What do you think?
Rate this book
Captain Atom (2011)
Captain Atom, Vol. 2: Genesis
Charged by nuclear energy, possessing vast molecular powers, Captain Atom has the potential to be a literal god among men - a hero without limits.
This second volume delves into Nathanial Adams' life as Captain Atom and begins to answer many of the questions surrounding his origin: Why did Nathaniel Adam sign up for Megala's experiment? How did he become Captain Atom? Do his powers have any limits? Nate also struggles to relate to those around him as he searches for a way to regain his human form and also stop a catastrophic event that a future version of himself has come to warn him about. It's time to explore the past, present, and future of Captain Atom!
This second volume delves into Nathanial Adams' life as Captain Atom and begins to answer many of the questions surrounding his origin: Why did Nathaniel Adam sign up for Megala's experiment? How did he become Captain Atom? Do his powers have any limits? Nate also struggles to relate to those around him as he searches for a way to regain his human form and also stop a catastrophic event that a future version of himself has come to warn him about. It's time to explore the past, present, and future of Captain Atom!
168 pages, Paperback
First published August 27, 2013
3 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
J.T. Krul
558 books31 followersJ. T. Krul is an American comic book writer, best known for his work on Aspen MLT's Fathom comic series. He is a graduate of Michigan State University, holding a Bachelors in Film and Video Production.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 5, 2013
Better than it has any right to be. I was actually really bummed to se this title go.
March 17, 2021
Krul takes a page out of classic sci-fi stories to write a really compelling time travel story and a short story about dreams that feels like something out of a Grant Morrison book. The only drawback to this book is that it wraps up too quickly, an unfortunate side effect of this series’ cancellation. Otherwise it’s a huge step up from the previous volume and I hope one day Krul is able to return to this iteration of Captain Atom.
October 4, 2016
Captain Atom, Vol. 1: Evolution kick off straight away after the previous Volume in the series with the Captain growing increasingly concerned about how his powers are affecting everyone around him! :D Captain Atom, Vol. 1: Evolution explores this at the same time as seeing Captain Atom struggling with his desires to have a normal life inspite of his new power set! :D This is of course puts on a serious back burner as his future selves keep turning up showing him what he is to become and his nominal going along with this is what takes up the book! :D
The book has great character moments which really convey what Atom is giving up and a he is shown the future and visits it really shows the widening gulf between what was his normal life and what he has become and this is handed with great style showing the ongoing conflict with every page turn and really brings Atom and the Ancillary characters, who are also given excellent screen time such as Ranita and Megala, and the stakes of what they are dealing with! :D The storyline with Ranita and Magala is used to brilliant effect as well really showing a different point of view on events and setting all the events on great scale as we get to see how these characters change over time! :D This helps to establish a continuity to events amongst all the time dashing going on by Atom! :D
The art as ever is brilliant as ever with characters expression and actions clearly coming through brilliantly really helping to convey the script and every event that takes places with the style also reflecting the time the characters are in brillaintly! :D
Captain Atom, Vol. 1: Evolution is a fast paced book with concepts being thrown around left right and centre making for a brilliant page turner of a fun ride that is inventive, clever and full of surprises! :D Brilliant and highly recommended! :D
The book has great character moments which really convey what Atom is giving up and a he is shown the future and visits it really shows the widening gulf between what was his normal life and what he has become and this is handed with great style showing the ongoing conflict with every page turn and really brings Atom and the Ancillary characters, who are also given excellent screen time such as Ranita and Megala, and the stakes of what they are dealing with! :D The storyline with Ranita and Magala is used to brilliant effect as well really showing a different point of view on events and setting all the events on great scale as we get to see how these characters change over time! :D This helps to establish a continuity to events amongst all the time dashing going on by Atom! :D
The art as ever is brilliant as ever with characters expression and actions clearly coming through brilliantly really helping to convey the script and every event that takes places with the style also reflecting the time the characters are in brillaintly! :D
Captain Atom, Vol. 1: Evolution is a fast paced book with concepts being thrown around left right and centre making for a brilliant page turner of a fun ride that is inventive, clever and full of surprises! :D Brilliant and highly recommended! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
March 1, 2014The second and final New 52 volume of Doctor-Manhattan-by-any-other-name's adventures in posthuman evolution. Looping forward to (and preventing) his own apocalyptic destiny, finding the limitations of his godlike powers, and ultimately withdrawing himself from the world, this is no longer even pretending to be a superhero comic, and all the better for that. If there's a certain depressing quietism in the idea that a well-meaning man given near-infinite power couldn't create utopia (humans would say that, wouldn't they?), then this is nonetheless a frequently mind-wobbling piece of work, sometimes reminiscent of the more timey-wimey work of Moore or Morrison.
May 5, 2020
Reprints Captain Atom (2) #0, 7-12 (May 2012-November 2012). Captain Atom has decided to be more proactive with his powers. The ability to alter things genetically has given him the means to save lives and change the course of history. When he is visited by future versions of himself, Captain Atom learns his actions can have consequences and even a chance at a normal life cannot be possible without a cost.
Written by J.T. Krul, Captain Atom Volume 2: Genesis is a DC Comics New 52 comic book collection. Following Captain Atom Volume 1: Evolution, the series features art by Freddie Williams II.
Like titles like Frankenstein and Voodoo, Captain Atom was kind of a surprising title in the New 52 relaunch of the DC Universe following Flashpoint. Captain Atom hadn’t been a title in a while and despite having a reasonably long running title, he was kind of a fringe character. The series quickly faced challenges in sales, and it was cancelled…with this volume finishing up the series. The concept and ideas of Captain Atom have some moments, but the series is average.
The character suffers from the “too powerful” aspect of the comic book spectrum. Captain Atom is almost more of an idea than a person. His powers are hard to grasp and the threat of villains is almost obsolete. The choice to have the stories in the collection be problems of Captain Atom’s own making is smart since someone like Lex Luthor or Joker would be below a character like Captain Atom. It makes sense that Captain Atom is his own worst enemy.
With that idea floating around, Captain Atom needs to be more meta. The deconstruction of what a superhero is and what it means to help the world should be more conceptual than it is presented here. I could see Captain Atom anchoring a nice Vertigo title sometime if he was written correctly while still being tied in to the DC Universe (kind of like early issues of Grant Morrison’s Animal Man).
Captain Atom was an average to slightly above average comic. For a comic to survive (especially with a third tier character like Captain Atom), it has to be better than that. Captain Atom was the basis for Dr. Manhattan in the Watchmen and Alan Moore showed the character’s potential in that series. Captain Atom needs to be really thought about before being tackled, and if he isn’t, the series won’t succeed.
Written by J.T. Krul, Captain Atom Volume 2: Genesis is a DC Comics New 52 comic book collection. Following Captain Atom Volume 1: Evolution, the series features art by Freddie Williams II.
Like titles like Frankenstein and Voodoo, Captain Atom was kind of a surprising title in the New 52 relaunch of the DC Universe following Flashpoint. Captain Atom hadn’t been a title in a while and despite having a reasonably long running title, he was kind of a fringe character. The series quickly faced challenges in sales, and it was cancelled…with this volume finishing up the series. The concept and ideas of Captain Atom have some moments, but the series is average.
The character suffers from the “too powerful” aspect of the comic book spectrum. Captain Atom is almost more of an idea than a person. His powers are hard to grasp and the threat of villains is almost obsolete. The choice to have the stories in the collection be problems of Captain Atom’s own making is smart since someone like Lex Luthor or Joker would be below a character like Captain Atom. It makes sense that Captain Atom is his own worst enemy.
With that idea floating around, Captain Atom needs to be more meta. The deconstruction of what a superhero is and what it means to help the world should be more conceptual than it is presented here. I could see Captain Atom anchoring a nice Vertigo title sometime if he was written correctly while still being tied in to the DC Universe (kind of like early issues of Grant Morrison’s Animal Man).
Captain Atom was an average to slightly above average comic. For a comic to survive (especially with a third tier character like Captain Atom), it has to be better than that. Captain Atom was the basis for Dr. Manhattan in the Watchmen and Alan Moore showed the character’s potential in that series. Captain Atom needs to be really thought about before being tackled, and if he isn’t, the series won’t succeed.
August 15, 2019
The Captain Atom books are not superhero books. They are a look at the nature of being and of reality itself. I found this book quite interesting. It is the namesake character's struggle with his own humanity, even with what humanity is. This is a nice turn. As far as DC comics go, this is quite thought provoking. Its also a nice break from "good guy beats up bad guy".
In the continuing tradition of DC comics giving their characters names that represent their raison d'etre. In this case, it's the scientist behind the accident that created Captain Atom. His name is Dr. Megala. I must admit it wasn't until starting this second book that I caught on that it was short for "megalomaniac". You get it when he starts talking about he is being cheated because he deserves the extra-human experiences.
In the continuing tradition of DC comics giving their characters names that represent their raison d'etre. In this case, it's the scientist behind the accident that created Captain Atom. His name is Dr. Megala. I must admit it wasn't until starting this second book that I caught on that it was short for "megalomaniac". You get it when he starts talking about he is being cheated because he deserves the extra-human experiences.
September 6, 2024
I don't really get the hate for this one. Maybe if I had read Watchmen I would think this is unoriginal, but man, reading about a guy who can shape reality at his will but isn't human anymore, and how he deals with that, yeah, it's great. There's a time-travel plot in this one about having to stop his future self, and while the worldbuilding we get is interesting, it isn't explored and doesn't show why Nate ended up going crazy. That's the only reason this is not 5 star. Also, while I can see someone finding the art ugly, I really liked it. It has an ethereal feel to it that greatly accompanies the story.
September 11, 2025
Damn this was enjoyable. I have always loved comics where the main character is god-like but still mortal and the emotional/physical distance that comes from that. Plus, ever since the JLI days I've been super fond of Captain Atom.
Only thing I can say as a detractor was that art. Yikes.
Overall - 4/5
Only thing I can say as a detractor was that art. Yikes.
Overall - 4/5
December 6, 2017
This 2 vol series wasn't bad I liked it alot didn't think I would
September 17, 2022
There's some interesting ideas, but pretentious and dull writing as well as hideous illustrations really make this one a drag
June 4, 2024
Still not keen on any of the art except Captain Atom, but I did enjoy the story. I really felt for Nate by the end. Was sad to see that this was the end of this run.
March 10, 2025
3.5 stars
May 3, 2021
The first volume was definitely just a set up for this (and what probably would have come if this series lasted longer). I really enjoyed this second volume and I'm actually kind of sad this series was so short lived. The different storylines and adventures Captain Atom and Co went through were pretty fun and I would have liked to see some more of them. ALSO! I love Ranita! I'm sad she is another lost DC comics character we may never get to see again.
January 11, 2021
I enjoyed this New 52 take on Captain Atom, maybe because it was so short. Not that it was necessarily meant to be, (I'm sure it wasn't,) but that gave the story a "miniseries" feel that allowed more exploration of the character and the ideas he brings to the table.
This is definitely less of the action Captain Atom, and more of the existential "Am I even human anymore" Captain Atom. This entire story really dwells on that, and is a little depressing, in a way, as a result. Captain Atom's power is accelerating, and he feels himself becoming less and less human. He even comes face-to-face with future evolutions of himself, and has to deal with the possible future repercussions of his power.
Where does this go? Well, not far, but that doesn't mean it's not still worth saying. The art is less than fantastic... probably less than average, and is noticeably messy at times. When he's in the quantum zone (or whatever,) it's very hard to tell what's going on, and as I'm reading this in TPB form, that can leave a bit to be desired.
Overall, I like Captain Atom, and I found this okay as a miniseries. The way the story went, focusing so much on his existential angst and questions, I don't know how this could've continued. This definitely isn't 80s, JLI-member Captain Atom (and DEFINITELY not Extreme Justice, mullet-wearing Captain Atom.) But this is the Captain Atom, I think, that really lets you see where Dr. Manhattan of Watchmen gets his inspiration.
This is definitely less of the action Captain Atom, and more of the existential "Am I even human anymore" Captain Atom. This entire story really dwells on that, and is a little depressing, in a way, as a result. Captain Atom's power is accelerating, and he feels himself becoming less and less human. He even comes face-to-face with future evolutions of himself, and has to deal with the possible future repercussions of his power.
Where does this go? Well, not far, but that doesn't mean it's not still worth saying. The art is less than fantastic... probably less than average, and is noticeably messy at times. When he's in the quantum zone (or whatever,) it's very hard to tell what's going on, and as I'm reading this in TPB form, that can leave a bit to be desired.
Overall, I like Captain Atom, and I found this okay as a miniseries. The way the story went, focusing so much on his existential angst and questions, I don't know how this could've continued. This definitely isn't 80s, JLI-member Captain Atom (and DEFINITELY not Extreme Justice, mullet-wearing Captain Atom.) But this is the Captain Atom, I think, that really lets you see where Dr. Manhattan of Watchmen gets his inspiration.
March 28, 2014
Captain Atom? More like Captain Navel-Gazer. This is one of the least action packed comics I've ever read, and that includes things like Blankets... It's all about Captain Atom meditating on who he is and what he can and can't do, even to the point that his future selves come back and tell him the world is going to end, then kicking him into the future to see if he can spot how (because telling him would be useful). It seems very much like a six-issue explanation for why Captain Atom isn't an important hero, no matter how powerful he is. And they convinced me. He isn't important. He's boring. And he's not really worth reading.
November 9, 2015
This one was hard for me. I like Captain Atom as a character, but the writing for this particular book was a little weak. Freddie Williams II is a genius artist, but early on in the dreamlike scenes the art struggled because of overcrowded pages. There was often too much going on. After that, he gets into his groove and puts out some beautiful artwork. Because of the art's merit I give it a 3.
September 24, 2014
Mediocre follow-up to an uninspired first volume. The split personality bit was an interesting take that could have gone on longer and with more depth, but the first half is just a glossy version of - and I can't believe I'm typing this - Black Sabbath's Iron Man crossed with Ashton Kutcher's "Butterfly Effect".
January 3, 2015
Public Library Copy.
I didn't like the prior, first volume at all and had assumed this title was canceled so I was surprised to see this second volume on the shelf with credits from the same writer and artist. I knew I wouldn't like the book and I was right. More of the same terrible-ness from before.
I didn't like the prior, first volume at all and had assumed this title was canceled so I was surprised to see this second volume on the shelf with credits from the same writer and artist. I knew I wouldn't like the book and I was right. More of the same terrible-ness from before.
January 5, 2017
I wasn't expecting much when I started, but these two volumes of Captain Atom have won me over. My only problem is that the ending felt too open to me. I'm happy to hear that there's more Captain Atom coming my way though. Can't wait to read The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom. Hope it doesn't disappoint.
February 9, 2016
Very Doc Manhattan influenced who was of course influenced by Captain Atom so the timey-wimey stuff is quite appropriate. Great artwork by Freddie Williams whose style really matches some of the stranger, sketchier settings of the time vortex or wherever that is.
October 10, 2013
Trippy...less Trippy than last but sill some.
Okay story with some nice elements like the time travel bit.
Okay story with some nice elements like the time travel bit.
January 26, 2017
Fun art.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews