I image Captain Atom is tough book to write.  He can control molecules, what kind of threats can’t he face?  I absorbs energy and changes atoms.  I guess the answer is, he fights nuclear meltdowns and volcanos.

The story introduced the character’s powers and his supporting cast. But I don’t think I understand what his personality is supposed to be?  I guess they are making him aloof and removed from his humanity?  I think we have seen that done better with characters like Swampthing or Red Tornado.  But I guess we will see more in the coming issues.

The threats seem comically oversized. I was half-expecting that it would end up being some virtual world simulation, because it seemed so outrageous the launch that in New York and solve it in 2 pages.

The art seemed a bit lacking. Some of the details were blurred and lacked detail. I’m not sure if the artist was going for a specific effect but it comes off a bit muddy.  I think it would look a lot better with a better colorist.  Some of the colors were just brushed over with the same browns an beige.

C-   —  Don

This incarnation of Captain Atom is taking a lot of cues from his Watchmen analogue, Dr. Manhattan, in terms of powers and in the character’s distancing himself from humanity because of his powers. Unfortunately, it’s not nearly as compelling as it was with Watchmen. It’s not bad at all, it’s just that this is less like the Captain Atom I remember and more like a combination of Dr. Manhattan and Firestorm in terms of character and powers. And since there is also a Firestorm book out, it makes this one feel redundant.

I agree with the aforementioned comment on the art – it’s chaotic and the coloring is on the muddy side, which doesn’t fit with this type of character. At the very least, Captain Atom himself should look shinier! There’s still lots of potential here, and if the book manages a unique identity in upcoming issues, it can still be a winner.

C  — Ed