DC Universe: Rebirth #1 (July 2016)

Tags

Alex Sinclair, Andrew Marino, Black Canary, Bobbie Chase, Brad Anderson, Captain Atom, Cyborg, Eddie Berganza, Ethan Van Sciver, Gabe Eltaeb, Gary Frank, Geoff Johns, Green Arrow, Hi-Fi Design, Ivan Reis, Jason Wright, Modern Age Captain Atom, Nick J. Napolitano, Shazam

• Writer:  Geoff Johns
• Pencils:  Ethan Van Sciver, Gary Frank, Ivan Reis, Phil Jiminez
• Inks:  Gray Frank, Joe Prado, Matt Santorelli, Ivan Reis, Ethan Van Sciver
• Colors:  Jason Wright, Brad Anderson, Gabe Eltaeb, Hi-Fi Design
• Letters:  Nick J. Napolitano
• Cover Artists:  Gary Frank, Brad Anderson, Ivan Reis, Joes Prado, Alex Sinclair
• Editors:  Andrew Marino, Eddie Berganza
• Executive Editor: Bobbie Chase

I do not wish to spoil this ongoing series. This issue just hit the shelves of my LCS yesterday. It is another wide-sweeping universe-changing deal and I’m sure you can find better spoilers elsewhere in the internetsphere. I will say that so far I am pleased with the book. I still have faith in Geoff Johns and I look forward to the DCU more closely resembling “my” DCU (post-Crisis on Infinite Earths, pre-Infinite Crisis).

It was certainly good to see some of my old favorites again, including this happy little cameo:

Who is that standing with Black Canary? Why, it sure looks like the Modern Age Captain Atom…

I do believe that is Captain Atom! So what does this mean for the character? I honestly don’t know. It has been almost a year since we heard there may be a new Captain Atom series in the works. And this guy certainly isn’t the New 52 Captain Atom. There have been news reports of late that the Watchmen universe is being absorbed into the new DCU. Dr. Manhattan is the analog for Captain Atom. Given the similarities of the New 52 Cap and Dr. Manhattan, it would make sense to not have both of them running around at the same time. So it looks to me like maybe we’re getting the classic silver-skinned, time-jumping Captain Atom back!

If nothing else good comes from Rebirth, I’ll at least be happy if we get our old Cap back. Even happier if he gets an ongoing series.

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Convergence #8 (July 2015)

Tags

Andy Kubert, Barbara Gordon, Batman, Blue Beetle, Brad Anderson, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Carlo Pagulayan, Dick Grayson, Dr. Fate, Eduardo Pansica, Ethan Van Sciver, Green Lantern (Alan Scott), Green Lantern (Guy Gardner), Green Lantern (John Stewart), Jason Paz, Jeff King, Jill Thompson, John Romita Jr., John Starr, Judomaster, Nightshade, Peacemaker, Peter Steigerwald, Scott Hanna, Scott Lobdell, Stephen Segovia, Supergirl, Superman, The Flash, The Question, Tomeu Morey, Tony S. Daniel, Travis Lanham

“Last Stand”

• Writers:  Jeff King, Scott Lobdell
• Pencils:  Stephen Segovia, Carlo Pagulayan,Eduardo Pansica, Ethan Van Sciver
• Inks:  Jason Paz, Scott Hanna, Trevor Scott,Stephen Segovia, Ethan Van Sciver
• Colors:  John Starr, Peter Steigerwald
• Letters:  Travis Lanham
• Cover Artists:  Andy Kubert, Brad Anderson, Tony S. Daniel, Tomeu Morey, Jill Thompson, John Romita, Jr.

Going into Convergence, I said I was going to wait until it was over to review it.  As Captain Atom’s role in the actual mini-series was limited, I decided not to.  Besides, as a kid I was always told if I couldn’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.  And I’ve found very little “nice” to say about this series.  I understand what DC Comics was doing here but I didn’t like it.  From 1935 – 1985, the DC Universe was never “rebooted.”  Since 1985’s Crisis on Infinite Earths, we’ve had Zero Hour, Final Crisis, Flashpoint, and now Convergence.  Why are they so trigger-happy with that reset button?  I’ve decided I’m done with DC for a while.  If they bring back Captain Atom or Firestorm, I’ll buy them.  But that might not ever happen (however, if the Legends of Tomorrow TV series is a success, Firestorm may be back in a big way, and the door was left open on The Flash for a season 2 Captain Atom appearance).

The Bronze Age Captain Atom appears in the background four times in this issue, although his costume coloring is slightly wrong.

That last panel seems to indicate that the original Charlton heroes do indeed “evolve” into their Multiversity counterparts.  This means we already know their fates and Captain Atom is dead once again.

(All characters and images belong to DC Comics and I am not making any profit off this blog.)

Justice League #40 (June 2015)

Tags

Alex Sinclair, Brad Anderson, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Dan Jurgens, Geoff Johns, Jason Fabok, Jerry Ordway, Jim Lee, Kevin Maguire, Phil Jimenez, Rob Leigh, Scott Kolins, Scott Williams

This has been quite the month for Captain Atom spotters.  So far we’ve seen the Modern Age Captain Atom in Convergence: Justice League International #1 and he had a cameo in Convergence: Green Lantern Parallax #1.  Monarch has appeared in Convergence #3 and Convergence #4 so far.  The Bronze Age Captain Atom popped up in Convergence: Blue Beetle #1 as well as this quick cameo in Justice League #40:

This is an often-repeated image from the Crisis on Infinite Earths series.  In this issue, Metron is talking about his involvement in the Crisis (among other DC events).

Justice League #40 was written by Geoff Johns with pencils by Kevin Maguire, Phil Jimenez, Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Scott Kolins, Jason Fabok, and Jim Lee, inks by Kevin Maguire, Phil Jimenez, Jerry Ordway, Scott Kolins, Jason Fabok, and Scott Williams, colors by Brad Anderson and Alex Sinclair, and letters by Rob Leigh.

(All characters and images belong to DC Comics and I am not making any profit off these characters or images.)

DC Universe: Legacies #5 (November 2010) and #10 (April 2011)

Tags

Allen Passalaqua, Blue Beetle, Brad Anderson, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Firestorm, Gary Frank, George Pérez, Jesus Saiz, Jon Sibal, Judomaster, Karl Story, L.A.W. Captain Atom, Len Wein, Modern Age Captain Atom, Nightshade, Oracle, Peacemaker, Red Tornado, Rob Leigh, Scott Koblish, The Question, Thunderbolt, Tom Chu

DC Universe: Legacies was a ten-part history of the DC Universe that spanned five generations, starting with the dawn of the Mystery Men to the modern era.  With the rebooting of the DC Universe and the advent of the New 52, it has become moot.  The Bronze Age Captain Atom and his old pals from the Sentinels of Justice (along with Judomaster, Thunderbolt, and Peacemaker) make an appearance in issue 5.  This panel was penciled by George Pérez, inked by Scott Koblish, and colored by Allen Passalaqua with text lettered by Rob Leigh.

DCU: Legacies #5

In DC Universe: Legacies #10, the Modern Age Captain Atom is seen at Sue Dibny’s funeral (his pals Red Tornado, Blue Beetle, and Firestorm are there along with many others).  This page was penciled by Jesus Saiz with inks by Karl Story and colors by Tom Chu.

DCU: Legacies #10

Later in this issue is a back-up story entitled “Snapshot: Redemption!”  Written by Len Wein with pencils by Gary Frank, inks by Jon Sibal, colors by Brad Anderson, and letters by Rob Leigh, this story is labeled “From the super-secret blog of Ted Kord, a.k.a. the Blue Beetle.”  In the telling of the history of the Blue Beetle, the rarely-seen L.A.W. Captain Atom pops up, along with Oracle, Judomaster, and Peacemaker.

DCU: Legacies #10

Captain Atom of Earth 2? (Earth 2 Annual 2013)

Tags

Andy Kubert, Batman, Brad Anderson, CAFU, Cam Smith, Carlos Mangual, Earth 2, James Robinson, Julius Gopez, Pete Pantazis, The Atom

>>>>>>>>>>SPOILERS<<<<<<<<<
(You’ve been warned)

Earth 2 Annual #1: “Secrets and Origins”

• Writer: James Robinson
• Pencils: CAFU & Julius Gopez
• Inks: CAFU & Cam Smith
• Colors: Pete Pantazis
• Letters: Carlos M. Mangual
• Cover: Brad Anderson & Andy Kubert

This is either a new version of Captain Atom or a throwaway joke I’m taking way too seriously.  The character of Atom that we have seen in the pages of Earth 2 (issues 0, 1, 4-5, and 9)  is Captain Al Pratt of the World Army.  I never thought much about the character.  The original Golden Age Atom was also Al Pratt, a pugilist who ended up with atomic-based powers (radiation immunity, superhuman durability, speed, stamina, and strength) and was a founding member of the Justice Society of America.  In the New 52, the JSA has been moved back to Earth 2 (their pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths home).

In the Earth 2 annual, we get the Atom’s origin story.  He was a soldier for the World Army who somehow survived the epicenter of a nuclear explosion.  He later found he was given atomic powers by the blast (he has the ability to deliver an atomic-super punch and can grow into a giant).

The similarity between Captain Atom’s origin and the Atom’s origin are obvious.  They both got their powers in a nuclear blast (to be fair, so did Firestorm).  But this is not a new spin on the Atom, really.  Although the Golden Age Atom started out as just a boxer, he did later survive nuclear fallout and found himself with new powers.

The reason I thought this might be a new version of Captain Atom is this:

Major Sonia Sato refers to Al as “Captain Atom.”

Of course, this can be interpreted a few ways.  Perhaps she was about to say “Captain Pratt” but caught herself in time (protecting his secret identity and all that).  Perhaps James Robinson was having a laugh, breaking the fourth wall a bit and reminding us this is a comic book.  Maybe this is the New New 52 Captain Atom.  Maybe he’s just Captain Atom in name and nothing else.  Maybe it is just a nod to Steve Ditko.  Who knows?  Well, James Robinson knows.  And probably Dan DiDio, Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, and whoever else is running DC these days.  And soon enough, the rest of us I suppose.

I’m not the only one who latched on to this.  Andy Hunsaker at Crave Online calls Pratt “Captain Atom” throughout his review (but is also quick to point out this is “not the Captain Atom you know”).

I’m not going to give a detailed review of this book.  It gets a mention on this blog because of the Captain Atom thing.  He isn’t even the entire focus of the annual (see the cover).  So that’s all the spoilers I’m willing to share. I will say, however, that Earth 2 Annual #1 was pretty damn awesome – art and story are top-notch.  I am really enjoying the series.  I give this annual an A.