Children of the Atom #5 Review/Spoiler - Secrets Revealed

[jwatson]

With the series cut short, they are however settled with the status of having been the stars of what is by all accounts a failed series. This was after all presented as ongoing, which was meant to send the signal that they were confident these characters would not only catch on but also carry a whole book. A mini-series meanwhile would have send the signal that they were only testing the water, which puts less stress on the credibility of a new character (or characters).
Meaning they are essentialy marked as not having caught on with the consumers to hold anything longer planned. Which certainly won't help convince anyone to use them in the future, especialy when marvel comics is allready filled with many c-list or below characters, all also metaphorical fighting for relevancy and pannel time.

Because these old failed heros, will never really go away, they will just float around Marvel's orbit forgotten, until perhaps one writer will attempt to recycle them, but more often as jokes or victims, rather than in a serious attempt to give them a second chance at stardom.

And that's before we consider the behaviour of many writers to create new characters, seemingly in the hope of having them break out and have their name attached to them, rather than having to work with the "leftovers" of other writers and trying to elevate them instead. Which just makes things worse as it even further increases the debris field in Marvel's orbit.

There is a reason why some complained about these characters just being destined to join the rest of the Post-Morrison "young mutants" in their role as wallpaper (under the thought of them actualy all being mutants), because we have seen it becomming worse over the past 20 years with a far too large cast of Academy X students fighting for relevance while at least New Mutants and to some degree Generation X profited from being smaller teams and having an entire decade for themself (even later didn't lasted a decade, the 90's were Gen X's time and these characters didn't had to compete with 30+ other characters).

But now we know 4 of them are just normal humans using gadget, which means they have to compete with the entire Marvel Universe's selection of normal humans using gadget or getting otherwise empowered and that list is even longer than just the Academy X one.

Basicly, if in a few years from now a different writer wants to use a black young man who has some flight device, why should he use Gabe, who was part of a failed series, didn't catch on and was the creation of another writer, if he can just create his own one or use a fitting character who did caught on (like trying to get their hands on Falcon)?

At this point we might only see them in other of their creators works, unless even they allready gave up on these kids and instead focuses on the New Mutants or who ever else the X-office grants them for yet another series which might not last long.

I'm just going to be real growing up i went to alternate universe in ct from age 10 until i moved after college and it was always run by a black guy and a white guy with what i always thought was a really cool ponytail he reminds me of meatlof. And after the many conversations i've had with people who run a shop right i know how a shops can destroy a book so i never take rankings or shop talk or anything like that seriously because given the state of the power they have it feels false.

[jwatson]

Just to add and it sucks because it may end up hurting indies as they don't have much power but perhaps for their sections marvel and dc and otther companies should start sending planograms to comic shops so they can't just put books anywhere because they personally don't like it.

[Grunty]

I'm just going to be real growing up i went to alternate universe in ct from age 10 until i moved after college and it was always run by a black guy and a white guy with what i always thought was a really cool ponytail he reminds me of meatlof. And after the many conversations i've had with people who run a shop right i know how a shops can destroy a book so i never take rankings or shop talk or anything like that seriously because given the state of the power they have it feels false.

I assume you are refering to the signals that sales results from the LCS can give to the publisher and their editorial on who should be given further chances or used, harming the potential of a character who caught on even if initial sales did not reflect that?

That's a valid point.

However there is still the other problem to consider that many writers (increasingly more over the past years) seem to only want to use those who are popular or create their own new ones in the hope that they will become the next big thing, in order to have their names attached to success and be mentioned everytime the character is brought up, rather than focusing on producing good storylines with what ever character they are given or can take.
Which just increases the vicious cycle of one-shot or forgotten characters being created and dropped quickly.

And that's still the big problem for these characters going forward.

Someone needs to not give in into this mentality and then also look at these 5 characters and think "Yep, i have just the story for them." while ignoring other perhaps similar well suited characters.

[Tycon]

Think about that statement. If someone wanted to talk to a closted gay person, it isnt appropriate to blurt out their sexuality in front of their friends just bc they didnt know anyone would also be there. The minute she saw her friends there, she could have altered her approach. Thats the criticism being levied here. Its not like they were alone and the group walked in on them speaking privately

Are you serious? Storm steps into the room and you’d hear a pin drop. There’s nothing that’s subtle about her coming in there to give an invitation. Think about it, if I was Gabe then I’d still be hella suspicious as to why thee Ororo Munroe would just drop by, out of nowhere. And if you wanted her to continue stringing these kids along under the pretense of only wanting Carmen, then that’s a problem if its own. This just seems like a nonsensical point.

[GeneTitan]

I just finished issue #5 and I hope we never see any of these kids again. In all my years of reading X-books, I have always loved the teen characters introduced: New Mutant, Generation X, Academy X Kids and so on. But, COTA...Nah!

My biggest issue with the book is how they appropriated mutant identity. They wanted all the glory of Krakao and being a mutant, but none of the "smoke" that comes with it. They never have to worry about mutant hate groups, Sentinels, being ostracized from their families. They were a group of kids with human privilege (except Carmen eventually) posing as an oppressed group while not having to deal with any of the horrors that come with being a member of that group.

And then to steal Cole's clothes in the hopes it would have mutant DNA on it so they could go through the gates. Unbelievable. I love Vita's work on New Mutants, but they really wrote these kids as entitled, annoying, stereotypical Gen Z'ers who wouldn't last a week in the life of a real mutant. They don't deserve to be X-Men sidekicks and this book has earned its place in the 4 for $1.00 bin at your local comic con.

And I know this post is harsh, but I paid for all these issues. I support Marvel comics & I had to speak my mind on this one.

[jwatson]

I assume you are refering to the signals that sales results from the LCS can give to the publisher and their editorial on who should be given further chances or used, harming the potential of a character who caught on even if initial sales did not reflect that?

That's a valid point.

However there is still the other problem to consider that many writers (increasingly more over the past years) seem to only want to use those who are popular or create their own new ones in the hope that they will become the next big thing, in order to have their names attached to success and be mentioned everytime the character is brought up, rather than focusing on producing good storylines with what ever character they are given or can take.
Which just increases the vicious cycle of one-shot or forgotten characters being created and dropped quickly.

And that's still the big problem for these characters going forward.

Someone needs to not give in into this mentality and then also look at these 5 characters and think "Yep, i have just the story for them." while ignoring other perhaps similar well suited characters.

There is definitely a problem when writers only want to use characters they deem a success or create new ones but in that case it's on the pitch and marvel. I was more looking at it from the where customers get the product. But that may also help the creative process as well. If shops had a planogram where your books were always where they where suppose to be in a limited visual space consistently where people knew if not exactly where that product was it would all be together and something like x-men at the very least eye level to about i'd say 5'5 because then the kids could see the off brand more fun books at the bottom and work their way up as they get older instead of having to dig through a bin, ask a shop owner where a book is, have them say they will order it, and nothing. And this was during this era if you believe it or not. Not to mention it can then be used as a way to get books you do want to be sold or personally like a chance for others to read maybe a little wrack by the x-section or the section next to your most popular section put an indie section. Instead there is a system where i'm just going to order what i want or put it where i want and what i like sales that i feel is a big problem.

[cranger]

This was good. Lots of story packed in one issue is nice to see. The X-Men action and dialogue was a bit clunky but at the same time it was refreshing to see heroes who were not written as omnipotent, there was a time when even the most average bad guy group could get the drop on our favourite mutants.

I am hoping the final issue is a good wrap up for the entire cast. Let them get left in a spot that leaves some intrigue into what they do next and easy for someone else to continue on at some point.

[davetvs]

I'm just going to be real growing up i went to alternate universe in ct from age 10 until i moved after college and it was always run by a black guy and a white guy with what i always thought was a really cool ponytail he reminds me of meatlof. And after the many conversations i've had with people who run a shop right i know how a shops can destroy a book so i never take rankings or shop talk or anything like that seriously because given the state of the power they have it feels false.

Alternate Universe! I grew up going there too.

[rcaguy]

I just finished issue #5 and I hope we never see any of these kids again. In all my years of reading X-books, I have always loved the teen characters introduced: New Mutant, Generation X, Academy X Kids and so on. But, COTA...Nah!

My biggest issue with the book is how they appropriated mutant identity. They wanted all the glory of Krakao and being a mutant, but none of the "smoke" that comes with it. They never have to worry about mutant hate groups, Sentinels, being ostracized from their families. They were a group of kids with human privilege (except Carmen eventually) posing as an oppressed group while not having to deal with any of the horrors that come with being a member of that group.

And then to steal Cole's clothes in the hopes it would have mutant DNA on it so they could go through the gates. Unbelievable. I love Vita's work on New Mutants, but they really wrote these kids as entitled, annoying, stereotypical Gen Z'ers who wouldn't last a week in the life of a real mutant. They don't deserve to be X-Men sidekicks and this book has earned its place in the 4 for $1.00 bin at your local comic con.

And I know this post is harsh, but I paid for all these issues. I support Marvel comics & I had to speak my mind on this one.

And you're right. Don't know why anyone thought that this was something that could stand on it's own even as a limited series.

[jwatson]

Alternate Universe! I grew up going there too.

Oh cool! Milford or new haven? I use to straddle between both at certain points in life. Lol