AGENTS OF ATLAS #6

[MattBrady]

From Mr. Lao

Goodness. Are we already at the end?

I am known in this region of the world as Mr. Lao. Some of you met me this Summer. As Grand Advisor to the Atlas Foundation I trained new recruits and educated many on the former FBI agent Jimmy Woo and his illustrious team of operatives. Venus. The Gorilla Man. The Uranian (the 1950's Marvel Boy). Namora, Queen of Oceania. M-11, the "Human Robot". The book AGENTS OF ATLAS has detailed the reformation of this team, and in this final chapter they shall breach the inner sanctum of ATLAS itself.

This series has met with acclaim, which greatly pleases me and the organization. The loyals at Timely Comics-- oh very well, "Marvel"... will be compiling the six issues into a hardcover book, which will also feature the first appearances of each team member and the WHAT IF issue that speculated upon the possibility of an Atomic Age force!

You may wish to review the appropriated Federal Bureau documents at the Temple of Atlas (http://marvel.com/blogs/Mr._Lao) weblog as some information connects directly to what you will discover in Agents of Atlas #6. As a further refresher, we present the first few pages of the book below. The good Mr. Hale sums up this journey quite succinctly, I think.

When you reach the Temple of Atlas, you shall at last meet me. Perhaps I will seem familiar, as you have seen my hand at work for many years. I impatiently await your arrival.

Your Humble Servant,

Mr. Lao

[Ye Olde Iowa]

Am I the only one who thinks that the suplimental material for the Agents of Atlas hardcover should be released on its own as an "Agents of Atlas Companion" or something? I've purchased the entire miniseries and loved it (I ranked it as my miniseries of the year for 2006) and I would love to have the first appperances and What If issue, but after the $18 I spent on the series, another $20 for the hardcover is almost too much. Then again, I'm becoming a total whore for Marvel, so I'll probably pick it up anyway.

Regardless, you'd be a fool not to pick this series up, as it is one of the highlights of last year. A hearty congrats and thanks to all those involved!

Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for an ongoing!

[StripedTiger]

This book genuinely deserves ongoing status. I was a late convert and not the biggest fan of Marvel but I loved this book...

[powerboy]

I loved this mini also. Best Marvel story I have read in a long long time. I look forward to the Hardcover.

[scottmdavis]

hopefully, its an oversized HC. I totally missed out on the series even though I added it to my pull, I never got an issue.

[Bugaboo-X]

Originally Posted by StripedTiger

This book genuinely deserves ongoing status. .

I don't know. Sometimes the stuff we love best hold up only because they're limited in scope and duration. We like our quirky, non-mainstream stories in small bits. Otherwise they risk becoming common and tedious.

[FChamberlain]

This book has come across as having more depth to its storyline and characters than any other book Marvel currently has in stores. A solid read.

[Fazhoul]

Originally Posted by Ye Olde Iowa

Am I the only one who thinks that the suplimental material for the Agents of Atlas hardcover should be released on its own as an "Agents of Atlas Companion" or something? I've purchased the entire miniseries and loved it (I ranked it as my miniseries of the year for 2006) and I would love to have the first appperances and What If issue, but after the $18 I spent on the series, another $20 for the hardcover is almost too much. Then again, I'm becoming a total whore for Marvel, so I'll probably pick it up anyway.

Regardless, you'd be a fool not to pick this series up, as it is one of the highlights of last year. A hearty congrats and thanks to all those involved!

Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for an ongoing!

Well, the book is deeply discounted if you know where to look. Like anywhere on the internet. But I know what you mean.

This has been my favorite series of the year. You can keep your Civil Wars and your Infinite Crisis'.

[Kolimar]

Fantastic book. Cool preview.

[Superfrick]

Originally Posted by Ye Olde Iowa

Am I the only one who thinks that the suplimental material for the Agents of Atlas hardcover should be released on its own as an "Agents of Atlas Companion" or something? I've purchased the entire miniseries and loved it (I ranked it as my miniseries of the year for 2006) and I would love to have the first appperances and What If issue, but after the $18 I spent on the series, another $20 for the hardcover is almost too much. Then again, I'm becoming a total whore for Marvel, so I'll probably pick it up anyway.

Regardless, you'd be a fool not to pick this series up, as it is one of the highlights of last year. A hearty congrats and thanks to all those involved!

Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for an ongoing!

This is one of the very, VERY rare times I'll actually be paying for the hardcover instead of waiting for the trade or skipping it entirely. I've purchased the single issues, and will end up gifting those to someone.

[Zig Zag Wanderer]

This has been a fantastic series, and I'd love to see it continue in some form.

I'm glad to see it getting the hardcover treatment, though I prefer TPBs, and can wait to see if it gets re-released in that format.

[iyamwhatiyam]

Originally Posted by FChamberlain

This book has come across as having more depth to its storyline and characters than any other book Marvel currently has in stores. A solid read.

Look, I've loved this series from issue 1. It's pure, unadulterated fun. But let's go easy on asserting that it has more depth than anything else Marvel is putting out. It is in fact as fun as it is precisely because it isn't as deep as a lot of the other Marvel titles right now.

It's a lightweight, old-school book with a great pulp feel to it that's been executed wonderfully, and that's what makes it a thing of beauty. Don't try to make it more significant than it really is.

[Faithless]

I am hoping that having the story told by Derek to SHIELD after the fact means that Jimmy Woo and the Agents of Atlas gang escaped at the end of the story and are heading to their own ongoing series.

[Prometheus3]

Agents of Atlas rocks! I can't wait to read today's issue and I really hope there is an Agents of Atlas II.

[John Cord]

As others have already said, this miniseries has been one of the best books Marvel has published in the past few years. Jeff Parker and Len Kirk have done a fantastic job of storytelling (something that is sadly becoming rarer in comics as the Age of Decompression spreads). I recognize this hardcover as a shameless attempt at scamming more money from the faithful, but I am helpless to resist.

(Somewhere, Joe Quesada laughs evilly...)

If Marvel decides to create a few new ongoings next year, I'd love to see Messrs. Parker and Kirk land a job telling the Agents' adventures.

[kcekada]

I'm glad it's being collected -- hope the many people who ignored this will give it a try.

Really hope we see a second series -- and that the 3D-Man can be included next time. He really fits in so well with this crew -- even if he's a creation of the 1970s.

I don't think the industry would support an ongoing, and I like the idea of it being a series of mini-series.

[prolix]

I'm one of those people who haven't tried it yet but I will be picking up the collection.
The pulp era was a great time for adventure fiction and it seems these guys have captured that magic.
Now if we can get someone else to explore the genres that sprang up between the world wars...

[swol]

Great series.
A lot of fun...good old school super hero fun.

While I would love to see this as an on-going, there is a lot of wisdom to the idea of keeping this in small doses. That keeps it special and not over-exposed.

I would love to see perhaps an annual 4 issue mini.
Or perhaps we could bring back the old quarterly higher page count issues.

These guys are, essentially, the Doom Patrol of Marvel.
(Yes...I know the whole Doom Patrol / X-Men similarities.)
My point is that they are the group that deals with all the really weird crap that the mainstream misses.
They do it because they are just as weird themselves.

I would not mind seeing them in cameo appearances in titles like Fantastic Four, Avengers, and even Spider-Man. They could be the go-to group for info on the off-beat. (Of course, with Civil War all those titles change their tones, so maybe the idea no longer has merit.)

Here's to seeing more of the Marvels Of The Atomic Age.

[roblewmac]

Originally Posted by swol

Great series.
A lot of fun...good old school super hero fun.

While I would love to see this as an on-going, there is a lot of wisdom to the idea of keeping this in small doses. That keeps it special and not over-exposed.

I would love to see perhaps an annual 4 issue mini.
Or perhaps we could bring back the old quarterly higher page count issues.

These guys are, essentially, the Doom Patrol of Marvel.
(Yes...I know the whole Doom Patrol / X-Men similarities.)
My point is that they are the group that deals with all the really weird crap that the mainstream misses.
They do it because they are just as weird themselves.

I would not mind seeing them in cameo appearances in titles like Fantastic Four, Avengers, and even Spider-Man. They could be the go-to group for info on the off-beat. (Of course, with Civil War all those titles change their tones, so maybe the idea no longer has merit.)

Here's to seeing more of the Marvels Of The Atomic Age.

a series in the past would be cool but keep these poor guys away from anything modren

[minmin]

marvel comics with a JSA feeling...

not as good as JSA... but still a solid read...

[FChamberlain]

Originally Posted by iyamwhatiyam

Look, I've loved this series from issue 1. It's pure, unadulterated fun. But let's go easy on asserting that it has more depth than anything else Marvel is putting out. It is in fact as fun as it is precisely because it isn't as deep as a lot of the other Marvel titles right now.

It's a lightweight, old-school book with a great pulp feel to it that's been executed wonderfully, and that's what makes it a thing of beauty. Don't try to make it more significant than it really is.

Look, let's go easy on the condescention. I never said it had any significance outside of funny books. Don't mistake lighthearted as a disqualifer of depth. I was aware of the wording I was using and chose the words I did carefully and thoughtfully. I stand by my statement. This book has more depth to its storyline and characters than anything else that Marvel is putting out. Though the company has some entertaining stuff going on, its overall product (especially with the focus on Civil War) doesn't appear to have much deep thought put into it and their characters are unrecognizable to me as Marvel heroes.... they certainly don't stand out as anything other than very generic characters. Don't try to build up the company's current product into more than what it is.

[otto66]

Been reading ABOUT this book all thru the 6 issue run. Marvel collects everthing
now adays so I figured I'd wait. Nice to know all those extras will be added.

[Superfrick]

Just readl the final issue. It was a great reveal and wrapped up the first chapter nicely. I'd love to see this series return in mini-series format, or a quarterly, or a serial as part of Marvel Comic's Presents.

..actually, I think if it was part of MCP it would be awesome. The pulp feel lends well to the format

[bluebird]

Originally Posted by Superfrick

Just readl the final issue. It was a great reveal and wrapped up the first chapter nicely.

Just finished. THe ending was indeed brilliant. I hope to see more of the team, either as a series of minis or an ongoing. Hell, make it like POWER PACK if that' s what it takes, where the AGENTS team-up with sales booster like the Avengers or Spidey in each miniseries.

Anyway, does anyone know how this thing's been selling? I feel like it slipped through the cracks on account of it not being CIVIL WAR related and not even having Ed Brubaker or Robert Kirkman level celebrity behind it, like other recent little launches (IRON FIST, ANT-MAN).

[caleb]

Having recently met you, I was curious how you go about writing letters and blogging. Do you have, like, a special computer or a secretary you dictate to or what?