The comic book industry is in a pretty sorry shape nowadays. Retcons and convoluted story arcs have dominated the market for years and judging by sales it looks like people are finally tired of it all. It has been years since comics have been relevant in the public eye, granted characters originating from comic books are household names thanks to the recent and immensely successful films based off the books. There are a few series I am following at this point, but the only one worth mentioning is a little independent series called “Atomic Robo.”
“Atomic Robo” is, without a doubt, the funniest comic book I have ever read. Written by Brian Clevinger and drawn by Scott Wegener, “Atomic Robo” possesses a razor-sharp wit and comedic eye for dialectic and situational comedy the likes of which I have not been seen… well, ever.
The story follows the life Atomic Robo, a robot created with free will by Nikolai Tesla in the nineteen-twenties and his adventures throughout his eighty-plus years of life.
Throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, Robo battles Nazis during WWII, former Nazis throughout the rest of his life, vampires from another dimension, Lovecraftian Horrors, an insane time-travelling genius dinosaur, and the ghost of Thomas Edison.
What really sets this series apart is its lack of linear storytelling. Each arc, which is organized into five or six issue stories, jumps from different points in Robo’s life. Every story is almost entirely self-contained and very few of them have any connection to the others (save for a nod to a previous story and the return of previous characters). Allowing the stories to take place at any point during the nineteen hundreds or modern times gives depth to the universe and allows natural breathing room between Robo’s adventures, which are plentiful and filled with pulp silliness, scientific fun, and plenty of action.
On the “Atmoic Robo” website, there is a tab called “The Promise.” Under it, the creators of the book promise that they would never fall into the common problems of the comic book industry that, being long-term fans of comics themselves, understand entirely.
They promise no angst (Robo never goes into “oh woe is me for being a metallic man” mode), no “cheesecake” (i.e. the frustrating over-sexualizing of women), no reboots, no filler, and no delays.
That last one is unlikely, chances are high that it is going to happen, but they have been good about it so far.
Atomic Robo is a quality comic book experience with brilliant writing, gorgeous artwork, and it deserves more attention than what it has been given. Free samples are available at atomicrobo.com and nuklearpower.com, go test the waters even though I can guarantee you will love every panel.
