Let me begin by admitting that I loved the old Valiant universe that Jim Shooter helped create back in the 90’s. In fact, I don’t think I’ll ever forgive Acclaim for running Valiant straight into the ground all just for the sake of a couple video games. Now, all these years later Jim Shooter is at Dark Horse working on some of the very same characters again.
The story in Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #1 is fine the reader gets some action, is introduced to a number of characters and is given a fairly detailed recap of Doctor Solar’s origin. Other then the origin recap everything else is glossed over pretty quickly but that is what you would expect in a first issue.
SPOILER WARNING The introduction of the principal villain Tanek Nuro, an evil corporate boss who has already caused Doctor Solar trouble, was handled very well. It took Jim Shooter less then one page to make me hate this character. In just the fourth panel he is already taking out his anger, over what he considers the failure of one of his operatives, by beating the crap out of some totally defenseless guy who had nothing to do with the preserved failure. It reminded me of a story I read in Marvel Tales back when I was a kid. In that story the Kingpin, as part of his workout, beats the crap out of a bunch of guys. Now, there where a couple of differences the guys the Kingpin fought where boxers, wrestlers and professional thugs and they where allowed to fight back. They where not forced to just stand there and take the beating. These differences illustrate why it is hard to totally hate the Kingpin but is really easy to loath Tanek Nuro. END SPOILER WARNING
As much as I liked the story the artwork was only passable and for such an important issue as this one it should have been great. Before I wrap-up this review I should mention that this issue also includes a reprint of the original Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #1 done by Gold Key back in 1962. All in all, I liked what I read in this first issue enough to get me to read the second issue and when you are getting your first taste of a new series that is enough.
Keith Forney