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Black Adam - The Justice Society Files: Atom Smasher #1
- Writer:
- Cavan Scott, Bryan Q. Miller
- Artist:
- Travis Mercer, Marco Santucci
- Letterer:
- Rob Leigh
- Cover Artist:
- Kaare Andrews
- Publisher:
- DC
- Price:
- $5.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-09-06
- Colorist:
- John Kalisz, Michael Atiyeh
Hailed as one of the most anticipated superhero movies of the year, Black Adam is poised to expand the DC Extended Universe by exploring its mythological roots. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is ready to bring the titular anti-hero to life on the silver screen with the upcoming movie which will also introduce audiences to the iconic Justice Society. To give a more in-depth look into the characters, DC has launched a series of one-shots featuring tales from writer Cavan Scott and a backup story about Teth-Adam from Bryan Q. Miller. With artwork from Travis Mercer, Marco Santucci, John Kalisz, and Michael Atiyeh and letters from Rob Leigh, Black Adam - The Justice Society Files: Atom Smasher #1 spotlights the size-changing powerhouse who has some big shoes to fill.
Albert Rothstein has powers, but he is no superhero; not yet, that is. Inspired by his uncle, Albert decides to put his size-changing powers to good use, rustling through his clothes for the perfect ensemble to wear while on a stakeout. An arms deal is going down at the docks at night with Intergang's advanced weaponry up for sale, and someone needs to stop it before it gets into the wrong hands. However, Albert's hesitation soon heats up the situation for the worse, with more interested parties crashing the deal. The backup story follows the rambunctious Professor Adrianna Tomaz as Intergang chases her through the university to steal a precious artifact.
Black Adam - The Justice Society Files: Atom Smasher #1 opens with a heated battle with thugs firing endless amounts of ammo at a giant, naked man. Writer Cavan Scott gives the readers a taste of things to come while setting the protagonist up for a rude awakening. Albert makes up for his inexperience with his confidence and carefree attitude. The issue thrives during the action sequence, letting go of all shackles and indulging in an unbridled thrill with grim moments and hopeful beginnings. Somehow that infectious energy of the main story latches onto Bryan Q. Miller's backup as it gets off to a wild start. Even though the fire peters out midway, it sows drama and suspense into the plot. Action seems to be the watchword for both stories, but unfortunately, they end as abruptly as they begin.
With the transition from the drama to the action happening at the snap of a finger, the panels capture every character in dynamic poses and exhilarated facial expressions as they react to the resulting mayhem around them. Travis Mercer, responsible for bringing DCEU's Atom Smasher to life, draws Albert as an energetic mess. Despite the hero's large stature, Mercer still keeps an eye on the little things, adding tons of great detail to the story. John Kalisz's colors work wonders, providing enough lighting even in the dark of night so that readers can enjoy the action. Meanwhile, Marco Santucci and Michael Atiyeh lay down a well-choreographed spread in the backup story that looks fun despite its wonky proportions.
Just weeks away from the premiere of Black Adam, DC is doing its bit to flesh out the characters behind the scenes, to make them more relatable to the audiences. Black Adam - The Justice Society Files: Atom Smasher #1 promises to bring a youthful touch to the colorful roster with Atom Smasher while also adding an adventurous flair through Adrianna, whose strong presence is already adding vibrancy to the future of DCEU.