We’re at the final chapter of the new Justice League: The Atom Project, and Team Atom is going to have to get it together to stop the Legion of Doom, aka Inferno, from becoming an even more potent force against the Justice League Unlimited. Writers Ryan Parrott and John Ridley alongside artist Mike Perkins face the challenge of imbuing a single hero with all the metahumans powers, giving Captain Atom the ability to transfer or give powers to others. Fortunately, Cap doesn’t have to do this alone, as he has the assistance of the Atoms, Ray Palmer and Ryan Choi, to help restore the powers. Trust has become quite a challenge, as Team Atom may have different goals, and the military comes in, wanting to use Cap’s new gift to their advantage. How will this creative team make this miniseries relevant to the JLU taking on Inferno?
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The previous issue left me with high hopes that this miniseries would be quite a deal compared to what is happening to the JLU as they face the Legion, but sadly, after reading this issue, those hopes have been lost. The action just led to a typical resetting of the status quo. From our preview of the issue, you can see how it opens with a discussion between Ray Palmer and Mr. Terrific. As I read the comics, I could see that Palmer was acting differently, and now the character has come to the same conclusion, but it is too late. Palmer’s fears about the misuse of the powers have the potential to come true if the Legion exploits the captured Captain Atom. Palmer was portrayed as a troupe to showcase a character who feels inadequate, finally having the chance to make an impact, but does the wrong thing and wants to correct it; I’ve seen that before in other stories with the Atom.
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Captain Atom does his part in making the sacrificial play to try to save the day, and Ryan Choi steps up to help him see that there is another way to save the day. Having Choi and Cap team up was the only new situation I saw in this miniseries. They do manage to come together, and Choi steps it up significantly to help Cap come around to the Atom Project after Palmer acted as if it were his project and Cap was a specimen. That was pretty much the significant moment of the issue as the heroes don’t stop the Legion or even toss a monkey wrench their way. You could argue that the capturing and loss of Captain Atom could be the wrench in the plans, but even the villains weren’t going for it, as it was just Lex Luthor’s arrogance leading to this minute side quest.
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Honestly, this miniseries could have just been an extra issue of Justice League Unlimited, as the mini did nothing for the characters or the story. The main strength of this series was the consistent art by Mike Perkins and colors by Adriano Lucas. Cap, Choi, and Palmer did not develop as characters or have any significant impact on themselves or the story; it was simply a story of two teammates not talking and then escaping each other while two bad groups rush in to make a power play. Status quo restored after this adventure, hammering home the fact that nothing changed. Hopefully, next time we see Cap or the Atoms, they will have something more impactful to provide after this experience.
Justice League: The Atom Project #6 wraps up the miniseries with a whimper rather than a bang. Despite consistent art from Mike Perkins and colors from Adriano Lucas, the story struggles to make a lasting impact. While Ryan Choi steps up in a standout moment alongside Captain Atom, the rest of the issue resets the status quo and sidelines any real development for the Atoms, Captain Atom, or the broader Inferno conflict. A few good ideas surface, but in the end, this finale feels more like a missed opportunity than a meaningful miniseries.
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