Atlas (story arc)

Infobox future comics
title=Atlas


imagesize= 250
caption= Variant incentive cover to "Superman" #677, the first issue of the story.
Art by Renato Guedes.
publisher=DC Comics
date=June - September 2008
("Superman" #677-680 )
series=
mini=
arc=y
crossover=
run=4
main_char_team=Superman
Atlas
writers = James Robinson
artists = Renato Guedes
José Wilson Magalháes
pencillers=
inkers=
letterers=
colorists=
sort=Pagename
hatnotes=
nonUS=

"Atlas" is the name to a upcoming comic book story arc from DC Comics by writer James Dale Robinson and artist Renato Guedes and José Wilson Magalháes, featuring Superman. This is Robinson's first story arc on Superman as the ongoing writer on the "Superman" title after Kurt Busiek's departure. This, as well as Geoff Johns's Brainiac arc on Action Comics, would lead to their planned narrative unification on "Action Comics", "Superman" and "Supergirl", as part of their plans for Superman and his cast of characters through 2008 and beyond.

Background

The character of 'Atlas' first and only appearance prior to Superman was in DC Comics [1st Issue Special] #1 (1975).

James Robinson was named as the new "Superman" writer on February 8th, 2008. [ [http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=146029 James Robinson Named As New Superman Writer - Newsarama ] ] In many of his interviews approaching the start of his run, he pointed that he always wanted to work on the character of Superman, and also writer Geoff Johns, comparing him and himself as Hal Jordan and Oliver Queen. In regards to his plans on the book, starting with "Atlas", he made a point that every reader or even so-to-be-reader will care about every major character in the Superman universe (such as Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Supergirl, etc). Because he had done work on Batman, with both the Detective Comics and Batman books for the Face the Face storyline, he was once asked if his and Johns' work on the two Superman books would be the same, he was quick to reply that it wasn't, but better than that. [ [http://www.wizarduniverse.com/020808robinson.html The Wizard Q&A: New ‘Superman’ Writer James Robinson : News ] ]

Robinson believes he has a connection to Superman, as he was "...a working class British guy who came to America and America has given me everything", similar to the immigrant story that Superman's creation was based upon. But in regards to the choice of having Atlas as the villain for his opening arc, it was do to his love for "all things Kirby. But the other main reason had to do with Superman's Rogues Gallery as he felt that "he has guys that can beat him punch for punch; fist for fist, Doomsday is obviously the prime example. But they all lack any sense of humanity. Atlas is going to have humanity. The way I like to look at him is like in the Marvel Universe, Namor is a hero but he really skates the fine line between being a hero and a villain, but he stays on the side of the hero. Atlas, skates that line between hero and villain but he ultimately always falls on the villain side." He continued to say that Atlas will become a major player in the Superman mythos moving forward and there will be some real twists to the character. [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16541 Comic Book Resources > CBR News: GOLDEN AGE JAMES ROBINSON II: Superman ] ]

Uniting "Action", "Superman", and "Supergirl"

In the months before Johns started his "Brainiac" arc, and James Dale Robinson took over writing duties on "Superman", both Johns and Robinson had made clear their plans for the "Superman"-related titles following those arcs for the rest of 2008 onto the end of 2010. The plan is to link the three "Super"-books ("Action Comics", "Superman", and "Supergirl"), allowing them to cross over more fluidly on a regular basis, allowing the narratives to be tied together similar to a bi-weekly series.

According to Johns, the plan is to make readers want to get the "Super"-titles because they would feel that "you HAVE to read, that you WANT to read". [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=15836 Comic Book Resources > CBR News: INFINITE GEOFF JOHNS II: Action Comics ] ] Robinson also added that even though he nor Johns would be writing "Supergirl", they still made it clear that they were still the advisors to the book's next ongoing writer Sterling Gates. [ [http://www.wizarduniverse.com/060608robinsoninterview.html James Robinson: Superman : Comics ] ] Gates, coming onto the "Supergirl" title with issue #34, has stated his intention of working with Johns and Robinson, stating:

"What we hope to achieve is to make these three comics the most kick-ass books that DC puts out. The Superman legacy and the Superman books are so important, and the three of us are interested in pulling people into the Superman universe so hard that people look forward to picking up a Superman or Supergirl book every week." [ [http://www.newsarama.com/comics/080627-WWCSupergirlteam.html Newsarama.Com : Wwc-Gates And Igle Named As Supergirl Team ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16541 James Robinson talks about "Atlas" and his Superman run at Comic Book Resources]

ee also