Showing posts with label J.T. Krul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label J.T. Krul. Show all posts

Monday, October 3, 2011

The New 52 Review: CAPTAIN ATOM #1

"Chase Manhattan"

CAPTAIN ATOM #1
DC COMICS

WRITER: J.T. Krul
ARTIST: Freddie Williams II
COLORS: Jose Villarrubia
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
COVER: Stanley “Artgerm” Lau
32pp, Color, $2.99

Captain Atom is a comic book superhero created by writer Joe Gill and artist/co-writer Steve Ditko. Captain Atom first appeared in Space Adventures #33 (March 1960) from Charlton Comics. He was Allen Adam, a military official caught in a scientific experiment and “atomized.” Allen acquired superhuman strength and endurance and the ability to fly and to project energy blasts, and he could also reform his body.

The character was later acquired by DC Comics and inserted into the DC Universe that came into being after Crisis on Infinite Earths. His civilian identity became Air Force pilot Nathaniel Adam, who had the same powers as the earlier Captain Atom. With the re-launch of the DC Comics’ superhero line, “The New 52,” Captain Atom is back in a new comic book series.

As Captain Atom #1 (“Evolution of the Species”) opens, Captain Atom is in Chicago taking on what looks to be a four-story tall suit of battle armor. Suddenly, his powers do something quite shocking – something that shocks even the good Captain. Back at the Kansas-based Continuum, Atom learns some surprising/troubling news about himself and his new powers. Captain Atom is not, however, the only thing evolving.

Readers who dig into details and study comic book history know that Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s classic comic book series, Watchmen, began as a project to revive some of the Charlton Comics characters to which DC Comics had then recently obtained ownership. Eventually, the main cast of Watchmen was based upon some Charlton superheroes. Watchmen’s usually-naked, blue-skinned, godlike Dr. Manhattan was based upon Captain Atom.

The bosses at DC Comics really haven’t made it a secret that they want sequels and prequels to Watchmen. Captain Atom, with his blue-skin and Ken® doll anatomically incomplete nakedness, is now like a version of Dr. Manhattan that DC can more freely play with for the time being. And the way writer J.T. Krul plays with Captain Atom, judging by the first issue, could be interesting, and I’m certainly curious about the direction of this series.

Meanwhile, the art by Freddie Williams II (pencils/inks) and the always-interesting Jose Villarrubia (colors) has an odd, but catchy quality. I’d like to see this book continue just to get more of their art… or they could get another assignment.

B

September 21st
BATMAN #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/batman-1.html
BIRDS OF PREY #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/birds-of-prey-1.html
BLUE BEETLE #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/blue-beetle-1.html
CATWOMAN #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/catwoman-1.html
DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/dc-comics-presents-1.html
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/green-lantern-corps-1.html
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/legion-of-super-heroes-1.html
NIGHTWING #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/nightwing-1.html
RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/red-hood-and-outlaws-1.html
SUPERGIRL #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/supergirl-1.html
WONDER WOMAN #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/wonder-woman-1.html

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

The New 52 Review: GREEN ARROW #1

GREEN ARROW #1
DC COMICS

WRITER: J.T. Krul
PENCILS: Dan Jurgens
INKS: George Perez
COLORS: David Baron
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
COVER: Dave Wilkins
32pp, Color, $2.99

Green Arrow is a superhero appearing in DC Comics publications. His secret identity is billionaire Oliver “Ollie” Queen. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 (cover date November 1941). Green Arrow dresses like Robin Hood, and he was originally an archer who invented trick arrows with various special functions, such as net arrows, explosive arrows, boxing-glove arrows, etc. The various series writers have toned down the trick arrows over the last few decades.

With the re-launch of DC Comics’ superhero line, “The New 52,” a younger Green Arrow is back. Green Arrow #1 (entitled “Living a Life of Privilege”) re-introduces billionaire Oliver “Ollie” Queen, who is also the green-garbed archer and superhero, Green Arrow. He tracks celebrity criminals and has targeted three in Paris: Supercharge, Dynamix, and Doppelganger. Back at Queen Industries, the CEO is demanding that Queen spend more time in board meetings, while Green Arrow’s weapons designer, Jax, is having second thoughts about his career.

Thanks to the art by Dan Jurgens and George Perez, Green Arrow looks like a traditional superhero comic book that could have been published in the 1980s. On the opposite side of that, writer J.T. Krul immerses the series in corporate boardroom melodrama and international intrigue, or at least the superhero version of it. Green Arrow is a modern superhero who relies on technology and communication as he does on his paranormal physical and mental skills – traditional and new.

I’m curious to see where this goes, especially because Green Arrow seems to have a fascistic streak or at least a penchant for acting like Big Brother or Dick Cheney. Hopefully, Krul explores the dark side of Green Arrow, while the Jurgens/Perez team keeps churning out neo-soul art.

B+

August 31st
FLASHPOINT #5
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/flashpoint-5.html
JUSTICE LEAGUE #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/justice-league-1.html

September 7th
ACTION COMICS #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/action-comics-1.html
ANIMAL MAN #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/animal-man-1.html
BATGIRL #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/batgirl-1.html
BATWING #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/batwing-1.html
DETECTIVE COMICS #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/detective-comics-1-2011.html
HAWK AND DOVE #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/hawk-dove-1.html
JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/justice-league-international-1.html
MEN OF WAR #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/men-of-war-1.html
OMAC #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/omac-1.html
STATIC SHOCK #1 2.99
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/static-shock-1.html
STORMWATCH #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/stormwatch-1.html
SWAMP THING #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/swamp-thing-1.html