Written by Brian Clevinger
Art by Scott Wegener and Ronda Pattison
Published by Red 5 Comics

52 Pick-up Week 8:

Atomic Robo is not a new character. Not brand new, at least. In fact, this is his fourth volume. Launched by Red 5 in 2007, his first volume was nominated for an Eisner for best new series, and colorist Ronda Pattison got a nom as well. It’s easy to see why. I don’t often credit a colorist, but her work here is nothing short of perfection. I’m getting ahead of myself, though. Just who — or what — is Atomic Robo?

Imagine Dr. Jonas Venture Senior’s mind trapped within the scaled down body of the Iron Giant. THAT is Atomic Robo. And all that that implies.

As I mentioned, this is the fourth volume of AR, but you can jump on board here without missing a beat. Unlike Mice Templar last week, Atomic Robo isn’t the kind of book that’s going to have a whole lot of continuity weighing it down, and anything you might need to know, you’re going to get filled in on. “What’s a Jenkins?” for example. This kind of storytelling makes it more immediately accessible, as well. It is most definitely an easy read and in fact might have an added appeal for new readers who don’t know the punchlines to certain in-jokes in advance. “What’s a Jenkins?” for example.

Atomic Robo does have something in common with Glass and Oeming’s rodents, however. It is an instant favorite. The character designs are amusing, Pattison’s colors bring them perfectly to life with an animated flair, and the dialog should absolutely have you chuckling like a fool. If you’re a fan of The Tick, Too Much Coffee Man, the afore-referenced Venture Bros., or any like-minded action-laced silliness, then Atomic Robo’s exploits should be right up your alley.

Atomic Robo: Revenge of the Vampire Dimension #1 uses action science to prove that it is possible to do better than 100 percent, and scores 6 out of 5 screaming Lego head T-shirts.

And with that, it’s been two months. I’ll be honest, the response to this little experiment hasn’t been quite what I’d expected, but nevertheless, I press on. I’ve been more impressed with the stuff that’s out there than I had expected I would be, and it’s been an interesting enough ride — good and bad — to keep me going for 44 more weeks. I think. Only time will tell.