Written by Brian Clevinger
Illustrated by Scott WegenerThere are two kinds of people. Those who love Atomic Robo and those who haven’t read it yet. What’s that? You don’t want to start on the sixth volume? Well, GOOD NEWS! Every volume is stand alone. BOOM. You can start with this one and know what’s going on from page one. KA-BOOM. Then go back and read the other volumes in any order. THWACKA-BOOM. Oh, a plot? Okay, fine. Astronauts are stranded in a deteriorating orbit, and it’s up to Atomic Robo to save them in a race against the laws of physics!
Atomic Robo is back, and you better believe that it is be-WOAH! Hey now. I’m not going to spoil my own review, now am I?
Check after the cut and let’s talk about an important #1 on the shelf this week.
A short time ago, David Harper wrote on this very site an article about how Alan Moore saved comics. In this article, David explained that Moore understood that the average reader not looking to attack years of continuity could be more enticed to read comics when presented with something on a much more relatable level, care of a sleek form of cross-media adaptation (reboot, shmeboot). The idea here is for comics to adapt the same seasonal format as television, which Moore did in his series Top 10.
This same idea that allows for instant and easy access to a long ongoing series is used by Mike Mignola in all of his work, with his titles simply coming out in minis that connect to a greater story only in that they all feature the same characters in an ongoing story of their lives. You don’t need to read every Hellboy or BPRD book to read them at any given time (though it doesn’t hurt!), and every volume is an entry point for new fans looking to see what all the fuss is about.
With that in mind, in a world where #1s, relaunches and reboots await us at every given month, there is a rather large question that any given comic fan has to ask him or herself: “Ok, sure, I could get into this long-running epic modern mythology of men and women with outrageous abilities, but isn’t there something else? Something much more user friendly?”
Yes. Yes, there is. It’s called Atomic Robo.
As Ghost Of Station X begins, Robo receieves a phone call and is given two impossible problems: astronauts are in trouble and a building has simply disappeared off the face of the Earth, and it’s up to Robo to save the world and solve the mystery in a limited amount of time. It’s a ticking time-bomb plot that is readily familiar as a storytelling trope, but the way Clevinger and Wegener handle it is what makes it so affable. We’re introduced to new characters, reacquainted with some familiar faces, and welcomed back to the world of Robo with open arms and a smile.
It never ceases to amaze me that, as much as other titles attempt to be “new reader friendly” at any given point, Robo has always been one of the most consistent and easily accessible book on the market, and of course Station X is no different. Everything you need to know is on the cover and the first few pages: “There is a robot named Atomic Robo, and he has adventures. Go!” From there it’s a mixture of science and humor in a way that so many comics attempt to emulate and so few successfully do.
However, one element that has always made Robo an entertaining read is it’s handling of the science behind it, which is just as important to the action and raptor fighting. Split between two stories, we’re given two completely different forms: the “real” science angle (saving astronauts from a doomed space station in seven hours) and the pseudo-science Matrix-influenced understanding of theoretical science (why is a house missing from reality?) – with “real” in quotations because, honestly, I was terrible at physics in high school and I have no idea if this is real or not (but it sounds real!). A constant problem with any random book is that often times in the realm of fiction, the writer will give an explanation for an event or an occurence and use “SCIENCE!” as the explanation, because it’s not so much the mechanics that matter but rather how big the explosion is or how hard the fist thrown is. It’s not particularly well thought out, and it’s often incredibly insular to the made-up of physics of an alternate reality, but it serves it’s purpose. Then you have Atomic Robo, playing both ends towards a very humorous middle almost as a form of commentary on the entire idea. Robo has always existed in the world of plausible science as opposed to mumbo jumbo, so having two characters who can go off on such an extreme theoretical tangent, especially now in the aftermath of Clevinger’s pitch to DC for a Firestorm book, feels like a very tongue in cheek response to science in science fiction – especially since the two characters arguing about Mad Max and the Sims look like Clevinger and Wegener:
Continued below |
| They’re very smart. |
Suffice it to say, it is very nice to have Robo back on the shelves and on our pull again. Atomic Robo is the Saturday morning cartoon we deserve, served to us in 22 page sequential bursts. It’s entertaining for older audiences but still retains it’s All Ages aspect. Clevinger shows off his rather sharp ear for dialogue, full of sass, and Wegener’s art pops off the page thanks to the colors of Ronda Pattison. You should never expect any less from Team Robo, and they always manage to deliver. The first issue of Station X is a solid opening sequence to what is sure to be another great arc of adventure science, and in a world that favors quantity over quality, you can be rest easy at night in knowing that Atomic Robo is quality.
Final Verdict: 9.0 – Buy, for science
