Solar: Man of the Atom #3 Review

Can Phil teach Erica how to use her new powers before an immanent attack? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

A BOLD NEW STEP FOR THE GOLD KEY UNIVERSE! Solar is reborn! But who bears the mantle and what will become of the original Doctor Solar? Can this new player stop the extraterrestrial threat that looms over earth, and not destroy herself in the process? Cosmic-fueled chaos comes from FRANK BARBIERE (Five Ghosts) and JOE BENNETT (Iron Man)!

Solar: Man of the Atom has been a brilliant series so far as though I personally feel it’s lacked the overall quality that the other three Golden Key series have it’s proven to be very intriguing. This issue however really grabbed my interest as besides the alien threat the interaction between father and daughter was very dramatic.

Frank Barbiere definitely knows how to manage a script, opening with a glimpse at the bad guy before shifting to our main protagonists. At the same time he also manages to find room for action whilst fitting it around the plot development. All of these points are what really captivated me about this issue as whether it was character frustration or shocking twists it made for a dramatic story. The chemistry between Phil and Erica itself also proved to be sensational with the realism and family bond showing throughout.

Joe Bennett once again did a stunning job on the artwork being assisted by Richard Case, Roger Robinson, Matther Marks and Sandy Jarrell. The change in artists isn’t easily noticeable and when it is it’s not recognisable as to who’s work it is. This makes for a much smoother look as usually when multiple artists work on the same issue it ruins the vibe. I did however find the artists work near the end to be slightly rough having a completely different tone and feel from the rest. Despite that the layouts as well as the spectre look of Phil really appealed to me.

Solar: Man of the Atom takes a step in the right direction as though the series has proven to be thoroughly interesting prior to these developments it’s now starting to get closer to the overall quality of the other Golden Key series. Highly recommended.