Comic Book Review: Agents of Atlas #4

Creative Team
Writer: Jeff Parker
Artists: (1958)Gabriel Hardman, (2009) Clayton Henry

Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10

Synopsis: The Agents use the Red Triangles to access the Dragon’s Corridor. Marvel Boy uses his powers to reveal another portal that is shaped like the Red Triangles.

On the other side of the portal they discover the Communist army that has captured Suwan. After a brief battle, Suwan is freed. She tells them the the Communists were transporting 2 containers they stole from the FBI. The containers hold the bodies of Captain America and Bucky.

In the present, the Agents are under attack from Captain America.

Kit, a pilot who is with the Agents, takes the pilot’s seat in a Russian jet. It contains technology the Agents want to keep from the army they are fighting. As Kit flies the jet back to our world, he is caught in a loop. He is the skeleton pilot the Agents discovered earlier in the series.

In modern times…the Agents journey into Captain America’s memories. They discover that he was the original Bucky. He memories are tampered with.

In 1958 the Agents return home. The FBI takes the Red Triangles and the containers from them.

In 2009, Captain America is reporting to the Avengers. He wants to take out a munitions plant being run by Atlas. Next issue is the Avengers versus the Agents.

The Good: This issue continues a good series. The stories remain action packed while still working in a background story. Parker keeps on building the history of the various Agents. I enjoy the old style Marvel storytelling. He manages to work in enough humorous touches to keep the story from getting too serious. At the same time he does tell a serious story. Hats off to Mr. Parker for keeping his scripts well balanced.

Gabriel Hardman does a good job capturing the style of the 1950s comics while adding a modern sensibility to his art. He should be kept on call to illustrate any future flashback sequences.

The Bad: The modern day art by Clayton Henry is not up to the standard set by Carlos Pagulayan in the previous issues. Henry does okay but does not add the detail that Pagulayan adds to his art. Hopefully, the art team settles down. I always worry when a different artist is brought in this early in a series.

Overall: Another good issue. Next issue looks like a good time to start on this series if you have not been picking this up.