In the wake of Absolute Power, the superpowers of planet Earth are in chaos…and it’s up to the newly reformed Justice League to restore order to that chaos. Enter Ray Palmer and Ryan Choi, together as the heroes called Atom. These brilliant minds get to work crafting the world’s first superpower reallocation and backup system, code named the Atom Project. But not everyone wants their powers back, and Captain Atom is hell-bent on preventing his missing Atomic abilities from ever being found. Justice League: The Atom Project #1 stands out as can’t miss reading and delivers a moral quandary in fixing the world.

One thing I enjoy about John Ridley‘s projects is that they often involve a lot of grey. While it’s usually clear what the moral issues are, or even who’s in the right and who’s in the wrong, Ridley makes sure to give motivation and details with every character that can make you understand their perspective. It often makes it possible to connect with even the worse and feel sorry for them, even when it’s clear they’re in the wrong. Ridley is joined by Ryan Parrot and in Justice League: The Atom Project #1 they deliver a lot of grey while trying to solve a meta problem in the DC Universe.

At the end of Absolute Power, and with the following death of Darkseid, things are a bit screwy in the DC Universe. Power didn’t return to the original “owners” and some heroes and villains have been changed up but also some average people have found themselves with new powers. Enter the Atoms who have been tasked with trying to find a solution. Justice League: The Atom Project #1 is broken up into some distinct parts that shows a noble cause but it feels like a noble cause that will be achieved no matter the consequences and hurt it causes.

The story focuses really on two aspects. There’s young boy who has shown metahuman powers and is scared and causing damage to no fault of his own. Then, there’s Captain Atom who has apparently lost his power and is the test subject that is being tortured to find a solution. Ridley and Parrot set up the child we would want to help and do what we can to achieve that but then present the dirty aspect of how that’s being achieved and the “superhero” who seems to be willing to inflict that pain to solve the problem. It’s a noble cause with a questionable path.

The art by Mike Perkins is solid. With color by Adriano Lucas and lettering by Wes Abbott, Justice League: The Atom Project #1 pops like a lot of the “All In” line. It’s bright and cheery in a way with bombastic action. But, the comic has an underlying darker tone in its subject too and that’s present in the art. Visuals present Ray Palmer in a god-like position at times delivering a slightly ominous tone visually to what should be a noble scientific endevour.

Justice League: The Atom Project #1 is the solid debut I was hoping for considering the quality of the creative team. It delivers a comic that is the bright action adventure that so much of DC’s “All In” has been but also delivers the moral debate that John Ridley excels at. It’s a comic that stands out in so many ways, entertaining while also making you think.

Story: Ryan Parrot, John Ridley Art: Mike Perkins
Color: Adriano Lucas Letterer: Wes Abbott
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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