DC Comics; January 1984
Cover by José Luis García-López

Title: “Fresh Blood”
Synopsis: Across the universe, events start to bring future members of a next-generation Atari Force to New Earth.

Writer: Gerry Conway
Penciler: José Luis García-López
Inker: Ricardo Villagrán

Review: Eventually, Atari Force would join other licensed-property titles like Rom and Micronauts as comic-book series that were far better than they had any right to be. Atari Force starts a little slow, though, with a hodgepodge of sci-fi-plot staples and a cast of fairly cardboard characters. This debut issue gets a big boost from the art of José Luis García-López, showcasing the artist’s grasp of dynamic anatomy and always-sharp storytelling. It would take a few issues for Atari Force to find its story sea legs, but it was a fine-looking book from day one.

Cool factor: For a comic based on a video-game company, this one’s pretty good.

Notable: The future letters page includes an essay recapping the earlier Atari Force promotional giveaway series, which was set 25 years before this issue.

Character quotable: “Trust me.” — Dart (are those ever good words?)

Copyright ©2014 Off the Wahl Productions, all rights reserved. Each week, T. Andrew Wahl takes a look at a Bronze Age Fantastic First.