Although I'm not a Tezuka purist (I read Pluto before Astro Boy), I was definitely apprehensive about how such a radical reimagining and combination of classic Tezuka characters would be pulled off; it seems like a tricky feat, to say the least. However, by the end of volume 1, I was totally engrossed in the story; I enjoyed seeing characters both familiar and less familiar, but the story was unique enough that the differences from the original didn't seem so jarring. Although having the robots as antagonists was a little strange to me (especially after Pluto), once I got into the story, I was able to enjoy the references without looking too closely for connection. I've mentioned Pluto a lot, probably because I think Urasawa is a genius, but I think it's a great example of how a new work can be inspired by something classic, but still take it in a new direction and make something really fantastic in its own right. I get the feeling that's the goal for Team Phoenix as well, and while it's too early to say whether they've fully succeeded from just one volume, it's certainly promising enough that I already want to read more.