Captain Atom #1

This is Captain Atom. I vaguely remember him from his time in Justice League Europe. He was kind of the straight man of the group. Even Martian Manhunter in Justice League seemed more whimsical than this guy.

I also remember he played some pretty big roles in big DC crossovers. But my memory of those things is kind of vague. Most of them seemed to play out like this:

A new evil super hero has appeared on the scene but nobody knows he is! And he's so super powerful, it's going to take all the world's superheroes to defeat him! Finally, the Crossover Super Super Villain turns out to be one of the super heroes gone mad! Or power hungry! Or crazy!

I'm pretty sure this happened to Hawk. And I think it happened to Hal Jordan. And it might have happened to Captain Atom as well. But I could be wrong about that.

I remember a stupid mini-series where Captain Atom and Monarch went back 1 Million years into the past.

Now I'll find out if this guy can be made interesting. Maybe I'm the only one who was ever completely bored by him.

In this new incarnation, he looks a like a cross between Infinity, Inc.'s Nuklon and Doctor Manhattan from Watchman. I know, nerds, I know. Manhattan was inspired by Captain Atom.

My first question while reading the comic: where is Captain Atom's manhood? Is he controlling his body at the molecular level so well that he can fuzz out his own nakedness?

My second question: is that a mohawk or is his head on fire?

My third question: is Captain Atom ever going to not be boring?!

The first issue has Captain Atom realize he can change the molecular form of other objects. Isn't that pretty much what Firestorm does? Do we need this guy too?

He also discovers that if he doesn't concentrate, his own form can dissipate. And if his mind dissipates, he can't concentrate, and he'll dissipate completely.

Some old burnt guy in a wheelchair is his life coach.

A rat in San Francisco turns into a monster.

A volcano erupts in New York.

And, finally, Captain Atom loses control and begins to lose cohesion. After one issue where Captain Atom doesn't face anything awesome, he's already dying!

I wonder why DC keeps trying to make this guy one of the next big names? After reading the first four issues of Captain Atom, I'm going to be reading Firestorm! I hope I don't get completed bored with these nuclear transmogrifiers!