DCU Comic Book Reviews

THE ALL-NEW ATOM #2

My Life In Miniature:  Part Two.  Atomic Shell

October 2006

Written by Gail Simone

Pencils by John Byrne

Inks by Trevor Scott

Cover by Ariel Olivetti

Synopsis

Ryan Choi, possessor of Ray Palmer’s dwarf star Atom belt has been conducting experiments to learn more about it capabilities.  After riding an ant, Ryan’s body suddenly starts to deform.  Luckily he is able to make himself bigger to counteract the effects.  Later. Ryan and Panda are eating dinner, trying to figure out what happened.  They are interrupted by two woman, one of whom gives Ryan her phone number.  Outside the restaurant, Ryan hands money to a street urchin playing a violin and speaking of demons.  After they leave, Praetor orders her capture.  At Ryan’s home (and Palmer’s former home) Ryan receives a gift from his fellow scientists:  his new costume.  he also receives a broken violin with the message they have the woman.  Ryan tracks the woman down into sewers, where he finds Praetor and a large robot.  Ryan destroys the robot and runs away, finding a gelatinous creature that has been waiting for him.... Elsewhere, Sylbert Rundine finds strange man in his apartment.  The man tells Sylbert he has been chosen and gives him a second atom belt. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

“Where’s your dignity, you demented lunkhead?  You’ve forgotten your pants again!”

This series is difficult to read.  Between the dialogue, the narration, and then the random quotes, it is sometimes easy to break up the flow of the story trying to follow it all.  Yet, I don’t think I would suggest any changes to Simone’s approach.  All of it works; it just requires a little extra reading, that’s all.  And so far, it has been very good reading.  I realize it is only two issues in, but I have liking (HA!) what I am reading so far.  Ryan is a genuinely interesting character, someone with lots of enthusiasm for what he is doing and what he wants to accomplish.  And the characters around him are just as engaging, with or without pants.  It is refreshing to read a main character without angst.  The sense of adventure Simone has delivered as been spot on perfect so far; let’s hope she can continue. 

Interesting to note how the narration box changes after Ryan becomes the Atom.  When it’s Ryan, the box is plain with a bluish, grey background.  When it’s the Atom, it is blue with the log in the corner.  I’m not sure what it is supposed to mean, but it is interesting. 

It certainly looks like the mysterious figure at the end is Lex Luthor judging by the shape of his bald head.  Add to the fact that Simone wrote the Villains United mini-series and it is possible it is Lex.  But since it seems to be so obvious, I am going to believe it is someone else.

Quotables

Henry L. Mencken:  considered one of the most influential American writers of the 20th century.

Neils Bohr:  A physicist who studied atomic structure and quantum mechanics.

Dr. Alec Holland:  Fictional character who eventually became Swamp Thing.

H. Walpole:  British politician, writer, and architectural innovator in the 1700s.  His first name was Horatio, but was commonly called Horace. 

ïPREVIOUS	Main		Page	NEXTð

Home ●  Blog ● Who Are We? ● Site News
Alive and Well since April 16, 2006

 DC Universe Reviews.  All Rights Reserved
  Characters, trademarks, brands are property of DC Comics

For problems or questions regarding this website, please contact our kindly webmaster.
Last updated: 08/06/11.