Children of the Atom

[ILLUS]

I just read the collected version of Joe Casey's Children of the Atom. I got it for Steve Rude's art but man...even his beautiful artwork couldn't save this story for me.
This book was ridiculous. It was poorly written and I feell like it threw continuity out of the window. It kept switching from being set in the 60's to being set in the 90's with Jerry Springer references and other ridiculous crap. It made the first X-Men seem like they grew up in a completely different time period and oh..they all went to the same high school in Long Island? Huh...lame.
I don't know...did anyone like this? I just thought it was weak.

[Cayman]

It wasn't set in continuity, was it?

Cay

[Tre Styles]

I'm not sure that it is considered in continuity, or canon....but I enjoyed the story for what it was. And yeah, it did seem like a little of the times mixed together, but I did like it overall.*shrugs* :cool:

[jeangreydp]

I loved it!

In fact, when I'm trying to get people into comic books, that is usually the first TPB I lend them.

I've converted 3 people into dorkness on that book alone. I loved how it was mixed up and it didn't bug me because it wasn't in continuity, but it was a probable begining and a fun read.

[ILLUS]

Cool. I'm glad someone enjoyed it. Seems I am the odd man out which is fine. I don't try and convince others to hate what I don't like. I think I was really expecting something in continuity and I really don't care for Casey's dialogue. It seems forced. But maybe I just had a bad taste in my mouth once I realized it wasn't really accurate in regards to continuity. Oh well.

[xakko]

Some of the alterations to continuity bugged me- the camaraderie that existed before Jean shows up in X-men #1 never had time to develop here- and that all the characters seem... sadder than their regular counterparts. Still, I liked the look, and the idea of what it would be like to have mutants start out in a more modern era worked for me.

I'd recommend it to most people starting out on the X-men, especially those who would be turned off be the cheesiness of the original stories, or might identify closely with the alienation of the characters

[foxfire]

I really liked it. I remember Casey saying when the Ultimate line came out that Ultimate X-Men wasn't needed because Children of the Atom had already explored the "X-Men as a modern concept" idea. But I don't think it is canon.

[streator]

never picked it up, never really heard about it (kind of ignored it, admittedly).

any links to reviews/previews/whatever?

[jeangreydp]

never picked it up, never really heard about it (kind of ignored it, admittedly).

any links to reviews/previews/whatever?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/078510805X/qid=1124861307/sr=8-2/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-1952267-7625759?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

That;s the best I could come up with.

But it's a kickin book. Check it out. They have it at Borders.

[Vegetarian Goat]

It's worth it for the Steve Rude art alone.

And i could be wrong, but doesn't Paul Smith take up art chores towards the end? He's not too shabby himself!

[The Shadow]

It's worth it for the Steve Rude art alone.
Yeah... great stuff!

Story sucked though

[thik_3rd]

i never read it, but want to check it out eventually, because casey is the sh!t (even though his run on uncanny was weak). i heard it originally was going to be the new continuity for the x-men, but was disregarded due to its unpopularity, ala spider-man chapter one.

[Sean Whitmore]

Was the continuity really all that bad? I have to admit that

a) It's been a while since I've read it, and

b) I don't know all THAT much about the original X-Men's lives pre #1 to begin with.

About the only clear retcon I can see is that the boys all went to the same high school. Is that really some continuity-bending paradox along the lines of, say, the Gwen/Norman relationship?

But Casey took pains that the X-Men never actually met Magneto or Jean before they were supposed to, which says to me that it can be squeezed into canon with a little suspension of belief, same as Hidden Years or even the current Ororo mini.



SEAN

[JLarson]

Cool story, cool art - nothin' not to like.

[ILLUS]

Guess I'm the minority...I love the art but the story was just dull to me and the continuity really bothered me. I guess I just expected a story that filled in the blanks not changed things. I like the idea of Prof X working with that agent but other than that....nothing against Casey...I just didn't dig his writing.
It's probably my fault for having expectations. I wanted to see one thing and when it was something different I allowed myself to be let down. Maybe I will revisit it in a year or so...

[The Lucky One]

But Casey took pains that the X-Men never actually met Magneto or Jean before they were supposed to, which says to me that it can be squeezed into canon with a little suspension of belief, same as Hidden Years or even the current Ororo mini.

Well... yes and no. It eliminates a lot of the goofy Silver Age crap that was part of the original X-Men's backstories, before they joined the team- for instance, Scott was involved with a supervillain called Jack O'Diamonds (who was revamped as a regular crook for CotA), and Warren and Hank also had some things that don't really work with what's seen in CotA. (Hank's football team, the Conquistadores, is a nod to the supervillain he encountered before joining the X-Men, the Conquistadore.) And while it's hard to argue that there's much of anything in the original stories worth saving, the fact remains that they're in continuity, meaning CotA is an interesting story but officially out-of-continuity.

-D

[Sean Whitmore]

Scott was involved with a supervillain called Jack O'Diamonds (who was revamped as a regular crook for CotA), and Warren and Hank also had some things that don't really work with what's seen in CotA.
-D


Ah, see, I didn't know any of this. (and something tells me I was better off ;) ) But in that light, I'd have to agree with the consensus that CotA is not canon.

Unless someone comes along later and says the S.A. stuff is no longer canon, which I doubt would elicit too many tears. :D


SEAN

[Sandy Hausler]

I just read the collected version of Joe Casey's Children of the Atom. I got it for Steve Rude's art but man...even his beautiful artwork couldn't save this story for me.
This book was ridiculous. It was poorly written and I feell like it threw continuity out of the window. It kept switching from being set in the 60's to being set in the 90's with Jerry Springer references and other ridiculous crap. It made the first X-Men seem like they grew up in a completely different time period and oh..they all went to the same high school in Long Island? Huh...lame.
I don't know...did anyone like this? I just thought it was weak.

The real origins of the X-men (except Marvel Girl) were told years ago in the X-Men's first run in the 60's and early 70's. So just ignore this story. It never happened.

Sandy Hausler

[JLarson]

The real origins of the X-men (except Marvel Girl) were told years ago in the X-Men's first run in the 60's and early 70's. So just ignore this story. It never happened.

Sandy Hausler

...who cares? It's still a good story.

[Frank]

One of the best X-Men story i`ve ever read and beautiful art. I wish Rude would have finished the damn thing, however. I think Marvel should use COTA rather than their Ultimate line to introduce a new generations of readers to the X-Men.

[Sandy Hausler]

...who cares? It's still a good story.

Uh, you forgot the part where you say "in my opinion." I guess that must be implied.<g>

Sandy Hausler

[Sean Whitmore]

Uh, you forgot the part where you say "in my opinion." I guess that must be implied.<g>


It usually is. Kinda like how it was implied when you said "just ignore this story, It never happened". ;)


SEAN

[JLarson]

Uh, you forgot the part where you say "in my opinion." I guess that must be implied.<g>

Sandy Hausler

And you forgot the part where being a super-obsessed continuity nerd is a complete waste of time. Ever see a Bond movie? Zero continuity. You know why people still see them? Fresh stories, plot twists, and acting. <fu>

[Sandy Hausler]

And you forgot the part where being a super-obsessed continuity nerd is a complete waste of time. Ever see a Bond movie? Zero continuity. You know why people still see them? Fresh stories, plot twists, and acting. <fu>

I hate to say it; I didn't want to insult you, but since you don't have any such compunctions . . . It wasn't that good a story (in my opinion). That's aside from continuity.

Sandy Hausler