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Atomic Robo #6
Atomic Robo: The Ghost of Station X
Forget volume 1 - this is the perfect place to start your Atomic Robo adventures, since every collection stands alone in any reading order. In this tale, Robo is the only hope to save astronauts trapped in a rapidly deteriorating orbit. And when he gets there? Things go from utterly doomed to Aaaauuuugh
152 pages, Paperback
First published March 29, 2012
About the author
Brian Clevinger
217 books93 followersBrian Clevinger is best known as the author of the most popular sprite webcomic, and one of the most popular webcomics overall, 8-Bit Theater. He is also the author of the self-published novel Nuklear Age. Clevinger has recently received attention for his Eisner-nominated print comic Atomic Robo.
Claiming that his "favorite comics are the ones where the jokes are on the reader," Clevinger is an expert in using anti-climax, interface alterations, and the occasional false ending to play with the reader's expectations. It is a testament to both his sense of humor and his writing skills that these "jokes on the reader" are usually beloved by his fanbase.
Claiming that his "favorite comics are the ones where the jokes are on the reader," Clevinger is an expert in using anti-climax, interface alterations, and the occasional false ending to play with the reader's expectations. It is a testament to both his sense of humor and his writing skills that these "jokes on the reader" are usually beloved by his fanbase.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
January 4, 2020
Nasa calls and astronauts are in danger. In 7 hours their ship will fall out of orbit. It's up to Atomic Robo and his team of adventure scientists to figure out how to help. I loved how they got together to work the problem. Even though this is science fiction, Robo and his team always work from science fact. This arc keeps the tension at its height for the entire run. It's a different type of story for Robo as they try and unravel who is out to kill him. The culprit was awesome, being extrapolated from real world events.
February 16, 2013
Tenser than a typical Robo storyline - I'm finding myself riveted to the page, breezing through story faster than I'm usually comfortable with. The fact that this isn't just Dr. Dinosaur goofy fun could've gone sideways in a hurry, but somehow Clevinger and Wegener were primed and ready to tell a mystery tale like this.
I'm damn impressed by Wegener especially in this one. He conveys emotions in wordless panels that even the super-realist artists can't always pull off, and I find myself moved and even further invested in seeing our friends come through with smiles and satisfaction.
The mystery that builds in this book is fascinating - and I can't tell if it's because of the sheer inventiveness of the convolutions, or the way they cut away from the story just when you think they're about to tell you a Big Secret.
The humour and deadpan delivery takes a while to return to this book - the seriously amped tension keeps folks from lightening up for a while - but thankfully we're not deprived entirely of one of the most rewarding aspects of this series. It's reassuring to see that the creators didn't suddenly start taking themselves too seriously and drop the fun on the floor.
I love the pop-art Atomic Robo in the background of one panel. LOVE. I really love how well thought-out the villain is, and I'm entranced by how deep the science side of the sci-fi goes. Bravo guys, bravo - this is a stellar story. (The FCBD issue is pretty hilarious to boot.)
I'm damn impressed by Wegener especially in this one. He conveys emotions in wordless panels that even the super-realist artists can't always pull off, and I find myself moved and even further invested in seeing our friends come through with smiles and satisfaction.
The mystery that builds in this book is fascinating - and I can't tell if it's because of the sheer inventiveness of the convolutions, or the way they cut away from the story just when you think they're about to tell you a Big Secret.
The humour and deadpan delivery takes a while to return to this book - the seriously amped tension keeps folks from lightening up for a while - but thankfully we're not deprived entirely of one of the most rewarding aspects of this series. It's reassuring to see that the creators didn't suddenly start taking themselves too seriously and drop the fun on the floor.
I love the pop-art Atomic Robo in the background of one panel. LOVE. I really love how well thought-out the villain is, and I'm entranced by how deep the science side of the sci-fi goes. Bravo guys, bravo - this is a stellar story. (The FCBD issue is pretty hilarious to boot.)
May 3, 2013
I think I know why I like Atomic Robo so much: It's everything that I was promised by the Iron Man movies.
Iron Man is boring. I'm sorry, but Iron Man is a dud. TONY STARK is sort of interesting, as much as a story about a handsome super-genius billionaire with all the confidence in the world can be interesting. But there's just not a lot of conflict when a character can buy, fly, or charm his way out of any problem faced by a human being. I really think this is part of why the Iron Man movies have never really found a great villain.
That seems like a silly distinction, Tony Stark versus Iron Man, but let's look at Batman for a second. Part of what makes Batman so interesting is that, if you think about it, it's hard to say whether Bruce Wayne or Batman is the dominant portion of that character's life, and this balance is a big part of the story.
Atomic Robo IS Atomic Robo. He has a life pretty similar to Tony Stark in that he heads up a science-y super lab with seemingly unlimited resources, and he embraces the Iron Man portions with a good dose of action too.
So what's the difference?
Well, in this volume we actually hit an emotional point. A couple, but a really big one near the end. A point where the reader sees into this character. I won't spoil it. Just read it. You can even start with this volume if you want.
Iron Man just doesn't get there. They try, but it never works for me.
It's the same problem I have with the movie Dodgeball. Everyone loves that movie, and it's got its moments, but then we find ourselves in the last 15 minutes, and after laughing at how ridiculous the whole thing was, all of a sudden we're supposed to take seriously the fact that this team really needs to win an adult dodgeball tournament. It's stupid, and it's reaching for an emotional breakthrough that is totally unearned. It makes me hate the whole movie. Who decided that every goddamn screwball comedy needs an emotional touchstone near the end? I'm fine with not learning a big life lesson at the end. It's cool. I don't know what the fear is when it comes to a movie that makes me laugh for two solid hours. God forbid!
With Iron Man, I've always felt cheated. In the first movie, he gets in the suit, what, 5 times? And in between those times we have to watch him slow dance? Why the fuck would he be slow-dancing? How could that possibly matter when he could go home and do something that nobody has ever done, shoot around the world in a wearable jet? THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR ME.
I mean, show me a guy who would rather slow dance with Gwyneth Paltrow than fly around in a real Iron Man suit, I'll show you a guy who is thinking with his penis, albeit a penis disguised as a foppish gentleman wearing a monocle. BUT IT'S A PENIS NONETHELESS AND I AM NOT FOOLED!
There are so many lazy parts to that story I don't want to go over them, so let's just focus on Atomic Robo.
This is an excellent book. It's great if you like comics, if you like science, and if you like to laugh. It's got all the action and laughs of Iron Man. And it's got real, genuine heart that comes through without having to be elaborately set up by Captain America saying some bullshit about how someone's father would be so disappointed and OH GODDAMN IT I GET SO MAD AND-
No, no. Focus on the positive.
Atomic Robo = Good. Everyone should be reading this book.
Iron Man is boring. I'm sorry, but Iron Man is a dud. TONY STARK is sort of interesting, as much as a story about a handsome super-genius billionaire with all the confidence in the world can be interesting. But there's just not a lot of conflict when a character can buy, fly, or charm his way out of any problem faced by a human being. I really think this is part of why the Iron Man movies have never really found a great villain.
That seems like a silly distinction, Tony Stark versus Iron Man, but let's look at Batman for a second. Part of what makes Batman so interesting is that, if you think about it, it's hard to say whether Bruce Wayne or Batman is the dominant portion of that character's life, and this balance is a big part of the story.
Atomic Robo IS Atomic Robo. He has a life pretty similar to Tony Stark in that he heads up a science-y super lab with seemingly unlimited resources, and he embraces the Iron Man portions with a good dose of action too.
So what's the difference?
Well, in this volume we actually hit an emotional point. A couple, but a really big one near the end. A point where the reader sees into this character. I won't spoil it. Just read it. You can even start with this volume if you want.
Iron Man just doesn't get there. They try, but it never works for me.
It's the same problem I have with the movie Dodgeball. Everyone loves that movie, and it's got its moments, but then we find ourselves in the last 15 minutes, and after laughing at how ridiculous the whole thing was, all of a sudden we're supposed to take seriously the fact that this team really needs to win an adult dodgeball tournament. It's stupid, and it's reaching for an emotional breakthrough that is totally unearned. It makes me hate the whole movie. Who decided that every goddamn screwball comedy needs an emotional touchstone near the end? I'm fine with not learning a big life lesson at the end. It's cool. I don't know what the fear is when it comes to a movie that makes me laugh for two solid hours. God forbid!
With Iron Man, I've always felt cheated. In the first movie, he gets in the suit, what, 5 times? And in between those times we have to watch him slow dance? Why the fuck would he be slow-dancing? How could that possibly matter when he could go home and do something that nobody has ever done, shoot around the world in a wearable jet? THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR ME.
I mean, show me a guy who would rather slow dance with Gwyneth Paltrow than fly around in a real Iron Man suit, I'll show you a guy who is thinking with his penis, albeit a penis disguised as a foppish gentleman wearing a monocle. BUT IT'S A PENIS NONETHELESS AND I AM NOT FOOLED!
There are so many lazy parts to that story I don't want to go over them, so let's just focus on Atomic Robo.
This is an excellent book. It's great if you like comics, if you like science, and if you like to laugh. It's got all the action and laughs of Iron Man. And it's got real, genuine heart that comes through without having to be elaborately set up by Captain America saying some bullshit about how someone's father would be so disappointed and OH GODDAMN IT I GET SO MAD AND-
No, no. Focus on the positive.
Atomic Robo = Good. Everyone should be reading this book.
October 20, 2012
Robo and the fighting scientists of Tesladyne remain the lighter side of adventure fiction in the graphic story telling world when compared to Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. (which I also enjoy). What begins as a series of seemingly unrelated events develop into a world destroying threat.
Spoiler space (a little).
Robo has to be rebuilt after an insane attempt to rescue astronauts in orbit turns out to be an attempt to kill him. Tesladyne scientists Martin and Louis are sent to help British intelligence discern why a building disappeared. All of this turns out to be a plan by an a.i. created by Alan Turning back at the end of WWII.
The plotting at the start felt a clunky, but the ending rocked. Robo rarely faces an ethical question, and he faced a couple while dealing with the a.i. At the same time I felt an attempt was made to add some character to the usually jovial Robo, as he felt sorrow at having to destroy the a.i. to save the majority of humanity.
Spoiler space (a little).
Robo has to be rebuilt after an insane attempt to rescue astronauts in orbit turns out to be an attempt to kill him. Tesladyne scientists Martin and Louis are sent to help British intelligence discern why a building disappeared. All of this turns out to be a plan by an a.i. created by Alan Turning back at the end of WWII.
The plotting at the start felt a clunky, but the ending rocked. Robo rarely faces an ethical question, and he faced a couple while dealing with the a.i. At the same time I felt an attempt was made to add some character to the usually jovial Robo, as he felt sorrow at having to destroy the a.i. to save the majority of humanity.
May 21, 2012
Atomic Robo and the Ghost of Station X, the sixth and latest installment (2012) of the adventures of Nikola Tesla's wisecracking robotic action scientist, pits Robo against a mysterious antagonist who somehow is orchestrating a variety of deadly perils for Robo. This is complicated because, as Robo himself says, "Angering powerful people in charge of shadowy organizations is pretty much my hobby."
I don't want to go into too much detail, given that the story's a mystery and all and spoilers are no fun for anyone. However, each of the traps the mystery antagonist lays for Robo is fun and different, and Robo overcomes them in different ways. Well, usually by employing scientific violence in different ways. But not always!
As for our mystery antagonist, I will say only that it makes total sense when it's revealed, is a great nod to history, and is a foe worthy of Robo. I really liked the villain, their plan, and their motivations.
As usual, writer Brian Clevinger is up to the typical Robo standard of excellence. There's more ominous mystery and less wisecrackin' than previous volumes, but it still works, and still has more humor than pretty much anything the big comic publishers do these days while still keeping appropriate gravitas. Scott Wegener does another fine job with the art, with a particular strength this time out in depicting the physical scale of the challenges faces Robo.
I wouldn't recommend Atomic Robo and the Ghost of Station X as a first crack at Atomic Robo, as I did with Volume 5, as the tone is a bit different than typical for the series, and - while the story is entirely self-contained, so it'd work in that sense - there's not much history or backstory, especially compared to Volume 5.
If you're an Atomic Robo fan, you should have read this comic already, and if you aren't yet, read Volume 1 or Volume 5 first, then come back to Atomic Robo and the Ghost of Station X for some angry shadowy organization mystery. Volume 6 is another excellent Atomic Robo story.
I don't want to go into too much detail, given that the story's a mystery and all and spoilers are no fun for anyone. However, each of the traps the mystery antagonist lays for Robo is fun and different, and Robo overcomes them in different ways. Well, usually by employing scientific violence in different ways. But not always!
As for our mystery antagonist, I will say only that it makes total sense when it's revealed, is a great nod to history, and is a foe worthy of Robo. I really liked the villain, their plan, and their motivations.
As usual, writer Brian Clevinger is up to the typical Robo standard of excellence. There's more ominous mystery and less wisecrackin' than previous volumes, but it still works, and still has more humor than pretty much anything the big comic publishers do these days while still keeping appropriate gravitas. Scott Wegener does another fine job with the art, with a particular strength this time out in depicting the physical scale of the challenges faces Robo.
I wouldn't recommend Atomic Robo and the Ghost of Station X as a first crack at Atomic Robo, as I did with Volume 5, as the tone is a bit different than typical for the series, and - while the story is entirely self-contained, so it'd work in that sense - there's not much history or backstory, especially compared to Volume 5.
If you're an Atomic Robo fan, you should have read this comic already, and if you aren't yet, read Volume 1 or Volume 5 first, then come back to Atomic Robo and the Ghost of Station X for some angry shadowy organization mystery. Volume 6 is another excellent Atomic Robo story.
July 5, 2020
I've Found A Whole New Treat
"I wonder what wine sellers buy, that's twice as dear at half the price."
This seems to be the insiders' comic book. It's the franchise that writers and creators turn to when the commercial publishing world is too much with them. This volume even starts with an earnest, (although a bit overwrought), essay by Greg Rucka, to the effect that Atomic Robo renewed his interest and faith in the comic book form. I can see how that might well be true.
This is Volume 6 out of at least 10 volumes. That might seem like a bad place to jump in to a series, but it was O.K. You will figure out who and what Atomic Robo is without a problem, and then pick up bits of backstory along the way. Each volume seems to comprise a single, though episodic, story arc, so you won't be joining in the middle of a cliffhanger, or be left hanging at the other end. If you do get a kick out of this one it's probably best to then head back to Volume 1 and go to town.
I enjoyed the pace, the characters, the tension and action, and the development of the story, as well as its resolution. I gather from some readers that this Volume 6 is a bit more dramatic and less humorous than other volumes, but that left plenty of room for this one to entertain and for other volumes to move up and down the humor/action scale.
A combination of alternate science, humor, and slightly twisted plots is never a bad thing, and this volume served up an assured and uncomplicated mix of treats. Sometimes old school, (especially with tongue in cheek), is the best school. Anyway, once you have a robot action scientist you know you're in good hands. It looks like the wine sellers know what they're buying here.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book, (complements of the recent ALA Virtual Convention), without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
"I wonder what wine sellers buy, that's twice as dear at half the price."
This seems to be the insiders' comic book. It's the franchise that writers and creators turn to when the commercial publishing world is too much with them. This volume even starts with an earnest, (although a bit overwrought), essay by Greg Rucka, to the effect that Atomic Robo renewed his interest and faith in the comic book form. I can see how that might well be true.
This is Volume 6 out of at least 10 volumes. That might seem like a bad place to jump in to a series, but it was O.K. You will figure out who and what Atomic Robo is without a problem, and then pick up bits of backstory along the way. Each volume seems to comprise a single, though episodic, story arc, so you won't be joining in the middle of a cliffhanger, or be left hanging at the other end. If you do get a kick out of this one it's probably best to then head back to Volume 1 and go to town.
I enjoyed the pace, the characters, the tension and action, and the development of the story, as well as its resolution. I gather from some readers that this Volume 6 is a bit more dramatic and less humorous than other volumes, but that left plenty of room for this one to entertain and for other volumes to move up and down the humor/action scale.
A combination of alternate science, humor, and slightly twisted plots is never a bad thing, and this volume served up an assured and uncomplicated mix of treats. Sometimes old school, (especially with tongue in cheek), is the best school. Anyway, once you have a robot action scientist you know you're in good hands. It looks like the wine sellers know what they're buying here.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book, (complements of the recent ALA Virtual Convention), without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
Read
April 24, 2020This is a less quippy and more intense Atomic Robo story. NASA calls Tesladyne seeking their help in saving astronauts stuck in space. Robo goes into orbit but soon realizes it’s a trap and that someone is trying to kill him - he’s subsequently branded as a national terrorist. Meanwhile, a government building suddenly disappears. The story is focused on Robo, NASA, and others putting their heads together to solve this mystery as quickly as possible. The intensity is the best part, and I found myself totally engrossed, turning pages fast. My one negative is that sometimes there’s too much text that deflates the tension, especially towards the end. However, the final reveal is fantastic and manages to hit some real emotional points, which I wholeheartedly welcome for this series. It’s certainly the most impactful Atomic Robo story so far, and you can really feel him struggling to fix everything. I loved it.
The story is not without humor, though. It’s peppered throughout and comes in when necessary. Some of my favorite lines:
“What kind of odds would you give a man juggling chainsaws that have smaller chainsaws for handles?”
“Wikipedia says it’s an industrial wasteland.” “Wikipedia? Really? You have PhDs!”
“Thank you on voyage. My hope for the weight was not too many.” “Your accent is atrocious.” “Apologizing. I am foreign robot man.”
“Why do you insist on suicide? I’m offering you the universe.” “It’s just darkness and some gas without life. It’s too big for us alone.”
The story is not without humor, though. It’s peppered throughout and comes in when necessary. Some of my favorite lines:
“What kind of odds would you give a man juggling chainsaws that have smaller chainsaws for handles?”
“Wikipedia says it’s an industrial wasteland.” “Wikipedia? Really? You have PhDs!”
“Thank you on voyage. My hope for the weight was not too many.” “Your accent is atrocious.” “Apologizing. I am foreign robot man.”
“Why do you insist on suicide? I’m offering you the universe.” “It’s just darkness and some gas without life. It’s too big for us alone.”
February 6, 2020
yes
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2017
I have yet to meet an Atomic Robo book I didn’t like, and the foreword by Greg Rucka in this volume is worth the price of admission alone. Astronauts are in peril, and Robo launches into action to rescue them, only to find things are not what they appear. This series is one of the best things currently happening in comics. Funny, smart, and filled with page-turning action.
December 23, 2017
Usually, the strongest element of Atomic Robo is the humor. Here, they tried to make a stronger drama and it wound up being just pretty good. It's definitely not bad, and I can't point to any deficiency. But I think the straight stories are really just to build up for the release of the goofy stories.
May 28, 2020
Clever Clevinger
Like the rest, this edition of Atomic Robo shows off Clevinger's clever (say that fast three times) blend of "alternate" science with humor, and tongue fully in cheek.
The author always has a new take on his subject. This time, Robo faces a genius opponent with something in common.
I especially liked the ending panels.
Like the rest, this edition of Atomic Robo shows off Clevinger's clever (say that fast three times) blend of "alternate" science with humor, and tongue fully in cheek.
The author always has a new take on his subject. This time, Robo faces a genius opponent with something in common.
I especially liked the ending panels.
August 7, 2023
Frankly, a very disappointing Robo adventure. In place of snappy dialogue and clever plots are clunky pages upon pages of blocks of expository text and uninteresting, unfocused storylines; albeit with the same great art and witty comedy. Unfortunately, for the first time for me, Atomic Robo has just failed to be very funny at all.
April 1, 2018
YES! A solid return to form after the slow departure of volume 5. I had actual LOLs in this again. And the nation of gung-ho super truckers using CB radios and hackers to find the bad guy...that made my heart proud. Well done.
July 29, 2018
Very solid art and story. Clever plot with lots of science thrown in, but not in a gratuitously Immagonnaeducateyou fashion. Vibrant characters as well, who are all just silly enough to be fun without being a parody of old adventure stories.
I liked it!
I liked it!
June 7, 2021
I had completely forgotten just how convoluted and wacky this story was! What starts with Robo launching himself into space to save several astronauts rapidly becomes a science mystery with roots in events from the 1940s!
November 20, 2021
Un libro divertido, con el que aprendes, y hasta cierto punto, resulta inspirador para el fan de la ciencia ficción. Sí que me ha parecido más flojo a la hora de encaminar el argumento, que se mantiene a buen recaudo hasta el número final. Bien resuelto, pero lento.
February 8, 2019
Manteniendo el espíritu pulp de los tomos anteriores, creo que es el primero en el que la trama se hace algo más retorcida y compleja, con un final bastante sorprendente.
February 23, 2017
The tone of this volume seemed to be quite different than the previous 5 volumes. It seemed to be more serious overall with a slightly....darker story line? Obviously the entire series is a bit of a stretch, but I also felt that some of the things in this volume were almost a stretch too far. Like how much punishment Robo took. I'm not sure why he almost didn't survive the fall back to earth, but seemed just fine after the explosion at the end.
I think I would rank this as my third favorite of the first 6 volumes (behind 1 and 4). Maybe tied with 3.
I think I would rank this as my third favorite of the first 6 volumes (behind 1 and 4). Maybe tied with 3.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2014
A bit different from past Robo episodes, Volume 6 is a conspiracy and mystery thriller that brings two seemingly disparate problems to a single resolution. Robo is trying to hunt down whomever it is wants him killed, while a couple of his employees are helping modern-day Sparrow find out why an entire, seemingly innocuous building, has disappeared completely.
The text and dialogue in this volume was much more dense than in previous volumes, mostly because so much needs to be explained and communicated to the reader. But this doesn't take away from the excitement of the story and the panels themselves. I especially enjoyed the ham radio operator network helping Robo (but I am kind of a sucker for tales where groups of people come together to help the hero, even if it seems like they don't have the skill to be of any use).
The most interesting things about this volume is it touches on an interesting theme: mortality and immortality. ALAN is immortal, and plans to use his immortality to the utmost, to seed the universe with immortal intelligences like himself. Robo, so far as we know, is also immortal - but he isn't just a computer brain. But, interestingly, ALAN brings up that Robo is only alive so long as his core is functioning. He seems to imply that, one day, his core will cease functioning and there will be no way to fix it. Ergo, it is to Robo's benefit to join him in the stars. While this wasn't the main focus of the conflict, I felt it was a strong moment, throwing light on the fact that, while Robo is long lived, and will likely outlive all his human friends across time, he is not, strictly speaking, immortal.
The text and dialogue in this volume was much more dense than in previous volumes, mostly because so much needs to be explained and communicated to the reader. But this doesn't take away from the excitement of the story and the panels themselves. I especially enjoyed the ham radio operator network helping Robo (but I am kind of a sucker for tales where groups of people come together to help the hero, even if it seems like they don't have the skill to be of any use).
The most interesting things about this volume is it touches on an interesting theme: mortality and immortality. ALAN is immortal, and plans to use his immortality to the utmost, to seed the universe with immortal intelligences like himself. Robo, so far as we know, is also immortal - but he isn't just a computer brain. But, interestingly, ALAN brings up that Robo is only alive so long as his core is functioning. He seems to imply that, one day, his core will cease functioning and there will be no way to fix it. Ergo, it is to Robo's benefit to join him in the stars. While this wasn't the main focus of the conflict, I felt it was a strong moment, throwing light on the fact that, while Robo is long lived, and will likely outlive all his human friends across time, he is not, strictly speaking, immortal.
September 8, 2014
Review for Sept 8, 2014:
I love Jenkins. He seems even better on the re-read. This is an interesting one. I think I understood it better with a slower re-read because I wasn't so caught up in the humour (which, granted, is still awesome!) and I could appreciate the story telling. So very much fun.
Review as of October 6th, 2012:
Liked this one! It's been a while since I read Atomic Robo (been a few other stellar graphic novels in the meantime) but I hadn't forgotten how much I love that guy. I like how each story arc shows us a different part of Robo. In this one, it was his inner workings. By the end of all of it (which had better be a long, long way off) I imagine we might have a complete picture but I'm in no rush at all to reach that end.
So... Babble aside, I like this volume. Maybe not as many laugh-out-loud moments as some volumes but it's definitely up there at the top of my Robo-list.
I love Jenkins. He seems even better on the re-read. This is an interesting one. I think I understood it better with a slower re-read because I wasn't so caught up in the humour (which, granted, is still awesome!) and I could appreciate the story telling. So very much fun.
Review as of October 6th, 2012:
Liked this one! It's been a while since I read Atomic Robo (been a few other stellar graphic novels in the meantime) but I hadn't forgotten how much I love that guy. I like how each story arc shows us a different part of Robo. In this one, it was his inner workings. By the end of all of it (which had better be a long, long way off) I imagine we might have a complete picture but I'm in no rush at all to reach that end.
So... Babble aside, I like this volume. Maybe not as many laugh-out-loud moments as some volumes but it's definitely up there at the top of my Robo-list.
February 5, 2016
Another entertaining Atomic Robo story from Brian Clevinger. Robo and Tesladyne are faced with two seemingly disparate problems, one a threat and one a mystery that they have to face down. The main threat doesn't become obvious until near the end of this trade and it is a big one. Like all the other Robo trades this one is a blast, fun, full of science and fisticuffs and something that you can enjoy as an adult but give to a 10 year old and not worry about it having any "mature content" that may be too dark for them.
May 16, 2013
Robo just might be one of my favorite characters. This volume is action packed, a bit more serious and bit less rollicking good fun, but it's still an excellent science adventure. They lavished some serious love on the ham radio community which made me happy as my grandfather is a long time operator.
The mystery is pretty convoluted and there's a lot of info dump towards the end to explain it, but it's also pretty brilliant.
The mystery is pretty convoluted and there's a lot of info dump towards the end to explain it, but it's also pretty brilliant.
September 15, 2016
This volume is definitely one of my favorite Atomic Robo stories thus far. It's funny, of course, but also remarkably dramatic at times, with perhaps the most serious story Brian Clevinger has written for Robo yet. After several volumes of fighting Nazis, mad scientists, evil brains in robot bodies, vampires, Lovecraftian horrors, and insane genetically altered dinosaurs, it's a refreshing change of pace to get an antagonist with relatively sane motivations that elicit genuine sympathy.
August 13, 2012
This is the best one yet. Unrelated strings join, and the action is easy to follow from panel to panel. When your characters are this great, the story and art just fall into place. This comic managed to meld scientific history and current day adventure so seamlessly, that you don't even question when you start checking out books on Tesla at the library.
May 26, 2014
If you've never read a comic book, you'd do well to start with Atomic Robo. This stuff is genius, in more ways than one. High adventure with a witty, smart hero who just happens to have the world's preeminent scientists working for him. The opening scene of this book is worth the price, though it's a bit subtle until you think it through. Wonderful book.
June 4, 2012
As always, does not disappoint! Beware the power of CB and Ham radio enthusiasts! I really liked the main villain in the end, great foil for Robo, who sometimes laments other things aging while he doesn't...
July 14, 2012
Robo and Tesladyne is under attack. While 2 bumbling idiots get called to England to find out what happened to a missing house that used to store data since world war 2. I've must have read this book twice so far.
July 15, 2012
I'm kind of sad that I'm all caught up with Atomic Robo and have to wait for each issue to come out now! Robo is so loveable. Especially his use of things like "horsefeathers!" and "applesauce!" instead of four-letter words. What a great adventure story!
May 29, 2014
This starts off really well as the protagonist becomes the target of a sinister, mysterious conspiracy. Unfortunately the villain (I'll avoid spoilers) is a completely stock SF figure, which made the last third boring. That was a big letdown.
January 14, 2017
A slight drop off in writing quality from previous volumes, but still hella entertaining and consistent in character and tone. Thoroughly enjoying this trek through Atomic Robo, and thankful for its action science existence!
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