Power of the Atom

2010-2011 The Justice League of America 100 Project charity art by Alan Davis

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-06:00

Click To Expand & Enlarge

Alan Davis is one of those rare artists who draws everybody beautifully and on model. He's one of those guys who can pretty much do no wrong, and yet never exploded in popularity or landed on much merchandising. So strange. Anyhow, here's far too little of the Martian Manhunter joining Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Hawkgirl and Green Lantern ringing a seat for the Atom.

JLA 100 Project

Ramon Fernandez Bachs @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
Tom Mandrake @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Mike Kunkel @ Justice League Detroit
Alan Davis @ Power of the Atom

In late 2000, a consortium of comic publishers came up with the idea to create a financial safety net for comic creators, much in the same fashion that exists in almost any other trade from plumbing to pottery. By March of 2001, the federal government approved The Hero Initiative as a publicly supported not-for-profit corporation under section 501 (c) (3).

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative (Formerly known as A.C.T.O.R., A Commitment To Our Roots) has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today.

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.

ALL 104 JUSTICE LEAGUE #50 ORIGINALS…NOW ON DISPLAY!

Please enjoy this gallery of ALL 104 original Justice League of America #50 Hero Initiative covers!

Hardcover and softcover versions of a book collecting all the covers will be available in December, 2011. AND all the originals will be auctioned off according to the following schedule:

• December 3, 2011, Meltdown Comics, Los Angeles, CA: Display of all 104 covers and auction of first one-third
• Jan. 20-22, 2012, Tate's Comics, Lauderhill, FL (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area): Display of remaining covers and auction of second one-third.
• Feb. 17-19, 2012: Orlando MegaCon, Orlando, FL: Display and auction of final one-third.

All covers will be sold via LIVE AUCTION on-site at the venues above. If you cannot attend but wish to bid, proxy bidding is available.
Contact Joe Davidson at: yensid4disney@gmail.com
Deadlines for each grouping are below, and each cover carries a minimum bid of $100.

Special thanks to Firestorm Fan for the notice!

The All New Atom Ryan Choi Index

2012-01-24T13:14:00.001-06:00

Editorial:
Ryan Choi, 2006-2010
Ryan Choi Lives!
The Top Ten All New Atom (Ryan Choi) Covers

Comics:
The All New Atom #1
The All New Atom #2
The All New Atom #3
The All New Atom #4
The All New Atom #5
The All New Atom #7 (March, 2007)
The All New Atom #8 (April, 2007)
The All New Atom #9 (May, 2007)
The All New Atom #10 (June, 2007)
The All New Atom #11 (July, 2007)
Sword of the All New Atom #13
The All New Atom #14
The All New Atom #15
The All New Atom #16
The All New Atom #17
The All New Atom #18
The All New Atom #19
The All New Atom #20
DCU: Brave New World #1 (August, 2006)
The Brave and the Bold #9
Justice League of America Wedding Special #1 (November, 2007)
Titans: Villains For Hire Special #1 (July, 2010)

Merchandise:
The Atom Shield Logo Shirt (DCCOM298)
2010 Batman: The Brave and the Bold Atom Temporary Tattoos

Art:
2006 "LJA" by Rafael Albuquerque
2011 Ryan Choi Atom art by Andrew Willis

Atomic acCount for April, 2012

2012-01-18T00:24:00.002-06:00

FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #8
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art and cover by ALBERTO PONTICELLI and WALDEN WONG
On sale APRIL 11 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Enter: The Spawn of Frankenstein! As Frankenstein and his estranged wife hunt their demonic offspring across Europe, the secrets that tore them apart are revealed. But when Frank finally comes face to face with his long lost son, the fallout may mean the end of S.H.A.D.E.!

THE INFINITE CRISIS OMNIBUS HC
Written by BILL WILLINGHAM, DAVE GIBBONS, GEOFF JOHNS, GREG RUCKA and JUDD WINICK
Art by JUSTINIANO, RON WAGNER, IVAN REIS, MARCO CAMPOS, JOE PRADO, MICHAEL BAIR, JACK JADSON, JOE BENNETT, RAGS MORALES, JESUS SAIZ, JIMMY PALMIOTTI, PHIL JIMENEZ, ANDY LANNING, CLIFF RICHARDS, DAVID LOPEZ, TOM DERENICK, KARL KERSCHL and others
Cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
On sale JUNE 27 • 1,152 pg, FC, $150.00 US

This incredible omnibus hardcover collects the many titles from the 2005 event that rocked the DC Universe, including DAY OF VENGEANCE #1-6, the DAY OF VENGEANCE INFINITE CRISIS SPECIAL #1, RANN/THANAGAR WAR #1-6, RANN/THANAGAR WAR INFINITE CRISIS SPECIAL #1, THE OMAC PROJECT #1-5, DC COUNTDOWN #1 and WONDER WOMAN #219.
OMAC robots are rampaging, magic is dying, villains are uniting, and a war is raging in space. And in the middle of it all, a critical moment has divided Earth’s three greatest heroes: Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. It’s the DCU’s darkest day, and long-lost heroes from the past have returned to make things right in the universe...at any cost

Was Ryan Choi in this at all? I know this was Breach's last appearance, so Captain Atom showed up.

DC UNIVERSE: LEGACIES TP
Written by LEN WEIN • Art by SCOTT KOLINS, ANDY KUBERT, JOE KUBERT, GEORGE PEREZ, J.H. WILLIAMS III and others
Cover by ANDY KUBERT and JOE KUBERT
On sale MAY 9 • 336 pg, FC, $24.99 US
Acclaimed writer Len Wein chronicles the DC Universe’s epic history in this title spanning five generations of heroes starring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Justice League of America, The Teen Titans and more. Collecting the ten-issue miniseries!

All of the Atoms will appear here at some point. Yay. This will also have that one panel with all the Charlton heroes, even Peter Cannon.

Captain Atom

CAPTAIN ATOM #8
Written by J.T. KRUL
Art by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II
Cover by MIKE CHOI
On sale APRIL 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Ever since a tragic accident turned him into the überpowerful Captain Atom, Nathaniel Adam has wanted nothing more than to connect and relate to the people around him again. But coming face-to-face with a future version of himself is not what he had in mind! What is the meaning for this strange encounter? What impending doom is the future Captain Atom trying to avoid? And what exactly is the timestream?!

Hawkman

THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #8
Written by TONY S. DANIEL and JAMES BONNY
Art and cover by PHILIP TAN
On sale APRIL 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Hawkman has a violent encounter with a past adversary: the beautiful alien shapeshifter Askana, who once tried to kill him! But his time she needs his help, claiming that agents from her homeworld have tracked her to Earth to terminate her. How can Hawkman trust her – or help her?

So Hawkman is basically Wolverine now? Powerful weapons he doesn't remember receiving? New characters introduced from a mysterious unrevealed past? Swiping his three claws in the general vicinity of people without connecting in such a way as to garner parental disapproval? Askana = Mystique?

Micron

BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED #3
Written by J.T. KRUL, ADAM BEECHEN, DEREK FRIDOLFS and DUSTIN NGUYEN
Art by HOWARD PORTER, NORM BREYFOGLE, DUSTIN NGUYEN and DEREK FRIDOLFS
Cover by HOWARD PORTER and LIVESAY
On sale APRIL 18 • 48 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T

In the debut of SUPERMAN BEYOND, The Man of Tomorrow returns home to an unfamiliar City of Tomorrow patrolled by super-powered police officers. With most of his loved ones gone, he wonders if Superman has a place in this new world. But time and death hold no meaning for a foe who has set a plan in motion to destroy the Man of Steel once and for all!

In BATMAN BEYOND, Russian criminals have taken Mad Stan’s dog and Stan will stop at nothing to get them, even if it means blowing up all of Gotham City in the process. As if Terry doesn’t have enough to handle, his girlfriend comes to him with shocking news about her brother.

In JUSTICE LEAGUE BEYOND, the team works to break the brainwashing Micron underwent, while getting a valuable history lesson from Amanda Waller...but will it help them discover Kobra’s plot in time to save the world?

Everybody but the Atom is on this freakin' cover.

Little Links
The Atom

Captain Atom

Hawkman

2009 Covered: Justice League of America 21 by Matt Kindt

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

Click To Enlarge

Covered is a blog devoted to "artists re-interpreting comic book covers," typically through an indie aesthetic. Here, Harvey Award winning writer/artist Matt Kindt offers a new look at an old Mike Sekowsky piece. Justice League of America reintroduced the Justice Society of America after years in publishing limbo, including Golden Age Atom Al Pratt in his less interesting/creepy mask. Ray Palmer was on the original cover, but Kindt dropped him from his perch on Batman's shoulder. It goes without saying that I disapprove of the omission (and wish Kindt had at least kept the Cyclotron fin, or reversed to Pratt's "home invader" look...)

2010-2011 The Justice League of America 100 Project charity art by José Luis García-López

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

Click To Expand & Enlarge

To say José Luis García-López turned in a great looking piece is sort of like saying sugar is sweet. It's a given. Still, I really appreciate that he allowed Atom to go swimming in all that attention grabbing negative space!

In late 2000, a consortium of comic publishers came up with the idea to create a financial safety net for comic creators, much in the same fashion that exists in almost any other trade from plumbing to pottery. By March of 2001, the federal government approved The Hero Initiative as a publicly supported not-for-profit corporation under section 501 (c) (3).

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative (Formerly known as A.C.T.O.R., A Commitment To Our Roots) has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today.

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.

ALL 104 JUSTICE LEAGUE #50 ORIGINALS…NOW ON DISPLAY!

Please enjoy this gallery of ALL 104 original Justice League of America #50 Hero Initiative covers!

Hardcover and softcover versions of a book collecting all the covers will be available in December, 2011. AND all the originals will be auctioned off according to the following schedule:

• December 3, 2011, Meltdown Comics, Los Angeles, CA: Display of all 104 covers and auction of first one-third
• Jan. 20-22, 2012, Tate's Comics, Lauderhill, FL (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area): Display of remaining covers and auction of second one-third.
• Feb. 17-19, 2012: Orlando MegaCon, Orlando, FL: Display and auction of final one-third.

All covers will be sold via LIVE AUCTION on-site at the venues above. If you cannot attend but wish to bid, proxy bidding is available.
Contact Joe Davidson at: yensid4disney@gmail.com
Deadlines for each grouping are below, and each cover carries a minimum bid of $100.

Special thanks to Firestorm Fan for the notice!

Martian Manhunter #1 (May, 1988)

2012-01-03T00:00:00.000-06:00

Ravaged by a sentient virus contracted during a recent Justice League International mission, the Martian Manhunter sought help from Batman. However, J'Onn J'Onzz was pursued by a demonic vision, and fled to avoid imperiling his friend. Batman had briefly seen the pursuer, and rounded up the JLI for an intervention. Despite the Dark Knight's conviction that the creature was real, Booster Gold noted "The Manhunter's a telepath, right? Isn't it conceivable that his mind could project his own hallucinations outward-- so convincingly that Batman believed it was real?" Captain Atom continued, "Tell me something, Bats-- how do we go about finding a guy who can change shape, turn invisible-- and telepathically black out our minds, to boot?"

"If you're going to whine, Captain Atom-- you can just stay here!" Atom objected to the characterization, but joined Mr. Miracle, Blue Beetle, Red Rocket and the rest in trying to find the Manhunter from Mars...

"Fever Dream" was by J.M. DeMatteis and Mark Badger.

Captain Atom: Armageddon #9 (August, 2006)

2011-12-27T00:00:00.002-06:00

"Listen, Atom. You're a nice guy. Tough, honest, pure of heart. But I'm afraid there's no other solution to this little problem of ours. You have to die. Sorry. No hard feelings."

With that last bit of arrogance and monumental hubris, Jack Hawksmoor turned on the meat grinder. Apollo tried to kill Captain Atom, and instead started the reaction that would end everything. Apollo tried to absorb Atom's rising energy output, and talked just a little bit more crap before being flash fried into a skeleton. Hostile idiot Midnighter reacted as one would expect to the death of his lover, and was swiftly roasted. Hawksmoor had the Doctor rouse
Mr. Majestic, who understandably wanted to kill Hawksmoor. Jenny Quantum returned from Reality 440 to chastise Hawksmoor for his poor leadership and deal with Captain Atom. The preteens's eyes and teeth flew out of her head as she died.

Nikola Hanssen finally (and conveniently) transcended her humanity to become Void, and removed the splinter of her being from Captain Atom to make herself whole again. Captain Atom returned to his familiar silver and red appearance, and was sent back to the DC Universe. However, it was now Void who was set to explode.

"This world... it's gone wrong. Too wrong to continue. And we're to blame. We tried to save it, but we destroyed it instead. We reshaped it into our own twisted image. It's not a sane place to live anymore. Not if you're a normal person, just struggling to get through the day... It's all going to start again. Like it has a million times before.

After the World Storm, the Wildstorm Universe started over again with a page drawn by Jim Lee. He'd draw about twenty-two more story pages for the first and only issue of a "relaunched" Wildcats title, and Gene Ha would manage two issues of a new Authority "series," before this bold new beginning would start unraveling. Seeing as this entire series seemed to drift from fight scene to contradictory story point before petering out halfway through and phoning in a final few issues, the reboot didn't fall far from the initiating event mini-series.

Captain Atom fell back to his Earth, which looked really trashed and post-apocalyptic. As it turned it, it was just a craphole where the closing moments of Infinite Crisis was taking place. That's a set of editorially mandated plot points strung together into a "story" for another time...

"The End" couldn't come soon enough for Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Sandra Hope, Jim Lee and Scott Williams.

DCnÜ Year's Wildstormin' Eve

Demon Knights #2 (December, 2011) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Justice League #1 (October, 2011) @ Justice League Detroit
DC/WS DreamWar #6 (November, 2008) @ DC Bloodlines

Captain Atom: Armageddon #8 (July, 2006)

2011-12-20T00:00:00.007-06:00

"As strange as my line of work may seem, it's a lot like any other job in one way... you tend to end up dating people you meet at the workplace. At least that's what I did. Bette Sans Souci. Called herself 'Plastique.' She was a villain when we met, but she reformed. Happens more often than you'd think... at least on my Earth. We fell in love. Eventually, we got married. In the end, it didn't work out. American military man, Canadian separatist terrorist? Should have seen the split coming. Still hurts, though."

Lacking ties to Earth, Captain Atom volunteered for the suicide mission that blew him into the Wildstorm universe he was now fated to destroy, even as he had found a new love. Ah well, didn't matter, as Apollo and Midnighter had arrived to kill his ass. Apollo took Captain Atom to the sun to die, but Atom once again jacked with someone's atoms and caused Apollo to have a meltdown. Midnighter broke Grifter's arm, then kicked Nikola Hanssen in the ovaries, until a door opened and the roasted Apollo landed on the queen bitch.

Mr. Majestic showed back up at The Authority's ship again to once more argue against killing Captain Atom with Jack Hawksmoor yet another time, only to be belittled and brushed off by the smug prick.

Midnighter recovered enough to nail Grifter in the back with three shuriken, so Grifter talked some more instead of shooting his gun, and got his damn fool head blown off by Apollo's heat vision. Apollo and Midnighter then rushed Captain Atom and forced him through a wormhole door.

"Lessons In Nuclear Physics" was another irrelevant title that took longer to read than the story by Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope.

New 52's Day featuring Wildstorm

Aquaman #3 (January, 2012) @ Justice League Detroit
The Huntress #2 (January, 2011) @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
Stormwatch #3 (January, 2012) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
DC/Wildstorm DreamWar #1-5 (2008) @ DC Bloodlines

2010-2011 The Justice League of America 100 Project charity art by Mark Buckingham

2011-12-16T00:00:00.004-06:00

Click To Expand & Enlarge

An outstanding piece with such few, specific, and underappreciated characters, you know Buckingham must have love for Aquaman and the Atom (and maybe their various team-up stories?)

Also, here's an extra by Gordon Purcell featuring a Flash/Superman race covered by Jimmy Olsen (with the Atom on his shoulder!) Most of the super-spectators are teeny, but they include Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Red Tornado, Plastic Man, Green Lantern, Batman, Black Canary, Aquaman, Booster Gold, Doctor Fate, Firestorm and the Manhunter from Mars.

Hero's JLA 100 Project Friday

JLA by Alex Ross @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
Martian Manhunter by Jeff Lemerie @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Zatanna by Chrissy Zullo @ Justice League Detroit

In late 2000, a consortium of comic publishers came up with the idea to create a financial safety net for comic creators, much in the same fashion that exists in almost any other trade from plumbing to pottery. By March of 2001, the federal government approved The Hero Initiative as a publicly supported not-for-profit corporation under section 501 (c) (3).

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative (Formerly known as A.C.T.O.R., A Commitment To Our Roots) has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today.

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.

ALL 104 JUSTICE LEAGUE #50 ORIGINALS…NOW ON DISPLAY!

Please enjoy this gallery of ALL 104 original Justice League of America #50 Hero Initiative covers!

Hardcover and softcover versions of a book collecting all the covers will be available in December, 2011. AND all the originals will be auctioned off according to the following schedule:

• December 3, 2011, Meltdown Comics, Los Angeles, CA: Display of all 104 covers and auction of first one-third
• Jan. 20-22, 2012, Tate's Comics, Lauderhill, FL (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area): Display of remaining covers and auction of second one-third.
• Feb. 17-19, 2012: Orlando MegaCon, Orlando, FL: Display and auction of final one-third.

All covers will be sold via LIVE AUCTION on-site at the venues above. If you cannot attend but wish to bid, proxy bidding is available.
Contact Joe Davidson at: yensid4disney@gmail.com
Deadlines for each grouping are below, and each cover carries a minimum bid of $100.

Special thanks to Firestorm Fan for the notice!

Atomic acCount for March, 2012

2011-12-12T20:27:00.000-06:00

Little Links
The Atom & Hawkman

Hawkman & Hawkgirl

BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED #1
Written by ADAM BEECHEN, DEREK FRIDOLFS and DUSTIN NGUYEN
Art by NORM BREYFOGLE, DUSTIN NGUYEN and DEREK FRIDOLFS
Cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN
On sale FEBRUARY 29 • 48 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
A new era begins with the debut of the oversized, monthly BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED, featuring the print debut of the new Justice League Beyond!
In the Batman Beyond chapter, legendary Batman artist Norm Breyfogle returns to draw the Dark Knight of the future with best-selling writer Adam Beechen. In “10,000 Clowns,” an onslaught of new Jokerz is plaguing Gotham City – and the implications of this chaotic clown menace could have disastrous consequences for Terry McGinnis and Bruce Wayne!
And the debut of the Justice League Beyond is here, courtesy of the BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM art team of Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs, as the first two digital-first chapters are available in print for the first time! Batman Beyond is a new recruit in the mighty Justice League, but the team will be immediately tested by a very Neo Gotham-related enemy! How will the team work together to combat this threat?

Sorry! I totally missed the debut of Micron's ongoing series last month.

BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED #2
Written by ADAM BEECHEN, DEREK FRIDOLFS and DUSTIN NGUYEN
Art by NORM BREYFOGLE, DUSTIN NGUYEN and DEREK FRIDOLFS
Cover by DUSTIN NGUYEN
On sale MARCH 21 • 48 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
The excitement continues in this oversized title chronicling the adventures in the Beyond Universe and making their print debut here!
One of Batman’s most explosive villains is back! In an effort to regain his status in the criminal underworld, however, he loses the one thing he loves best...and now all of Gotham may pay the price!
The new Justice League Beyond adventure continues, as the League goes in search of AWOL member Micron – who may or may not have gone native while investigating Kobra! A larger, darker secret is about to be revealed...and it could spell doom for Earth!

Hey cool-- Micron's fighting Batman or something.

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: ALL-STAR SQUADRON VOL. 1 TP
Written by ROY THOMAS and GERRY CONWAY
Art by RICH BUCKLER, DICK GIORDANO, JERRY ORDWAY, ADRIAN GONZALES and DON HECK
Cover by JOE KUBERT
On sale APRIL 18 • 528 pg, B&W, $19.99 US
In these stories from JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #193 and ALL-STAR SQUADRON #1-18, the All-Star Squadron has been founded on Earth II by the lost heroes from the JSA to stop Per Degaton from delivering mystic weapons to the Axis powers!

Golden Age Atom Al Pratt in action!

TINY TITANS #50
Written by ART BALTAZAR and FRANCO
Art and cover by ART BALTAZAR
On sale MARCH 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED E • FINAL ISSUE

In this awesome 50th issue, questions are answered! Mysteries are solved! The Tiny Titans may be one step closer to becoming Super Heroes! This issue may change your life! Plus, it’s highly recommended by Franco’s mom!

Goodbye, Atom family, who I never really acknowledged because I never bought a second issue.

SECRET SOCIETY OF SUPER-VILLAINS VOL. 2 HC
Written by GERRY CONWAY and BOB ROZAKIS
Art by MIKE VOSBURG, RICH BUCKLER, DICK DILLIN, ALEX SAVIUK, JOE ORLANDO and others
Cover by RICH BUCKLER
On sale MAY 16 • 208 pg, FC, $24.99 US
Don’t miss this second helping of tales of villainy from SECRET SOCIETY OF SUPER-VILLAINS #11-15, DC SPECIAL #27, DC SPECIAL SERIES #6, SUPER-TEAM FAMILY #13-14, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #166-167 and a story from CANCELLED COMICS CAVALCADE #2.

I bought the first volume based on solicitation copy recycled from an aborted Showcase Presents volume that stated all these issues were to have been included there. Obviously they were not, including the previously unpublished final story. I've got to decide whether I want to punish DC fir screwing me, while punishing myself by not getting a rare story finally completed (?) in full color...

DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #25-26
Written by MARV WOLFMAN
Art by MIKE S. MILLER, HOWARD PORTER and LIVESAY
Cover #25 by MIKE S. MILLER
Cover #26 by HOWARD PORTER and LIVESAY
#25 on sale MARCH 7
#26 on sale MARCH 21 • FINAL ISSUE
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Lex Luthor and the remaining super powered heroes on Earth have sprung their trap on Brainiac...and the real war begins! The events in this issue will be talked about for years to come!
The battle that DCUO Legends has been building to for over a year is finally here: Brainiac versus The Man of Steel! But will even Superman be powerful enough to stop this universal evil? And what stunning role will Lex Luthor play in the events? Find out in the stunning series conclusion!

Good Christ it's about time! And I'm not even Christian!

FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #7
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI
Cover by J.G. JONES
On sale MARCH 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
The siege on S.H.A.D.E. City comes to a bloody conclusion, and it may mean the end of the Creature Commandos! With the Hub under Humanid control and Nina’s evil monsters staging a coup, S.H.A.D.E. headquarters is in total disarray. But nothing can prepare Frankenstein for the terrible secret that lies beneath it all!

Captain Atom

CAPTAIN ATOM #7
Written by J.T. KRUL
Art by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II
Cover by MIKE CHOI
On sale MARCH 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
This issue’s got all the answers! Why did Nathaniel Adam sign up for Megala’s experiment? How did he become Captain Atom? Do his powers have any limits? And what’s the deal with those numbers? It’s time to explore the past, present, and future of Captain Atom as he tries to stop a catastrophic event even though he’s already too late!

Does it involve Ozymandias?

The Top 10 Atom Covers of the 1980s

2011-12-07T00:00:00.005-06:00

The eighties were not a kind ten years to Ray Palmer. He started out the decade as a bland back-up strip in a Superman comic, and ended it with the swift cancellation of a second ongoing series that was so negligible, it didn't feel like it was even a product of its time. In between, his wife cheated on him, he got divorced, he became trapped at six inches, spent years battling creatures in the Amazon, and saw his rebound girlfriend burned alive. On the plus side, Gil Kane returned to the character for a fun genre-bending sword and sorcery mini-series, even if the premise overstayed its welcome through three follow-up specials. As a result, the Atom passed on inclusion in multiple line-ups of the Justice League, his lifeline to fandom throughout the seventies, and sank from the b-list to less notoriety than G'nort. In fact, I don't think the Atom has ever recovered from the mistakes made in this decade, and perhaps never will.

10) Sword of the Atom #4 (December, 1983)

The one fault in Gil Kane's covers is that they are of such consistently high quality, it is difficult to choose between them. That, and they are also of consistent subject matter, and there are only so many variations to be played out. For instance, this is the second SOTA cover featuring Atom riding a frog, the fourth with his swinging a sword at an enemy taking up the majority of the cover, and the second in a row on which he defends Princess Laethwen.The main difference here is a mob of humanoid menaces, but its still better than 17/18ths of Power of the Atom.

9) Power of the Atom #18 (November, 1989)

The most dynamic cover from this series landed on the final issue, and is dependent on stock draws like a prominent central figure, fire, and the threat of violence. There is nothing on this cover to establish scale, so this could be any hero with a sword and be just as effective, if not more so. Can I also take this opportunity to point out how stupid and ugly the alterations to the Atom costume were in this series? I can live without the skullcap, but why switch to trunks after a quarter century of vastly superior and obviously more contemporary pants?

8) Sword of the Atom #3 (November, 1983)

This cover illustrates one of the central problems of the series. If you have a large enough threat, the Atom is either obscured or forced into a dubious perspective. If the threat isn't large enough, it fails to impress. Thanks to the jungle setting, backgrounds tend to be repetitive, and even the large creature menaces fail to be more than a momentary distraction for a Tarzan type. In the event of more intelligent threats, like the tiny alien savages the Atom fought for much of the series, there's little to differentiate the book from any other barbarian story of the time.

7) Secret Origins #29 (August, 1988)

The debut cover to the Power of the Atom series was terrible, and a harbinger of thinks to come. DC wisely opted to use the proud central Atom figure seen here for their advertisement of the book, which ended up being a more memorable campaign than the actual series. Unfortunately, the Atom figure doesn't work as well in this context, seemingly floating in space rather than standing between the shoulders of Martian Manhunter and Batman. Why would they be so close together, anyway? Maybe if the Atom were jumping across multiple shoulders in a hopscotch, it would work better. As it stands, the main figure has no weight and the composition is perplexing.

6) Sword of the Atom #2 (October, 1983)

Rats! On pure technique, I feel that this was the best of Kane's SOTA covers. However, the threat isn't much of one, and the weakness is compounded by the Atom's cowering posture.

5) Sword of the Atom #1 (September, 1983)

The classic SOTA frog-riding image, but it loses points because of the weird looking snake, dull background and unadventurous perspective.

4) Justice League of America #215 (June, 1983)

George Perez is always pleasing to the eye, but the Gulliver angle doesn't work quite as well as it should. This is possibly due to the other heroes lacking prominence because they're too spaced out and overwhelmed by the primary colors of Ray's costume. The eye processes a waist up shot of an angry Atom tearing at cables, rather than a group of normal sized heroes pinning down a giant one.

3) DC Comics Presents #51 (November, 1982)

I've never been an Alex Saviuk fan, and you'll note the absence from this list of his Atom-as-afterthought inclusions at the bottom sixth of early eighties Action Comics covers during the Mighty Mite's run as a back-up. Still, there's something compelling about the World's Smallest Super-Hero swearing vengeance on the gravestone of Superman, the greatest of them all. It's a Samson and Goliath situation where perhaps one of the most unappreciated super-heroes is the best man to succeed at finding justice where others fail.

2) Sword of the Atom Special #1 (1984)

The Tiny Titan looking fierce with his hot jungle princess over his shoulder and a credible threat in the downed thug, who also serves as a proportional grounding. This very nearly sums up the best of the Sword series.

1) Justice League of America #216 (July, 1983)

It was really rough not having a Gil Kane or George Perez cover at the top spot, but Ed Hannigan outdid himself on this one. Great perspective that flips the usual Atom paradigm, along with well drawn figures in dynamic poses. Both a great Atom and JLofA piece, a rare intersection.

Their Top Covers of the 1980s

Doom Patrol @ DC Bloodlines
Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
Aquaman @ Justice League Detroit
Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
DC75: Top Character Covers of the Dodranscentennial

2010-2011 The Justice League of America 100 Project charity art by Andy Smith

2011-12-02T00:00:00.003-06:00

Click To Expand & Enlarge

Thanks to his scale, there's really no reason why the Atom couldn't appear on pretty much any of these charity JLA covers. He could literally just be a millimeter square stick figure in the upper left hand corner of any drawing and be kosher. While this deference to the Mighty Mite was still uncommon, there were plenty of inclusions, ironic for especially being the case in the more crowded scenes. Even more curious, the Tiny Titan is often fairly prominent, as in this piece where he pretty much has a starring role. The largest and most prominent figure is Wonder Woman, who is staring intently at Ray Palmer's ass, directly below the logo. A scale Atom rarely gets better visibility than that, and that scale meant that he was the only other featured hero shown in his entirety. I'll take a small but dynamic Atom over half a Flash, three-quarters of an Aquaman, or a Martian Manhunter bust! Even the World's Finest due are partial amputees...

Hero's JLA 100 Project Friday

Vixen & Black Canary by John McCrea @ Justice League Detroit
Donna Troy by Gene Ha @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
Despero by Dean Haspiel @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu

In late 2000, a consortium of comic publishers came up with the idea to create a financial safety net for comic creators, much in the same fashion that exists in almost any other trade from plumbing to pottery. By March of 2001, the federal government approved The Hero Initiative as a publicly supported not-for-profit corporation under section 501 (c) (3).

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative (Formerly known as A.C.T.O.R., A Commitment To Our Roots) has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today.

The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.

ALL 104 JUSTICE LEAGUE #50 ORIGINALS…NOW ON DISPLAY!

Please enjoy this gallery of ALL 104 original Justice League of America #50 Hero Initiative covers!

Hardcover and softcover versions of a book collecting all the covers will be available in December, 2011. AND all the originals will be auctioned off according to the following schedule:

• December 3, 2011, Meltdown Comics, Los Angeles, CA: Display of all 104 covers and auction of first one-third
• Jan. 20-22, 2012, Tate's Comics, Lauderhill, FL (Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area): Display of remaining covers and auction of second one-third.
• Feb. 17-19, 2012: Orlando MegaCon, Orlando, FL: Display and auction of final one-third.

All covers will be sold via LIVE AUCTION on-site at the venues above. If you cannot attend but wish to bid, proxy bidding is available.
Contact Joe Davidson at: yensid4disney@gmail.com
Deadlines for each grouping are below, and each cover carries a minimum bid of $100.

Special thanks to Firestorm Fan for the notice!

Captain Atom: Armageddon #4-7 (2006)

2011-11-29T01:00:00.002-06:00

Captain Atom: Armageddon #4 (March, 2006)

The WildCats were totally pissed off at Captain Atom for no apparent reason, and played Six Degrees of William Shatner "to decide who gets to kick your ass." Maul "won," even though Atom had been repeatedly filmed fighting the Wildstorm Universe's Superman, and easily handled the chump (by manipulating his atoms back to human form, another magical first time power use.)

Grifter and Nikola Hanssen were still hanging out at a burger joint, discussing her new Void powers.

The remaining WildCats talked about triple-teaming Captain Atom, but ended up falling by numbers. Since I stopped reading Wildcats comics in 1998, I was unaware Voodoo had all of Jean Grey's old powers. Get this-- Captain Atom overloaded her telepathy by "giving" her all of his memories at once and overloading her brain. How does that even work? That makes about as much sense as a magnet to a juggalo. Next, we all try to pretend Warblade is more keen than Wolverine with blades can could literally slice atoms. We know this because Warblade stood there and explained how boss he was while Captain Atom was down, before getting hit by a geyser of energy for being slow.

~~Katana~~ Zealot deflected more of that energy with her ~~katana~~ oh right katana, which could "shave the rough edges off an electron." See, the writer remembered electrons from grade school science, and thought referencing them in a nonsensical context would make him sound mind-bending like Grant Morrison, instead of mind-thwarting like Sarah Palin quotes. The only way I could mock this more is if Captain Atom hadn't actually fought a samurai with an X-Ionizer katana that cut his shell open back in 1987. However, that guy took two issues to deal with, not three credibility-straining pages of Zealot running around in a bathing suit.

Grifter and Nikola Hanssen were held back by security forces at the monument trying to keep people away from the "meta-human trouble." I've been dancing around the DC Comics term "metahuman" for four synopsizes now because I thought Wildstorm called them "suprahuman" or "post-human" or some such. Anyway, Grifter taught Nikola how to teleport them both to the monument, where he drew down on Captain Atom. Supposedly, Grifter had a secret weapon beyond a friggin' gun, but he couldn't seem to fire it before Captain Atom finished debating stepping through wormhole to the moon generated by The Engineer. Would this comic book please just shut up?

"Fight Scene" was drummed up by Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope.

Captain Atom: Armageddon #5 (April, 2006)

While still being bitchy enough to come from this interpretation of the Wildstorm universe, The Engineer was still a hell of a lot more pleasant to Captain Atom than most as she escorted him onto The Authority's ship. The DC hero was introduced to Swift, the Doctor, and Jenny Quantum, "as in quantum theory. You know... the idea that replaced atomic theory." Yeah, we know what you're getting at, you precocious little brat, but Captain Atom's power set was replaced by quantum origins before Warren Ellis left college.

Captain Atom and the Engineer were joined by Jack Hawksmoor in a tour of hundreds of alternate dimensions, none the DCU. In one of the many instances of alternate realities where the Nazis won, the Authority members were happy to mow down goose steppers while Captain Atom hung back. Atom wouldn't even kill an aged Hitler in cold blood, making him one of the wussiest super-heroes of his type, so Hawksmoor did the Fuhrer in.

The WildCats were studying Nikola Hanssen when Mr. Majestic showed up to explain that they couldn't kill Captain Atom after all, because it would be like clipping the wrong wire on a ticking time bomb. There was only one "infinitesimal discrepancy" offering "a slight glimmer" of hope, because there always is, and it lay with Hanssen's new Void powers.

The Authority dropped Captain Atom off at a remote snowy mountaintop on Wildstorm Earth until they could figure out how to dispose of him if they couldn't get him home. However, the Engineer soon paid his a visit...

"No Exit" relented on the stupidity usually served by Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope.

Captain Atom: Armageddon #6 (May, 2006)

Mr. Majestic showed up at The Authority's ship, and was assured Jack Hawksmoor already had a plan in motion.

Captain Atom finally let loose of some power when The Engineer talked him into killing time dismantling a "bargain-basement Stalin" and his regime. "Back home, it was all about maintaining the status quo. Keeping the ship on course. But what if the status quo needs changing? What if the ship needs to be sunk? I'm not saying I agree with her methods... but they do get results."

Afterward, the Engineer was allowed to send her nanites into Captain Atom and fish out the problem. The Doctor checked to make sure everything was still intact a year in advance, and gave Captain Atom the all clear. Atom started making the sexy time with the Engineer, claiming that he had never had such an intimate relationship with a woman, even if he didn't like her resentful attitude toward saving humans.

Jeremy Stone had continued his studies, and explained to Grifter what a disaster it would be in Captain Atom ever came into close contact with Nikola Hanssen.

Separately visiting the site of the destroyed apartment where the story sort of began, Captain Atom touched Nikola Hanssen, who turned into Void while he collapsed.

"Sometimes, When We Touch..." allowed Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Sandra Hope & Trevor Scott to take up maybe five minutes of my time.

Captain Atom: Armageddon #7 (June, 2006)

Nikola Hanssen couldn't handle becoming Void, and started unleashing large amounts of energy. Captain Atom embraced her, calming Void down.

On that snowy mountaintop when they first started dating, The Engineer pouted, while Jack Hawksmoor claimed that a) Captain Atom going kablooey was back on and b) "He's cheating on you." Can I take a moment to point out how contemptibly Hawksmoor and all the Wildstorm characters have been handled. They're nothing but smug, cynical, kill-happy a-holes, per this comic. Also, dumb as rocks, since the Engineer responds to Atom helping Void to chill out by trying to kill him... again. This was even after Captain Atom willed himself a week into the future (not how that usually works) to immediately find Nikola Hanssen (really?) and borrow her newspaper (oldest cliché in the time travel book, and never a deal maker.)

Grifter shot the Engineer with a super-rifle, and rather than killing her ("Wildstorm" must be an anagram for some form of murder,) the Captain rearranged her atoms until she was powerless. The WSU couldn't abide such a peaceful solution though, so Apollo and Midnighter were dispatched to dispatch him.

You know, this is why Wildstorm closed down at the end of last year. First it was an artists' company like the rest of Image, and then they hired British writers and became a contender. Next, the art started to slip, and they couldn't keep the writers, both of which probably had something to do with being purchased and micromanaged by DC. This was the point where there was enough of a vote of no confidence that a reboot of the entire universe was imminent, and the up n' coming writer than never came up was assigned, and the art was... yeah. Americans trying to write like the British can't get the balance right, so all the characters come across as awful people with lousy attitudes you actively root against, like the kids in slasher movies. Just terrible, hateful slogs to read.

"Who Says The World Needs Saving?" expertly combined the stupidity and viciousness of previous issues with the more recent welcome brevity by Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope.

Wildstorm & the New 52

Grifter #1 (November, 2011) @ DC Bloodlines
Demon Knights #1 (November, 2011) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Rejected DCnÜ Aquaman design by Jim Lee @ Justice League Detroit
DCnÜ Wonder Woman design by Jim Lee @ Diana Prince

2006 "The JLA" painting by Rhiannon Owens

2011-11-26T00:00:00.000-06:00

Click To Enlarge

Acrylic painter Rhiannon Owens' takes on the Justice League of America is this 18" X 24" group shot. Featured are Aquaman, the Atom, Batman, Black Canary, Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Hawkman, Martian Manhunter, Plastic Man, Superman, Wonder Woman. For more, check out her deviantART Page or listing at Comicartfans.

Captain Atom: Armageddon #1-3 (2005-2006)

2011-11-22T03:09:00.001-06:00

The sad thing about my covering this mini-series is that I seriously had the entire thing written up the first week in January. I have always had a healthy amount of material "in the can" for this blog. Bronze Age Atom strips. Silver Age Captain Atom strips. George Perez postcards. Miscellanea. The problem has always been that low readership here fails to motivate me past 1-2 posts a week, and these completed posts are always tied to other blogs for themed days. The Golden Age Captain Marvel stories I haven't edited pictures for. The Silver Age Wonder Woman comics I don't have color art for. The DC/Wildstorm: Dreamwar mini-series with all the tedious references to plug in but no great shakes of a story.

Captain Atom: Armageddon was poorly written, and I didn't care for the art, but I figure it at least deserves the single scan per issue I give most every other book. As a mea culpa in a universe where DC and Wildstorm are now permanently merged in a new continuity(an eventually unseen when I started this thing,) here is a re-presentation of the mini-series to date over two weeks time with new scans, to be followed by the final two issue synopses...

Captain Atom: Armageddon #1 (December, 2005)

"Not long ago..." Mr. Majestic stabbed Spartan with a sword, and pink energy exploded. They were calling each other by their first names like good little X-Men clones, and Spartan was asking to be stabbed, and something something Void something something annihilation and scene. This was all very gay, both in tongue-in-cheek misread subtext, and as juvenile derogatory for a bunch of obtuse crap that's meaningless to anyone but the most devout Wildstorm geek.

"Not long ago..." Captain Atom volunteered to fly a giant composite Superman/Batman robot away from Earth into a soon-to-collide kryptonite asteroid that would otherwise exploded our planet into itty bitty bits. This wasn't as gay, even though Captain Atom pictured himself in tighty whities while thinking about "another cockpit" before getting swallowed by the head of a metal penis. The artist was lazy enough to cut and paste that happening twice. Also lazy was the wimpy two page look at Captain Atom's Post-Crisis incarnation before blowing himself up to escape a lousy Jeph Loeb plot thread.

"Hell. Better pay attention. I've got a job to do. Goodbye. And God bless America."

A bald Captain Atom appeared for a moment in front of Superman and Batman, sometime after his funeral, probably to pay off a teased return that wasn't properly thought through. He then was transported to the Wildstorm comic book universe, where he flew uncontrollably into a building like a missile.

An EMT tried to help an old man who giddily anticipated his death by super-hero collision. The EMT got a splinter of pink Void energy in her paw. Captain Atom got a "new" costume that was on loan from his brief appearance in Kingdom Come. The EMT ran away in fear of the super-human, because a) you would too if some dude knocked over your building, and b) everyone on Wildstorm Earth was afraid of super-humans, because that kind of bloodletting happened all the damned time there. Mr. Majestic then showed up to start punching Captain Atom.

Grifter was in a bar, drinking to the memory of his dead robot friend who got stabbed to death at the beginning of this synopsis. He got excited when he saw the stabber fighting on the TV.

Captain Atom took some blows, then decided to show how tough he was by pounding Mr. Majestic into the ground. Atom thought he was being heroic, but all the bystanders were still afraid of him, even after he explained that he was a super-hero. You see, Wildstorm is a dark, hardcore universe where puny humans are always caught between gory battles and political upheavals, while DC is a bright, happy universe where super-heroes' wives get sodomized and their kids murdered and whole cities razed but everyone still loves super-heroes anyway.

"A Scream Across The Sky" was by Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope.

Captain Atom: Armageddon #2 (January, 2006)

Grifter met with his WildCats teammate Jeremy Stone to use his computer to detect not one Void energy signature, but too. Woooooo.

Captain Atom determined that that he wasn't in Kansas anymore, in part because this Earth lacked the cities of Metropolis, Gotham, Opal, Keystone and Sub Diego. Yes, Sub Diego, because the writer of this mini-series created Sub Diego during his brief Aquaman run, and not entire nations like Bialya, Qurac, and so forth. Nathaniel Adam then assumed his human form to learn once again that nobody on this Earth ever heard of super-heroes from his Earth, and that everyone's afraid of super-people here, and that he's too dense to have gotten that point last issue, and that it'll be made again in future issues because of that. Captain Atom then directly tapped into every computer on Earth through a pay phone, which I don't recall as being one of his powers, but it's done all matter of fact-like.

Grifter brought the WildCats back together to investigate the Voids and to be snarky to one another for reasons DC readers wouldn't understand, because nobody got a proper introduction.

Captain Atom and Mr. Majestic fought a little bit more, then Majestic gave a brief half-assed explanation of the Kherubim-Daemonite war that formed the basis for much of Wildstorm's continuity. Then Majestic ran some tests and determined that Captain Atom was going to blow up and destroy the entire Wildstorm Universe, so I guess its origins didn't really matter all that much. Further, Atom couldn't be gotten rid of by any known means.

Grifter approached that EMT from last issue, Nikola Hanssen, and started talking to her about Void type stuff.

Captain Atom, predicted destroyer of all Wildstorm reality, decided he should turn to someone with real power... the President of the United States. In the Wildstorm Universe. Because if he can't beat Superman, maybe he can out-dumb Hal Jordan...

"Brave New World" was inflicted by Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope.

Captain Atom: Armageddon #3 (February, 2006)

Captain Atom just showed up floating in front of the White House in the super-hero fearing Wildstorm Universe, so of course the Join Chiefs of Staff decided to nuke the area, as "It's the only chance to save America." Captain Atom absorbed the blast, then teleported into the Oval Office to talk with the president. Guards fired conventional weapons at his deflective skin, because they're stupid. Atom started explaining his situation, ending with "I'm a military man, sir. That means I respect authority." Yeah, that's readily evident in his actions, right? "Authority, eh? Funny you should put it that way." The President explained that he was only human, and in a post-human world, "we answer to a higher authority."

Grifter kept trying to explain to Nikola Hanssen that she had all these Void powers from her splinter, but she was kind of in denial.

Mr. Majestic showed up to talk at Captain Atom some more, but the latter was all pissed off by how jacked-up Wildstorm comics were. Captain Atom actually spit in Majestic's face like a little bitch, and gotten thrown through the Washington Monument. Nanobots would tidy up that mess later.

The artist referenced Edward Hopper's Nighthawks, because that was clever thirty years ago in a Howard Chaykin comic or something. Grifter called the WildCats to meet at the monument.

Mr. Majestic explained that Captain Atom wouldn't go explodey if he got deadened first, but Atom sought a second opinion, and Majestic was cool with that. Captain Atom then directly accessed the Pentagon's computers through his powers, and ran all sorts of equations that all ended him him going all explodey. All mopey, Captain Atom returned to the restored Washington Monument, so the WildCats could get snarky with him.

"Power Struggle" was perpetrated by Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope.

New 52's Day

Aquaman #2 (December, 2011) @ Justice League Detroit
Legion: Secret Origin #1 (December, 2011) @ DC Bloodlines
Stormwatch #2 (December, 2011) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Voodoo #1 (November, 2011) @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman

2006 Wolverine, the Atom & Batgirl by Jim Lee & Amanda Conner

2011-11-20T04:20:00.001-06:00

Click To Enlarge

Keep it classy, Jim. With a "cl..." Note the heretofore unseen chest symbol.

Image Founders

2008 Aquaman color head sketch by Jim Lee and Alex Sinclair @ Justice League Detroit
1984 Green Lantern John Stewart, The Predator and Eclipso art by Rob Liefeld @ DC Bloodlines
2006 Wolverine, the Atom & Batgirl by Jim Lee & Amanda Conner @ Power of the Atom
1990 Martian Manhunter art by Whilce Portacio @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu

Atomic acCount for February, 2012

2011-11-15T01:58:00.001-06:00

Little Links
The Atom

Captain Atom

Arabic Superman #703 (1992)

Hawkman

DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #23-24
Written by MARV WOLFMAN
Art by MIKE S. MILLER, HOWARD PORTER and LIVESAY
Cover #23 by MIKE S. MILLER
Cover #24 by HOWARD PORTER and LIVESAY

In the aftermath of a failed and deadly assault on Brainiac’s mothership and a costly betrayal that will set the stage for a massive invasion of Earth...are there any heroes left to save humanity? #23 on sale FEBRUARY 15

And in issue #24, Luthor has hatched a plan that, with the help of the Justice League, might just save the world...but since he’s the most wanted man on Earth, how can he execute it?#24 on sale FEBRUARY 29

32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Everybody but the Atom is on this freakin' cover.

FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #6
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI
Cover by J.G. JONES
On sale FEBRUARY 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Frankenstein and The Commandos head back to Vietnam to take out a rogue super human whom Frankenstein fought beside back in 1969! Meanwhile, The Humanids stage a revolt in The Ant Farm, and Nina and Lady Frankenstein are all that stands between them and total chaos. But they soon discover other deep, dark secrets hidden in S.H.A.D.E.City.

DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS VOL. 2 TP
Written by TONY BEDARD and MARV WOLFMAN
Art by HOWARD PORTER, MIKE S. MILLER, LIVESAY and SERGIO SANDOVAL
Cover by ED BENES
On sale MARCH 14 • 192 pg, FC, $19.99 US

This volume collects issues #8-15 of the twice monthly series as the heroes and villains of the DC Universe must form an uneasy alliance to combat the threat of Brainiac! As the battle rages on, tension rises not only between Lex Luthor and the heroes, but also between members of the Justice League!

Try to stifle that yawn.

JUSTICE LEAGUE: RISE AND FALL TP
Written by J.T. KRUL • Art by DIOGENES NEVES, FABRIZIO FIORENTINO, MIKE MAYHEW and others • Cover by MIKE MAYHEW
On sale MARCH 21 • 224 pg, FC, $17.99 US

The Justice League of America must bring in Green Arrow for murdering the villain Prometheus in this title collecting JUSTICE LEAGUE: RISE AND FALL SPECIAL, GREEN ARROW #31-32 and THE RISE OF ARSENAL #1-4!

Hello, cameos.

Captain Atom

CAPTAIN ATOM #6
Written by J.T. KRUL
Art by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II
Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
On sale FEBRUARY 15 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
A great danger has been lurking in the shadows while Captain Atom continues his crusade to help those in need. Now, the time has come for him to face a threat unlike any other – yet strangely similar to himself. Discover the secret connection between Captain Atom and this unholy beast. And brace yourself for an ending you’ll never see coming!

2011 THE ATOM: Original Art by Shelton Bryant

2011-11-12T00:51:00.003-06:00

Click To Enlarge

Up on eBay for $17.95. I'd buy it if I could right now. Anybody who paints Ray Palmer this often with the expectation of making less that twenty bucks a pop is a stand-up guy in my book.

THE ATOM on an 8 by 11 acid-free, 100% rag Lanaquarelle watercolor sheet (140 lbs mould-made.)

Splendid abstract/realism, original wash and pencils signed by Shelton Bryant ( creator of "Melinda " and artist of "The Upper Hand" and "Ill-Conceived") .

2011 The Atom negative charge Watercolor by Shelton Bryant

2011-11-06T01:10:00.002-05:00

Click To Enlarge

"ATOM on an 8 by 11 acid-free watercolor sheet (140lbs )."

Shelton Bryant

2011 Aquaman @ Justice League Detroit
2009 "The Wonder Woman" @ Diana Prince
2010 The Vixen @ Justice League Detroit

Flashpoint #1 (July, 2011)

2011-10-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

"There's only one thing I know about life I know some things happen by chance. And some things happen because we make them happen. Barry Allen was once haunted by the past. But when he became the Flash, he left the ghosts behind. He found love. A family. And for the first time ever... Friends. Barry thought yesterday was finally behind him... but somebody wouldn't let him escape it. When Barry came to me for help, I turned him away. I'm not the hero of this story. I'm a man who's been corrupted by his own unbearable pain. I'm a man who has too much blood on his hands to be called good. I'm a man who had nothing left to live for-- until the day I met the Flash."

-Thomas Wayne, A.K.A. the Batman

After a two page spread with most of the major DC heroes in their current forms, Barry Allen awoke to a heavily altered and more thoroughly corrupted world. Sure his mom, who we only learned a few years ago had been murdered in his youth, was now alive and well. That didn't make up for the hundred million dead "when Atlantis sank Western Europe into the ocean. Before that, thirty-two million were slaughtered when the Amazons claimed the United Kingdom as New Themyscira." Aquaman and Wonder Woman were at war and out to rule the world. Looking at another two page spread of the "heroes" assembled to stop them, it didn't look like a world much worth saving. Few of the heroes from the earlier spread were represented, and those present were pretty heinously reworked.

Once Batman said "no" to pitching in, the alliance fell apart, which goes to show what a bunch of weasels this lot were. Meanwhile, Barry Allen was heroic enough not to pitch the world into Hell for the sake of visiting with his mom, and instead drove his car to trespass in Wayne Manor. The Batman slapped him around some, before Barry deduced that this was actual Thomas Wayne, who had survived that night in Crime Alley.

"Flashpoint Chapter One" was by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert with Sandra Hope. It looks like a Hollywood production with plenty of money but no soul behind it, so I was more bored reading it than anything. Sure it's offensive, but the impoliteness is felt in the abstract, with many miles of detachment on my part. It's funny though, because I think this is the beginning of the end for Didio Comics, for I foresee a DC Implosion coming that will really shake up the comic book industry. Poor Barry Allen seems like he'll go from a sainted super-hero to the bad penny turning up to bookend the Post-Crisis DC Universe. Your mileage may vary, but for me, I think I'm going to use this as something of a stopping point for my reading. I'll keep up with this or that, but my allegiance to the line is pretty much dead, and had been on life support for most of the decade anyway.

1985 Captain Atom, Blue Beetle and The Question art by Rob Liefeld

2011-10-26T00:00:00.001-05:00

Click To Enlarge

Image Style

1990 Martian Manhunter art by Jim Lee @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
2007 The Question convention sketch by Whilce Portacio @ DC Bloodlines
2005 Wonder Woman San Diego Comic-Con sketch by Whilce Portacio @ Diana Prince
1986 Vixen fan art by Rob Liefeld @ Justice League Detroit
2010 Zatanna Commission by Rob Liefeld @ Justice League Detroit

Thunderbolts' Customs Captain Atom & Nightshade Action Figures

2011-10-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click For More!

Dig these Mego-style customs of Captain Atom in his early gold & red costume, along with Eve Eden in her first Darling of Darkness outfit!

Atomic acCount for January, 2012

2011-10-18T00:25:00.002-05:00

DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #21-22
Written by MARV WOLFMAN
Art by BRUNO REDONDO, HOWARD PORTER and LIVESAY
Cover #21 by MIKE S. MILLER
Cover #22 by HOWARD PORTER and LIVESAY
In a misguided attempt to save the Earth, Batman launches a chemical attack on an alien race. Will Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps arrive in time to stop the genocide? And in issue #22, the final battle begins! Under the leadership of Batman and Lex Luthor, the heroes launch an all-out assault on Brainiac – but the elusive Super Villain still has one more trick up his sleeve!
#21 on sale JANUARY 11
#22 on sale JANUARY 25
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
RATED T

Is the Atom still in this? Does it matter?

FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #5
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI
Cover by J.G. JONES
On sale JANUARY 11
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
RATED T
When Checkmate fails to bring the rogue metahuman O.M.A.C. under control, they call in S.H.A.D.E.’s best agent, Frankenstein! It’s all-out monster mayhem as O.M.A.C. and Frank battle in the streets of Metropolis. But what is Brother Eye’s real goal? It’s up to Father Time and Ray Palmer to find out! Continued from this month’s O.M.A.C. #5!

O.M.A.C. #5
Written by DAN DIDIO and KEITH GIFFEN
Art and cover by KEITH GIFFEN and SCOTT KOBLISH
On sale JANUARY 4
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
RATED T
Max Lord and Sarge Steel decide that in order to capture O.M.A.C., sacrifices will have to be made. They go back to the location of O.M.A.C.’s first appearance and target the workers on Kevin Kho’s floor, including Kevin and all his friends. Meanwhile, since O.M.A.C. is still on the loose, S.H.A.D.E. decides to send in their top agent, Frankenstein, to succeed where Checkmate has failed. This epic storyline continues in this month’s FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #5!

TITANS: BROKEN PROMISES TP
Written by ERIC WALLACE
Art by FABRIZIO FIORENTINO and CLIFF RICHARDS
Cover by FABRIZIO FIORENTINO
On sale FEBRUARY 29
176 pg, FC, $14.99 US
Deathstroke and The Titans must escape the island paradise known as Drago in a game of life and death in this title collecting issues #33-39 and TITANS ANNUAL 2011. Plus, Osiris and Isis must come to terms with one another as they attempt to reclaim their thrones in Kahndaq.

That whole avenging Ryan Choi thing never really happened, did it?

Captain Atom

CAPTAIN ATOM #5
Written by J.T. KRUL
Art by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II
Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
On sale JANUARY 18
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
RATED T
Captain Atom likes to think of himself as a hero, but he can’t shake visions of another fate that could be far more monstrous. And maybe there’s more truth to this nightmare than he’d like to believe as he finally comes face-to-face with the bizarre creature that’s been lurking in the shadows.

A cover like this makes me feel better about skipping the book. Nekkid pinhead vs. Chinese dragon? Pass.

JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST VOL. 1 TP
Written by JUDD WINICK
Art by AARON LOPRESTI, JOE BENNETT and others
Cover by TONY HARRIS
On sale FEBRUARY 1
320 pg, FC, $29.99 US
Mind-controlling mastermind Maxwell Lord is targeting the members of the defunct Justice League International in this paperback collecting the first 12 issues of the twice-monthly series tying into BRIGHTEST DAY.

I totally need to read this story about how the guy who was dead came back and did stuff that was immediately wiped from continuity, including his dying in the first plus, and there may not have even been a Ted Kord for him to kill anymore. Magog's still dead, I guess? Say, they couldn't use one of those Maguire variant covers here? Turds.

1995/96 Nightshade and the Question animation concept art by Bruce Timm

2011-10-15T00:00:00.001-05:00

Superman: The Animated Series ran on The WB network from 1996-2000. According to a 1998 interview with producer Bruce Timm in Wizard's JLA Special magazine, while that show was in development, a JLA team-up format was considered. That prospect only lasted about a week, but the production team worked up a bunch of character sketches for the proposal. "I sat down and did designs for a bunch of characters, even some that had never even been in the JLA, like The Question. We tried to put in as weird a mix of characters as we could so it wasn't just Superman, Aquaman, Hawkman. So that's how that came about, but it never went further than that." Aside from the aforementioned characters, Hawkgirl, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Vixen, Nightshade, Black Lightning, Green Lantern John Stewart and Doctor Fate were also proposed. Jenette Kahn put the kibosh on the idea, believing Superman deserved his own show and the chance to be reintroduced into animation by himself. However, the talks led to Zatanna's appearances on Batman: The Animated Series and a slew of guest spots for other heroes on Superman, including the New Gods and Supergirl.

While the Question made a splash when he finally made it into animation on Timm's Justice League Unlimited, Nightshade has yet to mount a significant dent in animation (aside from a cameo in the direct-to-DVD Superman/Batman: Public Enemies .) Curiously, the Atom had co-starred in a Superman show back in the '60s, didn't make the cut in these preliminaries, but did have several notable appearance on JLU.

Bruce Timm Bits

The Huntress moon color art @ DC Bloodlines
Wonder Woman Flying color pin-up @ Diana Prince
The Vixen animation concept art @ Justice League Detroit
2001 Justice League Lunar art by Bruce Timm @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu

DC Retroactive: JLA - The '70s #1 (September, 2011)

2011-10-08T00:00:00.037-05:00

22,300 miles above the Earth, the Justice League Satellite carried Hawkman, Red Tornado, Zatanna, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, and the Flash. Long range sensors detected a Zeta Beam carrying both Adam Strange and the alien despot Kanjar Ro toward Earth. The unstable beam split in two, before one continued and the other vanished entirely. Hawkman contacted the source planet of the beam, Rann, and learned from Sardath and Alanna that Kanjar Ro had stolen files allowing him to "hack" into Adam's teleportational beam.

Flash launched into a flurry of motion, and Red Tornado explained that "He's cross-analyzing the phase-ratios of the second splinter beam with the vibrational frequencies of all contiguous dimensions. The Scarlet Speedster and the Scarlet Android determined Adam's signal had sent him to Earth-Prime, an alternate Earth that almost exactly replicates the mundane one of most comic book readers. The Flash had been to that sad, drab world before, and at Red Tornado's suggestion, selected his own extraction team for a return visit.

Meanwhile, Green Lantern Hal Jordan and Hawkman pursued Kanjar Ro to the Rock Mountains of their own Earth-One. With his body having been transformed into "a living receptacle of Zeta-Beam energy," Kanjar Ro easily flattened them both. Thankfully, the away team had returned with Adam Strange from Earth-Prime, and despite a pressing time limit, Adam's brain was always up to the challenge. Kanjar Ro had to be stopped within a few hours, or else he would absorb even more power from an incoming Zeta Beam. Red Tornado provided Strange a replacement uniform and jet pack for the one he had lost previously.

In Peru, the heroic collective confronted Kanjar Ro, whose new telekinesis caused them to fire on themselves. For instance, Hawkman was left tangled in his own mace, while Red Tornado was caught in a vortex more powerful than he could ever produce. All that power on display came at a price, tapping out Kanjar Ro's reserves while Green Lantern had used his Power Ring to refract the expected Zeta Beam. Left restored to normal, Kanjar Ro was knocked out by a simple punch of Adam Strange's.

"Enter Justice League Prime" was by Cary Bates, Andy Smith, Gordon Purcell, and Jose Marzan Jr.

DC Retroactive

Wonder Woman - The '80s #1 (DC, 2011) @ Diana Prince
JLA - The '90s #1 (October, 2011) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
JLA - The '80s #1 (October, 2011) @ Justice League Detroit
The Huntress in "Trial by Fire" (October/November, 1978) @ DC Bloodlines

Demographics of the Atom

2011-10-07T01:20:00.002-05:00

Page Views To Date:
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The Top posts to date are...

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Thanks go to referring blogs The Idol-Head of Diabolu, Being Carter Hall and Firestorm Fan!

The Brave and the Bold #152 (July, 1979)

2011-10-02T00:00:00.002-05:00

Playboy tycoon Bruce Wayne was nearly killed while piloting a personal jet because the airport tower equipment failed to detect another plane heading toward him. Other such digital abnormalities plagued the region, including "computerized" jail cells opening up, traffic jams, and unregulated electricity ruining an experiment of Ray Palmer's at Ivy University. As the Dark Knight Detective was delayed rounding up escaped criminals, Palmer managed to drive to the Gotham City offices of Amalgamated Technics and happen to bump into Batman as both arrived to question the responsible party. Both men were assured that the glitch was being taken care of by Howard Trask, "computer designer extraordinaire."

Bruce Wayne soon learned that all Wayne Enterprises bank accounts had not only been emptied, but their five million dollar deficit had been reported to the authorities. Similarly, Ray Palmer was arrested in Ivy Town based on evidence that he had transferred the physics department's funds to Switzerland. Unable to pursue the matter from a jail cell, the world's smallest hero would have to sneak out to clear his name. Aware of their mutual concerns, the Atom headed to the Batcave, and joined the Caped Crusader in another visit to Amalgamated Technics. The Atom somehow managed to determine their computers were not corrupted by jogging on a circuit board while the device made "beep-de-beep" sounds.

Meanwhile, Batman discovered that there was no record of Trask's existence prior to five years earlier. Trask took off his shirt to reveal a tattoo of an anvil that was only visible under an ultra-violet pen light Trask happened to carry with him, signifying that he was part of "America's top secret federal investigation unit?!!" To confirm that Trask was legit as a co-investigator on this case, Batman checked him out with the JLA's official government liaison.

The Caped Crusader and the Tiny Titan followed the money from a closed South American account to a bank in Zurich that refused to cooperate with Bruce Wayne. Further, a helicopter with an electromagnet on a cable caught Wayne's car and dropped it off a cliff. The Mighty Mite somehow altered his density to push Wayne from behind so that he could survive a fall into the waters below. I'll admit that Ray's the physicist, but I don't think his field works like that.

The Atom picked the lock at the bank, and Batman found the pair's lost gold (?!?) They were then attacked by a gang of men in lederhosen and Tracht hats, whom they trounced before returning to the United States. Once there, Batman visited Trask at work, who clubbed the Dark Knight Detective with a wrench and dropped him on a conveyor belt spanning maybe a dozen feet that led to a shredder. Trask then left without seeing Batman die to return to his apartment. There, the Atom had found a computer reel hidden behind a fake electrical outlet, but dove into a trash can when Trask returned. Trask happened to dump the trash into the incinerator, from which the Tiny Titan barely escapes alive. The Mighty Mite then pursued Trask outside the building to a car where the thief tried to play the tape, learning that it was instead a recording of the national anthem. The Atom recognized the beeps from the Amalgamated Technics computer at the Swiss bank, which led him to switch the reels and capture Trask. Then, the Atom went back to Trask's lab to save Batman, inches from being shredded. Batman learned that Trask had blackmailed the JLA liaison into vouching for him, while Ray decided to eat a plate of Swiss cheese like a mouse.

Bob Haney and Jim Aparo were responsible for "Death Has A Golden Grab!" I often enjoy Haney for his lunatic cavalier plotting that makes Grant Morrison look like Ron Howard. Here, he just heaps stupidity on top of inanity in a series of nonsensical, ill-informed events that does disservice to everyone involved. I won't even touch the magical omnipotent reel-to-reel computer technology, since nobody in pop culture knew how those things worked in 1979. I'll even give Wayne and Palmer specifically (exclusively?) being implicated in the heist. Still, nothing "technical" in this book is remotely plausible, from the banking to the laws of Newton to the basic plot machinations. Why do the heroes take Amalgamated Technics at their word initially, and how nuts is it for costumed Batman and plainclothes Ray Palmer to show up together in the first place? Lederhosen?!?! Of course Trask is the culprit, because there's no alternative introduced! Once Ray found the computer reel, why didn't he just kick Trask's ass? How did Batman survive all that time on the conveyor belt? Why is Batman such an incompetent wuss? Did anybody understand that stuff about the computer noises? Why does the Atom act like a mouse, and who is impressed by a hero nearly killed via trash chute on accident?

Even Aparo is off his game, with loose art and a complete lack of understanding of how to render Atom adventures. He just keeps drawing the Atom as a full figure taking up minimal space in panels. Instead of a dynamic hero in an over-sized world, he's a glorified color stick figure battling household appliances. A debacle, I tell you!

The Bronze Age

Wonder Woman #290 (April, 1982) @ Diana Prince
The Huntress in "Gotham Town Is Burning Down!" (August/September, 1978) @ DC Bloodlines
Manhunter in Detective Comics #439 (February-March, 1974) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
The Vixen in Justice League of America Annual #2 (1984) @ JLDetroit

2010 DC Universe Vol. 5: JSA Hawkman art by alexmax

2011-09-29T00:00:00.001-05:00

Click To Enlarge and Expand

I usually try to leave the Hawkman stuff to Being Carter Hall, but I like this guys themed artwork and I like to spread each spotlight day over several blogs, not an easy task with Atom-related stuff...

"Finally! Here is the fifth volume of the DCU lineups of mine. I've has this one "almost ready" for over a week, but work stalled me on completing S.T.R.I.P.E.S., so it could be a "full" lineup of 7 characters.

After 2 JLA lineups, the next obvious choice to make is the JSA, so here it is. I'm not a huge fan of the JSA, and I think most of the Golden Age era members have some wacky outfits... this is why I decided to vector up the younger side of the JSA. I believe that eventually I will add a JSA lineup with Jay Garrick, Alan Scott & Co...

Hawkman: Didn't go for the red/yellow boots."

alexmax

Lobo @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
The Question @ DC Bloodlines
Wonder Girl Cassie Sandsmark @ Diana Prince
Zatanna @ Justice League Detroit

Action Comics #521 (July, 1981)

2011-09-22T00:00:00.003-05:00

“The son of man and mermaid, Arthur Curry is the marine-powered avenger of the seven seas! Using a fragment of a white dwarf star, nuclear physicist Ray Palmer found a way to shrink to microscopic size! Together they are… Aquaman and The Atom!”

In the span of two pages, Aquaman pointed out that
a) His telepathic communication with marine creatures was always inferior to Hawkman’s talks with birds.
b) That in all his decades as a super-hero, he had never tried to hold a conversation with his finny friends.
c) That he was caught flat-footed on a Virginia shoreline by a bizarre new life form that sprang up on his him before shrinking away
d) How his lack of microscopic vision prohibited his following the creature.
e) That he would obviously need help on such a mundane case.

Clearly, the writer thought the Sea King sucked seawater, because of all the lesser lights reachable via a Justice League signal device, he brought in the Mighty Mite. “If this is your way to keep me from eating the tuna casserole my wife Jean was cooking…” Ho, ho, ho! It is to laugh, no? With his shrinkable rebreather, Atom was tasked with finding a microscopic needle in a haystack… of water! Laughter, yes? Anyhow, Aquaman figured if anyone could do it, the Tiny Titan was that individual. “That’s it—play up to the scientist in me! Believe me, I love it!”

Palmer’s a closet egotist, so believe it! He also thought the Sea King was lame. “Aquaman’s a nice guy and all, but he’s no scientist! His description of what I’m looking for leaves a lot to be desired-- unlike his firecrotch bride, who I should totally talk Jean into swinging with!” I may have exaggerated slightly there at the end, but only because Ray lacked Ollie Queen’s libido. He would be too busy with some new gadget to partake of the League’s Satellite Saturday key party. It must have driven Jean crazy! Oh, wait...

The World’s Smallest Super-Hero continued to spout some of the Bronze Age’s Worst Monologue as he addressed the size-altering amorphous creature Aquaman had set him against. “It’ll have to fight somebody its own size-- and hopefully it’s superior in intelligence!” The Atom was “eaten” by the blob, which proved to be the faster size-shifter, but revealed itself while becoming large enough to be seen by Aquaman’s adequate eyesight. Worse, it was big enough to allow Aquaman a “bad vibrations” reference before he wet himself escaping the creature.

“Swordfish, I need your help!” So did the Atom, who sorted out Aquaman’s confusion over what small creature within the blob might be trying to contact him by his super-heroic name. Yes, Bronze Age Aquaman was no slouch in the moron department. However, what he lacked in elementary deductive reasoning, he made up for with lines like, “Swordfish--surround the enemy--and jab--JAB--JAB!” I like to think his honeymoon also went something like that. “With enough stabs, the swordfish should numb the creature?” That method of contraception would explain the express conception of Aquababy. “Got to work faster! I’ve just lost some of my troops!” And you thought the rhythm method was flawed?

Remember the Atom? Within the jab-o-sphere, trying to recall his junior high magic act to hopefully use this swordfish gangbang of an undocumented life form as a Freudian nightmare of an escape route. After “repeated sword-thrusts,” the Atom exited through an orifice and grew to adult size. Aquaman was all set to have “my finny friends finish the creature off,” which I think was a hit for Heart in the late ‘70s, but Atom protested. “All right… but you better have a good reason!” Atom explained the creature was like a “blowfish,” or as corrected by Aquaman, “a puffer!” It detected Aquaman’s and Atom’s electrical brain impulses, and reacted with fear by expanding rapidly. However, Ray felt it was harmless, and just wanted to change out of his wet clothes. I think I could use a shower myself.

Bob Rozakis, Alex Saviuk, and Vince Colletta channeled Lars von Trier into “Grow, Little Growfish!”

The Bronze Age

The Vixen in Action Comics #521 (July, 1981) @ Justice League Detroit
The Huntress in Batman Family #18 (June/July, 1978) @ DC Bloodlines
Wonder Woman #289 (March, 1982) @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
Manhunter (Paul Kirk) in Detective Comics #438 (December, 1973/January, 1974) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu

Atomic acCount for December, 2011

2011-09-20T00:00:00.001-05:00

DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #19-20
Written by MARV WOLFMAN
Art by MIKE S. MILLER, HOWARD PORTER and LIVESAY
Cover #19 by MIKE S. MILLER
Cover #20 by HOWARD PORTER and LIVESAY
With Brainiac’s final play revealed, the Justice League – minus Superman – must find a way to stop this final threat to Earth. Can the newly empowered civilians from The Daily Planet building help? Where will Earth turn in this dark hour?
As Brainiac’s invading force prepares for combat, Batman must make a deadly decision that may put him at odds with the entire JLA. It’s a decision that could save the Earth, and the Dark Knight will stop at nothing – even fighting his allies – to guarantee success...but can anyone save him from himself?
#19 on sale DECEMBER 14
#20 on sale DECEMBER 28
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

You know, it's inevitable that I'm going to read at least a trade's worth of this someday, and I'll just as surely regret it.

FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #4
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI
Cover by J.G. JONES
On sale DECEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
“Monster Planet” comes to its world-shattering conclusion as Frankenstein and Nina take on the massive Sea Monster, while Lady Frankenstein and the rest of the Creature Commandos go head to head with the colossal Ogre Titan. Plus: Don’t miss the debut of the G.I. Robot Squadron and the new War Wheel!

DC UNIVERSE: SECRET ORIGINS HC
Written by VARIOUS
Art by VARIOUS
Montage cover
On sale FEBRUARY 22 • 320 pg, FC, $39.99 US
The classic Silver Age titles are collected in hardcover for the first time, including SECRET ORIGINS #1, MORE SECRET ORIGINS #1, EVEN MORE SECRET ORIGINS #1 and WEIRD SECRET ORIGINS #1! Don’t miss the origins of Wonder Woman, the Superman/Batman team, The Challengers of the Unknown, Martian Manhunter, the Justice League of America, Aquaman, The Flash, The Atom, Bizarro and more!

Captain Atom

CAPTAIN ATOM #4
Written by J.T. KRUL
Art by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II
Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
On sale DECEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Before he received his godlike powers, Captain Atom was a military man – an Air Force pilot. Now, he’s being recruited again to serve his country as only he can. But will Captain Atom go along with his new role as a weapon of mass destruction?

Grr. That's sounds a lot like the '80s incarnation, making me want to read this despite Krul.

DC COMICS PRESENTS CAPTAIN ATOM #1
Written by JAMES ROBINSON and GREG RUCKA
Art and cover by CAFU
On sale DECEMBER 7 • 96 pg, FC, $7.99 US
In the popular co-feature from ACTION COMICS #879-889, Captain Atom’s memory is falling apart right in the heat of battle! Can he get it together in time to face off again Major Disaster?

I'll certainly be debating this one. I like the cheap quasi-trade format, but between it's irrelevance to the DCnU and it's ties to a lot of post-Crisises crap, I dunno...

Dragon*Con 2011 Damage Cosplay

2011-09-15T04:58:00.001-05:00

Click To Enlarge

Rare is the Grant Emerson cosplayer, despite the character appearing on an even rarer 1990s fumetti cover. About that...

"Check this out... the guy in the Damage costume is wearing THE Damage costume. Apparently he made the costume used for the photo cover... Afterwards, they mailed the costume back to him. That's what he's wearing in that photo. I believe he's also the same guy that cosplayed Indigo Lantern Atom last year. Thought you'd dig that."

I did indeed, and thank The Irredeemable Shag of Firestorm Fan and Once Upon a Geek for both the photo and the info! Also swell that he caught an unmasked Ray Palmer in the background, for continuity. We'll get back to him later...

Dragon*Con 2011 CosPlay

The Aqua-Family @ The Aquaman Shrine
The Atom (Golden Age Al Pratt) @ The Mighty Mite
Booster Gold and Blue Beetle @ Comics Make Me Happy!
Firestorm @ Firestorm Fan
The Flash @ Speed Force
Hawkman and Hawkgirl @ Being Carter Hall
Killer Frost @ Firestorm Fan
Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
The Vixen @ Justice League Detroit
Wonder Girl Donna Troy @ The New Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman & Superman @ Diana Prince
Once Upon A Geek DC2011 gallery

Breach #8 (October, 2005)

2011-09-11T00:00:00.001-05:00

Word reached the Daily Planet about the battle in Washington, D.C., and Clark Kent was gone in a flash.

Senator Helen McClellan demanded passage through the military barricade of her neighborhood, then called to Mac and Tate when she saw them in the distance. Tim Zanetti was tossed aflame in their general direction, so Mac threw himself on top of his family to defend them. Helen got a brief look at the Major before the H.I.V.E. abomination continued its assault. "You were supposed to be so tough. But you're nothing! Except a joke!" Tim was exhausted and seemed likely to be beaten to death. However, the scientists at Project Otherside detected sudden rapid mutation of Zanetti's form and mind.

The Rifters had returned to their waterfall cave. Sebastian was agitated at this first ever rejection of the gift of kinship, and even the Herdsman was concerned that Zanetti had proven so unique. The cigarette smoking woman assured them that Tim's resistance wouldn't last. "It can't. Trust me, I know. Sooner or later, the Major will face his destiny."

The Major caught his opponent's massive hand in mid-punch, then hit him with an energy pulse. Green energy bled from the Major's eyes, and a wicked death's head grin gripped his lips. "You call me a joke? Tell me-- do you feel like laughing now? No? Because you know, don't you? You know you're nothing now. Nothing-- but a weak, weak thing!" The Major boiled and rent the creature's flesh, then tore out his heart. "You were but a small sacrifice." Mac approached the Major, who asked if he was also a weak thing. "I dunno. Some days-- maybe. What did they do to you, pal? You've got to fight this, Tim. They want you on their side... and you can't let that happen... because this is not you." Realizing what he's done, Tim fled through a portal. "--HELP ME! I won't become this! I WON'T BE LIKE THEM!"

The Major eradicated a forested section of the Adirondacks trying to wrestle his urges before realizing he had a tag-along. "Groovy Guy--! You want to help me? That's funny. Last time we met, you said I was a danger. Buddy, you were righter than you know." Superman realized that an innocent family had paid the price for his ignoring Tim's warnings, and wanted to do what he could for Zanetti. Tim felt he had been infected with a virus of the mind urging him to kill lesser beings, and wondered if other "guys in spandex go through stuff like this?"

The green flames of Tim's eyes flared up, and the grin returned. "It's burning through me like fire, G.G. I read up about you. They say you're invulnerable. That means I can't hurt you, right?" Superman admitted that was the theory, which was good enough for the Major, who blasted the Man of Steel miles backward. Sebastian hissed a "yes" as the urge raged in the Major, who pressed his advantage. Tim said aloud, "He's holding back--! He doesn't get it! YOU CAN'T! Or-- I swear--I will kill you!" Superman didn't think so, and Heat Vision backed up his argument. Sebastian's bliss returned to a hiss. Tim's suit was destroyed, and he was bleeding blue, but he had been returned to his senses.

Superman didn't want to hurt the Major. "Y-you had to, G.G. I-- I had to fight... something I couldn't kill. It couldn't deal with that. It's gone--! Whatever Sebastian put in my mind-- is gone. T-They didn't get me-- they won't get me! I-- I owe y-you... more than I can say." The cavalry from Project Otherside arrived as Tim collapsed into Superman's arms. Kal-El recognized that Tim was willing to sacrifice himself rather than hurt another. "I misjudged him," he told Dr. Campbell Chambers. "He's a hero." She agreed. "I'm sorry it took you this long to realize it. Now it may be too late."

Talia al Ghul couldn't believe her genetically altered soldier was destroyed in a matter of minutes. Lex Luthor tried to see the upside of the lost agent, thanks to the information gathered at the cost of his life. "Data we will need for the coming crisis." The embryonic soldiers could also be adjusted to provide a greater challenge.

Tate realized his meeting the metahumasn twice coincidentally on two continents didn't make sense, and with a pregnant glance at Mac, Helen said, "I--I... don't know, Tate. Maybe it does."

"Ally" was by Bob Harras, Marcos Martin and Alvaro Lopez. This issue strengthened Tim Zanetti's character, but it was still ultimately another big fight issue in a series whose life grows ever shorter. I think this would have made a fantastic eight issue mini-series. The same creative team could have handled the entire epic, rather than losing Marcos Martin for two issues after having so lovingly illustrated so much filler material.

Brave New World

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #52 (July, 2007) @ Justice League Detroit
The All New Atom #9 (May, 2007) @ The Mighty Mite
Martian Manhunter #8 (May, 2007) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
OMAC in DCU: Brave New World #1 (August, 2006) @ DC Bloodlines
Wonder Woman #8 (Late June, 2007) @ Diana Prince

2011 Ryan Choi Atom art by Andrew Willis

2011-09-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click To Enlarge

2011 DC Fifty-TOO! Blue Beetles #1 by Mike Norton

2011-09-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click To Enlarge

For Jon Morris' brainchild of a blog full of other Dc Comics "New 52," Mike Norton dug into his favorite DC character and the subject of a pitch long buried in continuity convolution. Read more about Norton and his pitch here.

Breach #7 (September, 2005)

2011-09-04T00:00:00.027-05:00

Talia al Ghul, leader of Kobra, looked over massive tubes containing her few surviving faithful volunteers in a H.I.V.E. experiment. Lex Luthor alerted her that the energy signature of the individual Kobra faced in South Africa had resurfaced in Washington, D.C. The adversaries traded unpleasantries before Lex asked, "Do I need to remind you that we need this man if our plan is to have any chance of success?" Talia agreed to spare one of her subjects, even though she was loathe to place such a committed believer in the hands of a scoundrel. "I serve at the pleasure of the mistress of Kobra. Long may her glory endure."

Major Timothy Zanetti was kneeling on the floor of General Mac McClellan's home office with the reptilian Rifter Sebastian's claws digging into his brain. The Herdsman felt Tim was receiving a "joyous gift." Tim remembered being abandoned at Project Otherside by Professor Ward. "I'm sorry, Major. This is the only way." The flesh tore away from Tim, until it was followed by the twisted wreckage of his body through the breach. Zanetti chose to reject the telepath, grabbing Sebastian by the wrists and freeing his mind. "I DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER!"

Sebastian was thrown out the window and crushed some preppie's daddy's Beemer on the street outside. The Herdsman remained impressed by the young kinsman, and thought he was perhaps too much for the old master Sebastian, "still too new to this world." The Herdsman felt the venerable one must always be protected, and asked Father John to loose the offspring.

Mac yelled at the cigarette smoking woman "You've been working for the Rifters all these years? You made some sort of deal with them, didn't you? My God-- we trusted you! I sacrificed my best friend because of you!" She asked to be spared the melodramatics, and backhanded the General across the room. The Herdsman wanted to use the General for his own purposes, but was denied by the woman as an old friend who still had more to contribute as is. The so-called "Tobias Underwood" was afraid and wanted to go home, but the woman told Ward that this experience would serve as research for his book.

Major Zanetti continued to dominate Sebastian, so the Herdsman approached to set the former Meyers children against his young kinsman. Tim couldn't bring himself to fight back against the pair, who battered and slashed him. The older sister found the assault on the elder Sebastian an abomination. "Have we not suffered enough than to see our ways desecrated?" The younger brother wanted to impress the Herdsman, and elbowed his sister violently for his own turn at Zanetti. The sister thought it an easy victory, with Tim deluded that they were still "the weak things," and turned her attention toward innocent bystanders. "Ah! This is a pretty thing." With a touch, one woman's arm melted horrifically. Tim drew both offspring's attention back on himself, taking punishing injury without dealing any, "Because... you're children... And I don't hurt children..."

At Project Otherside in Nevada, Captain Yoshiba found Dr. Campbell Chambers unconscious on the floor of Zanetti's cell. Her husband Paul rushed to check on her, while Yoshiba immediately suspected her complicity. Before interrogation could commence, an alert about the battle in Washington sent the team scrambling.

Tate was at a "Starbud's" near the battle, and ran out to investigate. Tim recognized the young man from Africa, both found a second meeting crazy, and Tim warned Tate to keep back. His bio-seal was torn, and Tim bled a blue acidic plasma. Tate gave Tim a pep talk about believing Tim to be "one of the good guys," and his need to put his concerns about the transformed children aside, since his death would lead to many more at their hands. "I know. God help me."

The cigarette smoking woman continued verbally fencing with Mac, until she realized Kobra had "taken the bait" in joining the fight late. "Rifters believe fervently in tests, General. Those of the body and of the soul. And many, like this one, simply lead to the next." She had Father John summon the offspring with a high pitched call. The Herdsman wanted to see to Sebastian's wish for the young kinsman's death, but she felt the seeds planted today needed time to bear fruit. Everyone entered a wormhole, including Tobias Underwood, who wondered for whom the continued existence of Tim Zanetti meant a "happy ending" to his book.

Mac rushed to see if Tate was okay. "He's your son, Mac? Geez-- a guy goes into stasis for a couple of decades and look what happens. He's a good kid, Mac-- you oughta be proud." Just then, a H.I.V.E. airship landed, and a towering purple reptilian man-beast with fangs and claws emerged.

"Battleground" was by Bob Harras, Marcos Martin and Alvaro Lopez. Progress continues by centimeters rather than inches, much less feet. The book looks great and reads well, but the last thing needed was a tenuous "Villains United Tie-In" and another of the increasingly tedious Rifter "test and retreat" maneuvers.

Brave New World

Wonder Woman #7 (Early June, 2007) @ Diana Prince
Martian Manhunter #7 (April, 2007) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #51 (June, 2007) @ Justice League Detroit
The All New Atom #8 (April, 2007) @ The Mighty Mite
The Trials of Shazam! in DCU: Brave New World #1 (August, 2006) @ DC Bloodlines

Action Comics #530 (April, 1982)

2011-08-31T01:38:00.001-05:00

Ray Palmer had some vacation time coming, so he and wife Jean set sail for Curaçao. Not on a luxury liner, but a small sailboat... which would circle the same area for three days... because Ray hadn't mentioned that he'd volunteered to Green Lantern that he'd watch out for the anticipated return of Aquaman via teleportation from an alien world. Even though Ray explained beforehand that "this trip would combine a bit of 'Atom' business and lots of pleasure," Jean was understandably miffed. After all, Jean was the one in a tube top expecting exotic locales, while Ray seemed contentedly set on some Captain & Tennille roleplay.

A purple beam landing in the water signaled Ray to dive in fully clothed. Ray even commented on the salt water doing a number on his eyes and his powers being useless under the circumstances, as if none of this was foreseeable. When Ray finally found Aquaman, he was comatose dead weight. Ray came up with the idea of shrinking and growing rapidly and repeatedly to displace the water around Aquaman, pushing him to the surface. I'm not sure that's how physics work, but anyway, it got the Sea King to the surface in this comic book. You know, the surface where Aquaman dies after an hour, because breathing underwater is normal for him? Why not just check his pulse and let him float on, or use his JLA communicator to call in someone better geared to help than a lawyer and a physicist? Because the only other person sharing a rotating back-up feature in Action Comics was Air Wave, and who needs that?

Ray and Jean somehow got Aquaman on the boat, where he regained consciousness and started talking about vibrus-blasts and getting energized. Wait a minute-- wasn't Aquaman separated at this point? Was this that "pleasure" Ray was talking about? Sadly no, as the Atom made a joke about Aquaman suing the alien that had caused him injury, and Jean popped him with her finger. Perhaps recognizing that the '70s were indeed over, or having a nose for cold fish, Aquaman bailed overboard. Ray was left to have "fun, fun, fun" with Jean. Yeah, just keep telling yourself that, pal.

"Home ... Home on the Waves!" was by Bob Rozakis, Alex Saviuk and Frank Chiaramonte. This comic was a fine example of the inclusiveness of Bronze Age DC Comics. The whitest of people taking spontaneous South American vacations in their sailboats while their even whiter friend teams up with octopus aliens to fight spider aliens on a lark. No wonder you couldn't give these things away...

The Bronze Age

The Vixen #1 in Cancelled Comic Cavalcade #2 (Fall, 1978)
@ Justice League Detroit
The Sensational New Wonder Woman #288 (February, 1982)
@ Diana Prince
Manhunter in Detective Comics #437 (October-November, 1973)
@ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Superman starring in Action Comics #530 (April, 1982)
@ DC Bloodlines

Breach #6 (August, 2005)

2011-08-28T00:00:00.003-05:00

Tobias Underwood excitedly worked on his book, the culmination of all his years working with the cigarette smoking woman. "And having met your-- your-- friends-- makes finishing the book even more paramount. If only... so many people didn't have to die."

"Operating under the Extra-Dimensional Entity Contact Protocol," Captain Yoshiba had a suited up strike force inspecting a waterfall at the urging of Major Timothy Zanetti. Tim levitated in a fugue state, until his serotonin production spiked and he saw a vision projected by the Herdsman of the entire patrol massacred in a most brutal fashion. Captain Yoshiba was already irritated enough with Tim to ask Dr. Campbell Chambers "Isn't there some pill we can give him to handle these mood swings?" He was outright furious when Zanetti lied about being mistaken with regard to his claim of having sensed breach entities in the area. The troop bugged out back to base, while the Herdsman looked on from his hidey-hole. "Ahh! He heard my thought-call. And saw my thoughts with clarity and precision. Truly, he is a most mighty kinsman. Soon, the next test begins... and if he survives, oh, what a wondrous thing that will be! Do you not agree, brother Sebastion?" A hiss was the only reply.

Captain Yoshiba was still seething back at base, calling into question Zanetti's credibility, usefulness, and sanity. Dr. Campbell Chambers had questions of her own, which kept her up in bed past three in the morning. While her husband Paul slept, Campbell dressed and paid Zanetti a visit. "The Herdsman was there. At the falls... wasn't he?" Tim confessed to his vision of the massacre. "I saw that-- in my head-- in glorious living color. He made me see it. It doesn't leave much hope for the Meyers Family... not that there was much to begin with, I guess." Campbell thought the JLA should have listened to Tim.

At the Meyers home, reporter Clark Kent got information out of a loose lipped plainclothes officer watching over the active crime scene. Kent scanned the area with X-Ray Vision, and connected this tragedy with Zanetti's words of warning during their scuffle in South Africa. "Yeah. I think this is a very big story."

Tim continued to discuss his vision with Campbell. "What I saw and felt was-- horrific. He's-- it's got a hatred and joy in killing that was overwhelming... Funny, in a way I'm glad. Now I know clearly what I'm up against. No more vague feelings or intuitions." No one else could stop the Herdsman, and Tim couldn't try to do it without setting off every alarm in the complex. "That's where you come in, Doctor."

At the McClellan home, Helen asked Mac about the metahuman who saved Tate's life. She wanted to thank him personally, and hoped her husband could arrange it. Helen saw the fatigue that had plagued Mac for weeks, but he fobbed it off on congress scrutinizing military expenditures. "I swear, sometimes they make the military feel like the enemy." Mac promised to see what he could do. Once Helen was off, he pulled a revolver out of his desk drawer. The cigarette smoking woman asked, "Now, now, General-- is that any way to greet an old friend?"

Tobias Underwood relaxed at his secluded home, looking over his printed work. The Herdsman snuck up on him. "Come, weak thing. You have been summoned. It is time for you to be reunited with comrades you've not seen... in a very long time."

Dr. Chambers set the sensors on an internal diagnostic cycle to give Tim a thirty second head start, then he knocked her out to make it look like an escape. "I'm trying to hold onto my memories... as long as I can... but I'm a soldier with a job to do. Even if I'm technically disobeying orders." Tim opened a wormhole to the Herdsman...

Mac asked the cigarette smoking woman why she had involved his stepson with Zanetti, and she replied that it was a test of Tim's metamorphic memory loss. She offered Mac a cigarette, and he refused, having quit years earlier. "How current of you! I hold on to my old habits, even the unhealthy ones. I find the consistency somewhat soothing." She explained that humanity was about to be snuffed out like a bad habit. "The bargain is broken, General. The Rifters will have their revenge. The war has begun." Mac threatened her again, with his gun and his world's ability to defend itself. She retorted that Mac never had much faith in the "Zanetti option," which was well considered. Events had progressed rapidly since Tim's awakening. "When your friend was offered up in the name of global survival-- you handed the Rifters their greatest opportunity. His destiny is theirs, General. Their beacon of hope. Their ultimate weapon of vengeance. They want you to know that."

Tim's self-perception was that of a Picasso painting as he fell through a formless white void into the home office of General Mac McClellan. Also present was Professor Ward from Project Otherside, though Tobias Underwood claimed no knowledge of his former identity. The Herdsman had brought Tim to meet more of his kin, including Sebastian, who ripped through Zanetti's head with his claws.

"Threads" was by Bob Harras, Marcos Martin and Alvaro Lopez. This issue is probably where the series should have been a couple or three issues back. Sales figures must have come in, and the verdict seemed to be that a mini-series pacing would better reflect the book's longevity. A lot of disparate players and plotlines were suddenly and somewhat arbitrarily coming together, although still welcome after the creeping in the first half of the run.

Brave New World

Doom Patrol #6 (March, 2010) @ DC Bloodlines
Wonder Woman #6 (Late May, 2007) @ Diana Prince
Martian Manhunter #6 (March, 2007) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #50 (May, 2007) @ Justice League Detroit
The All New Atom #7 (March, 2007) @ The Mighty Mite

2011 Breach Movie Fan Casting: Dave Franco as Major Tim Zanetti

2011-08-25T21:50:00.001-05:00

Keeping up with a theme of casting famous movie stars' younger brothers in POTA-related roles, here's Dave Franco. Breach isn't remotely a major character, and I've only liked reading his series okay so far. I have to admit that I didn't exactly rack my brains for weeks over this one. Still, I had a few actors and qualities in mind when it came to the role. Tim Zanetti is supposed to be this really laid back, good natured guy. Its only after becoming infected Otherside that he becomes an erratic rageaholic. After the breach, Tim spends a lot of time being duped, caged up, bossed around, and treated like a lunatic. This meant he needed an actor who could be sweet, then vulnerable, then go nuts in a believable way. Dave Franco has many of the right qualities, and while I haven't seen a lot of his work, it's Breach. What do you want? Dude's got a good build, amazing eyebrows, and should be fine with even half of brother James' acting range.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let me go choose between Frank Stallone, Don Swayze, and Ben Savage for the part of Captain Atom...

Diabolic Movie Fan Casting

Bel Juz 2011 @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Doctor Psycho 2011 @ Diana Prince
OMAC 2011 @ DC Bloodlines
Steel: The Indestructible Man II 2011 @ Justice League Detroit

The Top 20 Atom Covers of the 1960s

2011-08-21T00:00:00.003-05:00

This was easily one of the toughest decade countdowns I've done, because how do you choose between three dozen Gil Kane covers, a half dozen Joe Kuberts, and that's just on his main title. This was the Tiny Titan's greatest decade, so I hope you enjoy the eye candy!

Honorary Mentions:
The Atom #1 (June-July, 1962)
The Brave and The Bold #53 (May, 1964)
The Atom #24 (April-May, 1966)
The Atom #35 (February-March, 1968)

20) The Atom #34 (January, 1968)

Outstanding image to look at, but that perspective is wretched if you think about it, and who fires a gun at their own palm?

19) The Atom #17 (March, 1965)

They came up with some pretty creative perils for the Mighty Mite, but probably too many for his own good. It's tough to get excited about a hero vs. Goodyear match-up.

18) Justice League of America #69 (February, 1969)

How low have you sank when a fellow hero at the approximate size and location of your penis is condemning you with a thumb's down? No wonder Ollie developed a complex.

17) The Atom #18 (May, 1965)

The hero leaps out of the safe to bludgeon the bad guy! It's novel, see. Because he's small. And the hood has a domino mask, so you know he's not just some random schmuck. Right?

16) The Atom and Hawkman #45 (October-November, 1969)

This one loses points because Ray's at normal scale and Jean wasn't yet his ex-wife. Fool actually married her after this.

15) Justice League of America #15 (November, 1962)

Probably the first "shrinking hero fired on an arrowhead" cover, but not the best, I'm afraid.

14) The Atom and Hawkman #39 (October-November, 1968)

It isn't bad enough to be riding the bobcat that's attacking his crime-fighting partner-- Ray's got to clock him in the puss with a stone eagle ornament besides! Never stop being a SONOFABITCH, Ray!

13) Showcase #34 (October, 1961)

Sometimes, you've just got to play it safe and go with the classic. A debut appearance under Gil Kane's pen never hurts, but aside from the pop bottle and grass, where does size come into play. Little + little = the same, and in fact the proportions on the villain are kind of outta whack.

12) The Atom #31 (July, 1967)

Not as cool as a bow shaft, but much better drawn, plus Hawkman looks a little sissified in his slingshot stance. Shouldn't he have a David-style strap-sling instead?

11) Justice League of America #14 (September, 1962)

"The Menace Of The Atom Bomb!" The Tiny Titan's induction into the JLA, but first he'll bowl them over like pins!

10) The Atom #32 (September, 1967)

When a hero has an established m.o., it's always fun to flip to the opposite extreme, especially when it's this well rendered.

9) The Brave and The Bold #77 (May, 1968)

No matter how much you love the Atom, you still kind of want to see what happens when that cannon fires. Will his little appendages still dangle off the sides, do you think?

8) Showcase #36 (February, 1962)

I only did a top ten Aquaman cover list for the 1960s, because I only had the stomach to see him play the dude in distress so many times. The Atom is more of a natural in that type of role, and he likely played it as often, but he always seemed to have more fight in him.

7) The Atom #29 (February-March, 1967)

The first of two fantastic Golden Age Atom ~~beat down~~ team-ups on this list. Talk as much trash as you want about the Thinker, but using one hero's body to bludgeon another's is hard core.

6) The Atom and Hawkman #40 (January, 1969)

Gil Kane was bound to dominate this list, but if you need a runner-up legend, Joe Kubert's probably your man. The Winged Wonder may be the star of this piece, and the weight of the left hand is surely lighter than the right, but the Atom helps make this a powerfully affective image.

5) The Atom #36 (May, 1968)

Six inches of Ray Palmer is more man than ~~six~~ five feet of Al Pratt! How powerful is that punch when it knocks a guy clear through the friggin' comic?

4) The Atom #10 (January, 1964)

One mark of a great cover is when only the titular hero could carry the concept, and that's entirely the case here.

3) Showcase #35 (December, 1961)

A boy firing a super-hero from his slingshot into a hail of fire. Once again, if you're going to do a miniature hero, this is the way. Even under the circumstances, check Ray's regal bearing. That's what separates the Tiny Titans from the Ant-Men.

2) The Atom #28 (January, 1967)

Probably the most imitated Atom cover. Chronos laughing maniacally as a saw bears down on our hero is the sort of greatness only comics can deliver effectively. There's even go-go checks and a corner box icon!

1) The Atom #20 (August/September, 1965)

The tie pin pimp slap! I love this! The acrobatics of a Daredevil, but on a scale only a Mighty Mite could manage. This was a tough decision and likely bucks convention, but this image to me sums up much of the appeal of the character. He's too small to catch or shoot, but agile and tough enough to take on men ten times his size. The spirit of adventure and daring-do is here, without any crap size-specific menaces like a house cat or wild bird.

Top Character Covers Countdown

The Top 10 Aquaman Covers of the 1960s @ Justice League Detroit
The Top 20 Blackhawk Covers (and lots more!) @ DC Bloodlines
The Top 20 Martian Manhunter Covers of the 1960s @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
The Top 20 Wonder Woman Covers of the 1960s @ Diana Prince
DC75: Top Character Covers of the Dodranscentennial

Atomic acCount for November, 2011

2011-08-16T01:09:00.000-05:00

DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #17-18
Written by TOM TAYLOR and MARV WOLFMAN
Art by BRUNO REDONDO, HOWARD PORTER and LIVESAY
Cover #17 by DOUG MAHNKE
Cover #18 by HOWARD PORTER and LIVESAY
#17 On sale NOVEMBER 16
#18 On sale NOVEMBER 30
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Hal Jordan is seriously conflicted as he and the Green Lantern Corps arrive at Korugar to “contain” the war between Sinestro’s Yellow Lanterns and Brainiac – but can they save the planet of innocents caught in the crossfire? And how desperate could things possibly get that would see Hal team up with Sinestro for one final battle?!
Then, in issue #18, following the cataclysmic events on Earth and Korugar, the Justice League regroups and begins an exploration of Brainiac’s abandoned scout ship...will it finally reveal answers or will it be the final stroke of Brainiac’s plan in conquering Earth? And how far will Luthor go to clear his name and save the planet?

Favorites Wonder Woman and (an) Atom (a blue eyed Ryan Choi or Ray in the wrong outfit?) are cover featured, and I still ask when is this thing going to end already?

Captain Atom

CAPTAIN ATOM #3
Written by J.T. KRUL
Art by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II
Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
On sale NOVEMBER 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Captain Atom is taking his powers to new heights – saving people all across the world in the blink of an eye. But he’s not the only one who can move at super speed. Enter: The Flash! And when their paths cross, don’t expect them to share the secret hero’s handshake – because Captain Atom may be a bigger threat than any villain.

The more I see, the less I like. Even the Artgerm covers are losing their appeal. So blah.

YOUNG JUSTICE #10
Written by GREG WEISMAN and KEVIN HOPS
Art and cover by CHRISTOPHER JONES
On sale NOVEMBER 16 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED E
Captain Atom’s cold-case assignment is definitely heating up: The true killer has resurfaced to target anyone who might expose the truth about the murder of General Lemar back in 1968 – and that includes each and every member of the Team!

The Cambodian?!? Hah!

2011 The Atom Movie Fan Casting: Casey Affleck as Ray Palmer

2011-08-14T01:37:00.002-05:00

The great thing about doing an Atom fan casting is a) there will never be an Atom movie to ruin the fantasy and b) there won't even be another Atom movie fan casting to dispute my selections. I will of course have to update this in about ten years, but otherwise it should hold up pretty well for a while.

So yeah, I chose Casey Affleck as Ray Palmer. I wanted someone who was kind of handsome and heroic, but also offbeat and believable as a physicist turned shrinking super-hero. At 5'9", I don't see the smaller Affleck brother getting another hero gig, but he's got a decent build and the right kind of personality to be both low key and suitably stoic as needed. I looked at some younger guys and some British guys, but Affleck just felt right. Most of my other selections were bigger and more charismatic, but part of what I like about Affleck is that he's reserved and genuine. I can buy him as a brain, but I can also see him stabbing little yellow different barbarians with a broadsword if it should come to that. Finally, I think you would root for Affleck, even if he swaggered and had a bit of arrogance like I think Palmer should, but without it being ostentatious like brother Ben. Yeah, Casey Affleck. Works for me.

Diabolic Movie Fan Casting

Aquaman 2011 @ Justice League Detroit
The Huntress 2011 @ DC Bloodlines
Martian Manhunter 2011 @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Wonder Woman 2011 @ Diana Prince

2010 Teen Titans Zero Hour in color art by Bill Walko

2011-08-11T00:00:00.002-05:00

Click To Enlarge

Clockwise from upper left: Supergirl (Linda Danvers,) Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, Darkstar Donna Troy, Damage, Impulse (Bart Allen,) Rose Wilson, Terra (Tara Markov,) Arsenal (Roy Harper,) Mirage (Miriam Delgado,) Jarras Minion.

You know who I haven't brought up in a while? Damage. Poor little bastard. Between Breach, my needing to finish posting on Captain Atom: Armageddon (which has been in the can for months BTW, but I want to do delayed tie-in with other blogs,) and the imperative to get some Tiny Titan material back in the pipeline, Grant Emerson's gonna chill for a while yet. Best to kick it with fond memories of better days (so long as you weren't reading the actual New Titans series, which was garbage by that point.) More cuteness at the Walko's deviantART gallery

Breach #5 (July, 2005)

2011-08-07T00:00:00.003-05:00

Tate turned up in Washington, D.C. to meet his mother, Senator McClellan, who was fielding reporters' questions about illegal high-technology weapons trading. They embraced, and although Tate was still out of it, planned his birthday celebration. Of course, ever since his father died, April 17th had been a weird date for the pair.

Major Timothy Zanetti was encased in a small levitating cube, and not talking to anyone. That date, April 17th, seemed to set him off again. Dr. Campbell Chambers thought the use of his powers was having "a direct psychological and physiological impact" on his well being. Captain Yoshiba, a smirk dragged along the pock-marked right side of his face, was flippant to the point of rudeness about the Major. It didn't help that the Captain had sent a recon team to where Tim had sensed the Herdsman. "Do you want to get them killed!?" Punching a crack in his tiny prison, Zanetti had to be gassed.

The investigative unit, including Dr. Paul Chambers, arrived at the house of the family from last issue. Damage on the scene was consistent with a breech event. From the ceiling, a fleshy blob of abstract insectoid and humanoid parts nearly fell on top of the troop. Shots were fired into the abomination, which still had a face off to one side. As "she" died, it said "help... me... they took my famileee-- my childr--"

General McClellan called the wife to say that he'd be late for the birthday party, then met with the revived Tim Zanetti.

Tate couldn't stop thinking about the night his father died, and asked his mom if she'd ever imagined their life had he lived. She was just grateful for her son's safety, and for the help her current husband had provided to her investigation of Kobra, which she feared prompted Tate's near murder. Tate was curious about the super-powered prisoner he'd briefly met, and his mom promised to look into it. "Mac should be able to open some doors. It pays to have a Joint Chief of Staff in the family..."

Tim burst his cage with excitement at seeing his old buddy Mac, but proximity alerts warned him not to make physical contact. "Wow. Mac, you got old." McClellan explained how badly Zanetti was needed in the "very dangerous, insidious war" to come. Mac discussed Tim's status as sole survivor of Project: Otherside. "The accident opened the door to a race we call 'Rifters.' They're extremely dangerous, incredibly hostile creatures. Due to your physiological changes, you apparently can sense them-- which makes you a vital tool in this war." To insure that tool remained in his shed, Mac told Tim that Helen and Tate had died in the project's catastrophic wake. Tim blew up, and had to be restrained again.

Tobias Underwood was ecstatic over how gloriously his novel was turning out-- "my best work ever!" The cigarette smoking woman congratulated him, and asked if some friends of hers could stay at his place for a while. They included the Herdsman, and a small family of like creatures...

Mac returned home late, to a saved piece of cake and a note from Helen.

Tim had calmed down again, as he spoke with Campbell about not really remembering his son anymore, "as if that part of my memory was wiped clean." Zanetti never could remember the significance of the date, and seemed less concerned about Helen, as well. Campbell reached out to Tim, but a proximity alarm sounded, as both Tim's and her containment suits were compromised. "Tsk, tsk Doc-- forgot your helmet. It's the little things that get you... isn't it?"

"Lies" was by Bob Harras, Marcos Martin and Alvaro Lopez. This would have been a solid first issue in a theoretical second trade paperback collection, or a good jumping on point for new readers after a crossover. No trades ever existed, and a fifth issue would have landed in a first collection, and the tie-ins start next issue, so this story was instead a spinner of wheels wasting precious time. After all, we're about halfway through its truncated run...

Brave New World

Doom Patrol #5 (February, 2010) @ DC Bloodlines
Wonder Woman Annual #1 (November, 2007) @ Diana Prince
Martian Manhunter #5 (February, 2007) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #45 (November, 2006) @ Justice League Detroit
The All New Atom #5 @ The Tiny Titan

2011 The Golden Age Atom art by Andrew Willis

2011-08-03T00:00:00.001-05:00

Click To Enlarge

JLA #99 (Late August, 2004)

2011-07-27T00:00:00.003-05:00

The JLA and friends managed to work out Crucifer's whole story, including the Atom's role in helping to finally end his wretched existence. The League and Doom Patrol teamed up to free the prisoners in Castle Crucifer, and progressed to spoiling his attempt to restore The Tenth Circle to corporeal existence. Crucifer retreated to his castle, where he was confronted by the divided force of heroes and traitors to his plot.

The Atom and Rita Farr had just been kickin' it in the other dimension, waiting for the Chief to give the word, before finally, simultaneously, from opposite directions, they karate kicked Crucifer's heart box to pieces so that it reverted back to his chest on Earth. No, I don't know how that worked, or why they didn't just bring it back with them hours ago, or why they couldn't have staked it right there. Superman, while holding a crucifix, then punched Crucifer in his bloodless love muscle. Somebody should have picketed the DC Comics offices over that. Not religious people, but activists for the ethical treatment of comic book readers who kept buying this series after Joe Kelly left.

Later, Manitou Raven was already back at the Watchtower without explanation to deliver more exposition and shed a solitary tear over pollution. Faith, still dressed like an Oklahoman lot lizard, was feeling well enough to become Nudge's new mentor in the upcoming Doom Patrol spin-off series, which began with a two-page prologue involving those escaped vampires having captured the Chief, but only after the Doom Patrol had left the Watchtower alone, even though they were totally going to drag Batman, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter into a guest appearance anyway. Batman told a joke about Crucifer's heart being in the right place. In a metatextual moment, the JLA silently stared in horror and the petrified readers returning the terror-filled gaze. In Jesus' hallowed name, we beg thee, why?

Man, what a stupid resolution to a progressively more terrible story. Rather than tell the tale, Manitou Raven facilitates a massive expository data dump on all things Crucifer, so that the JLA never actually has to uncover evidence through a proper investigation. This forces a six page prelude to the cliffhanger from last issue, so pity the reader who bought this in trade paperback with the expectation of a single seating experience. Not that the cliffhanger mattered, because how exciting was the premise? It's the World's Greatest Super-Heroes plus the Doom Patrol on a small town football field against a handful of unnamed immature metahumans, some bloodsuckers, and townies. Whoop-dee-do. Hey, how is it Manitou Raven managed to leave a door open for the Atom to the exact point in the right dimension where Crucifer's heart was located, anyway? Additionally, where did Manitou Raven come back from at the end of the story, and how did he manage that? By the way, was anybody impressed with the Doom Patrol's performance here, or learning that the last two pages of this six-part story forced the reader to continue to a two part coda in their new series? Most importantly of all, who in their right mind figured generic ass vampires were enough of a threat to tie up the JLA for an issue, even before adding a second super-team? Holy Hanna, this thing got horrid in a hurry!

"Heartbreaker!" was blessedly the final chapter of "The Tenth Circle" to afflict mankind. It was foisted upon an unwitting populace by John "Hates You" Byrne, Chris "Bore" Claremont, and Jerry "The Bystander" Ordway. Did I mention they had one of the black kid metahumans call John Stewart "Homes?" That happened.

The Tenth Circle

Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince

Breach #4 (June, 2005)

2011-07-24T00:00:00.190-05:00

With the Beacon destroyed, the Army was preparing to clear out of South Africa. Major Zanetti sat on the sand, having kept silent since the previous day's events. Doctor Campbell Chambers approached Tim, who finally asked who the two men flying toward the camp were.

Superman and the Martian Manhunter were surprised to find themselves surrounded by troopers pointing guns at them. "Well-- this isn't quite the welcome we expected. We're the JLA." The c.o. replied "Sir, we're the U.S.A... Army, that is. I'm Captain Yoshiba. What are you folks doing here?" While Superman explained the the League was investigating unusual energy patterns, J'Onn J'Onzz reached out telepathically to Major Zanetti.

Tim asked Campbell about the strangers. "Oh, that's right... They appeared while you were in your coma. Major, those are superheroes. Our self-appointed saviors." And here Tim thought his outfit was ridiculous. A soldier took offense to how Tim spoke about Superman. "I'm sure he is... Wait, you're serious? That's the big guy's name? Not too much of an ego, eh?" The Doctor was surprised to see Tim display a sense of humor, and he confided that she and her husband had helped keep him sane. He wanted her to know, "before these rages take over for good."

In the first of several instances, J'Onn J'Onzz's telepathic eavesdropping was represented visually through the Martian pantomiming the Major's motions a panel apart. Superman was clearly stalling as he tried to reason with the intractable Captain Yoshiba. J'Onzz asked about "that being," and Dr. Paul Chambers began to answer "Mr. Manhunter, sir--" but was silenced by the captain. "That is classified information, sir. And JLA or not, it will remain classified."

Tate was flown to a German base for questioning by his stepfather, General McClellan, who was relieved to learn his boy had minimal contact with Zanetti. However, he was again disturbed to learn the reason for Tate's side trip to Limpopo was "a brunette with a weird accent and a smoking fetish. Right out of central casting... She was incredibly... compelling..."

Conspiracy novelist Tobias Underwood had begun work without his usual uncredited writing partner in his isolated cabin in the woods. He looked suspiciously like Dr. Ward from Project: Otherside. The cigarette smoking woman appeared after a long absence, assuaging Tobias' fears that "the killers" may have gotten to her. Such fears were unfounded, and she was ready to help Tobias start their new, final book. "We shall call it... Breach."

The army was taking soil samples for analysis of alien traces, but Tim said plainly, "You won't find any. We leave no traces... I meant they probably don't. Slip of the tongue." Batman, sneaking about in the distance, did find traces of Kobra, however.

Superman didn't figure Captain Yoshiba liked him much, and in the absence of a clear threat, the JLA would have to leave. "A hidden threat is often the most lethal. I tell you... something is going on here. And it centers on that individual. From the moment we arrived, I sensed powerful thoughts, thoughts that concern me. At times, unfocused, on the edge of perception. But then moments of frightening clarity... that sears like fire." As the Manhunter flew off without warning back toward the army, Superman shouted "J'ONN!" Yoshiba started freaking out, demanding to contact General McClellan about the situation.

The Herdsman opened a wormhole somewhere, and the Major began tripping out. "Th- there are more of them! Five more. I-- I can sense it." Yoshiba thought he was having another episode, and ordered restraints. Campbell Chambers tried to calm Tim with her hand on his shoulder, which spooked Paul. The Major sent troops flying when they tried to clamp him. Paul pulled Campbell to safety. "I perceive the world differently now. More keenly than these blind idiots. They don't see the growing danger, because they can't. What weak things they are!"

A voice was heard amongst the soldiers surrounding Zanetti, and a translucent blue cape slowly began to appear, until the form of the Manhunter from Mars stood between them and the Major. "So. As I suspected... you were the source of the energy disturbance we detected. Intriguing. Your thoughts burn brightly through you. I feel their heat. They are chaotic, a mass of conflict and pain. They do not... belong. Thus, I ask you... before anyone is injured... stop."

The Major somehow knew the Herdsman wasn't dead, "I know he has brought others with him. And I know this refugee from a bad drive-in movie wants to stop me. Which makes him my enemy. And enemies are to be-- destroyed!" Tim halfway liquified the Alien Atlas with an energy blast. "You said you felt my thoughts? And you still wanted to stop me? What kind of monster are you!?" The kind whose injury would justify the Man of Steel popping Tim in the kisser.

In the suburbs, a nuclear family of two white parents, two mixed gender children, and a house cat fussed in the morning. Something turned up at their door. Tim sensed a horror awaiting them, giving him the strength to knock "Groovy Guy-- or whatever they call you--" on his ass. Heat Vision burned through the Major suit, and Campbell Chambers rushed out to once again defend Zanetti. "Stop! This man is not your enemy. He's an American soldier, one who's undergone tremendous trauma. Something someone like you may not understand. He deserves your respect-- not to be treated like your latest punching bag. Why don't you listen to what he has to say?"

Click To Enlarge

The Major created a wormhole of his own, but before he could walk through it, a Hand of Steel clamped onto his shoulder. Tim tried to warn Superman, who was certainly in for an "interesting" jolt, but nothing fatal. The Kryptonian grappled with Zanetti until the army could restrain him, and the wormhole closed.

Batman draped a cape over a haggard looking Natural form Martian, and Kal-El asked if he was all right. "I am... coalescing." As for Tim, "I could not read him precisely, my friend. I only know beneath the intense chaos of his thoughts... there is a dark core that threatens to grow and overwhelm him." Regardless, the Flash radioed Batman to tell the team the Pentagon had ordered their immediate evacuation. Superman planned to keep an eye on the operation though, as "They're in over their heads..."

Paul was angry at Campbell for endangering herself, but the fairer Dr. Chambers feared Tim Zanetti had a purpose the military was preventing him from fulfilling. "I can't shake the feeling that something... big... is happening. Something frightening. And that if we don't start listening to him... it will be too late.

"Heroes" was by Bob Harras, Marcos Martin and Alvaro Lopez. Where Captain Atom was Steve Ditko at his earliest and most commercially mainstream, Martin does an excellent job of gently tapping the vein of divine weirdness Ditko mastered in the late Silver and Bronze Ages. He also works a fine looking on-model Martian Manhunter. Harras does a great job of making everyone on the scene wrong and right, really testing the loyalties of the reader. Tim has some of his dimensions restored in this issue, no pun intended, and the Herdsman's machinations are conveyed with a proper sense of terror. A good issue all around.

Brave New World

Doom Patrol #4 (January, 2010) @ DC Bloodlines
Wonder Woman #4 (February, 2007) @ Diana Prince
Martian Manhunter #4 (January, 2007) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #44 (September, 2006) @ Justice League Detroit
Breach #4 (June, 2005) @ Power of the Atom
The All New Atom #4 @ The Tiny Titan

JLA #98 (Early August, 2004)

2011-07-20T00:04:00.001-05:00

While the Tiny Titan was trapped in tinsel~~town~~land(?), the JLA finally tracked down the Doom Patrol, who'd been running a parallel investigation the whole time. Putting everybody's stories together, J'Onn J'Onzz revealed "I am now able to shed light on the whereabouts of the Atom."

The Chief had Rita Farr shrink down to millimeter size, a power I didn't recall her possessing, but a quick web search taught me otherwise. At least she was nice enough to complain about mimicking the Atom's main power. Maybe it screws with her menses or something, so she'll stay big like we like her? Anyway, a line was attached to Farr and she was equipped with an audio-visual transmitter. Rita climbed into Manitou Raven's stones. Down she went through a "dimensional nexus," then off to the crystal palace, guided by alien worshipers to "Doctor Atom, I presume?" Ray offered, "Dr. Palmer, actually." He recognized Rita as a former associate of Dr. Caulder's who had an "accident," but she claimed not to have actually perished, as long reported. "Nope. Not permanently, anyway." This was all referring to a failed targeted reboot of Doom Patrol continuity, which was later incorporated into the familiar one, so just roll with it. The Atom explained that Crucifer had been using this place as a "side-door dimension" to get around from place to place and, during layovers, set himself up as a sadistic deity. Palmer showed Farr the "sacred relic," which was broadcast back to Caulder's lab...

"Convergence," part five of "The Tenth Circle," was by John Byrne, Chris Claremont, and Jerry Ordway. That really is a great looking Atom, in a lame-brained story where he accomplishes little. Sigh.

The Tenth Circle

Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince

Atomic acCount for September/October, 2011

2011-07-19T00:30:00.001-05:00

Back after a brief hiatus, because there's a whole lot of Atom stuff coming from the DCnÜ.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #1
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
1:25 Variant cover by DAVID FINCH
RETROSOLICITED • On sale AUGUST 31 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US RATED T • Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
Comics superstars Geoff Johns and Jim Lee make history! In a universe where super heroes are strange and new, Batman has discovered a dark evil that requires him to unite the World Greatest Heroes!
This spectacular debut issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, polybagged with a redemption code for a digital download of the issue.

The Atom will at some point be a part of an expansive double digit rotating membership, possibly at even before Jim Lee falls behind schedule and Scott Clark fills in! I'm all a-tingle!

JUSTICE LEAGUE #2
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
1:25 Variant cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
1:200 B&W variant cover by JIM LEE
On sale OCTOBER 19 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with three covers. Please see the order form for more information.
What happens when the World’s Greatest Detective takes on the world’s most powerful alien? You’ll find out when Batman and Superman throw down. Batman will need all his intellect, cunning and physical prowess to take on The Man of Steel.
This issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, polybagged with a redemption code for a digital download of the issue.

In this issue, the Atom will almost certainly not appear! I was just covering my ass on #1 in case the flashback begins in modern times, but nobody's liable to bother with the Mighty Mite until late in this arc or the next.

DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #15-16
Written by MARV WOLFMAN and TOM TAYLOR
Art by MIKE S. MILLER and BRUNO REDONDO
#15 cover by MIKE S. MILLER
#16 cover by DOUG MAHNKE
#15 on sale OCTOBER 5 • #16 on sale OCTOBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Following the tragic events in the last issue, the heroes must pick up the pieces of a shattered League. With Superman AWOL and seeking revenge, will Lex Luthor be the hero of the day? And can anyone keep the Man of Steel from hunting down and killing Brainiac?
And in issue #16, Hal Jordan and the other human Green Lanterns have been recalled to Oa under emergency circumstances. Brainiac’s main fleet has been located and he’s gone to war with the Sinestro’s Yellow Lantern Corps on Korugar! The mission: Containment, allowing both enemies to annihilate each other!

This thing? Still happening.

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA ARCHIVES VOL. 10 HC
Written by DENNIS O’NEIL, MIKE FRIEDRICH and ROBERT KANIGHER
Art by DICK DILLIN and JOE GIELLA
Cover by NEAL ADAMS
In this collection of issues #81-93, the JLA and their Earth-2 counterparts, the Justice Society, must save the Red Tornado. Plus: Solomon Grundy and the timely threats of world hunger and pollution.
ADVANCE SOLICITED • On sale FEBRUARY 29 • 272 pg, FC,
$59.99 US

Captain Atom

CAPTAIN ATOM #1
Written by J.T. KRUL
Art by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II
Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
On sale SEPTEMBER 21 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Charged by nuclear energy, possessing vast molecular powers, Captain Atom has the potential to be a literal god among men – a hero without limits. But the question is: Will he lose himself in the process?
Don’t miss the start of a legend from writer J.T. Krul (GREEN ARROW, TEEN TITANS) and artist Freddie Williams II (JSA ALL-STARS)!

So, Dr. Manhattan, the series?

CAPTAIN ATOM #2
Written by J.T. KRUL
Art by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II
Cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
On sale OCTOBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Losing control of his powers, unable to stop the sensory overload in his mind, Captain Atom wants nothing more than to find a quiet place to regroup. But how can he shut out the signals floating in the air – especially when they’re crying out for help?

With this combination of writing and art, I have no interest in this combination of writing and art. I kind of like Freddie Williams a little when he first got started, but got over it, and I've never liked this scripter.

YOUNG JUSTICE #9
Written by GREG WEISMAN and KEVIN HOPS • Art by CHRISTOPHER JONES and DAN DAVIS • Cover by CHRISTOPHER JONES
On sale OCTOBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED E
The team is taking Espionage 101 from Captain Atom. Their class project is to solve a cold case that involves a forty-year-old murder mystery, a military conspiracy and a half-decent chance that none of them will come out alive.

JLU-style Captain Atom! Tempting...

Breach #3 (May, 2005)

2011-07-17T00:00:00.142-05:00

Kaaterskill Falls, New York. Herdsman was near a forest waterfall. Sensing a presence, he attacked, and was easily rebuffed. The cigarette smoking woman wished for his report following recovery from injuries sustained during his first battle with Tim Zanetti. "There is immense power in that one. He is... different."

"Of course he is. I have set things in motion, old one. Now we will see how our warrior deals with his next test... when his son comes calling"

Limpopo Province, South Africa. Tate McClellan had dreamt of his father again, and thought about it as he hiked into the night. In a barren recess, Tate found an extremely gnarled tree. In the distance, he saw a light.

Tim Zanetti could sense the evil in this place, where the Herdsman breached our plane. Visions filled his mind, and he erupted with energy. Calming down, Tim had a talk with Dr. Paul Chambers. Tim felt like a freak, worried over the fate of his family, and inadvertently turned a desk into a distorted mess with his touch. "...The Herdsman... I'm afraid I'm... losing myself. I still remember how I felt when I fought him-- and the power that came with it-- I enjoyed-- wanting-- to kill." Paul touched Tim on the shoulder in a gesture of comfort, and I suppose trust, since the containment suit had so far been less than reliable.

Government agents reviewed evidence of the Herdsman's presence in Metropolis and Kansas, specifically grotesque sheathes of human flesh seemingly emptied of any interior structure. The Herdsman's collateral damage signature at Project: Otherside matched archival footage from the 1980s, including the original breach event at Baikal. No "Rifter" activity had been expected so soon, and even though there was some relief from Major Zanetti's performance against the Herdsman, "imagine an entire invasion of these creatures..." General MacClellan warned, "We can't keep this a secret much longer. They're leaving calling cards, like Limpopo. And believe me, if we heard about this event... others will have, as well."

Tim had stripped out of his whites and hovered at rest in a corner of his room. A voice ordered him to come, and though a soldier tried to bar his way, it didn't take much of a threat to get the poor kid to move aside. In the distance, an orb of green swirling energy with purple tentacles underneath ripped itself out of the earth. An piercing squeal had everyone present covering their ears in pain, while the Beacon questioned Zanetti. "You are late, brother. Report... The blood of the past cries out for retribution... You are late. Penalties will be applied."

The Beacon had the same stench as the Herdsman, and Tim nearly drowned in its influence, until the last gasp of his humanity saw him renew his struggle. Energy blasted Tim hundreds of yards to a hard landing, where he was approached by a concerned Tate. Tim blasted the young man to keep him from making deadly contact with his physical form, and was shocked to recognize his little man Tate as an adult.

Shock was met be shock as the camp was assaulted by fighter jets. Agents of the international terrorist cult Kobra parachuted from above, and tried to tow the beacon with grappling hooks. Tim hesitated to use his powers, instead picking up conventional firearms. However, Kobra's advanced technology had disabled the military's equipment, allowing for wholesale slaughter. One Kobra trooper recognized Tate as a civilian, but "Kobra allows for no eyewitnesses." The threat to his son's life saw Tim reduce the Kobra forces to ash. The Beacon intended to end all other human life in the immediate area to insure their unclean hands would never touch its self, but Tim tore into it with his own mitts. Tim saved everyone Kobra hadn't already killed, and destroyed the Beacon, but "I feel so... lost?" Tim denied knowing Tate when asked if they had met before. Instead, he walked away from the damage he'd wrought.

"Something has... changed. Something intangible is... gone. Like a piece of me just died. But what it is-- or was-- I can't say. And for reasons I do not understand... I start to cry."

A Kobra trooper reported back to Talia, daughter of Ra's al Ghul, and current leader of the cult. In typical Bond villain fashion, she killed the man for informing her of the failure to acquire the Beacon. Perhaps she intended to save face with the men with whom she was having a meeting, heavily obscured fellow members of the new Secret Society, most likely Lex Luthor, Black Adam and Deathstroke the Terminator.

From the Watchtower on the moon, the Martian Manhunter observed, "Amazing. This is the third unidentifiable energy signature emerging out of South Africa in two days. The Pentagon told us the initial two were from an operation they were conducting. But this one is far more powerful." Batman had thought that notification was odd. "I agree. There were indications here of time/space distortion that current military technologies could not hope to achieve." Batman thought this warranted further investigation, and Superman agreed.

"The Beacon" was by Bob Harras, Marcos Martin and Alvaro Lopez. There was not a single straight-on shot of the JLAers during that final sequence, recalling how the super-heroes were treated in an old Alan Moore issue of Swamp Thing. In fact, Harras and Martin seem to be doing their level best to make this series something more sophisticated and ambitious than the norm. They don't quite pull it off, landing more in the vicinity of overly self-serious, but it's still a good looking book that reads well. Seriously though, you can only get so much mileage out of DC's answer to Hydra, no matter how nice the redesign.

Brave New World

Doom Patrol #3 (December, 2009) @ DC Bloodlines
Wonder Woman #3 (October, 2006) @ Diana Prince
Martian Manhunter #3 (December, 2006) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #43 (August, 2006) @ Justice League Detroit
The All New Atom #3 @ The Tiny Titan

JLA #97 (Late June, 2004)

2011-07-13T00:21:00.002-05:00

The Atom suspected that at some point in his shrinking to enter the telling stones, he had passed through a pan-dimensional portal, and was now in a plane where his powers didn't work. After Ray spaced out on feeling like Alice in need of a White Rabbit, he tuned back in on the alien priestess. The Mighty Mite was told that the wardens who attacked him would be tortured to death for their transgression against his divine self, but he asked that they be spared. The priestess agreed, but pointed out that "The Precursor took delight in such suffering." This would be the first divinity, who appeared to the people scores of generations prior, and left them a sacred relic that Ray got an eyeful of. "Oboy. This trip just keeps getting better and better."

"Interlude on the Last Day of the World," part four of "The Tenth Circle," and possibly the most pretentious story title of all time, was by John Byrne, Chris Claremont, and Jerry Ordway. Once again, the Tiny Titan just pops in for a tiny page count, two pages for a massively tangential b-plot that, while aiding in the ultimate resolution, will make little sense.

The Tenth Circle

Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince

Breach #2 (April, 2005)

2011-07-10T00:00:00.014-05:00

Dr. Paul Chambers was overseeing the application of Tim Zanetti's red polymer outer skin to dampen his powers, since his uncovered body emitted a dimensional distortion field that turned people into a puddle of mess on contact. Unfortunately, Zanetti had been in a near psychotic rage since emerging from his coma. Paul was working with Dr. Campbell Chambers, his wife, who suited up to pay Tim a visit. Before they parted company, Campbell chided Paul for his taste in laughable conspiracy books by Tobias Underwood. Campbell tried to explain to Zanetti what he had become, as best as modern science could tell, as well as revealing that he was the sole survivor of Project Otherside. Tim was distracted by a pounding in his head, wondering where his family was, and the sense that "Something... is coming!"

General McClellan discussed Project: Otherside with his superiors, and the importance of Major Zanetti in dealing with further projected breaches. They thought the next wouldn't be until 2020.

The Limpopo Province, Africa. Jacob Kekana herded sheep, and fingered a medallion on his neck while singing a love song. Suddenly, a dimensional portal opened up, rending his flesh and dragging him from off the earthly plane. Hours later, something like Kekana emerged, but it was not human. The figure had purple skin, glowing eyes, and was elongated in a fashion most unnerving. In a native tongue, he said "I am Jakob Kekana-- I am a Herdsman-- and I seek kinship." He continued singing his song as he walked through a wormhole.

In Nairobi, Kenya, the adult Tate McClellan was sitting on a bar patio, talking candidly with a mysterious brown-haired smoking woman. They discussed his dreams about the death of the father he couldn't remember in a freak storm, and how a recent one ended with him telling his dad it was time to come home. Tate's stepfather Mac came up, and the journeys Tate was taking to exotic locales to develop his writing. Tate hoped the girl would forgive his uncommon babbling, and listened when she suggested a trip to Limpopo Province. "I make people comfortable. It's my gift."

The Herdsman arrived in Metropolis, and killed a bum for his jacket. "I seek the young kinsman... You are not who I seek. You are a weak, weak thing. But at times, small sacrifices are more than enough." A redneck couple passed him on a rural road some time later, startled by his over seven foot tall stature. Always with a smile, "Jakob Kekana" murdered them and overturned their car. Finally, the Herdsman found his kin, and passed through comic panel borders and desert floor into a secret military base. A few lives later, he had found Tim Zanetti. "This is-- wonderful, brother! Now comes the testing."

Zanetti leapt at Kekana. "You attack? Good. Good! In the beginning, the bloodheat is all we feel. I remember it well. Your mind is clouded by thoughts not your own-- but that will change, young one. That will change-- if you deserve life. For we cannot-- suffer-- a weak kinsman..." Kekana manhandled Zanetti for a bit, until his rage burned through his polymer shielding. The pair then burned a hole out of the complex and continued the fight in the desert. Kekana was impressed by the birthling's exceptional strength, and turned to ash once he'd decided Zanetti had passed his first test, again singing his song with a perpetual grin. "That was-- so easy!? I-- enjoyed-- killing him. Dear God-- it felt... right. What is happening to me? What was that thing? What the hell is going on?" Tim used to be such a nice, even-tempered guy...

"Herdsman" was by Bob Harras, Marcos Martin and Alvaro Lopez. The pace picks up a little tiny bit, but most of the ground not covered by Jakob Kekana was familiar enough to Captain Atom fans to be redundant. The Herdsman is one creepy-cool dude though, and I look forward to seeing more of him.

Brave New World

The All New Atom #2 @ The Tiny Titan
Wonder Woman #2 (September, 2006) @ Diana Prince
Doom Patrol #2 (November, 2009) @ DC Bloodlines
Martian Manhunter #2 (November, 2006) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #42 (July, 2006) @ Justice League Detroit

JLA #96 (Early June, 2004)

2011-07-06T00:00:00.001-05:00

J'Onn J'Onzz failed to locate the Tiny Titan telepathically, so Green Lantern John Stewart gave analyzing the telling stone with his power ring a shot.

The Atom woke up from his beat down with quite the headache. "Oohhhhh... That's why I never loved being a super-hero. Sooner or later, there's fighting. Not much affection for bruises or broken bones, either." Shoot, who are you trying to fool, Ray? We all know you better than that.

The Mighty Mite was still trapped in both a slick crystalline world and at one indeterminate size. Other, more reserved green insectoid types in regal gear approached. "Same basic phenotype as the creatures who attacked me... only this one wears clothes." Palmer was surprised when the group prostrated themselves before one from "the world beyond the world!" Ray recognized, "English? Old-school accent and phrasing to match. Makes my life a little easier, but raises a whole lot of questions."

"The Heart of the Matter," part three of "The Tenth Circle," was by the famous X-Men creative team of John Byrne and Chris Claremont, joined by the inks of Jerry Ordway. Not a bad team for an Atom story, now that they've laid off the MPDialogue. Shame Byrne's next Tiny Titan project had him drawing that ugly Ryan Choi costume instead of Ray's sleek threads.

The Tenth Circle

Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince

Breach #1 (March, 2005)

2011-07-03T00:00:00.084-05:00

The Siberian Wilderness, somewhere north of Lake Baikal. The near future. Breach carved a path underground for his former friends to escape the oncoming menace. Chambers was dying from a head injury, his wife shedding tears in his name. The senator reached out to touch Breach, but he warned that if she made physical contact, "The tissue damage to you would be both extensive and irreparable." General McClellan started to reach for her, but held back. The senator's adult son wanted an answer to his question of the powerful being before them. "I... am as you see me. Nothing more. Nothing less."

April 17th, 1983. Major Tim Zanetti sent his little man Tate to bed with thoughts of the boy's birthday the next day. Tim worried about the toll of military life on his wife and son, but Helen knew that moving from place to place was part of what she signed on for. The puppy would help, of course. Toast in hand, Tim kissed his wife goodbye and began the drive out to Camp Liberty.

Mac was "a born worrier. He thinks a missing requisition form is going to lead to a court-martial!" He was good for looking after "Fido" until Tim could get back to his office on base, but chided his buddy for the name. "Blame Dr. Faulk, my classics professor at the Point. Scarred me for life. I'm sure Tate will come up with something with more pizzazz. Mac was part of an evacuation of all nonessential personnel before the big experiment. The scientists were especially tense, although Bertillini was handling it much better than Ward. Major McClellan offered a military salute to the more informal Tim, who returned it with a grin and a handshake before they parted ways.

Dr. Bertillini explained Project Otherside. "If all goes well tonight, we will send 400 batches of positive protons from the arch-emitter, on a four-mile-long speedway... followed by the release of an equal number of anti-protons. When they collide, the protons will duplicate, on a miniature scale, the birth of our universe: the Big Bang. Bits of matter and energy will be hurled from our dimension into others-- breaching the membrane that separates our three known spacial dimensions and that of time-- and giving us access to dimensions undreamt of. As you know, Major, intelligence suggests the Soviets are far ahead of us in this research... which is why Otherside is considered essential to national security." Dr. Ward groused, "Yes, heaven forfend anyone be ahead of us." Ward was concerned with just how dire the consequences of their experiment would be.

McClellan was drinking at a bar while the TV discussed President Reagan's special envoy, Donald Rumsfeld, meeting with Saddam Hussein about the conflict with Iran. A mysterious smoking woman met with Mac as scheduled to pick up a briefcase. As Ward predicted, things were proceeding as planned on their end.

Red hour arrived at Project Otherside, and things immediately went wrong. A large, sucking hole opened between dimensions, drawing Dr. Bertillini in. Major Zanetti hung on for his wife and son until the flesh ripped from his body. The storm was so large and horrifying, Helen and Tate watched it from the window of their house. Hours later, when things calmed down, a search and rescue team came upon what was left of Tim Zanetti. His white "skin" glowed with energy, and at his touch, a rescuer's body erupted into a hellish mass of tumorous sickness. Mac was there, and hoped Tim could forget his former life.

Four years later, the government had finally stabilized Zanetti's condition within an incubation chamber. Mac wished they'd just let him die, but the government still held hope that Zanetti would prove useful when needed. "We didn't start this, Major. Baikal wasn't our mistake."

Today, after years in a vegetative state, Tim Zanetti woke up to demolish his chamber. He was successfully contained by armored troops with special equipment. "My apologies. We've been waiting for this day a long time, sir. My name is Dr. Paul Chambers. And it is a privilege to welcome you-- to the year 2005. McClellan also heard the news. "Tim... God help me... You can't save us, buddy. Dear God, I'm not sure anyone can."

"Otherside" was by Bob Harras, Marcos Martin and Alvaro Lopez. The project began life as an update of Captain Atom, merging elements of the Gill/Ditko original from the '60s and the Bates/Broderick update from 1987. For reasons unknown, DC decided to alter their plans after the first issue was already in production, with surface elements altered to treat Breach as a new character, but the brass tacks were unmistakably recycled. Just like the Silver Age Captain Atom, Breach was a military officer involved in a research project given extraordinary powers through a catastrophic accident. As with the Post-Crisis rewrite, the hero lost decades of time. Atom's best friend was "Goz," and Breach's "Mac." Both men's wives remarried to generals they served with in the past, and had their sons adopted by the same, but only Captain Atom had a daughter, as well. I could go on, but you get the drift.

Whereas the 1960 Captain Atom laid all the basics out in a handful of pages, and '87 in the first issue, Breach played by the rules of decompressed storytelling that still plagued the industry of the time. Three pages were devoted to establishing Tim as a family man, one silent page to his morning commute, five pages to touring the facility and explaining the project, two pages to introduce Mac, four pages of insinuating Mac's involvement in the accident, six pages of the accident itself, five pages to Tim finally waking up, plus the four page flash-forward at the beginning. It took an extra forty-five cents and eight pages to cover maybe four pages of the original origin story. It's a story told well enough technically, with solid dialogue and art, but the pace is freakin' glacial.

Brave New World

Doom Patrol #1 (October, 2009) @ DC Bloodlines
Wonder Woman #1 (August, 2006) @ Diana Prince
Martian Manhunter #1 (October, 2006) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #41 (June, 2006) @ Justice League Detroit
The All New Atom #1 @ The Tiny Titan

JLA #95 (Late May, 2004)

2011-06-29T00:45:00.001-05:00

The Tiny Titan fell through an unknown expanse of space within the telling stone of JLA shaman Manitou Raven...

"To review. Because it keeps my mind off all the implications of what's happening. Point one: I'm falling. Point two: I've been falling for quite a while. Point three: there's none of the discontinuity I usually feel transiting the Schwarzschild threshold... so this probably has nothing to do with my normal shrinking. Conundrum: is that a good thing? After all, sooner or later every falling body has to hit bottom. And silly me, without my parachute."

Finally, the Atom landing gracelessly but unharmed on a crystalline surface. In the distance was a tower of similar material. From out of hidden tunnels in the ground emerged bipedal, somewhat insectoid green brutes. The Mighty Mite evaded them for a time, but was eventually encircled and beaten down.

"The Enemy Within," part two of "The Tenth Circle," was by John Byrne with Chris Claremont and Jerry Ordway. For some reason, Ray Palmer's dialogue bounced between the usual stoic scientist and cringe-inducing inappropriate informality. I suppose this was meant as a throwback to the Bronze Age, but it read more like an introduction to schizophrenia.

The Tenth Circle

Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince

The All New Atom in DCU: Brave New World #1 (August, 2006)

2011-06-26T00:00:00.008-05:00

Alien beings called The Waiting who spoke in a garbled temporal sense were trying to "inject mind control devices" into beings of influence on Earth for unknown reason. Ryan Choi had been provided with the size controlling belt of Ray Palmer to combat the menace. "The one advantage I have over the real Atom-- is a much greater range of mass and weight control." That wasn't entirely true, as Choi could fly using a special baton, although he struggled to actually wield the thing. "Well, he's hanging on to the equivalent of four jumbo jet engines..."

Although a scientist, Ryan Choi was of the Wilbur and Orville Wright stripe of researching discoveries himself. Thankfully, he had a lifetime of gymnastic training to serve him, as well as some martial arts skill. When cannon firing flying insects have you in their sights, those could come in handy. Choi's actions in a shrunken netherworld were viewed via camera by his associates at Ivy University, some rather eccentric, plus his "bro" Panda.

The Atom managed to blast the aliens with their own hard light generating weaponry, forcing them to shrink further in retreat. It was then revealed that the entire battle had taken place in the carpet of the Oval Office, and that the somewhat askew aliens had taken over the mind of their true target-- the presidential dog Duster. After all, the president pet the pooch. "Seen must you how humbly he knelt before him?"

Meanwhile, a mysterious figure noted, "Yes, Mr. Choi. You defeated the Waiting, as I'd predicted. Of course, you could never have done it without my help. Clearly, I've chosen the correct successor."

"Handle of the Teacup" was by Gail Simone, John Byrne and Trevor Scott. It was a fun, fast paced story, but a bit too busy for my taste. There were just so many characters speaking in different voices, some intentionally impenetrable. Plus, there were true and fictional quote captions, and of course the action starts near the end with exposition slowly bringing the reader up to speed. Scott's inks give Byrne a modern pizzazz, and due credit to the influence of Ray Palmer was given. However, it's kind of phony calling a book "The All New Atom" when a character is so clearly continuing a legacy, right?

Brave New World

"The Secret Origin of The Doom Patrol!" Annual (1987) @ DC Bloodlines
Wonder Woman Annual #1: “Backstory” (2007) @ Diana Prince
Martian Manhunter in Brave New World #1 (August, 2006) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #40 (May, 2006) @ Justice League Detroit

JLA #94 (Early May, 2004)

2011-06-22T00:00:00.004-05:00

The JLA's resident ancient Native American(?) shaman Manitous Raven vanished under mysterious circumstances, leaving only mystical "telling stones" as a trace. Meanwhile, murders and other crimes involving the circled "x" symbols started turning up in various cases involving the League, as well as active metagene youths (not unlike Marvel's merry mutants.) The Atom was called up by apparent current team leader Batman (based on the orders he was casually throwing around) to help investigate.

The Martian Manhunter brought Manitou Raven's telling stones to the Atom, and when conventional technology failed to detect anything within them, the Tiny Titan shrank down to explore close up. The Mighty Mite vanished into the stones, as J'Onn J'Onzz tried in vain to reestablish telepathic contact.

"Suffer the Little Children," part one of "The Tenth Circle," was by the famous X-Men creative team of John Byrne and Chris Claremont, joined by the heavy inks of Jerry Ordway. It was not magical. Byrne took top billing, so he presumably plotted the piece and drew it, and as a consequence he gets most of the blame. The story is uninspired and crowded, while the art looks more like Ordway hampered by Byrne's pencils rather than accentuating them. The script by Claremont is long, rambling and funky, with dialogue that doesn't sounds like it belongs in any of the known characters' mouths.

Also, apologies in advance for my scans throughout this series. Something about the paper stock or inks made these a bugger to clean up, so there are more scanning artifacts than usual, and darker overall images.

The Tenth Circle

Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince

2009 Evan “Doc” Shaner's Justice League

2011-06-18T02:13:00.004-05:00

Click To Enlarge

Artist "Doc" Shaner put together an oddball JLA as part of a Facebook challenge that consisted of the Flash, the Atom, Captain Marvel, Plastic Man, Jonah Hex, Sgt. Rock and the Viking Prince. Read more about it here!

"Doc" Saturday

2009 Wizard World Chicago Convention Sketch @ Diana Prince
2009 Justice League of America Mugshots @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
2010 Zatanna Commission @ Justice League Detroit

2011 Justice League of America #212 Twin Pocket Folder Style #1490DC

2011-06-12T00:50:00.003-05:00

Do not hold your breath for any solo Tiny Titan school supplies, especially now that Batman: The Brave and the Bold has been canceled, but Ray Palmer's decades-long association with the JLA does have its benefits. As with the 2010 Justice League of America #217 Twin Pocket Folder and Notebook Style #3009DC, the Mighty Mite earns his name as a small detail amongst the intricacy of a classic George Pérez composition. That's him riding Batman's shoulder on 1983's Justice League of America #212

The Atom must have gotten comfy there, because now that Innovative Designs are putting art inside their folders, we can see he's still posing on the Dark Knight's right shoulder.

That piece of stock art by José Luis García-López and Dick Giordano has been making the rounds since the early '80s, but this is the first item I've owned where the piece was rendered in such vibrant colors on high quality stock. Not only did I need to scan it on its own, but I actually blew it up for your viewing pleasure. Just click the pic to enlarge.

I love how the Flash is holding Zatanna's hand and running to join the group. Barry and Zee almost had a thing back then, which was one of the shames of bringing the married Allens back to replace the married with children Wests. The Martian Manhunter, Firestorm, Red Tornado, Hawkman, Aquaman, Elongated Man, Black Canary, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Green Arrow, Wonder Woman, and Superman stand their ground from there, clockwise.

Click to Enlarge.

I also decided to offer a nice big scan of the back cover art, which is also stock, but much less common. J'Onn, Ray, Ralph, Zee, Dinah and Reddy exited to make way for Starfire, Captain Marvel, Wonder Girl (Donna Troy,) Plastic Man, Supergirl, Batgirl Hawkgirl, Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Junior. It's a shame they neglected to do the color fills behind Robin the Boy Wonder or under Wonder Woman's right elbow and thigh. Still, pretty groovy, and far better than that same old "DC 75" logo from the 2010 folders.

Folders & Fodder

2010 Wonder Woman Twin Pocket Folder Style #1490DC @ Diana Prince
2010 DC Originals Men's Sleep Pant RN# 82457 @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
2010 Detective Comics #380 Twin Pocket Folder Style #3008DC @ Justice League Detroit

Post-Pointal Discussion: The Atoms and the Justice League Satellites

2011-06-06T21:15:00.003-05:00

...and the Justice League

In light of the line wide DC Comics relaunch/revamp, beginning with Justice League, I've been thinking about how the universe's super-heroes relate to one another. For instance, I was coming into comics at about the time the Silver Age line-up was being phased out. See,the public lost interest in super-heroes toward the end of World War II, and only a handful of major names survived going into the 1950s (the DC Trinity, Captain Marvel, Plastic Man and a few others.) Crime comics, horror titles and licensed properties from other media ruled for most of that decade. However, a popular campaign against what we would term "mature" comics today very nearly buried the medium. In need of something that could be published under the industry's stringent self-regulating code, editor Julie Schwartz revitalized super-hero comics at DC. Most of his "new" super-heroes were reworkings of Golden Age greats, with the Flash and Green Lantern leading the pack. Marvel Comics jumped onto the bandwagon, and super-heroes became all the rage throughout the 1960s. However, the fad wore off in the 1970s, and while Marvel successfully diversified, DC stood by their Silver Age creations when attempts to spread out tended to flounder.

While the Atom had a fantastic creative team and a dynamic costume, he never caught on in a major way. Personally, I chalk this up to a poor rogues gallery and shrinking not really being a wish-fulfillment type power. Still, Schwartz supported the character through his early inclusion in the Justice League, just as Golden Age Atom Al Pratt was a staple of the Justice Society. Ray Palmer lasted several years in a solo series, before having it merged with the equally middling Hawkman for about a year. Following cancellation, the Atom remained a highly visible Justice Leaguer, even marrying in the title, and had a number of back-up features in other books. Although he wasn't a headliner, '60s fans knew his comics and cartoon adventures well enough to keep him active.

As I said, I came in during the end of that period, when DC was in a pretty desperate place. After The New Teen Titans broke big enough to cross over to Marvel readers, DC made an effort to produce as many similar comics as they could. This included tossing most of the old Justice Leaguers off the team to remodel it in the image of the X-Men. By that point, the Atom was already gone, having found a measure of solo success with a series of Sword of the Atom special events. The book was a super-hero title only in the vestigial sense, as the Atom was basically a sword-swinging warrior in a savage land of six-inch tall aliens in the Amazon Jungle. An unexpected side effect of this modest success was to isolate the Atom from the rest of the DC Universe for most of the 1980s. When the Atom appeared anywhere else but his own annuals and mini-series, it was usually in the context of "where'd he go?" a theme that would be echoed a few years back in "The Search for Ray Palmer."

The Atom wasn't alone in this isolation. Hawkman was problematic because his "powers" were cumbersome artificial wings and a skill with antiquated weaponry. Katar Hol also came out of the gate already married, but I tend to see that as beneficial, because so many people prefer Hawkgirl to her man. After their ongoing series was canceled, the Hawks took many of the same routes as the Atom in the '70s, seemingly with even less success. The '80s saw an uptick with The Shadow War of Hawkman mini-series, which led to a special and ongoing. However, the basic premise of their book was that they were fighting members of their own alien race using a nigh-omniaware Absorbascon to counter all opposition in a global takeover. The only way the immune Hawks could help their adoptive Earth was to act alone.

Similarly, Green Arrow had managed to survive uninterrupted from the Golden Age, but only as a back-up feature. Ollie Queen saw greater success in the 1970s, through his critically acclaimed watershed pairing with Green Lantern under Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams. After their book was canceled, Green Arrow continued as a high profile Leaguer with co-features in better selling anthologies, until Green Lantern/Green Arrow was revived. The early '80s were comparatively fallow, as a 4-issue solo mini-series failed to take off, before he was dropped from Green Lantern, Justice League of America and Detective Comics. Once Green Arrow did return, it was in one of DC's first labelled for mature readers, direct sales only, costume hero titles. Oliver Queen was allowed to enter middle age, curse, and have "on screen" sex with the Black Canary. Adversely, he was restricted from involvement with most other DC characters, or any truly fantastic elements, played little to no role in crossovers, and his girlfriend very nearly lost her super-heroic identity entirely. Still, 'tis better to have been loved and lost than to be the Red Tornado, who never had much of anything besides a League membership.

The Black Canary had been created in the 1940s as part of the Johnny Thunder strip, and ended up eclipsing its lead before being swallowed up in the post-war super-hero bust. Dinah turned back up in the 1960s as part of the annual Justice Society of America get-togethers with the younger Justice League, and following the death of her husband, crossed Earths to take Wonder Woman's place on the JLA. The Black Canary soon hooked up with Green Arrow, and became his +1 for most adventures over the next twenty years.

One of DC's biggest success stories during their late 1980s renaissance was the serio-comic Justice League International. Even though it quickly became a bestseller, creators on more proper super-hero titles feared and hated the book, feeling it would tarnish the reputations of their characters. Because of this, the JLI became the home of characters from dying or deceased titles, including Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, and yes, Hawkman. Further, in the wake of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Flash's enthusiastically received revisions, everybody jumped on the bandwagon. No sooner had Hawkman rejoined the League than he became its biggest critic, quit, and then had his entire history rebooted from scratch. Power of the Atom's ad campaign directly referenced DC's prior hits as it restored the Tiny Titan as a super-hero. However, the Mighty Mite openly turned up his nose to the JLI, and when his new series failed, he was left homeless. Hawkman's continuity became a huge mess, and despite a brief return to the League in the mid-90s, the Winged Wonder's viability was in doubt. The Emerald Archer had dragged Black Canary into mature label limbo with him after she had seen some success on her own. Dinah was part of the initial JLI line-up, and acted as a "conscientious objector" to their increasing silliness. However, Ollie needed his woman, so she was assaulted and stripped of her powers, leaving any den-mothering to the Martian Manhunter when she tagged along with Ollie.

While all of the more august DC heroes were running from the JLI, Captain Atom hitched his wagon as soon as possible. The star of two Charlton Comics runs in the '60s, the character was a nostalgic novelty who turned up mostly in fan/prozines during the Bronze Age. After DC bought the old Charlton Action Heroes in 1983, they sat on them for about three years before using their integration into the line as a point of interest during the Crisis On Infinite Earths. Since Charlton had already failed with these heroes decades earlier, creators were given a free hand to offer dynamic, contemporary takes on the acquired characters. Captain Atom was placed in a blender of '80s tropes, which helped his solo series last nearly twice as long as Hawkman and the Atom's combined. The Captain joined the JLI in their first year, then led a spin-off team for a couple of years, and a second spin-off for yet another year. Despite being derailed by scuttled plans to turn him into a villain during the Armageddon 2001 event, Captain Atom's visibility remained high up through the mid-90s directly related to his embracing an association with the JLI.

The Satellite League had been gone for about a decade, and its mainstays were in bad shape. Hawkman was working on his third cancellation before being considered so toxic as to disappear from comics entirely for many years. Red Tornado's biggest blip was as a member of the short-lived Primal Force. Oliver Queen was killed off. The Atom was de-aged into a young adult and led a disastrous Teen Titans line-up. Only Black Canary seemed to thrive, having been retroactively turned into her own daughter and a founding member of the JLA when Wonder Woman proved unavailable. Birds of Prey was a team-up title of super-heroines, with Black Canary as the constant face of the group, which became one of the most successful female-fronted titles of all time.

By 1996, the Justice League itself was in desperate need of reinvention, and the way forward turned out to be going back to their founding line-up of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman and the Martian Manhunter. The Magnificent Seven swiftly grew, but by that point many of the Silver Age heroes had passed their legacies down, with Connor Hawke acting as Green Arrow, and Zauriel replacing the beleaguered Hawkman. The replacements' newness helped keep the JLA feeling fresh, so even when stodgy old Ray Palmer started showing up for guest appearances, he didn't make the place smell all geriatric.

Meanwhile, like an old administration tarred by the new, those most associated with the JLI were treated as harshly as the former Satellite League. Captain Atom became a true villain and had his continuity royally screwed up. While the Elongated Man saw some benefit from the JLI, I doubt his wife would have been seen as relevant enough to rape and murder if not for his association, and now both are dead.

In the last decade, a real effort has been put into refurbishing the old home Justice League. Green Arrow Oliver Queen was resurrected for a series of series, one lasting nearly a hundred issues. Hawkman finally made it better than half that length, a personal best. The Red Tornado was restored to a more recognizable form, and joined Brad Meltzer's Bronze Age heavy Justice League of America relaunch alongside the Black Canary. The Atom appears to be the only straggler stuck in the 1990s. While never much of a super-team family man, the Atom's "legacy" has been systematically demolished. Al Pratt's son Damage is dead. Ray Palmer's ex-wife was revealed to be a murderess, then a super-villain, and is now herself dead. The All New Atom Ryan Choi was murdered, with major blowback against Palmer as part of the perceived "whitewashing" of the DC Universe to a less culturally diverse time. The only other Atom-related character left standing is Al Rothstein, the Atom Smasher.

Captain Atom was part of the last several JLI revivals, all of which were fairly successful, whether a return to the fun times or more serious fare. However, the Captain will not be part of their ongoing series launch in September, instead receiving his own series, which again seems bound for the path of the corrupting influence of omnipotence. What's interesting about the JLI though is that with the exception of Batman, it consists of nothing but thoroughly failed soloists and "never were" team players. That book exists for the love of the team, not the individual players, and it's a brand that has held up for the better part of a quarter century.

The Black Canary will begin leading a new Birds of Prey line-up, without her partner Barbara Gordon (returned as Batgirl,) the Huntress, Power Girl, Lady Blackhawk, or even Manhunter Kate Spencer. Dinah's best writer, Gail Simone, has left with Babs. So much for that series.

The Atom, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Green Arrow and Red Tornado have all been excluded from advance materials related to Justice League #1. These prominent Satellite Leaguers have tended to keep their distance from the JLI, and have had limited acceptability as members of any JLA line-up since the '80s. It seems to me these characters (including Black Canary) have close relationships with one another, and function better as a unit than when tossed into other character mixes. I wonder why DC doesn't recognize that, with the ongoing demand for both a Magnificent Seven JLA and the JLI, rather than leaving this lot caught in the middle, they might make a finer third team in waiting than the latest Outsiders revamp. Throw in a few of the later Bronze Age arrivals like Firestorm or Zatanna, and you could really have something.

Wonder Woman Annual #1: “Backstory” (2007)

2011-06-04T02:09:00.001-05:00

At the Department of Metahuman Affairs in Washington D.C., Sarge Steel assigned agents Diana Prince and Tom Tresser to target Wonder Woman for observation. This served as a narrative device to cover the histories of Sarge Steel, Wonder Woman, Wonder Girls Donna Troy & Cassandra Sandsmark, plus Tom "Nemesis" Tresser.

Sarge Steel didn’t trust anyone. He was originally Special Forces assigned to Army Intelligence overseas, until a terrorist’s grenade blew up in his hand. “Outfitted with a high-tech prosthetic made of solid steel, Sarge became a high ranking government agent… and proved himself particularly adept at working with superheroes.” These included Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Nightshade, Peacemaker, the Question, Judomaster, and a thinly disguised Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt. The Central Bureau of Intelligence and Task Force X were under his supervision before he was transferred to his current assignment, where his paranoia kept him in the field and his own agents under surveillance. Only his assistant Bess Forbes was exempted, “the only person on the planet he’s afraid of.”

Nightshade also had a cameo appearance in Nemesis' biography, as a member of the Suicide Squad (but still wearing her Charlton costume.) Also: dated Tom Tressor.

“Backstory” was by Allan Heinberg, Gary Frank and Jon Sibal.

2008 Hawkman & the Atom Convention Sketch by Phil Hester

2011-05-31T01:20:00.003-05:00

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Once again, I'm delighted that Hester has drawn another rare Atom sketch, but I continue to be perplexed over his representation of the costume. This one looks even more like the Darkseid future suit from JLA Rock of Ages than the last one.

Tuesday With Hester

2008 Aquaman Convention Sketch @ Justice League Detroit
2008 Hawkman & the Atom Convention Sketch @ Power of the Atom
2008 Martian Manhunter Convention Sketch @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
2005 Wonder Woman Commission @ Diana Prince

Captain Atom: Armageddon #7 (June, 2006)

2011-05-25T00:08:00.002-05:00

Nikola Hanssen couldn't handle becoming Void, and started unleashing large amounts of energy. Captain Atom embraced her, calming Void down.

On that snowy mountaintop when they first started dating, The Engineer pouted, while Jack Hawksmoor claimed that a) Captain Atom going kablooey was back on and b) "He's cheating on you." Can I take a moment to point out how contemptibly Hawksmoor and all the Wildstorm characters have been handled. They're nothing but smug, cynical, kill-happy a-holes, per this comic. Also, dumb as rocks, since the Engineer responds to Atom helping Void to chill out by trying to kill him... again. This was even after Captain Atom willed himself a week into the future (not how that usually works) to immediately find Nikola Hanssen (really?) and borrow her newspaper (oldest cliché in the time travel book, and never a deal maker.)

Grifter shot the Engineer with a super-rifle, and rather than killing her ("Wildstorm" must be an anagram for some form of murder,) the Captain rearranged her atoms until she was powerless. The WSU couldn't abide such a peaceful solution though, so Apollo and Midnighter were dispatched to dispatch him.

You know, this is why Wildstorm closed down at the end of last year. First it was an artists' company like the rest of Image, and then they hired British writers and became a contender. Next, the art started to slip, and they couldn't keep the writers, both of which probably had something to do with being purchased and micromanaged by DC. This was the point where there was enough of a vote of no confidence that a reboot of the entire universe was imminent, and the up n' coming writer than never came up was assigned, and the art was... yeah. Americans trying to write like the British can't get the balance right, so all the characters come across as awful people with lousy attitudes you actively root against, like the kids in slasher movies. Just terrible, hateful slogs to read.

"Who Says The World Needs Saving?" expertly combined the stupidity and viciousness of previous issues with the more recent welcome brevity by Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope.

ElseWednesday

DC/WS DreamWar #5 (October, 2008) @ DC Bloodlines
Bizarro Comics: "Wonder Girl vs. Wonder Tot" (2001) @ Diana Prince: Wonder Woman
2001 "Bizarro X-Ray Two" by John Kerschbaum @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Bizarro Comics: Aquaman in "Silence of the Fishes" (2001) @ Justice League Detroit

2009 Red Tornado & the Atom Planet Comicon Sketch by Phil Hester

2011-05-22T14:37:00.001-05:00

Click To Enlarge

I'm going to say this is Ray Palmer, because the costume reminds me of the one future Atom wore in the JLA Rock of Ages arc, but that's just my best guess.

"Phil Hester is soooooo generous. He did this sweet sketch for my brother..."

Sunday With Hester
2007 Wizard World Texas Convention Sketch by Phil Hester @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
2006 The Question Mo-Kan Comics Conspiracy Commission @ DC Bloodlines
2005 Wonder Woman Meets Swamp Thing Commission @ Diana Prince
Zatanna @ Justice League Detroit

Captain Atom: Armageddon #6 (May, 2006)

2011-05-18T00:30:00.003-05:00

Mr. Majestic showed up at The Authority's ship, and was assured Jack Hawksmoor already had a plan in motion.

Captain Atom finally let loose of some power when The Engineer talked him into killing time dismantling a "bargain-basement Stalin" and his regime. "Back home, it was all about maintaining the status quo. Keeping the ship on course. But what if the status quo needs changing? What if the ship needs to be sunk? I'm not saying I agree with her methods... but they do get results."

Afterward, the Engineer was allowed to send her nanites into Captain Atom and fish out the problem. The Doctor checked to make sure everything was still intact a year in advance, and gave Captain Atom the all clear. Atom started making the sexy time with the Engineer, claiming that he had never had such an intimate relationship with a woman, even if he didn't like her resentful attitude toward saving humans.

Jeremy Stone had continued his studies, and explained to Grifter what a disaster it would be in Captain Atom ever came into close contact with Nikola Hanssen.

Separately visiting the site of the destroyed apartment where the story sort of began, Captain Atom touched Nikola Hanssen, who turned into Void while he collapsed.

"Sometimes, When We Touch..." allowed Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Sandra Hope & Trevor Scott to take up maybe five minutes of my time.

ElseWednesday

Wonder Woman: The Blue Amazon (2003) @ Diana Prince
The Green Light (Unpublished) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu

1995 The Atom Special #2 Alternate Cover Concept by Brian Bolland

2011-05-14T20:21:00.004-05:00

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After Ray Palmer was de-aged in Zero Hour, he once again had to fear feet, I guess. Anyway, above is a solid Brian Bolland image, but I suppose there was some concern about having the hero's back to the reader, so the finished art turned out differently...

Also, check out the gallery of Bolland's complete DC Legacies virgin art from the Atom in Arthurian England story (Featuring the Shining Knight, Merlin, the Demon Etrigan, and the Silent Knight.)

Brian Bolland Roughs Day

IGN's Top Atom/Charlton-related Comic Book Heroes of All Time

2011-05-07T17:22:00.001-05:00

In 2009 or so, the comics department of the popular video game website IGN.com put together a list of their Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time, and have finally followed up with the vastly less well considered Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time. I decided to take the highly dubious list apart line by line, but in the process I'll do highly posts for my various blogs. Check out DC Bloodlines for the full list as I make it available...

87) Renee Montoya

She's a lesbian and a Latina, both rarities in mainstream comics, and about the only example to appear in cartoons. Still, I resent the hell out of her for taking over the role of the Question, and she's never carried more than a mini-series.

82) Eric O'Grady (Ant-Man)

The Irredeemable Ant-Man was awesome, but also short-lived with negligible impact.

67) Hank Pym (Ant-Man)

I do not like Hank Pym. I do not like the original Ant-Man. I do not like Giant Man. I do not like Yellowjacket. He has never worked, he has never been loved, and he serves no purpose others couldn't handle better. I can't believe he hasn't died spectacularly and stayed that way.

64) The Atom

I love how the article with this entry is entirely about Ray Palmer, but they picture Ryan Choi. No respect for either, and it's hardly uncommon. Doll-Man might have been the biggest of the early tiny heroes, but the Silver Age Atom clearly eclipsed him to become the best of a bad lot. I've got love for the Ray Palmer version, and contrary to popular misconception, the guy has a lot of cool potential that remains less than fully realized. At least he ranked above the wife beater.

61) Blue Beetle

The original was one of the bigger Golden Age heroes from a smaller publisher, and the star of his own radio show. The new kid just appeared on Smallville, and is a positive image of a young, Latino super-hero. The one in the middle is the only one acknowledged. Ted Kord was an industrialist recasting of Steve Ditko's Spider-Man more in that co-creator's image. He was funny in JLI, and I know he has a vocal following, but I just fell very "meh."

56) Hawkman

Obviously, the Winged Wonder is one of the most famous and long-lived B-listers in comic book history, even if he was just a blatant lift from Flash Gordon, complete with Alex Raymond swipes. He's gotten a hell of a lot more done than Prince Vultan, and his marriage to Hawkgirl has been one of the best examples of how to make matrimony work in comics. He was one of the first overtly political (ideologically, anyway) characters in mainstream comics, and still the killjoy to beat in super-hero teams.

16) Rorschach

I kind of hate Rorschach a little bit. I suppose he's here to represent for Watchmen, but he's also the poster child for pretentious, pointless deconstructionist super-heroes and anti-heroes with nauseating motivations (not to mention personal hygiene.) He's also at heart just a proxy for Steve Ditko's the Question, who is not on this list at all beyond such legacies/knock-offs.

Captain Atom: Armageddon #5 (April, 2006)

2011-05-04T07:09:00.003-05:00

While still being bitchy enough to come from this interpretation of the Wildstorm universe, The Engineer was still a hell of a lot more pleasant to Captain Atom than most as she escorted him onto The Authority's ship. The DC hero was introduced to Swift, the Doctor, and Jenny Quantum, "as in quantum theory. You know... the idea that replaced atomic theory." Yeah, we know what you're getting at, you precocious little brat, but Captain Atom's power set was replaced by quantum origins before Warren Ellis left college.

Captain Atom and the Engineer were joined by Jack Hawksmoor in a tour of hundreds of alternate dimensions, none the DCU. In one of the many instances of alternate realities where the Nazis won, the Authority members were happy to mow down goose steppers while Captain Atom hung back. Atom wouldn't even kill an aged Hitler in cold blood, making him one of the wussiest super-heroes of his type, so Hawksmoor did the Fuhrer in.

The WildCats were studying Nikola Hanssen when Mr. Majestic showed up to explain that they couldn't kill Captain Atom after all, because it would be like clipping the wrong wire on a ticking time bomb. There was only one "infinitesimal discrepancy" offering "a slight glimmer" of hope, because there always is, and it lay with Hanssen's new Void powers.

The Authority dropped Captain Atom off at a remote snowy mountaintop on Wildstorm Earth until they could figure out how to dispose of him if they couldn't get him home. However, the Engineer soon paid his a visit...

"No Exit" relented on the stupidity usually served by Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope.

Imaginary Wednesday
JLA Classified: Cold Steel #1 (2005)

Captain Atom: Armageddon #4 (March, 2006)

2011-04-27T00:06:00.003-05:00

The WildCats were totally pissed off at Captain Atom for no apparent reason, and played Six Degrees of William Shatner "to decide who gets to kick your ass." Maul "won," even though Atom had been repeatedly filmed fighting the Wildstorm Universe's Superman, and easily handled the chump (by manipulating his atoms back to human form, another magical first time power use.)

Grifter and Nikola Hanssen were still hanging out at a burger joint, discussing her new Void powers.

The remaining WildCats talked about triple-teaming Captain Atom, but ended up falling by numbers. Since I stopped reading Wildcats comics in 1998, I was unaware Voodoo had all of Jean Grey's old powers. Get this-- Captain Atom overloaded her telepathy by "giving" her all of his memories at once and overloading her brain. How does that even work? That makes about as much sense as a magnet to a juggalo. Next, we all try to pretend Warblade is more keen than Wolverine with blades can could literally slice atoms. We know this because Warblade stood there and explained how boss he was while Captain Atom was down, before getting hit by a geyser of energy for being slow. ~~Katana~~ Zealot deflected more of that energy with her ~~katana~~ oh right katana, which could "shave the rough edges off an electron." See, the writer remembered electrons from grade school science, and thought referencing them in a nonsensical context would make him sound mind-bending like Grant Morrison, instead of mind-thwarting like Sarah Palin quotes. The only way I could mock this more is if Captain Atom hadn't actually fought a samurai with an X-Ionizer katana that cut his shell open back in 1987. However, that guy took two issues to deal with, not three credibility-straining pages of Zealot running around in a bathing suit.

Grifter and Nikola Hanssen were held back by security forces at the monument trying to keep people away from the "meta-human trouble." I've been dancing around the DC Comics term "metahuman" for four synopsizes now because I thought Wildstorm called them "suprahuman" or "post-human" or some such. Anyway, Grifter taught Nikola how to teleport them both to the monument, where he drew down on Captain Atom. Supposedly, Grifter had a secret weapon beyond a friggin' gun, but he couldn't seem to fire it before Captain Atom finished debating stepping through wormhole to the moon generated by The Engineer. Would this comic book please just shut up?

"Fight Scene" was drummed up by Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope.

ElseWednesday featuring Wildstorm!

JLA/Cyberforce (2005) @ Diana Prince: Wonder Woman
Flashpoint #3 (February, 2000) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
DC/WS DreamWar #4 (September, 2008) @ DC Bloodlines

Captain Atom: Armageddon #3 (February, 2006)

2011-04-20T08:07:00.004-05:00

Captain Atom just showed up floating in front of the White House in the super-hero fearing Wildstorm Universe, so of course the Join Chiefs of Staff decided to nuke the area, as "It's the only chance to save America." Captain Atom absorbed the blast, then teleported into the Oval Office to talk with the president. Guards fired conventional weapons at his deflective skin, because they're stupid. Atom started explaining his situation, ending with "I'm a military man, sir. That means I respect authority." Yeah, that's readily evident in his actions, right? "Authority, eh? Funny you should put it that way." The President explained that he was only human, and in a post-human world, "we answer to a higher authority."

Grifter kept trying to explain to Nikola Hanssen that she had all these Void powers from her splinter, but she was kind of in denial.

Mr. Majestic showed up to talk at Captain Atom some more, but the latter was all pissed off by how jacked-up Wildstorm comics were. Captain Atom actually spit in Majestic's face like a little bitch, and gotten thrown through the Washington Monument. Nanobots would tidy up that mess later.

The artist referenced Edward Hopper's Nighthawks, because that was clever thirty years ago in a Howard Chaykin comic or something. Grifter called the WildCats to meet at the monument.

Mr. Majestic explained that Captain Atom wouldn't go explodey if he got deadened first, but Atom sought a second opinion, and Majestic was cool with that. Captain Atom then directly accessed the Pentagon's computers through his powers, and ran all sorts of equations that all ended him him going all explodey. All mopey, Captain Atom returned to the restored Washington Monument, so the WildCats could get snarky with him.

"Power Struggle" was perpetrated by Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope.

ElseWednesday featuring Wildstorm!

Wonder Woman Annual #5 (1996) @ Diana Prince: Wonder Woman
Flashpoint #2 (January, 2000) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
DC/WS DreamWar #3 (August, 2008) @ DC Bloodlines

JLA #83 (September, 2003)

2011-04-13T00:00:00.000-05:00

Superman had a terrifying vision of Lex Luthor initiating aggression again the nation of Qurac, as a parallel to our own President Bush’s invasion of Iraq. The whole thing was generated in Superman’s mind by the Martian Manhunter’s “Transconsciousness Articulator” device, something like a telepathic virtual reality generator. The Atom had a two panel cameo, where Superman spazzed out and wrecked part of the machine. Presumably, the Atom and/or Batman were working the device, or at least watching over Kal-El. They really needed a telepath though, which is why things went awry. Wonder Woman was also present, and you can get a more detailed account of her involvement at the Diana Prince Blog.

Captain Atom: Armageddon #2 (January, 2006)

2011-04-06T00:00:00.001-05:00

Grifter met with his WildCats teammate Jeremy Stone to use his computer to detect not one Void energy signature, but too. Woooooo.

Captain Atom determined that that he wasn't in Kansas anymore, in part because this Earth lacked the cities of Metropolis, Gotham, Opal, Keystone and Sub Diego. Yes, Sub Diego, because the writer of this mini-series created Sub Diego during his brief Aquaman run, and not entire nations like Bialya, Qurac, and so forth. Nathaniel Adam then assumed his human form to learn once again that nobody on this Earth ever heard of super-heroes from his Earth, and that everyone's afraid of super-people here, and that he's too dense to have gotten that point last issue, and that it'll be made again in future issues because of that. Captain Atom then directly tapped into every computer on Earth through a pay phone, which I don't recall as being one of his powers, but it's done all matter of fact-like.

Grifter brought the WildCats back together to investigate the Voids and to be snarky to one another for reasons DC readers wouldn't understand, because nobody got a proper introduction.

Captain Atom and Mr. Majestic fought a little bit more, then Majestic gave a brief half-assed explanation of the Kherubim-Daemonite war that formed the basis for much of Wildstorm's continuity. Then Majestic ran some tests and determined that Captain Atom was going to blow up and destroy the entire Wildstorm Universe, so I guess its origins didn't really matter all that much. Further, Atom couldn't be gotten rid of by any known means.

Grifter approached that EMT from last issue, Nikola Hanssen, and started talking to her about Void type stuff.

Captain Atom, predicted destroyer of all Wildstorm reality, decided he should turn to someone with real power... the President of the United States. In the Wildstorm Universe. Because if he can't beat Superman, maybe he can out-dumb Hal Jordan...

"Brave New World" was inflicted by Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope.

ElseWednesday featuring Wildstorm!

JLA/WildC.A.T.S. "Crime Machine" (1997) @ Diana Prince: Wonder Woman
Flashpoint #1 (December, 1999) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
DC/WS DreamWar #2 (July, 2008) @ DC Bloodlines

April Fool's Day Blogging

2011-04-02T15:11:00.000-05:00

I've been kind of peeved at Google lately. A recent update screwed up my March Madness polls, my scheduled posts keep resetting to unpublished drafts, and even the words I type right now are the result of some coding snafu destroying my first draft of this paragraph. I'm going to go study this weekend, and offer this post recapping holiday shenanigans that never came up on my own Google Reader.

The Irredeemable Shag is usually the ringleader of these April Fool's goofs, and first suggested a 2011 edition in January. His mailing list then promptly forgot all about it, Shag included, or bowed out early. Out of the blue on March 19th, Boosterrific announced that he was going ahead with the plan, and several of us ostriches pulled our heads out of the sand and went, "Oh? Well, okay, I think I'll join you."

The premise this year was to convert your entire blog into something different, devoting it to some obscure property that you have an affection for. Shag of course went the most gloriously nuts by converting Firestorm Fan into B'wana Beast's Blog, dedicated to the curious prevalence of a virtual nonentity for forty years into an enduring cartoon guest star (Justice League Unlimited, Batman: The Brave and the Bold.) Shag created ten entirely new posts, including Why a B’wana Beast Blog?, B’wana Beast in Who’s Who 1985, B’wana Beast gets animated!, Best B’wana Beast Covers of All Time, B’wana Beast Action Figures, POLL: B’wana Beast or Freedom Beast?, B’wana Beast Cosplay at DragonCon 2010*, B’wana Beast Temporary Tattoo, Napoleon Dynamite’s Liger – B’wana Beast’s Greatest Achievement? and my personal favorite, the fan fictional B’wana Beast and Beta Ray Bill – Marvel vs DC Amalgam.
*Caution: May require Kleenex after viewing, regardless of gender

Boosterrific was the one bringing this back, so he sure as heck brought it, with Red Star Fire, the most famous Communist at DC Comics replacing the capitalist running dog Booster Gold. I adore old Soviet bloc propaganda imagery, so the design of the blog alone had me drooling. I don't know how long it will be up at 100%, but it should be accessible through the weekend. If not, the direct link to the permanent content is here.I very much approved of his offering the people a weekly poll to explain what their correct opinion should be, as it was pre-rigged.

Kelson's Speed Force briefly turned Cobalt Blue over: Cobalt Blue, Classic Rogue?, The Flash vs…Barry Allen? The Bronze-Age Origin of Cobalt Blue, “Seeing” Blue: TV’s Cobalt Blue Prototype, Flash Facts: Cobalt Blue, Cobalt Blue T-Shirt Available Exclusively At VA Comicon, Who Is Hot Pursuit, REALLY?

Liquidcross briefly lost the reins to the Indigo Tribe blog to Flash rogue Roscoe Dillon, who tried to prove Nobody Tops the Top. That is, until he found himself Dead and loving it.

Always handy as a bulking agent, I converted five of my own blogs, like Diana Prince as the New Wonder Woman into Wundercar Valkyrie!, dedicated to the Nazi aviation from '40s Hillman, '80s Eclipse, and '00s Moonstone comics. That one was mostly pin-ups and pieces from aborted coverage of one of her mini-series.

DC Bloodlines became Marshal Law's San Futuro Police Blog, revolving around synopsizes of the very mature and anti-superhero first six issue mini-series, plus a few extras. It's actually relevant, since DC (of all places) will be reissuing the series.

Power of the Atom was given over to Dreadstar & Company, a childhood favorite creator owned science fantasy series by Jim Starlin. That one was stocked with remembrances, pin-ups, and crudely glued together custom Overpower cards from when I was younger and even more poor.

I had already planned a fan fiction 1995 Manhunter from Mars Annual #12 and some new icons for the sidebar, but The Aviary of the Osprey kind of laid an egg in terms of raw material in replacing The Idol-Head of Diabolu.

I was running on fumes by the time Vibe's Beat Street Blog spun off from Justice League Detroit. That one was cobbled together, like many of the other blogs, from old crap on my ...nurgh... blog from when I did more there than comic book and movie review. Since I already cover Vibe's stories there, that one descended into music videos, pop-lock educationals, and a look back at 1983's D.C. Cab. Apologies for scrapping the bottle of the barrel on that.

Greetings from the Empirical Galaxy!

2011-04-01T00:00:00.001-05:00

For those of you coming from another site, welcome to the most remote and by far least trafficked of my many blogs, devoted to the 1980s' science fantasy series by Jim Starlin. I won't keep you long with introductions, but I hope you'll stick around for a bit while I make my case for a beloved series, and also encourage you to try these other swell blogs:

Speed Force:

Following the Flash, the Fastest Man Alive

Justice League Detroit:

Vibe! Vixen! Gypsy! Steel! Zatanna! Men Aquatic, Elongated & Batty!

The Indigo Tribe:

Green Lantern Reviews & Commentary

The Idol-Head of Diabolu:

A Blog for J'Onn J'Onzz, the Manhunter from Mars

Firestorm Fan:

The Source for DC Comics' Nuclear Man

Diana Prince as the New Wonder Woman:

Figuring the Amazing Amazon out one "Bold New Direction" at a time.

DC Bloodlines:

The Little Blog for the Lesser Known Universe

Boosterrific.com:

The Web's Number One Website of Booster Gold, the Corporate Crusader!

The basic premise of the series is that the heroes of "The Metamorphosis Odyssey" that "saved" the Milky Way Galaxy from alien invasion did so by destroying everything in it. The sole survivor of the tragedy was Vanth Dreadstar, a rugged soldier with a supernatural sword who attempted to begin a new life of peace in the Empirical Galaxy. However, a priest excommunicated from the Church of the Instrumentality named Syzygy Darklock sought Vanth out, claiming that only he could stop the centuries long Monarchy-Instrumentality War. Vanth refused destiny until the war came to claim his new world and wife. Another sole survivor, the catman Oedi, joined the band, which would soon expand to include the blind telepathy Willow, the unscrupulous Skeevo, and many more. The Monarchy had not been fairing well, and was somewhat accepting of these rebels. Their success only served to infuriate the Lord High Papal, a genocidal maniac of incredible sorcerous power, and force him to make bolder moves. As the body count rises, the question is asked whether freedom is worth all the blood spilled, especially for a man who already carries the guilt of one of the greatest mass murders in history...

Comments: 0

Posted by Diabolu at 12:00 AM

Monday, March 28, 2011

Dreadstar And Company and Me

In 1983 or so, my uncle bestowed upon me much of his collection of late '60s through mid-70s Strange Tales and Doctor Strange comics. Jim Starlin's Warlock got started in the former, and I had a few issues of the spin-off title and Captain Marvel. It's safe to say Jim Starlin was my first favorite writer/artist, so when a new series by him landed on the small comic rack at my local 7-11, I pounced on it.

"New" is a dubious application here. DC was experimenting with a format where they would relaunch top titles like The New Teen Titans as direct market only with deluxe printing, then reprint the material cheap for the newsstands a year later. Marvel had pioneered taking mediocre selling books direct only, and offered the anthology Marvel Fanfare on cover stock to comic shops, but neither could be reworked into mainstream fare. Instead, Marvel took Jim Starlin's bimonthly, Mando format creator owned Epic series Dreadstar, along with Elfquest and Groo the Wanderer, and revisited it as a cheap monthly under the Marvel banner.

Dreadstar was basically Star Wars as processed through the anti-Catholic, Kurtzman loving, cosmically attuned mindset Starlin had popularized in the '70s. To some degree, it was also the sober and more commercial version of the under-appreciated shambolic schizo-junkie-iconoclast paranoid fantasy masterpiece Warlock (along with Starlin's hazy output of the time at Warren and elsewhere.) Greatly benefiting from ignorance of the wealth of related material like The Metamorphosis Odyssey, The Price, and the original Dreadstar graphic novel, Dreadstar And Company opened with a nine page recap that to the uninitiated seemed like a sweeping prologue. A centuries old war between the Monarchy and the idealogues of the Instrumentality had left enough causalities in its wake to inspire a small revolutionary force of such character and ability that they could potentially challenge both intergalactic empires. Led by the mysterious Vanth Dreadstar, the band consisted of a wizard, a cat man, and the token female.

Vanth was a young Obi-Wan with the grit and some of the fashion sense of Han, as well as his own variation of a lightsaber. Syzygy Darklock was his alien Merlin, looking like Jonah Hex by way of J'Onn J'Onzz. Willow was Jean Grey, and Oedi was the wise and serene feline, except when the claws came out. The art was among the best of the period, especially as of its initial 1982 release, and Starlin's scripts read much more naturally than his earlier heavy melodramas. The story that followed the recap was perfunctory, introducing characters and their powers through a plot constructed to serve that purpose. Today it reads like a fun diversion of an action piece, but as a kid it was the best thing since ever.

The series would improve greatly on that starting point, from Willow's sad story of childhood abuse to the nuclear horrors of Chichano to the political intrigue of the Hand of Darkness. The final two issues were comparatively lightweight, and diluted somewhat by the use of inkers. I was so impatient between issues that I was constantly concerned I must have missed one, because it always seemed to take a whole season for a new issue to come out. I was fairly crushed to learn the experiment would end with the sixth issue, possibly related to the breakdown in Starlin's relationship with Marvel that saw him move the comic to First Publishing.

In retrospect, Dreadstar And Company was cheesy, but it still had more heart and dazzle than much of what was on the stands at the time. The first twelve issues hold up very well, as evidenced by Dynamite's lovely reproduction of that run in hardcover a few years back. It looks worlds better than the substandard reprints I grew up on, although new (sometimes better) covers did come of the enterprise, and I wouldn't have the same enduring love without them.

Comments: 0

Posted by Diabolu at 12:00 AM

Sunday, March 20, 2011

2005 Dreadstar & Company by Jim Starlin and Alan Weiss

Here's an outstanding piece of the entire team! Oedi! Syzygy Darklock! Vanth! Willow! Skeevo! I love these guys, and Weiss is an awesome inker here!

Comments: 0

Posted by Diabolu at 12:00 AM

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Custom Syzygy Darklock Overpower Chararacter & Special Cards

I've already discussed my custom (and extra cheaply) made Dreadstar & Willow Chararacter and Tactic Double Shot Cards. I managed to progress further into the company with the sorcerer Syzygy Darklock, giving him enough cards to be playable. His 7 in Energy seemed appropriate, though debatable, since the guy often petered out in combat. That was partially due to that 2 in Fighting, because the guy was routinely sucker punched by lesser powers and taken out of combat entirely. The 5 in Strength covers his cybernetic prosthesis, and the 7 in Intellect is again debatable (though a 6 seems like his minimum.) The Mystic Order of Vieltoor refers to where Syzygy turned from a mystic to the deformed powerhouse he would become. I wasn't willing to cut up my copy of "The Price," and its painted art wouldn't have worked here anyway, so I instead turned Vanth Dreadstar into the human Darklock with pens and markers. I are poor, yes? Sister Marion was of course the nun Darklock he loved at the Order, or alternately, Willow in a marked-on habit, taken from an old Dreadstar and Company reprint. Readers may recall that Sister Marion was part of the Price Syzygy paid for his power, along with most of his physical form. The card reflects this, as well as Darklock's regeneration. The art is of a victim of the nuclear holocaust directed by the High Lord Papel in Dreadstar #3. Syzygy defended himself and Vanth from this assault with a Sphere of Protection, used commonly enough to warrant as an Avoid.

I know they're cheap and ugly, but thought went into these specials that amuses me as I reflect on them years down the line. I wished I'd played Syzygy at least once, especially since I xeroxed and glued the non-One Per Decks to actual Overpower cards, making him ready to use...

Comments: 0

Posted by Diabolu at 12:00 AM

Sunday, March 20, 2011

1985 Vanth Dreadstar by Jim Starlin

Here's a swell pin-up of my favorite incarnation of Dreadstar, a pencil drawing by his creator at 8" x 10". The piece was colored by Steve Oliff in 1990.

Comments: 0

Posted by Diabolu at 12:00 AM

Sunday, March 20, 2011

1985 Marvel Age Annual #1 Dreadstar Preview Art by James P. Starlin

Coming bi-monthly issues of DREADSTAR will see the addition of three surprising new allies for Vanth Dreadstar. Surprising has to be the word when two of them are his enemies Dr. Mezlo and Ultra Violet! The pair is joined by the enigmatic Omni, and what all this will mean for the rest of Dreadstar's crew is anyone's guess... but particularly that of Jim Starlin, who continues to chronicle their exploits with the help of inker Sam De La Rosa. And the DREADSTAR AND COMPANY title will continue apace, reprinting the earlier installments of the series in a format available at newsdealers everywhere.

I was introduced to this series through the newsstand reprints, which sadly only lasted six issues. I swear I've never in my life felt the wait between issues of a comic like I did when following Dreadstar & Co., and I howled when I read the cancellation notice in the last issue. Considering it was selling better than half as many copies as the new issues (through Capitol City anyway,) I wonder if the series' wrapping had more to do with Starlin's moving the property from Epic to First Comics midway through Company's run. Then again, did any of the Epic newsstand editions fare well? Elfquest, even?

Anyway, check out the new characters and costumes! I don't recall Willow ever wearing that very '80s top, though her hair went that direction after Starlin stopped drawing the book. I think Vanth's suit was worn for the rest of the issues Starlin wrote, during his war criminal hunting days, but it looked quite different when drawn by Luke McDonnell. I don't recall what became of the late additions (didn't UV take her own life?) I never liked that bunch, as they seemed to switch sides as a plot device more than a natural development. Starlin was sick of drawing comics by that point, so I figure he was just rushing his magnum opus to a conclusion so he could dump the chore. I'd guesstimate the book was only selling about 20K by that point anyway, so he may have just needed work-for-hire funds.

Comments: 0

Posted by Diabolu at 12:00 AM

Sunday, March 20, 2011

90s Vanth Dreadstar and Syzygy Darklock Convention Sketch by Angel Medina

Click for Higher Quality & Size

Comments: 0

Posted by Diabolu at 12:00 AM

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Custom Dreadstar & Company Overpower Tactic Double Shot Cards

Just as I was sick of having to play with Marvel characters to make my Overpower decks work, I was also tired of their ugly, poorly rendered Tactic cards. I figured while I was busy cutting up old Dreadstar comics, I might as well use leftover panels to improve my view with Jim Starlin artwork. Team-ups mostly centered on Vanth & Syzygy or Darklock & Willow, though the High Lord Papel and his god turned up twice.

Comments: 0

Posted by Diabolu at 12:00 AM

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Custom Dreadstar Overpower Chararacter Cards

Over at my Martian Manhunter blog, I've been pulling out all of my old Overpower Collectible Card Game stuff, to explain the basics of a pastime I wasted way too much money on. Since I wasn't happy with the character selection, toward the end of my involvement, I decided to try my hand at making some of my own. Lacking a computer or real money to speak of, this was accomplished by cutting up old Dreadstar comics and pasting them onto cards. I've loved Jim Starlin's Star Wars rip-off since I was a wee lad, so those characters were an obvious choice to play with.

The first card is intended to be Vanth Dreadstar as he appeared in the Metamorphosis Odyssey and the first dozen comics in his own series. Overpower rated powers on a scale of 1-8, so his middling Energy of 4 was meant to cover ray guns and projections from his sword. A 6 in Fighting was pretty respectable, comperable to the better fighters in comics. His 6 in Strength is about right, I figure, along the lines of a juiced-up Bane, Beast and Sabretooth. Being a solid planner, a 5 in Intellect placed him with bright combatants like Shang Chi and specialists like Blue Beetle. All those mid-high Rankings would help with Spectrum KOs, but his 21-point total would keep him as either the front man of a low point team or background amongst heavy hitters. Seemed about right.

I never got around to assigning Willow a Power Grid, as I was trying to use her to help design a team around Dreadstar and Company that never materialized. I also meant to give her an Inherent Ability, as the image I cut out of her was light enough to type on directly. Low rent, right?

The second Dreadstar(s) was meant to reflect the version of the character that finished out the Instrumentality war, basically a poor man's Captain Mar-Vell. Because Vanth had internalized his sword's power, and I though the team could use a high baller, he now had a 7 in Energy. That was probably too high, but Overpower was never overly concerned with accuracy, so there was play room there in favor of gameplay. Since Vanth got away from hand-to-hand combat, I dropped his Fighting to a 4. His Strength remained the same, and his Intellect dropped a point, as his plans became increasingly lackluster.

Comments: 0

Posted by Diabolu at 12:00 AM

2005 Crisis on Infinite Earths: The Absolute Edition cover by George Pérez

2011-03-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

Click For Full Image

Captain Atom was surprisingly prominent on the cover, probably because a) the Silver Age appearance(s) has gotten so little play since the DC acquisition, it immediately says "Infinite Earths," b) the book was the introduction of the Charlton characters to the DCU, so the old school Captain stands out where the Ditko Blue Beetle came over relatively intact, and c) only hardcore geeks are going to blow a c-note on a terribly dated comic book event that looks like a family bible on a cocktail of steroids and LSD. I'd have provided a spotlight scan, but even I didn't bother going back to this well again, pretty pictures or not.

Also pictured: Firehawk, Negative Woman, Power Girl, Lady Quark, Wonder Woman, Harbinger, Martian Manhunter, Superboy-Prime, the Golden Age Ray, Firestorm, Captain Marvel, Harbinger, Dr. Light II, Earth-2 Superman Kal-L, Kid Flash, Earth-2 Wonder Woman, the Fury, Earth-1 Superman Kal-El, Alexander Luthor, Jade, and the Psycho Pirate.

Captain Atom: Armageddon #1 (December, 2005)

2011-03-20T00:00:00.005-05:00

"Not long ago..." Mr. Majestic stabbed Spartan with a sword, and pink energy exploded. They were calling each other by their first names like good little X-Men clones, and Spartan was asking to be stabbed, and something something Void something something annihilation and scene. This was all very gay, both in tongue-in-cheek misread subtext, and as juvenile derogatory for a bunch of obtuse crap that's meaningless to anyone but the most devout Wildstorm geek.

"Not long ago..." Captain Atom volunteered to fly a giant composite Superman/Batman robot away from Earth into a soon-to-collide kryptonite asteroid that would otherwise exploded our planet into itty bitty bits. This wasn't as gay, even though Captain Atom pictured himself in tighty whities while thinking about "another cockpit" before getting swallowed by the head of a metal penis. The artist was lazy enough to cut and paste that happening twice. Also lazy was the wimpy two page look at Captain Atom's Post-Crisis incarnation before blowing himself up to escape a lousy Jeph Loeb plot thread.

"Hell. Better pay attention. I've got a job to do. Goodbye. And God bless America."

A bald Captain Atom appeared for a moment in front of Superman and Batman, sometime after his funeral, probably to pay off a teased return that wasn't properly thought through. He then was transported to the Wildstorm comic book universe, where he flew uncontrollably into a building like a missile.

An EMT tried to help an old man who giddily anticipated his death by super-hero collision. The EMT got a splinter of pink Void energy in her paw. Captain Atom got a "new" costume that was on loan from his brief appearance in Kingdom Come. The EMT ran away in fear of the super-human, because a) you would too if some dude knocked over your building, and b) everyone on Wildstorm Earth was afraid of super-humans, because that kind of bloodletting happened all the damned time there. Mr. Majestic then showed up to start punching Captain Atom.

Grifter was in a bar, drinking to the memory of his dead robot friend who got stabbed to death at the beginning of this synopsis. He got excited when he saw the stabber fighting on the TV.

Captain Atom took some blows, then decided to show how tough he was by pounding Mr. Majestic into the ground. Atom thought he was being heroic, but all the bystanders were still afraid of him, even after he explained that he was a super-hero. You see, Wildstorm is a dark, hardcore universe where puny humans are always caught between gory battles and political upheavals, while DC is a bright, happy universe where super-heroes' wives get sodomized and their kids murdered and whole cities razed but everyone still loves super-heroes anyway.

"A Scream Across The Sky" was by Will Pfeifer, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Sandra Hope.

Homage Studios Sunday
DC/WS DreamWar #1 (June, 2008)
JLA/Cyberforce (2005)

2007 Rittenhouse Archives DC Legacy The Atom Multi-Case Incentive Sketch Card by Cat Staggs

2011-03-14T00:00:00.002-05:00

Click To Enlarge

5" x 7" Sketch Card
Copic Markers/White acrylic and gel pen
2007

Painted Atom art is damned rare, and I've been waiting to post this one for a while. Great stuff, as I love when the Tiny Titans turns something as commonplace as loose wiring into an adventure prop.

Spring Break Staggs
2011 The Huntress Art
2007 DC Legacy Martian Manhunter Chase Card
2009 "Tales of Wonder Wonder Woman" Charity Auction Art
2009 Zatanna Commission

Who's Who Vol.IV Captain Atom Cover Detail (June, 1985)

2011-03-07T18:49:00.001-06:00

Art by George Pérez & Dick Giordano

I'm not sure if my first exposure to Captain Atom was my brother's brother's copy of Americomics Special or Crisis On Infinite Earths, but either way, there was something distinctly "off-brand" about him. Down to the very name, Captain Atom seemed funky and generic, while not really being memorable enough to be outright bad. Blue Beetle and the Question each had solid Steve Ditko designs that translated well into their 1980s revivals, but Atom had an ugly, busy costume that was also strangely quaint and retro. Thanks to early exposure to Pete Morisi's stuff, I could forgive Peter Cannon his bare legs and booties, but Captain Atom's randomly colored limbs and tunic were all over the place.

A vastly different and much improved Captain Atom came out of DC's new continuity, and we were reintroduced in the seventh issue of either Justice League International or Atom's solo series. Crossing Captain America and the A-Team with the Silver Surfer seemed pretty novel at the time, even if Cary Bates was something of a Johnny Come Lately on the jock of the western zeitgeist. Nathaniel Adam was a soldier in Vietnam accused of a murder he did not commit. In order to avoid prison and a lengthy separation from his young family, Adam submitted to becoming a guinea pig in a secret government experiment to test an alien metal. One explosion later, Nathaniel Adam quantum leapt twenty years in time, gaining incredible powers in the bargain. For the record, this actually predated the "Quantum Leap" TV show by years, and it was interesting to see the hero-out-of-time premise applied to someone for whom the chronal shift had meaning. Nathanial Adam lost his wife forever, and had a struggle getting back into the lives of his children (who were nearly the same age as himself) because of their having been raised by his nemesis, General Wade Eiling.

I picked up a batch of the solo series cheap at my first ever local comic shop in Texas before moving to Nevada. The plus side was that Vegas newsstands were a lot more welcoming to DC comics than Houston's, but the down side was that the lack of direct market access meant I stopped collecting Captain Atom with #12. I found that one on a spinner rack at a school fundraiser. Still, the character benefited by "staying golden" in my mind, leaving my acquaintance with the introduction of Major Force. As it turned out, Captain Atom never had much of a rogues gallery, with some serious losers upcoming. By the second year, the series lost its main draw in the spectacularly detailed art of Pat Broderick, and Cary Bates began transitioning out of comics not long after.

I managed to keep up with Captain Atom somewhat through Justice League Europe and guest appearances, but he really faded off my radar without the solo series. I still thought he was cool, but messes like Armageddon 2001 and his being recast as a militaristic reactionary in the '90s really soured the brand. Need I really mention Extreme Justice, or the chromium mullet? Unlike most characters, Captain Atom never really escaped the excesses of that era, and seems to bounce from heel turn (Monarch) to wimpy redemption (The Alien Agenda/Armageddon/etc.) without anything resembling a purpose beyond trying to please. stop. sucking.

I've continued to enjoy Captain Atom in the new millennium by ignoring modern comics as much as possible. Captain America is possibly my all time favorite super-hero, but I haven't read his book for more than one year's worth of consecutive issues since the first Waid/Garney run in the mid-90s. I have such a clear ideal conception of who "my" Captain America is that I choose not to bother with runs that stray too far from the essential core of the character. While I hold Captain Atom in considerably less esteem, and he's a far less rigidly defined character, my approach to being a fan of the character is much the same. Even though it was a bit simplistic, I appreciated the integrity and conviction of Captain Atom as a super-soldier who follows orders to the bitter end during his appearances on the Justice League Unlimited cartoon. It echos the politely nationalistic original interpretation of the character I've discovered through archival reprints of the 1950s & 60s stories.

From an artistic standpoint, I understand why creators ran as far away from Alan Moore's take on the Charlton heroes as they could manage. However, since Moore had only really updated and darkened the characters as they were conceived, this also meant distancing the heroes from what they were meant to be. Ditko & Gill's Captain Atom was a brilliant, mild mannered demigod of the nuke, where as much as I liked Bates & Broderick's work, their Atom was mostly a chrome Firestorm with more than half an average brain. It also doesn't help that at Charlton, Captain Atom was a Superman amongst "Action Heroes" more akin to Iron Fist and Daredevil. DC Comics historically abuses any character they purchase that was the juggernaut of another line, because any threat to the eminence of the Man of Steel must be castrated as publically (and somehow, as often) as possible. I call it getting Shazamed. Meanwhile, Captain Atom finds no respite even in old gang reunions, because he never fit in with the largely non-powered Dick Giordano edited Charlton characters. Maybe he needs to form a new clique with Son of Vulcan?

To my mind, Captain Atom as envisioned by his creators was a magnificent representation of the Mad Men era. Satellites and martinis and the apex of the American century. I wish he could have been kept in that period, since I think it would give him a killer hook, like it did Martian Manhunter in the '90s. I really do think Captain Atom should be the confident conservative hero of the DC Universe. Pro-military, believes in a free market, perhaps somewhat moralistic, but without losing his pragmatism and compassion. Let him butt heads with guys like Superman without diminishing him through a shameful defeat. Like Lex Luthor, there could be less losses and more stalemates, substituting conniving with the recognition that these are two good men with conflicting ideologies. Such potential can be mined from Captain Atom, but not before he quits being a wimpier, dumber, U.S.-bound Silver Surfer with bad hair.

Who's Who Vol.IV: Captain Atom (June, 1985)

2011-03-04T01:34:00.000-06:00

I'm bored with Ray Palmer for the moment, so I think we'll spend enough time in March with Captain Atom to warrant a return to using his own banner.

I look forward to reading the stories where the first few lines of this biography draws its material. I've only read about Allen Adam so far, and it sounds like things got even more super-goofy once the Ditko redesign kicked in. When did the name "Nathanial" take hold, anyway?

The art here is by Denys Cowan and Rick Magyar, who ended up reworking an entirely different Charlton character for the 1980s, the Question.

The Space Prowlers

2011-03-01T20:42:00.000-06:00

After being detected while stealing top secret documents from the United States government, the alien invaders known as the Space Prowlers came into conflict with Captain Atom. The intruders provided the hero with his first real challenge, armed as they were with laser weapons capable of weakening and even killing Captain Atom. The murderous Space Prowlers attempted to ambush the Captain with a fleet of small ships, but were eradicated in a nuclear explosion created by the hero. Captain Atom then located their mother ship in the region, and destroyed it from afar, seemingly ending the threat of the Space Prowlers.

First Appearance: Space Adventures #37 (December, 1960)

2009 Sword of the Atom sketch by Gabriel Hardman

2011-02-26T00:00:00.000-06:00

Click To Enlarge

Major Lee Weeks vibe off this richly detailed piece by Gabriel Hardman, who I believe is drawing The Incredible Hulk these days. Frog steeds are so full of win!

1975 Captain Atom Pin-Up by Jim Starlin and Al Milgrom

2011-02-23T00:32:00.000-06:00

Click To Enlarge in Gallery

Taken from Charlton Bullseye #2, which also featured a new CA story by Stern, Ditko & Byrne. The Groovy Agent has a whole set of pin-ups from the prozine at Diversions of the Groovy Kind.

2009 Indigo Corps Atom design by Joe Prado

2011-02-20T02:39:00.004-06:00

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Closing out our lengthy look at the Blackest Night designs of Joe Prado on a positive note, here's an unused version of Ray Palmer as an Indigo Tribeman... Luddite... Torchbearer.... whatever. I thought it was kind of strange that most of the Skittle Corpsmen wore color-altered variations of their standard gear, while Ray went full native. Now I understand, since the alternative was to look like a Mathlete Jesus Freak escapee from a free edu-spiritual comic. "Christ is Greater Than 'Fun' Eternal Damnation from the Harry Potter or Grand Theft Autos." I guess that walking stick could double as a super-scientific colonoscope into the constipated bowels of the infernal. Or help students see past their confusion over ratio proportion. "Be like the Formulaic Titan, and use dimensional analysis!"

Black Lantern Nightblade @ DC Bloodlines
Black Lantern Maxwell Lord @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Black Lantern Vibe @ Justice League Detroit
White Lantern Donna Troy @ Diana Prince: Wonder Woman

2006 "LJA" by Rafael Albuquerque

2011-02-18T00:00:00.001-06:00

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The Atom (Ryan Choi) rides on Hawkwoman (Shayera Hol) amongst a disparate team including Poison Ivy, Enemy Ace, Sandman (Sandy Hawkins,) Negative Man, Firestorm (Jason Rusch) and what I assume is the silver & black costume variation on Superman. This has also been referred to as "Alternate League." If the story existed before the character selection, this might really be worth reading. If it's just a random collective the artist felt like drawing, no such story should ever be commissioned. I suspect it would be a shambling wreck. The artist doesn't know what "LJA" stands for, so don't keep yourself up nights wondering.

Atomic acCount for May, 2011

2011-02-15T13:44:00.001-06:00

The Attack of Jean Loring's Brain Week:
Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Ten Things I Learned from the Attack of Jean Loring's Brain

DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS #7-8
Written by MARV WOLFMAN and TONY BEDARD
Art by MIKE S. MILLER, HOWARD PORTER and LIVESAY
Covers by ED BENES
Inspired by the best-selling SOE game, the epic series continues as we see the last stand of the future JLA in issue #7! Batman’s survived horrific injuries and outlived all his allies to try to implement a final, desperate gambit...but is Luthor trustworthy?
And in issue #8, after an epic disaster is inflicted on Metropolis, Superman works to pick up the pieces – literally. But can he overcome his concern over Lois’s disappearance? And as Brainiac and Luthor regroup, their plans start to coalesce in a surprising direction as the war for the future begins!
Issue #7 on sale MAY 4
Issue #8 on sale MAY 18
32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

This month looks to be a good time to mention that I'm not sure there will be an Atomic acCounting next month. Lemire's Atom back-up/specials are at an end, as has JLA/The 99, and Brightest Day has come to a close. Captain Atom's monthly showcase in Justice League: Generation Lost has also gone missing. Unless the Atom continues to be relevant through DC Universe Online Legends, I don't have much to work with.

BRIAN BOLLAND COVER TO COVER HC
Written by BRIAN BOLLAND
Art and cover by BRIAN BOLLAND
Artist Brian Bolland, best known for his work as illustrator of the best-selling title BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE, is the subject of this new hardcover collecting his covers for DC Comics. Featuring highly detailed and meticulous craftsmanship combined with dramatic takes on the world’s best-known Super Heroes, Bolland’s work has been featured on GREEN LANTERN, BATMAN, WONDER WOMAN, THE FLASH, ZATANNA and the Vertigo series THE INVISIBLES and ANIMAL MAN. This spectacular collection includes rarely seen and never-before-published art, along with commentary from Bolland.
On sale AUGUST 31 • 208 pg, FC, 8.625” x 11.625”, $39.99 US

A small gallery: DC Comics Presents: The Atom #1, Zatanna's Search, The Atom Special #2, DCU Legacies #7

JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE TP
Written by JAMES ROBINSON
Art by MAURO CASCIOLI and SCOTT CLARK
Cover by MAURO CASCIOLI
Following the deaths of Batman and Martian Manhunter – both charter members of the Justice League of America – a new team of heroes arises, determined to stop evil from ever striking. But when the JLA’s foe Prometheus plans his revenge on the heroes, will this new team be ready to pay the cost for the justice they seek? Collected from the 7-issue miniseries!
On sale JUNE 15 • 232 pg, FC, $19.99 US

JUSTICE HC
Written by JIM KRUEGER and ALEX ROSS
Art by ALEX ROSS and DOUG BRAITHWAITE
Cover by ALEX ROSS
The best-selling 12-issue series illustrated by Alex Ross is now available as a single volume hardcover at DC’s standard trim size.
The villains of the Legion of Doom — led by Lex Luthor and Brainiac — band together to save the world after a shared dream that seems to be a vision of the Earth’s demise. They are confronted by the Justice League of America, who doubt their motives—and as their true plans unfold the two teams do battle.
On sale JULY 27 • 384 pg, FC, $39.99 US

I promise to finish my synopsizes of this, just as soon as I can be bothered to finish reading the damned dumb thing.

Atom Smasher

JSA ALL-STARS #18
Written by MATTHEW STURGES
Art and cover by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II
History has gone awry, and only one member of the JSA All-Stars can put it right: The Prince! Who’s that, you say? He’s not a member of the JSA All-Stars? That’s what they thought, too! He claims his father’s archnemesis has altered the past to prevent him from ever being born . . . but how can he prove it to the All-Stars? And what is his ultimate goal?
On sale APRIL 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US, RATED T

What about Nuklon, you ask? Canceled this month. I can finally stop worrying about constantly forgetting to mention this title. Whose bright idea was it to launch a JSA spin-off just after its guiding force of the last decade finally retired from the flagship anyway?

Captain Atom

POWER GIRL: BOMB SQUAD TP
Written by JUDD WINICK
Art and cover by SAMI BASRI
In these stories from issues #13-18 of her series, Power Girl finds herself mysteriously unaware of the period in her life when Max Lord was pulling her strings as part of Justice League International. Meanwhile, the distractions of being a heroine cause her business to falter as her friends and co-workers disappear.
On sale JUNE 22 • 144 pg, FC, $14.99 US

The Atom Shield Logo Shirt (DCCOM298)

2011-02-13T04:26:00.000-06:00

Shag at Firestorm Fan shot me an email the other day alerting all Ryan Choi fans to this latest use of his Batman: The Brave and the Bold Atom icon shield!

This The Atom shirt features a shield logo for the DC Comics superhero. The Atom is actually a codename shared by 4 different members of the DC Universe.

* Blue
* 100% cotton
* Distressed
* Standard Softness
* Tagged

Price: $24.00

You can buy it here!

2009 Black Lantern Breach design by Joe Prado

2011-02-10T00:08:00.004-06:00

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I believe at this point I own a complete set of Breach, and I think I managed this feat for less than ten bucks, with change enough for a hamburger (and not just a Jumbo Jack.) I haven't read a single issue yet, but I've heard nothing but good things about the book, and I've tended to enjoy Bob Harras' writing more often than not.

Breach was conceived as a relaunch of Captain Atom, until the company decided to go a different way and have Harras convert his ideas to serve a brand new character. I liked the Post-Crisis Captain Atom, but that version of the hero had been both flagrantly unfaithful to the Ditko original and seriously mangled by Armageddon 2001. If through some quantum field tap dancing Nathanial Adam became Breach, and Allan Adam came back from '60s Charlton as the all-classic Captain Atom, I think DC would be a better place (especially if no one ever mentioned Monarch again.) Instead, Breach was tossed into the pool of post-Zero Hour derivative/revamped trademarks that Geoff Johns assigned to "Earth-8" as duplicates of (often only slightly) more famous Earth-1 heroes. Breach could have been to Captain Atom as Power Girl is to Supergirl, but instead he was killed during Infinite Crisis. I had to wiki that fact, because Captain Atom gets breached all the time, but I guess a Breach breach meant the dude actually died. Good or not, I'm pretty sure Breach would have to have been better than Infinite Crisis, which was no Millennium, right?

UPDATE: I have been informed Breach was actually killed in Countdown: Arena. Holy f'n shnikies that's lame. I read fewer and fewer DC Comics and feel better and better about that fact.

All the designs at Bleeding Cool
Black Lantern Wonder Woman version 3 @ Diana Prince
Black Lantern Geist @ DC Bloodlines
Black Lantern Damage @ Power of the Atom

2009 Black Lantern Damage design by Joe Prado

2011-02-07T00:00:00.000-06:00

Click To Enlarge

This was supposed to have posted last week, but I didn't realize the auto-publish never kicked in. Bygones.

It still ticks me off to think of the stupid, pointless waste of killing Grant Emerson. There were a ton of fun concepts no one ever played with after the Damage series ended, not the least of which being his accidental leveling of the city of Atlanta, GA. The genetically engineered "son" of a fair chunk of the All-Star Squadron, the kid was powerful enough to ignite the Big Bang at the end of Zero Hour, and he owed his existence to Vandal Savage. In a universe with a lot of meh villains, Damage could have made a fantastic heel turn. Instead, he was a cheap death in an overrated event at a time when he was treated as a second-rate Nuklon... a character lacking the popularity to have much impact in passing, and at a time when everyone expected a reset button to undo all the killing anyway.

Damage went through a number of costumes, and every single one of them was seriously happening, thanks to their incorporating nuclear and bio-hazard iconography. I believe this is also the best of all the designs Joe Prado is selling. I don't know the price because it's listed with a "PI," but I know the character himself was sorely undervalued. Thanks to Bleeding Cool for promoting this piece in a gallery.

Black Lantern Ballistic @ DC Bloodlines
Black Lantern Wonder Woman version 1 @ Diana Prince