Comics Fondle

Sword of the Atom was a strange limited series, ably mixing unlikely genres, but the first special is even more different. Essentially an epilogue to the limited series–the majority of the comic is spent retelling the limited series while introducing different perspectives on the events–it’s a mature comic book about divorce and friendship and love. It’s very strange to see a mainstream comic book–a superhero comic book, not by a prestigious writer–doing such a quiet, different (I already said different twice, didn’t I?) story.The narrative structure is amusing if not particularly innovative: text from a book about the Atom’s adventures in the limited series provide narration, while there are both scenes accompanying the narration, but also scenes where people are reading the book. There are some particularly nice moments with that device.I often come across boring films–boring in a good way–but this Atom special has got to be the first comic book to bore me and have me enjoy it so much. I’ve read the limited series, so I don’t need the recap; I enjoyed it instead. It recalled that previous, entertaining reading experience.The scenes between the Atom and his wife, really anything discussing his marriage, are excellent. For all the “realism” of the modern superhero comic book, it’s telling the scenes between couples are rarely compelling. The scenes in this special, however, make the whole comic work. The characters and their problems become concrete almost immediately at the start and the reader is involved with their lives….In some ways, I think this comic has to be the most realistic superhero story I’ve ever read, or at least a valiant attempt at one… not by grit and grime, but by honest characterizations of people. Gee, who’d have thought?

B+

Technorati Tags: Comic Book, DC Comics, Gil Kane, Jan Strnad, Review, Sword of the Atom

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