Review: It Girl & The Atomics #1

This issue is a romp! It definitely fits into the crazy world of Mad Man with its quirky story and clever comedy. I highly encourage you to check out the First Look before finishing my review as it will give you a good idea as to what to expect. I’m going to avoid telling you about anything after the preview mostly due to the fact that the very next page has a huge pay off that you need to experience for yourself… but it’s a romp!

The story opens with a purse thief running down an alleyway from someone… he runs into It Girl who quickly over powers him and removes the purse from his possession. Cue the reveal and we see a very different It Girl. She’s wearing a trench coat and has Abs galore to compliment her 90’s pouches doubling as her utility belt. She leaps over the city and finds more trouble as a man is harassed by two goons in matching shades and hats. She jumps down and begins beating down the thugs with ease. Unfortunately the man she was trying to protect gets run down by a car and her mission is failed… at least that’s what the red screen that pops up says.

I really enjoyed this story, but there were some peaks and valleys to it. One aspect involving the villains of the tale wasn’t very interesting and came across more of a plot set up than anything else. The rest of the story, especially the parts that followed It Girl were funny and interesting. I personally really enjoy It Girl’s character and I was happy to see her handled so well. It was like riding a bike with her character as writer Jamie Rich captured her essence and personality. The best way I can describe It Girl is that she’s cute as hell and has super powers. That’s it, but Rich nails it.

Mike Norton on art anyone? Yeah not hard to figure out that the art is awesome; Norton’s style isn’t 100% his usual as he changes it up to fit in with the Mad Man universe, but it’s still very clearly him. The stark differences in the chapters of the story were great and showed his range as a creator. I don’t know if a lot of other established artists could do what he did with this book and in general he complimented the story very well.

The Mad Man universe is a quirky place that has a great mix of seriousness and comedy. For the most part it’s just crazy adventures and good times which is where It Girl finds itself, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the book gets deep later on once the seeds planted in this issue grow. This is a really fun book that is easy for long time readers and new readers a like to pick up and enjoy.

Score: 4/5

Writer: Jamie S. Rich

Artist: Mike Norton

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $2.99

Release Date: 8/8/12