Writer: Jeff Parker & various
Artists: Leonard Kirk & various (p), Kris Justice, Terry Pallot, & various (i)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reprinting stories from: Agents of Atlas #1-6, Yellow Claw #1, Menace #11, Venus #1, Marvel Mystery Comics #82, Marvel Boy #1, Men’s Adventures #26, and What If? Vol. 1 #9.
In 1958, FBI agent Jimmy Woo assembled a bizarre team of superhumans and monsters to rescue President Eisenhower from the Yellow Claw. The team was soon disbanded and their adventures kept secret. Now, 50 years later, the team reunites to aid a badly injured Jimmy in his investigations into the Atlas foundation. What threat requires the powers of a gorilla man, a goddess of love, a human robot, a mermaid, a human raised on Uranus, and a man 50 years too young? The true purpose of Yellow Claw, Jimmy Woo, and their real names are all revealed here. Plus, see the first appearances and origins of these forgotten characters from Atomic-age Atlas comics and the issue of ‘What If’ that inspired this mini-series
In his introduction, Parker explains how comics should be a form of escapism. He expresses his desire to have fun with the story. That sense of pure fun and adventure comes through every page of this story. This is a weird story that can only be told in a comic book. What other medium gives you a robot carrying a talking gorilla with machine guns in all four hands? Where else are fights with zombies, evil telepathic children, and zombies used as throwaway gags? And who else can get away with the “it wasn’t me, it was an alien look-a-like with my memories” plot device? This is a weird book and proud of it.
But the action and fighting are nicely balanced by honest character moments. We feel Ken Hale’s despair at never being human again; Marvel Boy’s loneliness and isolation from a human race he’s never really known; Jimmy Woo’s frustration at being a man out of time; even M-11 is a silent memorial to a technology and sci-fi genre long considered obsolete. These are lonely people who have no one but each other. With no place for them in this world, they find a way to change it. They are what Hunter S. Thompson called, “too weird to live, and too rare to die.”
Leonard Kirk rises to the challenges of the story. As the reader travels from San Francisco to Africa, from outer space to an underground temple, Kirk makes it all look fantastic yet probable. There’s never any doubt that what you’re seeing isn’t real. Locations are packed with details that demand a second look. Epic battles and quiet moments of humanity are handled with equal grace and style. The final chapter with the death of Yellow Claw and the destiny of Jimmy Woo is one of the best sequences in comics in the last year.
As if the mini-series wasn’t great enough, we also get bits of old-time Atlas goodness with reprints of stories from Atlas’ old monster comics. “Gorilla Man” and “I, the Human Robot”, stand out for their incredible art. “Gorilla Man”, by Robert Q. Sale, conveys tension with every ink line and craggy face. The influence on underground commix is clear. “Human Robot” fills one with terror and dread thanks to the inking of a young John Romita. The graceful lines of ‘Venus’, the raw power of ‘Marvel Mystery’, and the realism of ‘Marvel Boy’ and ‘Yellow Claw’ are also artistic treasures. I am demanding a collection of 50’s Marvel comics!
‘Agents of Atlas’ gives off the same weird vibe as “Buckaroo Banzai”. Its combination of personalities, adventure, and refusal to follow standard plot patterns makes this one of the most unique reading experiences ever published. The reprints are a fine tribute to an overlooked chapter in Marvel history, as well as presenting some forgotten gems. The longer you wait to buy this book, the worse you’ll feel for not buying it sooner.
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