Marvel’s Kids of the Atom comedian ebook sequence was launched in March 2021 however solely ran for six points with a disappointing, abrupt ending. The preliminary storyline ostensibly centered on youngsters emulating their favourite X-Males with alien tech they discovered on a spaceship. Nonetheless, it shares comparable tropes with one other superhero group from DC Comics that featured in an animated tv sequence titled Young Justice.
The X-Males spin-off sequence follows 5 youngsters who idolize the favored group of mutants a lot that they aspire to be like them. There’s only one small downside: solely certainly one of them is a mutant, whereas the remainder are powerless. In the meantime, the Young Justice animated TV present is in regards to the prodigies of beloved Justice League heroes forming their very own group. The 2 sequence each have their deserves whereas sharing the identical narrative DNA; nevertheless, there are key similarities and variations between the 2 that have to be examined additional.
Each of those properties function youngsters that emulate facets of their heroes, whether or not that be from their coaching, powers, or values. They work to cease villains and battle crime when they’re of their heroic identities. Moreover, they’re all a tightly-knit group. They deal with one another like household. There is a sense of camaraderie and of kinship between everybody. One can argue that these qualities are nearly required amongst a superhero group, besides, a lot of the similarities cease there.
Whereas the members of Young Justice are prodigies being skilled by their predecessors, the Kids of the Atom imitate their heroes with no supervision or mentorship. On this sequence, the kids are prone to being arrested resulting from Kamala’s Regulation, which prevents baby vigilantes from preventing crime with out some type of mentorship. They meet the X-Males on a number of events throughout the sequence, who even provide recommendation to the kids. Nonetheless, as a result of the Kids of the Atom are largely human, they can not provide them safety.
In the meantime, the heroes in Young Justice have the complete help of the Justice League. They’ve entry to gear, particular coaching, and Justice League archives ought to they want any of these issues. There aren’t any legal guidelines or constraints on their presence, and so they can act as wanted throughout their missions. Regardless of the mentorship they obtain, every of them needs to department out and surpass their lecturers, like Dick Grayson. In the course of the course of the present, he went from being Robin to changing into Nightwing. Some members had been even promoted to the Justice League, like Zatanna and Rocket.
Young Justice continued to stay related over a protracted time frame, with the sequence Young Justice: Outsiders bringing new members onto the group and telling a brand new story and Young Justice: Phantoms bringing the sequence to a deliberate finish. In the meantime, Kids of the Atom solely lasted six points earlier than its cancellation. There are numerous elements that led to the sequence’ cancellation. Sadly, its debut grew to become interrupted and confronted many delays resulting from elements outdoors of Marvel’s management. This inhibited gross sales, prevented followers from choosing up the comedian ebook and stored the sequence from gaining much-needed traction.
Maybe most jarring, although, was when Kids of the Atom’s second situation noticed an abrupt change within the inventive group. Artist Bernard Chang was changed by Paco Medina, and colorist Marcelo Maiolo was changed by David Curiel. Regardless of this, Vita Ayala (author for New Mutants, Ironheart 2020, and Nubia) was capable of script a compelling story with an attention-grabbing perspective alongside the rotating panel of artists.
Total, Kids of the Atom had a pleasant run match for a miniseries regardless of the publishing hiccups it had alongside the way in which. Maybe this sequence and idea will acquire a second probability and faucet into the identical themes and character arcs that made Young Justice successful.