Apparently the underwater people never heard of shirts.
Michael Turner’s Fathom #1/2
Aspen Comics (digital copy–January, 2011)
WRITERS: Michael Turner & Olivia Chadha
PENCILER: Michael Turner
INKER: Jonathan Sibal
COLORIST: Peter Steigerwald
LETTERING: Dreamer Design
EDITORS: Frank Mastromauro & Vince Hernandez
In 1944 one of the Blue created heavy water, but the result nearly killed the undersea kingdom. For his recklessness, his family’s name was to be dishonored. Not willing to accept that he ended up killing himself trying to pay them back. Then his son developed reckless tendencies of his own, but his mother (who encouraged him to explore his powers) warned him not to be like his father. Meanwhile, someone who hated surface people gave the formula for heavy water to the Nazis, figuring the humans could wipe each other out. Instead, our now adult storyteller stopped them from getting it as the US gained the nuke first (specifically the atomic bomb). In present day this is the last story he told to his son, Cannon, before he passed away.
What they got right: This comic was apparently a tribute to Turner’s own father, who passed away in 2001. It builds on the story of the Blue and the powers they have, including being able to control water, which is how Cannon’s grandfather discovered heavy water, and how his father Vallon, the storyteller, stopped the Nazis from getting it. There isn’t much action but that’s not the story they wanted to tell, and this is well told.
What they got wrong: Although it causes one issue. To this point I was kind of on the Blue’s side given the treatment they’ve gotten from the government in the previous freebees, but if one of them hated us enough to get us to wipe each other out by giving Hitler of all people the nuke? Yeah, while I still disagree with the military’s methods, I can see why they might not like the undersea people. It doesn’t say that they also gave it to America, which would speed up the wipe each other out plan, but we only used the atomic bomb on Japan. It’s just not a good look for the Blue. Also, why do so many of these stories feature Aspen, the character the very company is named for? Cannon seems to be the main character of the franchise at this point.
What I think overall: I know nothing about Michael Turner or his father, but it’s nice that he wanted to make a tribute to his dad. Otherwise it’s not really a must own to follow the universe of Fathom from what I can tell through these comics.
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