the All New Atom #25 - DC

Well . . it had to happen sooner or later, but . . this is the final issue. I actually find that kind of sad, because . . I really grew to like this book. Sure, at first, I was upset that they had replaced Ray Palmer, but in the end . . I really grew to like Ryan Choi. I think that feeling though, really, was just out of nostalgia. Plus, truth be told . . I never thought that Ray was really all that interesting of a character. The only time I really liked him was for that brief stint where he somehow became younger and joined the Titans for a little while. Plus he's been gone now for, what? . . 3 years? We really didn't know for sure that he's ever be back. Anyways, this issue, from what I understand, these new creatures that Ryan's found in his bloodstream are somehow connected to his use of the belt. They're also the reason that he can now shrink and regrow without the belt. Ray also helps him to expedite the resolution of this story. He gives him tracers, to take down to the people that are trapped, and then he's got a sort of 'boom-tube' set up to bring them back. In the process, though, Ryan loses his friend Panda. We also find out the Lady Chronus is actually Jia . . which I suspected. And that Dwarfstar is her son. I really didn't see that one coming. But . . he's not her only son . . he's her 'firstborn'. In the end, Ray basically tries to talk Ryan out of ever being the Atom again, but . . he's not do be dissuaded. Knowing now that Lady Chronus is Jia . . what's happened to Panda . . and what he's gone through, I think now he sees this as personal. The issue ends with him in the Atom costume saying, "I'm the Atom and I've got work to do!" I have no doubt that we'll see him around the DC Universe. Maybe even in the JLA. I think Ray's going to be working more with Booster's time squad, or maybe he, Donna and Kyle really will become the gatekeepers of the multiverse. Only time will tell . . and . . . some of these fantastic stories we have going on this summer. Either way . . I don't feel this is the end of either of their stories.