Following the same format of the previous issues, Jenny Sparks #4 splits time with another Jenny Sparks flashback (this one dealing with the Spirit of the 20th Century taking out some aggression on corporate greed contributing to the housing crash of the late 2000s) and her present situation still attempting to talk down the deranged would-be god who just knocked off the Justice League.
…
While providing a flashback to Jenny Sparks and Superman discussing his role as the most powerful being on the planet shortly after her return from the dead, the majority of Jenny Sparks #3 continues to focus on the Captain Atom issue with the former Leaguer holding hostages and demanding to be recognized as a god. The Justice League has arrived to handle the situation, ignoring Jenny’s input in favor a a shock and awe campaign that eventually just leaves us with the same status quo (well, that and Atom’s daughter who he barbeques rather than let her talk sense into him – not your best idea Justice League).
…
Captain Atom isn’t the first of the New 52 titles to get the ax, but it is the first one I’ve really enjoyed to go away. Captain Atom #0 provides a rebooted origin for the soldier turned super-powered hero, and while it works well enough, like most of the New 52, it’s not nearly as good as the origin the character already had.
Now I didn’t read the Captain Atom‘s original Charlton Comics run, but when DC bought the rights to the character (along with others like the Question and Blue Beetle) and gave the hero new life in his own title following the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths I was there to grab it, and all the issue that followed. (Hell, I was in the prime of my junior high comic book buyin’ days.)
In the post-Crisis origin (which, by the way, was good enough to be used in a recent issue of Young Justice) Nathaniel Adam was an Air Force pilot framed for murder who volunteered for a risky experiment only to be shot 20 years into the future and turned into super-human with the ability to tap into the Quantum Field.
…
Captain Atom‘s brief rediscovery of his humanity ends all too soon when he discovers that giving into his dreams by recreating his human form of Nate Allen has unexpected side-effects for everyone else tied to the Captain Atom project.
While Nate indulges in his night with Ranita the body of Captain Atom subconsciously tries to give the scientists in the facility their own dreams and desires made real – with disastrous effects.
I’m a little sad that the Nate storyline ends so quickly as there was plenty of story to mine for several issues about how human this version of Nate actually is and how far his relationship with Ranita could have actually gone. That said, the immeadiate effects of giving into his desires to once again live his life as a normal man teach Captain Atom an important lesson as he knows now he can never go back to being who he was. The issue ends with another none-too-subtle Watchmen reference with our hero removing himself from the Earth while gazing back on it from the surface of the moon. Worth a look.
[DC, $2.99]
What happens when a near omnipotent being gives into his own desires and greatest wish to be human again? The latest issue of Captain Atom shows us the unforeseen consequences when Captain Atom puts his consciousness in a human form to reconnect with humanity in general, and with Renita specifically.
Once again writer J.T. Krul takes an intriguing idea, Nathaniel Atom re-experiencing life as a “normal” man, and turns the story on its side by showing us that while most of Nate’s consciousness is walking around with Renita, his comatose form is also trying to make the wishes of those closest to him come true as well – whether that be the return of a dead relative, a collection of toys from childhood, or granting Dr. Megala‘s greatest wish.
However, it appears these unconcious gifts might actually be far more dangerous than the chance the human version of Nate gets into with Renita as the two finally give into their feelings for each other. Worth a look.
[DC, $2.99]
