Blog

Hello, and welcome to another week in Marvel Snapshot! This week, I’ll be spotlighting a group, but not just any group, the mysterious Agents of Atlas! Up until a few years ago, maybe 2008 or so, I didn’t really know much about this team, but once I read one of their books, I was sold. The group is comprised of such a diverse group of characters, you can’t go wrong with it. Alright, enough small talk, let’s get right into it!

First off, let’s do a roll call, then we’ll get into some of the team’s adventures. OK, the team’s leader is Jimmy Woo. Jimmy is a guy that was once a high ranking SHIELD agent. He is one of the original members, and still leads to this day. Next, we have his trusted confidant, Gorilla man. Ken Hale was a mercenary that was growing fearful of aging. He had heard rumors of an African tribe that told a tale of killing a magical gorilla and becoming immortal. The downside is that you become a Gorilla Man. Thirdly, is Namora. She is an Atlantean Princess, the cousin of Namor, and also very strong and moody (’nuff said). M-11, the “killer robot,” is next on the list. He was found at the bottom of the ocean and revived by Jimmy Woo and Marvel Boy. He was initially a spy for Yellow Claw, but has since been reprogrammed. Speaking of the Uranian Man, let’s look at him now. Bob Grayson was the son of a Jewish scientist that fled Earth when the Nazis were trying to take over the world. They landed on Uranus, and were greeted by some Eternals. They outfitted Bob with a spacesuit and powerful bracelets, and then sent him back to Earth to fight crime. Last but not least, we have a siren. Yes, a real “sing a song and you will submit” siren. Venus is her name, and to quote Roadblock from GI Joe…”she sings the tune that makes men swoon“!

Now, the team’s beginnings are kind of strange. From the get-go of the 2006 series by Parker and Kirk, the team’s history or origin if you will, was that they have been around secretly since the 1950s as a team. That may turn some people off, but let me just state that the origin of the team works just fine off of that. You don’t even give it a second thought. The early days mostly consisted of fighting their arch enemy, Yellow Claw. Mostly though, I became a fan from the two limited series Marvel put out a couple of years back. Agents of Atlas vs. Avengers, and also vs. X-Men were solid reads, but the regular ongoing was definitely the best. It really kept you coming back  month after month. It was a short lived title, but definitely worth picking up along the way. Lots of humor between Woo and Gorilla Man, plus lots of great action packed into every issue as well.
As usual, take a look at my recommended reading list, and enjoy the great cover pics located below! See you back here next week!
Recommended Reading
Agents of Atlas vs. X-Men (limited series)
Agents of Atlas vs. the Avengers (limited series)
Atlas (2010) #1- 5
Gorilla Man (limited series) #1- 3
Agents of Atlas (2006)  #1- 6
Agents of Atlas (2009) #1- 11
Atlas (2010) #1-





Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net