Reviews: Red 5 Comics Part II

I got a couple more preview comics from the good people at Red 5 Comics, and I review them here for your pleasure.

Atomic Robo #2
By Brian Clevinger, creator of webstrip phenomenon "8-Bit Theater"
Diamond Order Number: SEP073914


If you like comics about robots using automobiles to hit giant ants, then your name is probably Chris Sims and/or you are the target audience for this comic.

In all seriousness, Atomic Robo #2 continues the same blend of action and humor that we got in the first issue. On top of this, we have some emotional "man out of time" content thrown in as we get to see the Atomic Robo character get developed beyond just a robot that fights monsters, but as a character with feelings.

Even better (to me, at least) this issue is self contained. So if you missed the first issue, you can pick this one up learn everything you need to know about the character in the first two panels, and be ready to go. It's how a good serialized comic should be.

I don't know what else I could say to recommend this, other than using the tired and true Hollywood pitch method - "It's like Hellboy, but with Science!"

Midknight #1 Created and Illustrated by Tom Hodges
Diamond Order Number: SEP073915


I can't imagine how tough it must be in today's market to create a new Superhero book to compete with The Big Two, so hats off to Tom Hodges for trying to give us something new. The high concept of Midknight is that it's a husband and wife crime fighting team of superheroes Midknight and Knightingale . By day, they work as a doctor and a lawyer respectively, and by night, they fight crime. They also have a nanny for their daughter who also serves as their Q.

I've always liked the idea of superheroes who's day job was something that was also heroic, like a doctor, and Hodges uses this element pretty effectively in the first issue. This issue mostly focuses on the development of David D'Ville/Midknight and we see the story mostly from his point of view. The rest of the issue focuses on brief set up of the other characters and the main villain and plot for the first story arc.

Hodges art is very much in the animated/Bruce Timm style, and it works well for conveying action and emotion. It also fits the book, as these characters are apparently optioned for an animated series.

While the book is well executed overall, I have to say there is nothing in the book that really reaches out and grabs you and makes you care enough about getting the next issue. It seems to be standard superhero fair. There are some interesting elements that weren't really fleshed out as fully as they probably needed to be to set their hooks into the reader.

Another 10 pages or so of introduction, or less set up of the "date night" in the beginning might have given more time to connect and care about the other characters outside of Midknight. I feel sure that the second issue answer some of these concerns; but it's so tough to hook new readers with that first issue, and I'm not sure we got enough here.