Justice League #17 (April, 2013)

The reserve of heroes called by Cyborg to fight back the Atlanteans recovered from the explosion and continued on their mission. Perhaps late arrival Zatanna contributed to the renewed vigor of Vixen, Firestorm, Black Lightning, Black Canary, Hawkman, and Element Woman off-panel? The Nuclear Man continued to struggle with team dynamics, turning the floodwaters to steam that inadvertently blinded and choked the other heroes. One heroine who was more than holding her own was the new Atom, who quietly disarmed the explosive devices Ocean Master had intended to sink the city with. "You're welcome."

The Justice League and Mera had arrived by that point, with Aquaman taking point. Ocean Master tried to drown everyone in a tsunami, but Mera held it back long enough for Zatanna to turn it to ice. Aquaman beat his brother until he abdicated the throne, which turned out to be Vulko's plan all along. Vulko surrender the scepter he had used to command the Trench, King Arthur ordered Atlantis to stand down, and Ocean Master was sent to Belle Reve Prison.

Back at their satellite headquarters, Batman called the Justice League together for a new initiative. "We need to do what we haven't done before... We open our ranks." At A.R.G.U.S., Amanda Waller saw a similar need. "Atlantis's (sic) attack is the event we needed to push this operation through, Colonel Trevor... The world's skeptical. They want another team. They need one." A third mysterious meeting was taking place elsewhere, as a villain looked over snapshots of DC rogues. "The opportunity is now. It's time for recruitment... starting with the Scarecrow."

"Throne of Atlantis, Chapter Five" was by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis and Paul Pelletier with Joe Prado, Oclair Albert and Sean Parsons.

New 52's Day

• Talon #1 @ DC Bloodlines
• Martian Manhunter in "Security Detail" @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Steve Trevor in Justice League #17 @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
• Vibe in Justice League of America #1 @ Justice League Detroit

Aquaman #16 (March, 2013)

Ocean Master had captured Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman-- sentencing them to be eaten alive deep underwater by the Trench. Aquaman was off in search of them, while Cyborg underwent voluntary surgery to replace his lungs in order to carry the fight under the sea. In the meantime, Cyborg activated a list of prospective candidates for Justice League membership he'd been discussing with Batman. The Vixen, Firestorm, Black Lightning, Black Canary, and Element Woman were shown slowing Atlantean forces in their misguided assault on the surface world. A tiny voice warned "Get down, Hawkman!" It came too late, as he and the other heroes were caught in an explosion. A miniature silhouetted figure moved amongst the unconscious party. "Hawkman? Hawkman, get up! Why did I leave my guild for this?" Cyborg completed his procedure under his father Silas Stone and his associate T.O. Morrow, then journeyed with Mera to help Aquaman in the Trench...

"Throne of Atlantis, Chapter Four" was by Geoff Johns, Paul Pelletier, and Sean Parsons.

New 52's Day

• Martian Manhunter in Justice League of America #1 (2013) @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• National Comics: Eternity #1 @ DC Bloodlines
• Superman Annual #1 (2012) featuring the Manhunter from Mars @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Talon #0 @ DC Bloodlines
• Vibe #1 @ Justice League Detroit
• Wonder Woman in Action Comics #14 @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman

Rhonda Pineda is your New 52 Atom

Sorry for the late acknowledgment, but following 2012's cameo debut in DC Comics - The New 52 FCBD Special Edition #1, the New 52 Atom was more properly introduced in Justice League #17-18 as Rhonda Pineda. She quietly took part in the "Throne of Atlantis" crossover, indicated only by dialogue balloons, joining numerous other heroes in coming to the assistance of a Justice League on the verge of defeat by the forces of Ocean Master. The Atom stopped bombs that would have sank part of the Eastern Seaboard, and then was sponsored by Cyborg for League membership.

The Atom discretely entered the League Satellite during a membership mixer, shunning small talk by looking on from hiding. When prospect Platinum was hijacked by forces unknown and forced to attack the League, the Atom saved Platinum's "life" by protecting her Responsometer after Firestorm liquefied her body. The Atom was joined by Element Woman & Firestorm as the first recruits onto the League since the Martian Manhunter's term ended in conflict. They beat out Black Canary, Black Lightning, Blue Devil, Goldrush, Nightwing, Vixen, and Zatanna, although many of these prospects declined consideration. Dick Grayson especially gave a flat "no" to Batman's face.



I'm not fond of the bland "Rhonda Pineda" name, but I don't have a problem with making the Atom female. I do have a major problem with ruining the perfect symmetry of Gil Kane's costume design with stupid '90s ornamentation and long flowing hair. Still, it's much better than anything they gave Ryan Choi to wear. There's been a bunch of different costumes teased for the character though, including a vastly different one seen on solicitations for an upcoming cover. Jesus Saiz drew the character well, and it'll be interesting to see if there's further plans for Pineda beyond adding more women to the team.

2011 “Vil10: Dr Light Cubee” by Joshua Wolf

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I wasn't confident that I could work out another Cubee crossover tie-in for POTA after Vil24: The Floronic Man, but last week's Atom Movie Fan Casting reminded me that Doctor Light was an option until that Bug-Eyed Bandit Cubee comes through. Besides, nothing says Easter quite like searching for square boxes representing sodomites who spend most of their time being beaten by teenagers, amiright?

Joshua Wolf's Villains Cubees

• Ambush Bug @ DC Bloodlines
• Giganta @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
• Malefic @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Professor Ivo @ Justice League Detroit

2013 The Atom Movie Fan Casting: Mel Gibson as Doctor Light

I haven't done a fake movie fan casting in over a year nor a blog update in over a month, so how about two belated entries that make a big bang together? My ability to be a fan of Mel Gibson as a protagonist burnt out years before we all learned what an f'd-up creep he is, but I think he has great potential to flip the script and become an outstanding antagonist. I assume he'll be the bad guy in Machete Kills, and if you need someone to get all rape-y while rocking deeply unfortunate facial hair, Gibson may well be your man. Don't you want to see this face punched already?

Diabolic Movie Fan Casting

• Bronze Tiger @ DC Bloodlines
• Malefic/Ma'alefa'ak @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Steve Trevor @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
• The Vixen @ Justice League Detroit

2012 “Vil24: The Floronic Man Cubee” by Joshua Wolf

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February is a female-character themed month on my Martian Manhunter blog, so I decided to feature the villainess Cay'an there in the form of a "Cubee," mostly because its one of the only pieces of fan art in existence to bother with such a lame, obscure character. Artist Joshua Wolf had tons of similar designs on his deviantART page, so I figured I'd use it as the basis for an easy blog crossover. The Aquaman/Mera familial foe Siren got in for the same reasons as Cay'an. Wonder Woman has more respectable female adversaries, so I chose a bad gal with higher regard, Circe. I had two other blogs to fill, and given that it's been well over a month since my last update here, I broke theme to choose Jason Woodrue to represent for POTA. The Atom has a rather paltry rogues gallery, and this was the only option, and we're honestly lucky anyone bothered to include the Floronic Man. The other guy breaking ranks is Eclipso, which is technically relevant here, since he was once a she, and she was named Jean Loring. It shows how f'ed up the DC Universe has gotten when the Atom can't really lay claim to his murderous, adulterous ex-wife after she finds a black diamond and becomes the Goddess of Vengeance. How cool could their spats have been? Why did she die by sharks instead a defining moment of cold-blooded assassination from the Mighty Mite? Moot now, of course, since we've got an all-newer chick Atom on the way in the New 52.

2006 The Atom color art by Ramon Villalobos

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"a picture i did for fun of everyone's favorite ex husband of a crazed psychopath who is currently hiding somewhere in microscopic form... that's right its the atom."

Villalobos also did a couple of early, rough Golden Age JSA pieces featuring the Al Pratt Atom in 2005.

Ramon Villalobos

• Aquaman @ Justice League Detroit
• JLA @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• OMAC @ DC Bloodlines
• Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince