The Outhouse - The Greatest Comic Book Forum

by **Stephen Day** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 2:57 pm

OK, so Al Pratt (AKA the Atom) in the modern Earth 2 is a size changer. I can't say that I absolutely hate the idea, but I have to admit that don't know that I particularly like it either.

by **Timbales** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 3:10 pm

Seems like he's a combo of the previous version of Al Pratt and Nuklon/Atom Smasher.

by **IvCNuB4** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:09 am

And still leaves room for another hero who shrinks should they want to introduce one later.

by **sdsichero** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:21 am

IvCNuB4 wrote:And still leaves room for another hero who shrinks should they want to introduce one later.

His name is "guy in the swimming pool". Green Lantern found him.

by **avengingtitan** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 7:40 am

This was a far better issue then the last two but it was still pretty bad.

by **Zero** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:10 am

Man, if this had just stopped after issue #1 people would have loved it and James Robinson's rep might have been restored somewhat.

by **chap22** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:40 am

Timbales wrote:Seems like he's a combo of the previous version of Al Pratt and Nuklon/Atom Smasher.

theh way his hands were glowing in that last page, i'd say there's possibly some Damage thrown in there too.

and i'm like Stephen Day...i can't say as i hate it, but it does take away the one thing that really made Al special and likable IMMO...his eternal underdog status.

also, y'all nuts. this book is gold. one of DC's better books these days.

by **ElijahSnowFan** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:57 pm

chap22 wrote:theh way his hands were glowing in that last page, i'd say there's possibly some Damage thrown in there too.

and i'm like Stephen Day...i can't say as i hate it, but it does take away the one thing that really made Al special and likable IMMO...his eternal underdog status.

also, y'all nuts. this book is gold. one of DC's better books these days.

Agreed. I understand some concerns with #3, because that issue was a bit choppy, but I've really been pleased overall with the book.

I mean, in four issues, we've gotten the origins of Flash and Green Lantern, have a decent idea what the Atom's origin is going to look like yet still see that he and Hawkgirl have some kind of link, seen the deaths of that world's Supes/Bats/WW, had Michael Holt cross dimensions and begin to get his ass kicked by Terry Sloan, and gotten a fairly decent clue as to what Solomon Grundy's all about.

In other words, while I do understand that sometimes Robinson's writing is a little stilted, there is really good pace to this book. It's not boring, and the things that are happening are linear in progression, make sense.

It's not a perfect book, but it is accessible and enjoyable, IMO.

by **nietoperz** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 2:20 pm

I love this book so far. As Chappy said, I am kind of concerned that they're going to lose Al Pratt's eternal underdog status, but I trust Robinson with these characters.

I wonder if and when we're going to meet Ted Knight...?

by **Timbales** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 2:22 pm

nietoperz wrote:I love this book so far. As Chappy said, I am kind of concerned that they're going to lose Al Pratt's eternal underdog status, but I trust Robinson with these characters.

I wonder if and when we're going to meet Ted Knight...?

by **Herald** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 5:11 pm

Zero wrote:Man, if this had just stopped after issue #1 people would have loved it and James Robinson's rep might have been restored somewhat.

You should have known that "JUSTICE!!" Robinson couldn't keep that up.

by **Stephen Day** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 5:36 pm

chap22 wrote:and i'm like Stephen Day...i can't say as i hate it, but it does take away the one thing that really made Al special and likable IMMO...his eternal underdog status.

Yeah, that's pretty much what I'm thinking

also, y'all nuts. this book is gold. one of DC's better books these days.

Agreed.

by **sdsichero** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 5:52 pm

chap22 wrote:one of DC's better books these days.

Low bar

by **Herald** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 5:56 pm

sdsichero wrote:
Low bar

So low that the Atom (ANY of them) couldn't limbo under it.

by **achilles** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 6:18 pm

What exactly DID Robinson do in the fabled issue #1?

He punked out the Trinity worse than they've ever been before, having them killed off by also-rans not fit to tie the shoelaces of Jimmy Olsen. He made Supergirl/Power Girl and Robin/Huntress seem useless. And subverted their personalities by having them blindly obey Superman and Batman when you know they just wouldn't.

And he did this in the name of DC editorial's brilliant as usual decision that there can't be any duplicates, (except when there are), because the poor dumb fans might get confused, (apparently we can't read that big "EARTH 2" title). And so that he can make his Nu version of the Justice Society, sans everything that made them special, seem capable and competent in comparison.

Time was he didn't have to resort to hack tricks like that. Of course, time was DC editorial didn't run every creative decision made there.

Sad thing is, this probably is one of the best titles that DC's putting out now. Which is pretty pathetic if you ask me. But the first issue IMO was the worst of the lot.