Atomic Robo
Ghost of Station X #1 (of 5)
Written by Brian Clevinger
Art by Scott Wegener
Red 5 Comics
$3.50
Released date: September 7, 2011

Atomic Robo is back, baby!!! I am thrilled that one of my favorite series has returned for its sixth series, this time subtitled The Ghost of Station X. If you have never heard of Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener‘s series before, it tells the tale of Robo, an automaton created around the turn of the century by Nikola Tesla. Each miniseries takes place in a different time period in Robo’s life, bouncing back and forth in time. Volume 6 takes place in modern times, and deals with Robo and his team of Action Scientists being asked by NASA to rescue the crew of an orbiting space station. Unfortunately, they may not have the time or equipment in order to make the rescue. These are the Action Scientist’s though, and no job is beyond their ability.

One of the things I enjoy most about Atomic Robo is its ability to tell different kind of stories in each volume. Each volume tells a different kind of story, whether it be horror, or historical fiction, or just plain old action adventure. This is one of the more serious issues of Atomic Robo, however, there are still moments of the humor that it is known for. I was happy to see the return of the Action Scientists to the series, as they bring a very important element to the book. A Robo alone is only half a Robo.

Artist Scott Wegener is very comfortable at this point with the characters and how to depict them in action. His artwork has improved a lot for them first volume and you can tell that he has gotten more confident with his page layouts. I also enjoy all the visual jokes that he includes in the story. I got a big kick out of seeing Robo use the Great Machine’s helmet (from Ex Machina). It’s a fun little easter egg that some readers will catch.

I’ve said it before, but Atomic Robo is a great series that everyone should be reading. I always get a lot of enjoyment out of each issue, and that’s all I ask for from a comic. There is action, humor, and some great art to pull all the elements together. Each series is as good a place as any to jump on, so if you’re looking to start, this issue will serve you well. As a score, I’m giving this one a 5 out of five. Seek this issue out and buy it. You won’t be disappointed.