The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom #6 (Mini-Series Conclusion) Discussion

[J. D. Guy]

For those just tuning in at the last minute, issue #6 picks up roughly where #5 left off.

Nate just finished his last tussle with Ultramax, and came away with a piece of his memory, that of when he took the contract made by General Eiling (the smuggest so-and-so this side of Amanda). Nate gets Eiling to admit that is why Ultramax has been killing his past clients, in search of getting even with the man who put him away.

We then find Nate at his late wife Tahara's grave, speaking about how someone tipped him off about his son's existence, and mulling over whether he should tell him the truth, leaning on not doing so. That's when he gets called back to base to see Ultramax's ultimatum: he'll gives Atom the boy he saw when they glimpsed each other's mind if Atom hands over Eiling. Everyone knows it's a trap, but they form a plan anyway.

The plan works, for the most part, and Atom takes his son off to the top of a nearby ridge, in the hopes of getting him out of direct harm's way without looking like he's fleeing, which would illicit a chase that Atom's convinced would get Genji killed. He goes back to Eiling, plays the hero to a totes ungrateful victim, and eventually wins the day. Genji then comes down and greets Atom properly as the newly minted fanboy he's become of him before Atom takes Ultramax away, with Eiling promising that he'll get the kid home.

In the denouement of the mini, a news woman cuts Captain Atom some slack, as Eiling is informed by Heinrich that Genji was hit by Ultramax's stray waves, despite Atom putting him in a supposedly safe enough distance from the fight, but that Genji instinctively shielded himself from harm. Eiling is... disturbingly giddy about the prospects of that, showing the first signs of a positive attitude all series. He implores Heinrich that this secret must remain from Nate, as he declares that "Project Resurgence" has entered its second phase...

Lucky for Nate, Heinrich is still secretly in his corner. While Nate "talks" to Tahara about it being best to keep his identity secret from Genji (not wise, dude), Heinrich gives him another anonymous message, with a hint that Genji is more special than Nate knows and that the son will need the father more than ever from now own. Hope Nate listens.

The series closes on one final big tease, as the Justice League watches the news report, where the lady "hints" that Captain Atom could get the call from up above soon.

------------

I really enjoyed this mini-series of Captain Atom's, just like I enjoyed Death of Hawkman before it. Honestly, with what was set up here, I seriously didn't want it to end. Hopefully, there'll be more to come from it, especially the teases of Atom joining the JL and Nate actually forming a bond with his son Genji (before that creep Eiling gets his hands on him once he fully comes into his powers, but at least one person is on Nate's side in that department).

Once more, an awesome "Rebirth" for Captain Atom. Kudos to the writers for their work in bringing Captain Atom to the present (in more ways than one ) and setting Nate up for stories to come. Here's hoping those'll see the light of day, sooner rather than later.

Feel free to discuss away.

[KoriandrJean]

For those just tuning in at the last minute, issue #6 picks up roughly where #5 left off.

Nate just finished his last tussle with Ultramax, and came away with a piece of his memory, that of when he took the contract made by General Eiling (the smuggest so-and-so this side of Amanda). Nate gets Eiling to admit that is why Ultramax has been killing his past clients, in search of getting even with the man who put him away.

We then find Nate at his late wife Tahara's grave, speaking about how someone tipped him off about his son's existence, and mulling over whether he should tell him the truth, leaning on not doing so. That's when he gets called back to base to see Ultramax's ultimatum: he'll gives Atom the boy he saw when they glimpsed each other's mind if Atom hands over Eiling. Everyone knows it's a trap, but they form a plan anyway.

The plan works, for the most part, and Atom takes his son off to the top of a nearby ridge, in the hopes of getting him out of direct harm's way without looking like he's fleeing, which would illicit a chase that Atom's convinced would get Genji killed. He goes back to Eiling, plays the hero to a totes ungrateful victim, and eventually wins the day. Genji then comes down and greets Atom properly as the newly minted fanboy he's become of him before Atom takes Ultramax away, with Eiling promising that he'll get the kid home.

In the denouement of the mini, a news woman cuts Captain Atom some slack, as Eiling is informed by Heinrich that Genji was hit by Ultramax's stray waves, despite Atom putting him in a supposedly safe enough distance from the fight, but that Genji instinctively shielded himself from harm. Eiling is... disturbingly giddy about the prospects of that, showing the first signs of a positive attitude all series. He implores Heinrich that this secret must remain from Nate, as he declares that "Project Resurgence" has entered its second phase...

Lucky for Nate, Heinrich is still secretly in his corner. While Nate "talks" to Tahara about it being best to keep his identity secret from Genji (not wise, dude), Heinrich gives him another anonymous message, with a hint that Genji is more special than Nate knows and that the son will need the father more than ever from now own. Hope Nate listens.

The series closes on one final big tease, as the Justice League watches the news report, where the lady "hints" that Captain Atom could get the call from up above soon.

------------

I really enjoyed this mini-series of Captain Atom's, just like I enjoyed Death of Hawkman before it. Honestly, with what was set up here, I seriously didn't want it to end. Hopefully, there'll be more to come from it, especially the teases of Atom joining the JL and Nate actually forming a bond with his son Genji (before that creep Eiling gets his hands on him once he fully comes into his powers, but at least one person is on Nate's side in that department).

Once more, an awesome "Rebirth" for Captain Atom. Kudos to the writers for their work in bringing Captain Atom to the present (in more ways than one ) and setting Nate up for stories to come. Here's hoping those'll see the light of day, sooner rather than later.

Feel free to discuss away.

Sounds good, although I don't like it that he had been taken from his family, and that his wife died.

I look forward to reading this in trade, though!

[GamerSlyRatchet]

Yeah, it's basically a way to keep his status in the original Captain Atom run by Bates and Weisman, though modernized and with some tweaks here and there. The whole thing with Genji throws in an entirely new dynamic to Nate trying to reconnect with his children, as opposed to Peggy and Randy.

[J. D. Guy]

...Don't you hate it when you see a typo you made, but you can't fix it?

Anyway, I made this thread 'cause this was the last issue of the mini, and though I saw a stray thread here and there, it wasn't really talked about.

I enjoyed it immensely, especially from issue 2, which really hooked me. I rather feel that this little mini is underrated.

Sounds good, although I don't like it that he had been taken from his family, and that his wife died.

I look forward to reading this in trade, though!

I hope you'll enjoy it once you do. I also hope the trades do well in sells.

Yeah, it's basically a way to keep his status in the original Captain Atom run by Bates and Weisman, though modernized and with some tweaks here and there. The whole thing with Genji throws in an entirely new dynamic to Nate trying to reconnect with his children, as opposed to Peggy and Randy.

I did not know the former. For the latter, I really do hope there's a follow up for Atom, even if only just to see the plot line with Genji and Nate play out.

[GamerSlyRatchet]

I did not know the former. For the latter, I really do hope there's a follow up for Atom, even if only just to see the plot line with Genji and Nate play out.

I'd greatly recommend it, but DC hasn't been doing a great job collecting it in trades. Comixology has it, but it's only sold in separate issues. It has a lot of the same strong focus on character, but also with some intricate plots that run across the entire run. Eiling and Megala are not really that different there than how they were in the mini-series.

I'd love to see some follow-up to it, but Captain Atom is a niche character, and comics usually don't do a great job in following up on their subplots and replace them with something else instead.

[J. D. Guy]

I'd greatly recommend it, but DC hasn't been doing a great job collecting it in trades. Comixology has it, but it's only sold in separate issues. It has a lot of the same strong focus on character, but also with some intricate plots that run across the entire run. Eiling and Megala are not really that different there than how they were in the mini-series.

I'd love to see some follow-up to it, but Captain Atom is a niche character, and comics usually don't do a great job in following up on their subplots and replace them with something else instead.

I'd definitely be up to take a read of it one day, that's for sure.

That said, once again, I'd be more up for a continuation of the plot-lines set up here. And yeah, I know comic book track records with following up on plot threads, especially ones that aren't in a continually on-going series with the same creative team, are iffy at the best of times, but I'd like to keep up the hope.

[tib2d2]

I loved this mini, and I loved that DC actually launched it as a mini instead of throwing it out there as a new monthly (since that historically hasn't worked out to re-intro characters).

The story was great, the science is WAY over my head but they present it well, and I'm genuinely interested in the character.

Along with the great story the art was AMAZING, prob one of my favorite drawn books of the DC Rebirth.

My only gripe was that Ultramax sure seemed to know a lot about quantum physics for a former hitman.

And my only "huh?" moment was seeing Hawkman among the Justice League at the end.

[J. D. Guy]

I loved this mini, and I loved that DC actually launched it as a mini instead of throwing it out there as a new monthly (since that historically hasn't worked out to re-intro characters).

The story was great, the science is WAY over my head but they present it well, and I'm genuinely interested in the character.

Along with the great story the art was AMAZING, prob one of my favorite drawn books of the DC Rebirth.

My only gripe was that Ultramax sure seemed to know a lot about quantum physics for a former hitman.

And my only "huh?" moment was seeing Hawkman among the Justice League at the end.

That Ultramax thing in the final issue was kinda strange, since he was appropriately ignorant about his powers beyond instinct and experimentation when he first gets them, but in issue #6, he's spewing quantum jargon like a professional with a PhD in the field.

I mean, maybe he got more from Nate's head than just the whereabouts and identity of his son? That's the only thing that would explain it, outside of the powers coming with a delayed vocab upgrade.

And I swear, that Hawkman thing just added to the whole tease of the final page. ;p

[Mar-Vell]

That Ultramax thing in the final issue was kinda strange, since he was appropriately ignorant about his powers beyond instinct and experimentation when he first gets them, but in issue #6, he's spewing quantum jargon like a professional with a PhD in the field.

I mean, maybe he got more from Nate's head than just the whereabouts and identity of his son? That's the only thing that would explain it, outside of the powers coming with a delayed vocab upgrade.

Sounds good to me! lol

and I swear, that Hawkman thing just added to the whole tease of the final page. ;p

I must have looked at that final page at least 10 times. Exciting stuff for a Hawkman fan like myself!

Like you, J.D. Guy, I loved this mini. Along with Superman, this was my most anticipated title each month. The art, as you say, was the best I've seen in any comic out there.

How does everybody like Captain Atom's new look? It's starting to grow on me, but I still prefer his silver body with the blue boots and red gloves.

[GamerSlyRatchet]

I figured that, besides absorbing some of Nate's knowledge about quantum physics, he might have done some research. He certainly had some time.

How does everybody like Captain Atom's new look? It's starting to grow on me, but I still prefer his silver body with the blue boots and red gloves.

I'd like to see it in brighter colors. It looked a bit murky to me at times.

[J. D. Guy]

I figured that, besides absorbing some of Nate's knowledge about quantum physics, he might have done some research. He certainly had some time.

It's not impossible, but he'd need to be more capable in that department than he looks. Also, I dunno if he had that much time.

The mind meld thing kinda works as a better handwave.

How does everybody like Captain Atom's new look? It's starting to grow on me, but I still prefer his silver body with the blue boots and red gloves.

I'd like to see it in brighter colors. It looked a bit murky to me at times.

I like it. It definitely looks sleek, shiny, and dare I say, flattering on him, that's for sure. I agree that it could have been just a tad less muted in the brightness column, but other than that, I'm in love.

[silly]

somehow i like the silver color the most.

[Midnighter]

Does he look different by the end of the issue or is he still purple? If he does look different could someone please post a pic?

[scribbleMind]

I never found red to be the most exciting color, but maybe they did it to contrast Dr. Manhattan. I would hope the two of them at least talk to each other while this whole thing is happening. Nate's been a devious godlike entity and came out of the other side with his humanity intact. There's a shared experience to explore.

[J. D. Guy]

Does he look different by the end of the issue or is he still purple? If he does look different could someone please post a pic?

Due to the events of the story, half way into it, he's begun accessing the red quantum band, and is more powerful and stable than he was previously, which is reflected in how masterful in use he becomes as the "new" (in the eyes of the public) Captain Atom.