It Girl and the Atomics #4
Created by Michael Allred
Written by Jamie S. Rich
Art by Mike Norton
Colors by Allen Passalaqua
Letters and Design by Crank!
Image Comics
Release date November 21, 2012
Price: $2.99

Greetings, GoDers! Groonk here to deliver all the comics reviews that’s fit to post. This week I bring you the closing chapter in the first story arc of It Girl and the Atomics.

It’s the battle that was always meant to happen when It Girl faces off against a deranged, gamer/stalker that turns out to be her big sister. Or is it?

In this issue we learn of two sisters: Nana (LaLa Wah-Wah) and Luna (It Girl). Luna always looked up to her big sister Nana. Then came the magic space goo that turned them and all their friends in mutants. That’s when the magic carpet ride that we all know as superhero comics kicks into overdrive.

I have not read the previous issues in this new Image series so it had a lot of work to do to get grab and keep my attention. Jamie S. Rich devotes the first few pages to summarizing the history of these superheros of Snap City. This was a definite benefit for new readers (like myself) and actually has made me curious to check out what-came-before.

As a veteran comics reader it’s hard for me to not see a lot of It Girl and the Atomics as old hat. At the same time, it’s that nostalgia that fuels my like for this book. That and all the requisite teen superhero angst sprinkled with just the right amount of action to keep the story moving forward.

Mike Norton‘s art is strong and a breeze to follow. The short chibi (this is a style of drawing characters as small children used occasionally in manga and anime) panel asides capturing the long term sibling rivalry between It Girl and LahLah Wah-Wah had me chuckling at each instance.

The explanation on how Nana becomes LahLah Wah-Wah and came to be a burr in her sister Luna’s side, however, left me a little cold. I’m fine with the fantastic soap opera elements that comics have been known for but this felt overly complex. It reminded me of the hasty retconning Marvel did back in the day to bring Jean Grey back from the dead after the Dark Phoenix series. Marvel did this to bring back a significant character in their universe. It Girl’s villain, LahLah Wah-Wah, feels like she’s jumping similar hoops all in the name of giving It Girl an arch-nemesis.

Having said that I do believe the book is a fun ride and that it is perfect for new readers to teen superhero comics.