DCU Comic Book Reviews

THE ALL-NEW ATOM #7

The Energy Of The Universe Is Constant

March 2007

Written by Gail Simone

Pencils by Mike Norton

Inks by Andy Owens

Cover by Ladronn

Synopsis

Relaxing in front of the television, Dean Mayland receives a phone call from Sylbert Rudine (aka Dwarfstar) who asks for help.  Mayland, however, is unsympathetic to someone who failed in the task he was given.  Also at home, Ryan Choi and Panda are watching tv when three cowboys come looking for Ryan, who changes into the Atom to take care of the situation.  After he defeats them, Ryan learns they were sent by Ryak, one of the Linear Men.  He has come to warn Ryan regarding the presence of Hyatt, a chronal terrorist.  The next day, Ryan returns to school.  After class he finds someone waiting for him.  It is Dr. Ryan Hyatt, whose body has been cleaved vertically in half.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

“I sent these idiots to warn you.  I’d say they did a rather craptastic job.”

Time for a small trip down memory lane.  I had a friend who loved the first Karate Kid movie.  His only problem with the movie was that the main villain, the evil sensei John Kreese, does not get his just deserts at the end.  When the second one came out, he went, saw the first few minutes when Mr. Miyagi flattened Kreese, and then walked out, finally satisfied.  I had much the same reaction after I read the first few pages of this issue.  I knew Rudine was going to return at some point, I just did not realize how quickly.  The entire sequence with Mayland and his whole attitude towards Rudine was absolutely priceless and worth the cost of the issue.  Plus, it neatly tied up the preceding arc and effectively cast Mayland as a future villain, perhaps even tied into the new arc. 

The rest of the story contains the usual quirky Simone dialogue and a penchant for the weird and wonderful.  A lot of this is standard material, but it is also some neat stuff from Simone.  Ryan’s ability with the belt and the way he handles himself in the fight also shows some growth but doesn’t present him as a master fighter just yet.  Ryak’s presence is chilling from his casual killing of the cowboys to his threat aimed at Ryan’s ancestors.  Is this a good guy or bad guy?  Finally, the last image is intriguing and I am curious to see where Simone goes with this story.  I am, however, a little miffed that last issue’s tease surrounding Ray Palmer’s belt was not touched upon.  Perhaps this was a last minute addition?

I am not exactly sure what the cover has to do with the issue (except for the time issue and even that is tenuous) but it is a nice drawing.  I would have liked to see a fight scene with Atom and the three cowboys, but, hey, what can you do.

Quotables

Patton Oswalt - a comedic writer and actor best known for a supporting part on King Of Queens

Galileo Galilei - an astronomer and philosopher in the early 17th century

Krypton Science Council Member - The quote from this unnamed person reflects the prevailing wisdom that Jor-el, Superman’s father, was wrong about the impending destruction of their planet.

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