DC COMICS
   WRITER: Gail Simone
   ARTISTS: Mike Norton, Dan Green
   COVER: Ladronn

   The New Atom returns to the increasingly-bizarre Ivy Town only to finally confront the mystery of what happened to his predecessor, Ray Palmer. The story piles mystery upon mystery. But for once, it actually answers some of them by the end of the issue. Still, this book, like so many other comics on the stands today, makes little effort to tell newcomers what is going on. A bunch of old villains make an appearance but they don't do anything much and we are never even told who they are-- making it abundantly clear that they are just action-filler. The same pretty much goes for the gang of professors and showgirls who greet Choi in his home upon arrival. Anyone but a longtime reader would be totally lost. There is still too much going on in this book, with Ivy Town-- with its time-cross inhabitants, as a prime example. This book is interesting but also very confusing. It needs more focus. Hopefully, the coming search for Ray will give it that focus. The art has a nice, clean "Silver-Age" look to it but it also looks a bit flat in some of the panels.