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Solar: Man of the Atom (Dynamite) #1
Solar: Man Of The Atom Vol. 1: Nuclear Family
"This all started with an accident..." Brilliant scientist Phil Seleski had unlimited cosmic abilities, until he exploded and accidentally gave the powers to his daughter Erica (who is absolutely NOT a brilliant scientist). Now Phil's made of energy and Erica's the most powerful (and freaked-out) person on Earth. Can they work together to stop an invading alien armada without killing each other? Includes the complete story arc from issues #1-4 of the Solar comic book series, a complete cover gallery (featuring dozens of pin-ups), plus a complete issue script.
175 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 9, 2014
About the author
Frank J. Barbiere
173 books43 followersFrank J. Barbiere is a #1 Amazon.com best-selling writer from New Jersey.
Frank is a former English teacher with degrees from Rutgers University and the Graduate School for Education.
After breaking into the comics industry with the creator-owned hit Five Ghosts (Image Comics), Frank has since worked for every major publisher in the U.S., as well as having a global presence in France (Glenat Comics), Italy (Cosmo Editoriale), and Spain (Norma) with his creator-owned work. He has written notable runs on Avengers World and Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. at Marvel Comics, as well as the creator-owned series Black Market and Broken World (BOOM! Studios), The Revisionist (Aftershock Comics), Violent Love (Image Comics), and The White Suits (Dark Horse Comics).
In 2017, Frank began working as a writer and narrative designer in the video games industry. He has since contributed to the Destiny franchise and was lead writer on Darksiders Genesis and Ruined King: A League of Legends Story. He currently works as a Lead Writer at Skydance Interactive.
Frank is a former English teacher with degrees from Rutgers University and the Graduate School for Education.
After breaking into the comics industry with the creator-owned hit Five Ghosts (Image Comics), Frank has since worked for every major publisher in the U.S., as well as having a global presence in France (Glenat Comics), Italy (Cosmo Editoriale), and Spain (Norma) with his creator-owned work. He has written notable runs on Avengers World and Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. at Marvel Comics, as well as the creator-owned series Black Market and Broken World (BOOM! Studios), The Revisionist (Aftershock Comics), Violent Love (Image Comics), and The White Suits (Dark Horse Comics).
In 2017, Frank began working as a writer and narrative designer in the video games industry. He has since contributed to the Destiny franchise and was lead writer on Darksiders Genesis and Ruined King: A League of Legends Story. He currently works as a Lead Writer at Skydance Interactive.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 24, 2016
So bland and generic, I forgot I was reading it when a dog with a poofy tail walked by.
June 8, 2018
The light atmosphere in this comic makes it a fast read, but it has little originality to make it stand out. Other than the synopsis before each issue which seems to poke at the simplicity of the story, the pretty cool energy manipulation which sadly gets trown out the window when the power is passed down to another character, and the sometimes funny and sarcastic remarks, this comic is still basically a character with superpowers fighting invading aliens.
Solar, the Man of the Atom, can manipulate matter and transform it to his will. That is, until he loses control over his powers while preventing a bank robbery. The man inside the suit is Philip Seleski, a researcher at the company run by his son Colin. His colleague Preston is concerned for his health, but Philip's condition deteriorates explosively when his daughter Erica shows up.
Erica makes a surprisingly quick recovery and soon finds that she can manipulate energy just like her father. She can also hear her father's voice speaking from beyond the grave. She repels an armored alien instinctively, but there are more incoming, drawn to her energy signature.
Solar, the Man of the Atom, can manipulate matter and transform it to his will. That is, until he loses control over his powers while preventing a bank robbery. The man inside the suit is Philip Seleski, a researcher at the company run by his son Colin. His colleague Preston is concerned for his health, but Philip's condition deteriorates explosively when his daughter Erica shows up.
Erica makes a surprisingly quick recovery and soon finds that she can manipulate energy just like her father. She can also hear her father's voice speaking from beyond the grave. She repels an armored alien instinctively, but there are more incoming, drawn to her energy signature.
March 27, 2017
Actually this is was close to a 4 star review, and you know something? A lot of times when Dynamite has picked up license characters (Lone Ranger stories by Brett Matthews, Buck Rogers, The Last Phantom) it does a pretty damn good job of it. Though after reading their take of Magnus, and their work with the King Features' characters I had low expectations going into this series.
Well, I think I was wrong, even though this feels a lot like the setup for a larger story. Barbiere keeps bits and pieces from the various other incarnations of Solar (from Gold Key to Valiant) and adds his own touches. We get the lab explosion again, but this time Phil Seleski (Solar) is caught in the blast. But, Phil is already Solar so it shouldn't affect him, right?
Wrong, and a series of events lead Phil's estranged daughter Erica to inherit Phil's powers, while Phil hangs around as a ghost like entity (is he alive or dead?).
There's a few fights. etc. Regardless, a much better read, I think, than Jim Shooter's last try with the characters at Dark Horse Comics.
Well, I think I was wrong, even though this feels a lot like the setup for a larger story. Barbiere keeps bits and pieces from the various other incarnations of Solar (from Gold Key to Valiant) and adds his own touches. We get the lab explosion again, but this time Phil Seleski (Solar) is caught in the blast. But, Phil is already Solar so it shouldn't affect him, right?
Wrong, and a series of events lead Phil's estranged daughter Erica to inherit Phil's powers, while Phil hangs around as a ghost like entity (is he alive or dead?).
There's a few fights. etc. Regardless, a much better read, I think, than Jim Shooter's last try with the characters at Dark Horse Comics.
June 9, 2017
Surprisingly entertaining and well drawn book with the first 4 issues of this reboot.
Tells the story of a scientist who is imbued with the power to change things on a molecular level (and so can basically do anything). But he is then blowed up and his powers are transferred to his estranged and sarcastic adult daughter. Dear old dad hangs around as a "ghost" of sorts trying to help her use/learn her powers with all the bickering that entails.
And then the aliens come.
Great fun.
Tells the story of a scientist who is imbued with the power to change things on a molecular level (and so can basically do anything). But he is then blowed up and his powers are transferred to his estranged and sarcastic adult daughter. Dear old dad hangs around as a "ghost" of sorts trying to help her use/learn her powers with all the bickering that entails.
And then the aliens come.
Great fun.
February 15, 2017
Once upon a time Valiant took a hoary old Gold Key hero and reinvented him in Solar, Man of the Atom: Second Death. It wasn't exactly a deconstruction, but Valiant did create a comic based on realism and relationships and also offered up some very fun timey-wimeyness. The result was a great modern take on an omnipotent hero.
Fast forward past the next couple of reboots, in VH-2 and at Dark Horse ...
Dynamite correctly opted to go in a new direction. Their Solar is all about family. Frank has a dad and a daughter. But sadly the result isn't an interesting comic, in large part because the characterization is very flat. Dad runs some company, and it's not obvious why he's in the comic at all. Daughter gets imbued with the Solar powers, and though this should have been an intriguing plot (especially with Frank playing the role of Dr. Stein to her Ronnie Raymond), it's really not, because we don't know any of these people as actual people, before or after.
Oh, and there are some aliens. And they attack. Again and again.
The fourth and final issue feels like it's picking up a bit. The alien plot starts to gel, and the daddy plot starts to have relevance. But at least for this volume, it's a little too late.
Fast forward past the next couple of reboots, in VH-2 and at Dark Horse ...
Dynamite correctly opted to go in a new direction. Their Solar is all about family. Frank has a dad and a daughter. But sadly the result isn't an interesting comic, in large part because the characterization is very flat. Dad runs some company, and it's not obvious why he's in the comic at all. Daughter gets imbued with the Solar powers, and though this should have been an intriguing plot (especially with Frank playing the role of Dr. Stein to her Ronnie Raymond), it's really not, because we don't know any of these people as actual people, before or after.
Oh, and there are some aliens. And they attack. Again and again.
The fourth and final issue feels like it's picking up a bit. The alien plot starts to gel, and the daddy plot starts to have relevance. But at least for this volume, it's a little too late.
June 1, 2016
This was pretty good, but I don't recommend it as an introduction to the character. This is really all about Phil Seleski passing the mantle of Solar to his obnoxious daughter. If you want to read about the classic character, you'll have to go elsewhere. I actually found the subplot with Dr. Seleski's son more interesting than the main plot. I'll have to check out volume two to see what happens with that plot thread.
January 17, 2017
A promising start even with those awful Juan Doe covers. Even with elements directly borrowed from other comics (Phil and Erica are basically Prof. Stein and Ronnie Raymond from Firestorm), I like how this was done. Having Phil actively use physics and chemical equations to use his powers was a genius idea. The aliens look like they were directly pulled out of a Jack Kirby book.
March 24, 2015
This was actually a really good four part intro. I'd say better than TUROK but not quite as good as MAGNUS. Certainly worth checking out. Frank is an excellent writer, after all.
January 5, 2022
Solar is a very unique super hero and uses physics equations to bend reality to his will. He has the misfortune of sporadic publication and inconsistent writing. I liked the first few pages of just Solar doing his thing...then the ghost thing and his daughter appeared. I hope she improves as the series goes on.
December 21, 2017
BCDER: 28
I liked the art, but I did not care much for the wise cracking Erica character... The story / concept is not bad, and I really wanted to get into a Gold Key series.
I liked the art, but I did not care much for the wise cracking Erica character... The story / concept is not bad, and I really wanted to get into a Gold Key series.
November 5, 2024
Decent read.
Its more about his daughter so far. Solar himself takes a back seat in this series. Hopefully Solar takes over cause I am here for Solar. Not his daughter.
Its more about his daughter so far. Solar himself takes a back seat in this series. Hopefully Solar takes over cause I am here for Solar. Not his daughter.
December 3, 2017
Good work here.
I have been revisiting Valiant titles from the 1990s and noticed that some of the more successful of the Valiant run have moved to Dark Horse during the Aughts and now are on Dynamite. Frank Barbiere does well with the classic feel of Solar: Man of the Atom and the moving the character to a new generation works well here and is charming. The art is serviceable and not distracting. Solid if a bit predictable.
I have been revisiting Valiant titles from the 1990s and noticed that some of the more successful of the Valiant run have moved to Dark Horse during the Aughts and now are on Dynamite. Frank Barbiere does well with the classic feel of Solar: Man of the Atom and the moving the character to a new generation works well here and is charming. The art is serviceable and not distracting. Solid if a bit predictable.
December 21, 2014
I thought these first four issues were very AVERAGE, especially the art. But fret not true believers because the next four issues #5-8 which will be in Vol 2 are outstanding in every respect. (There is a change of penciller half way through issue #4.) So, this volume is required to have the continuity.
November 24, 2014
Glad to see him back in great renderings just like I remember when I was a kid. The build-up is awesome already and has so much more going for it than most Marvel titles as far as I'm concerned. Curious how it stacks up over time.
March 24, 2016
Plenty of fun and some great textures added to the colored pages.
August 31, 2019
Memories
Solar, Mighty Sampson ,and Magnus robot fighter. Great books I read as a kid. Nice to see this current revival
Solar, Mighty Sampson ,and Magnus robot fighter. Great books I read as a kid. Nice to see this current revival
April 11, 2017
3.5 stars
I like the math aspect of the comic, and that the main character's powers revolve kinda behind the equations, but the main early villain is lacking quite a bit.
I like the math aspect of the comic, and that the main character's powers revolve kinda behind the equations, but the main early villain is lacking quite a bit.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews