Kickin’ It Old School: Solar, Man of the Atom #9

It’s Friday, which means it’s time for another new edition of Kickin’ It Old School, our weekly column in which we look to the past and review books from the original Valiant universe! This week, I’ll be discussing Solar, Man of the Atom #9

Solar, Man of the Atom #9

Published in May 1992
Written by Jim Shooter
Art by Barry Windsor-Smith and Bob Layton

Synopsis

Phil Seleski returns to work after a year away fighting spider aliens. Doctor Pierce is having some issues with which she needs Seleski’s help. It turns out that she absorbed radiation and is “special”, similar to Seleski. She’s also pregnant. She inadvertently uses her powers to free the baby, a being of pure power, from her body. The baby is hungry for power and Solar has to chase her down and return her to her mother. Later, Doctor Pierce returns home and once again brings the baby out of her body to take a look. Her abusive husband walks in and, in his surprise, takes a swing at the fetus. He’s left with a burnt hand and the fetus goes on the run.

Solar recognizes the changes in energy around him and realizes that the baby has gone to the sun to power up. He finds the baby, who is far too powerful and blows his face off before heading back to earth. On earth, the baby finds her mother and kills countless people, not knowing how to use her powers. Solar returns and fights with the baby, until she loses enough power that she simply dissipates. Doctor Pierce is left traumatized from the events.

Review

This was an interesting issue of Solar, exploring other effects that his sort of powers can have on things. Pierce has similar powers, but keeps them hidden and mostly dormant, until she’s pregnant and the baby has powers that it doesn’t know how to control. Very interesting, and I hope that Pierce becomes involved in the story again in the future. She may become a powerful enemy of Solar’s in the future.
This issue also contained part 9 of 10 of the Alpha and Omega back story. Seleski shows his powers off to Pierce in a journey that apparently takes eight days. People now assume that Seleski kidnapped Pierce. Realizing the effect he’s had, he’s troubled by the fact that he’s now essentially a god.

Unity isn’t far off, and this issue felt more like it was bridging the gap from the story that was being told to the beginning of the next big thing. The one thing of substantial interest that this issue gives us is an example of the destruction that could be wrought if Solar’s powers were unchecked. The baby has no means to control her power, but what if Solar lost his reason the want to control his power. Harada saw the potential for destruction that Solar possesses. We’ll see what the future holds.

Kickin’ It Old School: Solar: Man of the Atom #1

Originally from ValiantCentral.com