Atomic Robo 4.3 by Red 5 Comics
WRITER: Brian Clevinger
ART: Scott Wegner
COLORS: Ronda Pattison
LETTERS: Jeff Powell
The wisecracking robotic investigator and special agent is once again face to face with his
reptilian adversary, the aptly named Dr. Dinosaur. This issue opens with Robo captured by the self-proclaimed time-traveling dinosaur genius, continuing the storyline Brian Clevinger began in the Free Comic Book Day comic released by Red 5 Comics.
Atomic Robo, as always, hearkens back (both in art and writing) to the pulp comics of the Golden Age – a wisecracking hero using wit, wisdom and sheer brute strength to defeat zany villains who blend absurd ‘take over the world’ plots with bit of actual (and sometimes frightening) personal agendas. Faced with an underground secret lab powered by the mysterious and somewhat inexplicable crystals, Robo has to overcome his embarrassment at being captured by the raptor’s cunnig plan while trying valiantly to thwart a bird-brained scheme involving Robo’s head, a threatening note of dubious grammar, and the United States Postal service.
Our hero quickly discovers that although intelligent dialogue with a (possibly) time-traveling dinosaur is difficult at best, witty repartee is unavoidable and finds himself in the unenviable position of saving himself by helping the mad scientist work the kinks out of his scheme.
The story is a riot of chagrined heroes; Clevinger shows his mastery of the short-form graphic
story, throwing the reading into the middle of things (in medias res, for the literary inclined) and then drags us along. I found myself laughing and shaking my head at every turn of the page – the interplay between hero and villain was so good that I actually forgot I wanted Robo to get away!
Scott Wegner’s art and Ronda Pattison’s colors compliment the story perfectly; Dr. Dinosaur is animated and his toothy grin manager to convey as much emotion as any humans face. Wegner skillfully manipulates Robo’s body language to help convey tone of voice and inflection.
Atomic Robo continues to be one of the best consistently good titles and is well worth picking up and reading, no matter where in the series you start!
