Jan-Ken-Pon – Agents of Atlas#6 review

It’s Jeff Parker so we know and can expect the book to never go below certain level of quality. Among comic fans such a statement about Parker is pretty much an understood commodity, thus I’m going to uncharacteristically -for me- start with the art. As much as I loved Pagulayan (and I did) Gabriel Hardman is a revelation. If you want to see two incredible looking books this week, you want to pick up this issue and Marvel Mystery Comics Special#1 (where Chris Burnham just put it down). Hardman drops worlds on us. From heartfelt, immediate, family moments in ‘Frisco apartments, to cruising in a space ship, to a World War II Montage, to taking us to the kingdoms of Atlanteans– it’s just a beautiful looking issue, and in manner that enhances and relays a story, not picking and choosing which of Parker’s words to make mini-posters of. Hardman does capture moments in instances where he is called on to do so involving flashbacks, but he does not fail in keeping the story moving and fluid. It’s one of those issues where you think you see lips moving.

In this issue the agents seek out Namor. Pardon me . . .

“Sorry, I’m still a throwback.

That’s what I called him as a kid.”

So many comics try to make us forget about the past, wanting to distance themselves from issues that revolve around continuity. Agents of Atlas is able to make it up, embrace it, and even more, take pleasure in reminding us of it in a way we can celebrate it, and do so firmly in the context of regular continuity. It’s not a guilty a pleasure, it’s simply a pleasure.

We meet the Sub Mariner as OG Atlas meets OG Timely as they discuss occurrences central to the current Marvel Universe. Knowing Namor’s ties to the Cabal, they seek his aid hoping the familial ties represented by Namora will give them leverage. We get that, but we also get a very quick and effective look into Atlantean mindset, a bit of a zany brawl, and a perfectly awesome cheesy kiss scene. “Cheesecake” is a word that has its place in comic book history, and while the term doesn’t apply in that traditional sense to Agents of Atlas, there is this informal glamour that this book exudes, and not just when Namora or Venus steps on stage (the latter has a nice reference to the effectiveness of her abilities in the seas).

“Oh Hellz, you screwed up and touched the robot”

There are a lot of writers who utilize a character for comic relief and if the books are quality we overlook them and enjoy the title despite them. Gorilla-Man looks the part, but he is more Hank McCoy at his best, than anything remotely approaching a nuisance. In some sense we always think it is the next joke that will doom the book, but it never does as the looming cringe instead always becomes a smirk. The genius is that it’s comedy that we’d see in a 50’s book told now that’s not campy, it’s just fun. Agents of Atlas has consistently been a beautifully visualized rendering of a writer whose not even just writing good comics– it’s a celebration in speculative fiction that should never be viewed as just a grand, well thought out, clever homage. It’s no trick, it’s just quality.

The Agents of Atlas is the best book at Marvel right now and it hits me in a way that makes me want to borrow a banner than used to adorn the covers of the Fantastic Four.

    
_{*though I guess technically I didn’t}

    
- Jay Tomio

_{Jan-ken-pon is the time traveling, force-walking, multiverse crossing column of Jay Tomio, owner of 1/3 of everything you see currently on screen, and the editor of Heliotrope. Some call him the Bodhisattva.}