I read a little Magnus, Robot Fighter when I was a kid. Not a lot -- the Gold Key character from the 1960s and '70s certainly never stuck in my craw the way the likes of Batman and Spider-Man did. Still, the name sparked enough of a childhood memory that I read the Valiant series in the 1990s -- it got worse as it went along -- as well as some of the mercifully short-lived Acclaim series that followed.

Now, Dark Horse has the title, and Jim Shooter -- the former Valiant owner responsible for the previous reboot -- is once again at the helm. And this time, he seems to have hit the nail on the head: this Magnus is a really good, exciting book.

Oh sure, it might seem silly to focus a book on a guy in a mini-dress (OK, it's a tunic, but still...) in the 41st century who smashes evil robots with his bare hands. But the story works, extremely well.

Rather than continuing his previous story, Shooter has taken Magnus back to his first appearance in the continent-spanning city of North Am. The setting alone has tons of potential, from the glittering upper reaches of the rich, mile-high skyscrapers to the dark depths of the underground Goph levels. Magnus himself is new and untried, and the authorities are unsure how to handle this guy who's karate-chopping his way through metal hordes. His girlfriend from the old days, Leeja, is back, but she's less of a damsel in distress in the reboot, holding her own and providing much-needed assistance along the way. Even the robots have more depth than they used to; some are simple function-driven automatons, while others have developed free will and are either a threat or an asset, depending on their point of view.

This first volume contains plenty of nuts-and-bolts-crushing action, including a dangerous visit to an illegal "fight club" that pits humans against robots. It's good stuff, entertaining as all get out, and gives me high hopes for the future of this series.