Happy Comics Release Day!
I searched through my more recent purchases this week for a superhero book not burdened by years of continuity.
Agents of Atlas from Marvel fits the bill perfectly.
Summary:
A secret agent. A spaceman. A gorilla. A goddess. A mermaid. A robot. These relics from Marvel’s golden age band together to take on the shadowy organization known as Atlas.
But what’s most important for contemporary readers isn’t the history of the characters. It’s how much fun this book is. The action is practically non-stop, the dialogue is great and the story at the heart of it all is a quest to solve his own murder by the team’s leader.
What Kids Will Like About It:
Kids will like it the action, of course, which is beautifully rendered by series artist Leonard Kirk.
And unlike many other Marvel comics series, new readers can pick up and enjoy the trade paperback without any previous knowledge of these characters or even any Marvel character. The first chapter provides a nice flashback to the team’s past that tells the readers all they need to know.
And did I mention the gorilla takes on an army of spies with machine guns in all four hands?
What Adults Will Like About It:
There are plenty of good character moments that complement the action. While the plot of the story goes back to the pulp classics, the characters are modern. Adults might particularly relate to the story of Jimmy Woo, the team leader, who lived out the latter part of his career at a desk until the intervention of his old team literally gives him a second life. We could all use a do-over like that.
Favorite Panel:
The full page appearance of the golden dragon, especially since he politely introduces himself.
Extras in the trade:
I have the hardcover edition which includes not only the modern six-issue miniseries but several golden age stories featuring the starring characters, a What If story that inspired the new series, interviews with the creators, character spotlights and an on-line gaming story.
About the Creators:
Writer Jeff Parker is the sole creator of Interman, a wonderful independently published graphic novel about a mutant soldier of fortune who must escape CIA Agents out to kill him before he becomes more dangerous.
Leonard Kirk started his art career with Malibu Comics. He had a nearly 60 issue run on Supergirl with comics writer Peter David. Agents of Atlas was his first assignment after signing exclusively with Marvel Comics.
