The Atom takes center stage in this week’s issue of Futures End! After the events of last week’s issue the Atom and his new misfit Stormwatch team must take on an new enemy, all while learning to work together. This issue also features Batman Beyond, the new Firestorm, and more action than you can handle !
The Positives
The Atom is by far the standout star in this issue. Throughout the New 52 the Atom has been a supporting character at best, and didn’t even wear a costume until recently. Its great to see Ray Palmer back to his roots of shrinking down, kicking butt, and solving the problems no body else can. With all paths in the series heading towards  Convergence, hopefully the Atom will receive a profile boost in the new DC landscape come June.
The dialogue between unlikely allies is also extremely strong in this issue. Madison and Jason Rusche continue to have entertaining exchanges while Madison continues to struggle with her new found abilities. These exchanges compliment the action sequences of the issue by building the relationships between characters as they struggle together as a team. Another excellent example of this occurs when Hawkman and Black Adam bond while maliciously man-handling a group of monsters sent to destroy them.
The Negatives 
While most of the story lines feel cohesive, one remains to sit separately from the rest. I’m of course referring to Voodoo and her band of femme fatales. I understand their purpose in the story presently, but it doesn’t seem overly necessary. Why is Voodoo important? Why have her supporting characters not been fleshed out more ? What exactly is their purpose in the scope of the series? I don’t know the answers to these questions, and I’m not sure we’ll be getting any answers anytime soon.
The VerdictÂ
This issue had a lot going for it. There’s plenty of action and great character moments, all while moving the plot forward in very interesting ways. While some characters felt out of place, the rest of the story felt cohesive, as the series continues its trend of great issues.
Rating
