Sunday, March 8, 2009

Agents of Atlas #2

It's interesting to note that the comic book about one of the oldest teams in the Marvel Universe is also one of the newest comics around.

And with this issue, Agents of Atlas makes the most of that heritage.

In the first issue, the comic included a back-up feature about one of the team's early adventures. This time around, an adventure from 1958 is incorporated into their present-day escapades, although the connection between the two isn't quite clear yet.

Still, the striking thing about this team is how dedicated they are to each other. Most teams include some squabbling (if just for the sake of conflict), but so far, the Agents of Atlas seem to operate in complete devotion to each other. It's a refreshing change!

The team continues to pretend to cooperate with Norman Osborn's H.A.M.M.E.R. organization. (And still there's no indication of what that might stand for. Today's guess: Huge And Mighty Masters of Evil and Retribution.) They obviously subscribe to the old adage to keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

The story by Jeff Parker is smart and fresh, and the art by a small army of talented people covering both eras of the team is quite good.

This is definitely a book to watch (or at least read).

Grade: B+

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