What’s different: How long has it been since Captain Atom had a book? I know he had that mini-series where he crossed over into the Wildstorm Universe for a while. But the last time Captain Atom had an ongoing book, it was cancelled to turn him into Monarch for Armageddon 2001. So, what, about 20 years?
Since that time, Captain Atom has been the red-headed step child of the DCU. A lot of characters can claim to have been mistreated by DC, but few can claim the level of abuse of Captain Atom.
First, he was slated to be the villain of Armageddon 2001, but given a last-minute stay of execution when the ending was leaked to fans. (Poor Hank Hall took his place). Then he suffered through Extreme Justice, L.A.W, being President Luthor’s stooge, crossing over into the Wildstorm Universe, becoming Monarch for real (sort of) in Countdown and then becoming a back-up feature in Action Comics.
According to the solicit:
Charged by nuclear energy, possessing vast molecular powers, Captain Atom has the potential to be a literal god among men – a hero without limits. But the question is: Will he lose himself in the process?
There’s not a lot to go on, but it sort of sounds like they are playing up the Dr. Manhattan elements of the character. Writer JT Krul expounded on that idea in an interview with CBR:
While this book holds true to the core of who Captain Atom is, it is also a very different book from what’s come before, especially since we’ve mostly seen Captain Atom in team settings. Again, I can’t go into story details, but it’s about how Captain Atom sees the world given all the powers he possesses and the difficulties he has finding his place in it. We are really tapping into an almost science-fiction vibe as we explore the actual ways in which Captain Atom interacts with the world around him and the difficulties that can represent giving what he is capable of.
As we learn more about the relaunch, the less it seems like anything is changing beyond cosmetic changes. In this case, Captain Atom appears to have taken on a more alien look. His chrome haircut has been replaced by … crackling energy or something.
What’s the same: In the same CBR interview, Krul makes it pretty clear that the Captain Atom of the series is the same guy we saw running around in Judd Winick’s Generation Lost. And Winick also dealt with the idea of Captain Atom losing his humanity Dr. Mahattan-style. So, I doubt much has changed in the here-and-now.
If Krul decides to deal with Atom’s messy past, I suspect we may see some tweaks here and there. The marriage to Plastique? Countdown? The crossover to the Wildstorm Universe which is now being integrated into the DCU proper? All of these things seem like retcon candidates.
Chances for Success: Not good. Krul is a polarizing figure. When most people here his name, they think of dead cats. And Captain Atom doesn’t have much of a following. He seems to work best with the JLI. At least Freddie Williams II will be on board for art duties. If the book gets good word of mouth early on, it may last long enough to develop a following.
Final Thoughts: I’m glad to see Captain Atom get a shot even if I don’t particularly like his chances.
Green Lantern: The New Guardians #1
Justice League International #1
