockey complete with shirt and tie, is thrust into the “action” part of being an Action Scientist, having to shoot guns as he supports Robo’s attempts to kill the intruders. Bernard redeems himself in the end, although he’s going to need an entire lab to figure out just what happened.
I’m never disappointed with Atomic Robo. It is always action-oriented, fun, has witty dialogue, and features strange foes. If you haven’t picked it up, I highly recommend it.
2. Justice League Of America #42. It is the debut of three teams in one issue. First, it is the creative team of James Robinson and Mark Bagley. Second, it is a different League populated by “old” and “new” members, including Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Batman (Dick Grayson), Donna Troy, Cyborg, Dr. Light, the Atom (Ray Palmer), Guardian, Starfire, Black Canary, Mon-El (as Superman), and Green Arrow.
The third group is a new band of super villains, including Chair, Neon Black, and Hunter. It’s an interesting story, with guest appearances by the Metal Men, Plastic Man, The Blackhawks, the Freedom Fighters, and the Challengers of the Unknown.
Dr. Light’s costume has been upgraded, including a glow that emits from every white portion of her outfit. Pretty cool.
The story and art are both good. The use of flashbacks to give us hints as to what is going on is done well. My only complaint is that the baddies are after yet another alien artifact. Isn’t that a cliché by now?
Although there are some changes, there are also things that remind me of the previous versions of the League, including Batman acting as the team strategist (hey, Robin did that in the Teen Titans for years). It’s nice to see some of the younger DC characters make it to the big time, but I always know these changes are only temporary. We will see the return of Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Batman (Bruce Wayne) eventually. I guess we should just sit back and enjoy the ride for now.
Also out this week of note are Batman #696 and Power Girl #9 from DC, Invincible #70 and The Astounding Wolf-Man #21 from Image, as well as Cars #1 and The Incredibles #5 from Boom! Studios.
There are a lot of Blackest Night offerings this week, so here goes: Blackest Night: The Flash #3 of 3, Green Lantern (Blackest Night) #51, and Green Lantern Corps (Blackest Night) #45. And if you want an offbeat tie-in, read Tiny Titans #25, which also stars Geoff Johns.
Be sure to tune in to this Sunday’s SciFiPulse Radio on blogtalkradio.com. I’ll be talking with host Ian Cullen about even more comics, including Supergirl #50, Joe The Barbarian #2 and Outsiders #27. You won’t want to miss it!
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Tags: Atomic Robo, Batman, Comix Portal, DC Comics And Beyond, James Robinson, Justice League of America, Mark Bagley, Red 5 Comics, Superman
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