Captain Atom #23 (December 1988)

Tags

Babylon, Carrie Spiegle, Cary Bates, Dan Raspler, Dennis O'Neill, Dr. Megala, General Eiling, Greg Weisman, Martin Allard, Modern Age Captain Atom, Pat Broderick, Romeo Tanghal, Sgt Jeffrey "Gunner" "Gos" Goslin, Shelley Eiber, The Ghost

“Prey for the Dead”

Written by Cary Bates & Greg Weisman

Pencils by Pat Broderick

Inks by Romeo Tanghal

Colors by Shelley Eiber

Letters by Carrie Spiegle

Assistant Editor: Dan Raspler

Editor: Denny O’Neil

This issue begins with the murder of millionaire aircraft industrialist Martin Lockleed. He received a message, supposedly from Captain Atom, to meet him at one of his hangars at midnight. What actually met him there were uniformed mercenaries who surround him before identifying themselves as servants of the Faceless One. They use their shock batons and electrocute the wealthy man.

Later, at the Damon Clinic, Dr. Megala and Babylon approach Martin’s son, Homer, to give him the bad news. Megala gives Homer a copy of his father’s will, which hands the company over to Homer. Megala himself has been appointed Executive Officer of the Lockleed Corporation, until such time as Homer is deemed competent by his doctors. Homer was initially locked up because he stalked and kidnapped Peggy Eiling, pretending to be her believed-to-be-long-dead father Nathaniel Adam. Homer promptly eats the will.

Megala and Babylon take their leave of Homer, saddened by his mental state and sure he’ll never be able to run his father’s company.

Meanwhile, at a nice outdoor restaurant, Nate and Starshine are having lunch with Peggy and Goz when Peggy finally drops the bombshell that she and Goz are engaged. Nate is, of course, shocked by this news. She really wants her father’s blessing, but Nate is not yet ready to give it. He starts to voice his objection but a quick under-the-table kick from Starshine shuts him up. He says he needs time to let it sink in. When Peggy and Goz leave, Nate and Goz share a tense handshake.

After they are gone, Nate confides in his girlfriend that he’s uneasy about this union. He’s worried because Goz is twice his daughter’s age and black. I remember when I first read this back in the 80s and wishing Nate hadn’t mentioned the race thing. I can get onboard with him having a problem about the age difference (it is his only daughter, after all). But to bring race into it left a bad taste in my mouth even then. I suppose it was a different time and Nate himself was a product of 1950s America, but I just wish they had left that aspect of the relationship alone. And if I recall correctly, DC got hate mail for hooking Peggy up with a black man. So it was an issue for some reason back then and in some places still an issue today. Perhaps Bates and Weisman were being bold. I don’t know. I just feel it never should have been brought up.

Apparently, Peggy let her stepfather know about the engagement via a note taped to the refrigerator. That’s cold, Peggy. This man loved and raised you after your father died. He may be an evil sadistic control freak, but he was still your daddy. Eiling takes his aggression out on Allard.

At Lockleed Labs, Megala and Babylon are looking over the Stealthray prototype. It was a teleporter developed by Alec Rois. Rois, of course, is the Ghost (a.k.a the Faceless One), who faced off with Captain Atom and Nightshade. He is also a holdover from the 1960s Charlton Captain Atom series, where he butted heads with Captain Atom and Nightshade. Rois was supposedly killed in that skirmish and his stealthray teleporter was destroyed. We readers know better, of course.

A quick cut to an unknown airport shows some Hare Krishnas being accosted by followers of the Faceless One. It is a cute scene that does not progress the plot at all.

Nate goes to visit his wife Angela’s grave. He confides in her that he knows that Goz and Peggy’s union is a mistake. But he decides that it is time for him to step aside and let Peggy be a grown-up. He later confides in Dr. Megala, who tells him that their relationship may be difficult, but not insurmountable. If they truly love each other, they’ll be fine. I honestly didn’t realize Nate and Heinrich were this close. The reason for Nate’s visit to Megala is so he can use his quantum powers to help work on the stealthray prototype.

Meanwhile, the Faceless One’s followers are paying a visit to Megala’s home. They are turned away by Babylon, but the cultists are persistent. They push past him and use their shock batons on him. Since these batons killed Martin Lockleed, things aren’t looking too good for old Babylon.

Back at the lab, Megala has Eiling over for some reason. I would think the Air Force wouldn’t be overseeing this private-sector project, but Lockleed probably has a government contract. Megala tries to explain what he is doing, but Wade is just too distracted by the Peggy/Goz situation. Seems to me he and Nate should have a sit-down.

Just after Wade leaves, a figure appears from within the stasis pool Megala has been working on. It appears to be Alec Rois. Also as he appears, Megala is approached by someone off-panel who appear to be the followers of the Faceless One.

Back at the Damon Clinic, Peggy and Goz are visiting with Homer. He is far more animated with her than he was with Megala. And, considering that Homer tried to kidnap her, Peggy is a saint for visiting the man in the hospital. No wonder Goz is so enamored with her. Homer is led away by a nurse, prompting Peggy to say she feels sorry for him. His father never had time for him when he was alive and now Martin is gone forever.

Back at the lab, the Faceless One Cult are demanding that Megala continue his work and allow the Ghost to push through. Megala admits that it may be possible to save Rois from the quantum field some day but it would require more research. The cultists tell him to do it now or they will kill Babylon. I suppose he survived the shock that killed Martin because he is younger and stronger. Megala agrees, but needs to call in Captain Atom for assistance.

Nate says he can come help tomorrow but Megala freaks out and says it has to be now. The cultists say they’ll be in the next room with Babylon and if Heinrich makes one wrong move, his friend is dead. Captain Atom arrives and they get right to work. Megala tells him to increase the intensity of his quantum blasts, which Nate does. He doesn’t suspect anything is amiss. The increase in energy allows the Ghost to emerge from the quantum field.

Megala takes advantage of the distraction by attacking the cultists with a fire extinguisher. Cap blasts at the Ghost but his quantum powers appear to have no effect. Megala manages to untie Babylon and they retreat to the lab. Captain Atom and the Ghost continue to blast at each other but before things go critical and the lab is destroyed, Nate scoops up Babylon and Megala and flies them to safety. Rois did vanish before the explosion, but it is unclear if he was sucked back into the quantum field or he teleported out. The end.

Not bad for a little filler story. I like anything that connects DC’s Captain Atom to his Charlton roots. Plus, Pat once again brought his A-game. Tanghal really compliments his work. Although the cover is misleading, I give this book an A. I like this modern, more-powerful version of the Ghost. Now, if only we could get some more Nightshade guest appearances…

In the next issue, Captain Atom goes to war with the aliens in an Invasion crossover.

Captain Atom Annual #2 (1988/1989)

Tags

Captain Atom, Carrie Spiegle, Cary Bates, Dan Raspler, Dennis O'Neill, Jack O'Lantern, Major Force, Modern Age Captain Atom, Paris Cullins, Pat Broderick, Queen Bee, Rocket Red #4, Sarge Steel, Sgt Jeffrey "Gunner" "Gos" Goslin, Shelley Eiber

“Bialya Bound”

Written by Cary Bates & Greg Weisman
Pencilled by Paris Cullins
Inks by Bob Smith
Colors by Shelley Eiber
Letters by Carrie Spiegle
Edited by Denny O’Neil & Dan Raspler

It seems kind of a shame that the main story in a Captain Atom annual wasn’t drawn by Pat Broderick. But at least he shows up in the backup story. It has a beautiful cover by Paris Cullins who also did the interiors. He is one of my favorite artists so I’m relatively pleased with this so far.

The issue opens with a bunch of tourists swamping a travel agency and going on about how great Bialya is now. “Once an arid third world country,” it seems to have become some sort of vague paradise under the leadership of Queen Bee. This all happened following a media blackout and the world at large can only speculate about what transformed the little country.

Two tourists arrive in Bialya, Cameron Scott and Sarge Steel. Sarge Steel was a detective/spy character published by Charlton Comics during the 1960s. As he was published during the time of Charlton’s Action Heroes line of superheroes, and had loose ties to some, he is sometimes included with that group. He was purchased by DC Comics along with the other action heroes. Also arriving is Dmitri Pushkin, also known as Rocket Red #4, member of Justice League International.

• 

• 

• 

Dmitri is visiting the country as a semi-diplomat while Nate and Sarge Steel are being a bit more covert. Rocket Red isn’t hiding his identity at all but the other two are trying to blend in.

The first thing Nate takes notice of in the country is the abundance of video cameras. They are literally everywhere, with Queen Bee having eyes in all corners of her country. There are also posters everywhere stating “your Queen loves you,” and the people seem genuinely happy and not at all subjugated. Later, he interrogates a native who tells him how devoted to her country and her people Queen Bee really is. Why, she gave him a ride to town once when his car broke down and she fed his baby.

Nate thinks that so far this assignment is as exciting as watching paint dry. I’m right there with you, Adam.

Things start to come to a head that night. A team of high-tech mercenaries is attacking the palace at the same time Sarge Steel is breaking in and Rocket Red is paying a visit. Dmitri leaps into action against the mercs as Nate ducks into a phone booth to turn into Captain Atom (not realizing a camera is trained on him. Steel decks one of the mercs just before the Captain arrives on the scene. Just as he is about to mop these terrorists up, who should appear on the scene but good old Major Force?

I say that sarcastically, of course, as Major Force is my least favorite supporting character. We don’t actually see him take anyone out, as he is off-panel, but we do see his powers and we know he’s in this issue because it was announced on the opening splash page.

The people of Bialya are none-too-pleased to see Captain Atom, as the last time he was in the country (in Justice League International #17), he killed their resident super-hero “the Thunderer.” He flies off and Dmitri tries to exchange pleasantries with Steel (who ain’t having it). This is the 80s and nothing is more offensive to a red-blooded patriot like Sarge Steel than a dirty commie super-hero. Cheer up, Rocket Red. You don’t know it yet, but the Cold War is almost over.

Back at their top-secret lair, the six mercenary/terrorists are meeting with their boss, the former super-hero turned super-villain Jack O’ Lantern. He tells them Queen Bee is proud or them. So the whole thing was a set-up just to flush out what super-heroes may be in Bialya. After dismissing his men, he gleefully thinks to himself that Captain Atom is the “prime candidate” for the “next phase of the experiment.”

Queen Bee contacts Jack and is none-too-happy that he staged the fake raid. Had any Bialyan citizens been harmed, he would have been in for a world of hurt. She also informs him of her choice of subject for her experiment. She has chosen Cameron Scott, who she knows is Captain Atom. So she and Jack arrived at Nate as a test subject independent of each other.

Jack sends some sort of signal or energy wave or something to Nate’s room, and it hits just as Major Force creeps in through the window. But Captain Atom has been expecting his old frienemy and he throws the Major across the room. But it looks like Force hasn’t come to fight. Force makes himself comfortable on the bed and reveals he’s been in Bialya for weeks. It turns out the microwave surveillance system in the country blocks the Air Force’s monitoring equipment so he’s been off Eiling’s radar.

Major Force says he’s been having a semi-romantic relationship with Queen Bee, which makes Nate decide he’s had enough. He packs his bag, makes a rude hand gesture to the Major, and exits the hotel room. As his plane flies back to the states, he notices Rocket Red flying away from the country as well.

Nate isn’t home for long before an overwhelming urge to return to Bialya overcomes him. He cannot fight the urge and transforms into Captain Atom. As soon as he is over Bialyan airspace, their military fires on him (at Jack’s order). The Captain makes short work of the anti-aircraft guns and crashes into Queen Bee’s palace.

In the Queen’s bedroom, he is greeted by Jack on a video monitor, who seems to know an awful lot about Cap’s urge to return to the country. What I don’t get is if he wanted Captain Atom to return and drugged him so he would, why did he fire on him when he did? Anyway, he hits Nate with some knockout gas and it’s night-night Captain Atom.

This has always bugged me too. Captain Atom can survive in the vacuum of space for an undetermined length of time. How can simple knock out gas work for him? He clearly has super breath holding just like Superman. I guess I can chalk it up to him being out of his mind from whatever it was Jack did to him, but this plot device has never sit right with me.

When he awakens, Captain Atom is strapped into a high-tech dentists’ chair in Jack’s secret underground lair. Of course, Nate recognizes Jack as a member of the defunct Global Guardians, a one-time hero turned Queen Bee flunky. Jack reveals that because of his tampering with Nate’s brain, the hero had the un-fightable urge to return to Bialya (which is kind of obvious) and this mind control is also keeping him from ripping apart the chair he’s strapped to. Maybe that’s also why he couldn’t hold his breath. He also tells Nate that as long as he stays in Bialya, he’ll feel fine, but once he’s out of range of the mind-control technology, Nate will go through withdrawal pain so horrible he’ll be compelled to return.

Because of his unprovoked attack on the country, the citizens hate Captain Atom and want him out of the country. Jack reveals that the Queen will most likely banish him. This still doesn’t make sense. Nate would have been much more useful as a pawn who was loyal to the Queen. Jack ordering the military to attack him still doesn’t add up. Jack does reveal that he wants information from Atom, and if the Captain cooperates he may be able to stay. But it seems like once the mind control set in, Cap would have played ball anyway. It just doesn’t add up.

Back at the Queen’s bedchamber, Major Force is demanding to know where his “buddy” is being held. The palace security won’t tell him, so he starts matter-blasting folks. But Queen Bee calms him and tells him whatever he wants to know.

Back in the underground base, Nate is filling Jack’s head with lies. He’s passing off the Big Lie as his actual backstory, so maybe the mind-control technology isn’t really working so well after all. When the Queen shows up, he proudly reveals his progress, but Queen Bee knows the story Nate is spinning is a fabrication.

Captain Atom bursts out of the restraint chair and reveals that it was him focusing on his fake backstory that allowed him to beat the mind-control. How convenient. What if they had used it on Superman?

Jack goes for his magic lantern, but Nate blasts him out cold with quantum energy. He then burns Queen Bee’s copy of the Captain Atom Project files. The Queen then reveals her ace in the hole. When she quietly exclaims that Captain Atom is attempting to kidnap her, Major Force bursts through a wall and threatens to pound on him. And Major Force can take out Captain Atom. He is stronger and has comparable powers. We’ve seen Atom take a beating from Force before.

However, when Captain Atom says that he will fight Major Force until the country is nothing but rubble, Queen Bee jumps in and stops her lover. She can’t have the citizens of her beloved country caught in the crossfire of a quantum pissing match between the two. She allows Nate to walk free.

On his way out of the country, Captain Atom spots Sarge Steel and gives him a ride back to the U.S. And the story is over. Talk about an anti-climax. I’d forgive it if we’d gotten some pages of Cap and Force slugging it out, but space had to be left for the “Private Lives” story I guess. Also, what happens when Nate returns home? He’ll just have the urge to return again, right? Or can he get it out of his system like heroin?

This story wasn’t worthy of being an annual. I hate to say it about my beloved Captain Atom title, but it was really stupid. Cary and Greg phoned this one in. Paris Cullins and Bob Smith were the book’s saving grace. The art was a solid B but the story was an F. Overall, Captain Atom Annual #2 earned a D from me. The main story did, at least. I haven’t even touched the B-story yet.

“Reckoning Day” was by Cary Bates and Greg Weisman again. The art was by Pat Broderick and Michael Bair with colors by Shelley Eiber. Letterer was Carrie Spiegle and the story was editied by Dan Rasplar and Denny O’Neil.

The story opens with Nate’s friend “Gunner” Goslin getting ready for a date with Peggy Eiling. Peggy, of course, is General Wade Eiling’s stepdaughter and the biological daughter of Gunner’s best friend Nathaniel Adam. The two have kept their relationship a secret from Nate so far, as Gunner has known Peggy since she was in diapers and Gunner is afraid of how his old friend would react.

Just then, Captain Atom bursts though the wall of Gunner’s apartment with his angry eyes flaring. He has found out about Goz and Peggy, and he is not happy at all. Gunner tries to explain that neither he nor Peggy meant for this to happen, but Nate doesn’t care. He powers up to take Goz out with a quantum blast just as the phone starts ringing and wakes Goz up.

Ah yes, the old it-was-just-a-dream trope. We know it well. It is 11:30 am and Peggy is calling to find out where Goz is. The old codger has overslept. As he showers and dresses, Gunner cannot get dream-Nate’s words out of his head. The old coot is overcome with guilt.

He meets up with Peggy outside the nostalgia shop where Nate works. They go inside and introduce themselves to Starshine as “friends” of Cameron Scott. Since Peggy and Nate are roughly the same age, no one would buy them as a father and daughter, despite Nate’s white hair. Starshine reveals that Cameron never showed up for work, which is a thing he does often apparently.

Gunner is upset that they missed Nate because this was going to be the day they revealed their relationship to him. If I were Goz, I’d be relieved that I dodged that bullet for at least another 24 hours. But he’s worried because he has to sweat over it even longer. Peggy says her dad will take the news in stride. Goz has been in their “family” for years, and Nate can’t say anything about the age difference because Starshine is at least ten years his senior. Ah, poor stupid Peggy.

We are then dropped into what is obviously another dream. Nate, as Captain Atom, is flying his blindfolded best friend and daughter to an undisclosed location. This is obviously a dream because A) Peggy does not know that her father is Captain Atom, and B) Nate does not know that Goz knows he’s Captain Atom.

Dream Nate flies Dream Goz and Dream Peggy to the White House, where they meet the Reagans. Because it is 1988, Ronald Reagan is the president of the U.S. In both the real world and the DC universe. Ron and Nancy want to host Goz and Peggy’s wedding on the White House lawn. Goz responds to Reagan in the positive, but does so out loud.

He has fallen asleep in Peggy’s car as they are leaving Starshine’s shop. Man, Goz is old. The two kiss and drive away, ending the little story.

Yeah, I’m so glad we got those seven pages of nonsense instead of a more fleshed-out ending to the Bialya story. I don’t feel robbed at all. I remember the year of the “Private Lives” stories. Most of them seemed pretty boring but it was nice to see the other side of super-hero life. I appreciate the story, but at the point that the B-story so obviously takes something from the A-story, I get a little ticked off.

The art was beautiful. Really, no one has ever done Captain Atom justice like Pat Broderick. Definitely an A+. And the story, while short and unnecessary, was at least kind of compelling. A B+ that was well-earned. Overall, I give this little bonus an A, but still would have preferred it was just left in the pages of the regular series.

The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom #6 (August 2017)

Tags

Anna Dittman, Cary Bates, Dr. Megala, General Eiling, Genji Sato, Greg Weisman, Ivan Nunes, Jim Chadwick, Kristy Quinn, Post-Rebirth Captain Atom, Saida Temofonte, Ultramax, Will Conrad

“Mission Creep”

• Writers: Cary Bates, Greg Weisman
• Pencils & Inks: Will Conrad
• Colors: Ivan Nunes
• Letters: Saida Temofonte
• Editors: Jim Chadwick, Kristy Quinn
• Cover Artist: Anna Dittmann

Time to rip off the band-aid and dive into the last issue of this mini-series. At first I put off covering this one because I wanted to see where Captain Atom went next (nowhere as it turned out). Then I just kind of forgot about it. For about four years. If you want to hear my initial thoughts on the issue, listen to this episode of my podcast. For the purposes of this blog, I will not relisten to the episode and do this fresh. Is that cool with all my reader?

This story opens with Mr. Thrane approaching an abandoned car in a desolate valley in 2008. There he finds a dossier and a video message from Eiling. Thrane’s target is Flip Kovic, a terrorist-for-hire that the US government hasn’t had any luck taking down. Eiling reports Kovic is somewhere in the United States before doing a quick and awkward Liam Neeson impression.

Eiling gives Thrane the number of a third party who is brokering a deal with Kovic and informs him half his fee has been transferred to his Cayman Island account. As Thrane strolls away from the vehicle it explodes.

In present day (2017), Captain Atom is at Eiling’s house warning him that Thrane now has a kill list and Eiling is on it. When they were fighting in the quantum field, Atom and Thrane merged minds and Nate saw Eiling hiring the killer in 2008. He tells the General to cut the crap and be straight. Eiling finally comes clean and says he hired Max Thrane to take out Kovic, which he did by feeding the man to alligators in the Everglades. He says he is the one who flipped on Thrane. Atom pulls a Batman and leaves the General in mid-sentence while his back is turned.

The next morning, Nate is at his wife’s grave. He tells her he has met his son Genji and understands why he hates his deadbeat disappearing dad. We then cut to a news report where the broadcaster states that if he really wants the public to accept him, Captain Atom needs to bring in Ultramax.

Ultramax has sent Captain Atom and General Eiling an ultimatum. Present themselves to him or he kills Genji, whom he has kidnapped. Turns out Max learned some secrets himself when he and Nate merged minds. He wants Nate and Eiling alone at dawn in the same valley from 2008. If anyone else shows up, Max will kill Genji.

Megala and Eiling think they might have a chance against Ultramax with the special ammo they’ve developed, lead-lined explosive uranium bullets. Apparently they were created to take down Nate in his previously unstable form.

The next morning, Cap and Eiling arrive at the meeting point. Max releases Genji as Atom releases Eiling. As they pass each other, Eiling whispers to the kid to watch for his signal. He whips out his gun and tires as Captain Atom swoops in and flies his son to safety. Of course the special ammo doesn’t work. It just pisses Max off.

Captain Atom flies in and deflects Ultramax’s attack. Max says after he killed the General he was going to come after Atom and Genji anyway. Nate unleashes quantum hell on Max while protecting Eiling from Max’s attack.

Eiking tells Nate to leave him and save his son. Nate wasn’t born yesterday though. He has figured out what Project Resurgence is and why the military was keeping close tabs on Genji and keeping Nate away from his son.

Reflecting Ultramax’s power back at him knocks the psycho out. Genji comes out of hiding and joins Eiling and Nate. Genji shakes Captain Atom’s hand before Nate gathers up Max and flies him to seek medical attention.

Very early the next morning, Megala meets with Eiling back at the base. According to their surveillance, Genji actually absorbed a bit of Max’s power, which should have killed him. It looks like Genji just might actually be a Captain Atom Junior.

• 

Back at his wife’s grave, Nate gets a final message from his whistle blower. It is, of course, Dr. Megala. He doesn’t tip Nate off about Genji’s possible powers though. The issue and mini-series ends with the Justice League in the Watchtower viewing a news report stating that the public now has trust in Captain Atom.

• 

As of this writing, it has been about four years since this book was published. The next time we saw a Captain Atom, he was back in his old silver skin with boots and gloves. His old ’80s look. He did not join the Justice League, and we never learned what became of his son. If we ever get another series written by this team, I’m sure all these questions will be answered.

I absolutely love this book. I think the writing was excellent, and it was some of the best art in a Captain Atom series I have ever seen. No offense intended to the legendary Pat Broderick. I give this book and the series a solid A.

Edit: After I wrote this, I listened to the episode of my podcast where I discussed this issue. Apparently at the time I was not impressed at all with this one. I have no idea why my opinion changed over the course of the last four years.

The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom #4 (June 2017)

Tags

Post-Rebirth Captain Atom

“Shock and Awe”

• Writers: Cary Bates, Greg Weisman
• Pencils & Inks: Will Conrad
• Colors: Ivan Nunes
• Letters: Saida Temofonte
• Editors: Jim Chadwick, Kristy Quinn
• Cover Artist: Carlos D’Anda

From Silver and Gold Podcast episode 27:

Sorry for the delay, folks. Life gets in the way of podcasting sometimes. With that said, OMG April was a great month for both our heroes!

First we had “Booster Trouble” by Mark Russell, Rick Leonardi, Scott Hanna, Steve Buccellato, Dave Sharpe, Marie Javins, Brittany Holzherr, Michael Allred, Laura Allred, Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund, and Hi-Fi Design from Booster Gold/The Flinstones Special #1. Yep, a new Booster Gold comic!

Then there was “Shock and Awe” by Cary Bates, Greg Weisman, Will Conrad, Ivan Nunes, Saida Temofonte, Jim Chadwick, Kristy Quinn, Bobbie Chase, and Carlos D’Anda from The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom #4. Yep, a new Captain Atom comic!

Our excitement will not be contained. Listen now!

Guest Stars: Fred Flintstone, Barney Rubble, Skeets, Wilma Flintstone, Max Thrane, Dr. Megala, General Eiling, “Captain Atom Jr.”

Remember to use the hashtag #SNGPOD when commenting on social media!

Follow us on Twitter! (@SNGPOD4779)

Music
Heart of Gold – The Roy Clark Method
Meet the Flintstones – The Skip Jacks
My Heart Has a Mind of It’s Own – Connie Frances
I Swear – All 4 One
I Wanna be a Flintstone – Screaming Blue Messiahs
Don’t Wanna Know – Maroon 5
(Meet) The Flintstones – The B-52’s

Click here to play Silver and Gold episode 27!

Also available on iTunes and Stitcher.

The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom #3 (May 2017)

Tags

Dr. Megala, General Eiling, Genji Sato, Post-Rebirth Captain Atom

“Back to the Future”

• Writers: Cary Bates, Greg Weisman
• Pencils and Inks: Will Conrad
• Colors: Ivan Nunes
• Letters: Saida Temofonte
• Editors: Jim Chadwick, Kristy Quinn
• Cover Artist: Marguerite Sauvage

It’s Silver and Gold Podcast episode 26! Listen to Roy and Jay via the world’s most sensitive microphone as they discuss “Runback” from Booster Gold (vol 1) #15 by Dan Jurgens, Bob Lewis, Bruce D. Patterson, Gene D’Angelo, Augustin Mas, and Barbara Randall. Jay fights a cold as the two then discuss “Back to the Future” from The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom (vol 1) #3 by Cary Bates, Greg Weisman, Will Conrad,  Marguerite Sauvage, Ivan Nunes, Saida Temofonte, Jim Chadwick, and Kristy Quinn.

Guest Stars: Rip Hunter, Dr. Soo, Animal, Michelle Carter, Broderick, Goldstar, Dr. Megala, General Eiling, “Captain Atom Jr.”

Gold Watch: The month Booster Gold #15 was published, Booster also appeared in The New Teen Titans #30 and The Outsiders #18.

Remember to use the hashtag #SNGPOD when commenting on social media!

Follow us on Twitter! (@SNGPOD4779)

Music
Heart of Gold – The Roy Clark Method
Shake You Down – Gregory Abbott
The Rainbow Connection – Kermit the Frog
Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake
Run Back – Carl Douglas

Click here to play Silver & Gold episode 26!

Also available on iTunes and Stitcher.

The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom #2 (April 2017)

Tags

Cary Bates, Greg Weisman, Ivan Nunes, Jim Chadwick, Kristy Quinn, Post-Rebirth Captain Atom, Saida Temofonte, Will Conrad

“Past Imperfect”

• Writer: Cary Bates
• Co-Plotter: Greg Weisman
• Pencils & Inks: Will Conrad
• Colors: Ivan Nunes
• Letters: Saida Temofonte
• Editor: Kristy Quinn
• Group Editor: Jim Chadwick

Roy “Charlemagne” Cleary and FKAjason return to review “A Future Lost” from Booster Gold (vol 1) #14 by Dan Jurgens, Mike DeCarlo, John Costanza, Gene D’Angelo, and Barbara Randall. Booster’s in the future and on the run from the cops.

Then we review “Past Imperfect” from The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom (vol 1) #2 by Cary Bates, Greg Weisman, Will Conrad, Ivan Nunes, Saida Temofonte, Kristy Quinn, and Jim Chadwick. Lost in time, Captain Atom tries to make a new life for himself with disastrous results.

Guest Stars: Rip Hunter, Dr. Soo, Broderick, Goldstar

Gold Watch: The month Booster Gold #14 was published, Booster also appeared in The New Teen Titans #29.

Remember to use the hashtag #SNGPOD when commenting on social media!

Follow us on Twitter! (@SNGPOD4779)

Music
Heart of Gold – The Roy Clark Method
Walk Like an Egyptian – The Bangles
Bad and Boujee ft Lil Uzi Vert – Migos
This Time Imperfect – AFI

Click here to play episode 25!

Silver and Gold Episode 07: Missing In Action!

Tags

Anton Sarrock, Augustin Mas, Aunt Jeanie, Babylon, Blackguard, Bob Smith, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Carl Gafford, Cary Bates, Dan Jurgens, Dirk Davis, Dr. Megala, General Eiling, Homer Lockleed, Margaret Eiling/Peggy Adam, Martin Allard, Martin Lockleed, Mike DeCarlo, Mindancer, Modern Age Captain Atom, Nansi Hoolahan, Pat Broderick, Skeets, The Director, Thorn, Trixie Collins

This time out, Jay and Roy review Booster Gold (vol 1) #4 by Dan Jurgens, Mike DeCarlo, Nansi Hoolahan, and Augustin Mas. Thorn, Booster, and Skeets battle Mindancer, Blackgaurd, and the 1,000. Then we review Captain Atom (DC, vol 1) #4 by Cary Bates, Pat Broderick, Bob Smith, Carl Gafford, and Augustin Mas. Nathaniel Adam is finally reunited with his daughter after his 18-year-absence. Plus, scads of your listener feedback!

Music
Heart of Gold – The Roy Clark Method
Peaches – The Presidents of the United States of America
Silver and Gold – Pee Wee King

Direct Link.

Also available on iTunes and Stitcher.

Check out or tumblr page for images from this issue.

Silver and Gold Episode 05: Fighting Mad!

Tags

Augustin Mas, Blackguard, Booster Gold, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Dan Jurgens, Dirk Davis, Dr. Megala, General Eiling, Jeffrey "Goz" Goslin, Margaret Eiling/Peggy Adam, Mike DeCarlo, Mindancer, Modern Age Captain Atom, Nansi Hoolahan, Silver Age Captain Atom, Skeets, The Director, The Love Boat, Thorn, Trixie Collins

In episode 05 of the Silver & Gold Podcast, we discuss Booster Gold (Vol 1) #3, The Night Has Two-Thousand Eyes (by Dan Jurgens, Mike DeCarlo, Nansi Hoolahan, and Augustin Mas), and Captain Atom (DC Vol 1) #3, Blast from the Past (by Cary Bates, Pat Broderick, Bob Smith, Carl Gafford, and John Costanza). Also, FKAjason and Charlemagne’s secret origins are revealed, that’s what friends are for, Booster in peril, Thorn’s fashion choices, The Love Boat, Booster Gold looks like an idiot, typical Eddie, a wall of balls, Mindancer’s brain bolt, Firestorm as the star of the book, Captain Atom’s creepy meeting with his daughter, and Nate going critical.

Remember to use the hashtag #SNGPOD when commenting on social media!

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Music
Heart of Gold – The Roy Clark Method
Gold – Spandau Ballet

Direct Link.

Also available on iTunes and Stitcher!

Check out our tumblr page for images from this episode.

 

 

 

 

Captain Atom #19 (September 1988)

Tags

Bob Smith, Captain Atom, Cary Bates, Greg Weisman, Helen Vesik, Jeffrey "Goz" Goslin, Margaret Eiling/Peggy Adam, Modern Age Captain Atom, Pat Broderick, Shelly Eiber, Starshine Stone

“Life After the Dead”

• Writers: Cary Bates & Greg Weisman
• Pencils: Pat Broderick
• Inks: Bob Smith
• Colors: Shelley Eiber
• Letters: Helen Vesik

This issue of Captain Atom was published June 7, 1988. It opens with a stunning drawing by Broderick & Smith of Captain Atom flying over Washington, DC, reflecting on the Washington Monument. His inner monologue reads, “Every time I fly past the Washington Monument I can’t help remembering the civil rights movement… and the 200,000 people who marched here back in ’63.  Hard to believe a whole generation has come and gone since the turbulent times of the Sixties. Those were the days, my friends…”

I like these little reminders that Nate is displaced from time. It is the thing that most sets him apart from other versions of Captain Atom. I also like his dangerously-close-to-a-mullet new hairdo. Since he’s quit the military, Nate has grown his hair out. With his new ‘do, he’d look right at home in 1976. Like his hair is slowly catching up with the times.

Nate calls on Starshine Stone, the proprietor of Mellow Yellows. He met her in Captain Atom #16 when he sold her a keychain. This time he’s selling her a leather peace medallion signed and dated by Dr. Timothy Leary. Starshine is quite impressed and offers Nate $200 for the item. Nate asks her for a job, which she gives him but warns she can’t pay as well as the Air Force.

Their quaint conversation about 1960s sitcoms is interrupted by a bedraggled homeless-looking guy entering the shop. He’s Mitch, Starshine’s ex-husband. With him are two thugs in suits who inform Starshine that Mitch owes them $600 (for cocaine he has used without paying for, apparently) and Mitch told them Starshine would pay. Starshine says she will not pay for Mitch’s drugs and Nate asks the men to leave. The bigger thug begins to draw a gun.

Nate smashes open a lava lamp and throws the contents in the larger thug’s face. It burns him, naturally (lava lamops don’t really have lava inside – that would be impossible – but they do have super hot wax inside). Nate drop kicks the other thug as he draws his weapon and throws them both out of the store. He turns to deal with Mitch but Starshine stops him. She says basically Mitch is her cross to bear.

Starshine refuses to give Mitch money as she knows he will just spend it on more drugs. She kicks him out of the store and locks up for the day.

Later, Nate and Peggy are jogging with Gos huffing and puffing behind them, trying to keep up. Peggy is warning her dad to take it easy with Starshine. He might freak her out with his trippy 1960s knowledge. Also, while he is physically ten years younger than Starshine, Nate is actually 20 years older (because of his quantum boost through time). Nate says the age difference doesn’t matter and runs on ahead of his daughter and friend, who are now holding hands. Wake up, Nate!

Let me just point out right here that I do not have a problem with May-December romances or interracial relationships. This is a sticky subject that comes up in the pages of Captain Atom later on. Fan reaction to Peggy and Goz’s relationship was dissapointing to say the least. Nate himself struggles with some backward notions when he discovers the truth. No, the thing that bugs me (and makes me say “Wake up, Nate,” is the fact that Goz is Peggy’s godfather and Nate’s best friend. While I personally think my own daughter Tabby is free to date whomever she wishes, if she were to date my best friend Roy, I may have to kill him. You don’t date your best friend’s daughter.

Later, Nate is walking Starshine home while she reminisces about how she and Mitch met and how good their relationship had once been. I’m not entirely sure Nate was listening though. When she says, “See you tomorrow at the store, Cameron,” he thinks to himself, “Tomorrow at the store. I’ll ask her tomorrow at the store.” Nate’s thinking with the wrong head.

Was that crass?

Nate hears Starshine scream and charges into her house. Mitch has broken in, and collapsed in a pool of his own sick. While Nate calls an ambulance, Starshine blames herself for not heloping Mitch earlier. When the paramedics haul Mitch away, Starshine asks for alone time and runs into her house. Nate is left on the sidewalk, withthe two goons from earlier watching him. They plan to come back later to get their money from Starshine and hope Nate is still around so they can get another crack at him. Nate sees them and glares but does not yet go all Captain Atom.

That evening, when the two crooks do try to break in, Cap shows up and melts their guns. He flies them high above the city and demands information. Nate wants to go after the big boss. They quickly give him an address and he dumps them into a nearby dumpster.

At the aforementioned address, the boss is on the phones making plans for a deal, completely unaware that Captain Atom is listening outside his window.

Captain Atom bursts in and gives “Ramone” the angry-sparky-eyes. Later, in a dark downtown alleyway, a car approaches an overcoated, fedora-wearing, briefcase-carrying figure. The men in the car identify him as Ramone. They are fellow gangmembers sent to shoot Ramone down because he “talks too much.” They open fire on the man and reach for the briefcase.

Of course, it isn’t Ramone. It is Captain Atom. And he didn’t get gunned down. Because he’s Captain Atom. When they discover the briefcase is empty, Cap blasts their guns out of their hands before grabbing the ringleader and flying off with him.

At 4:30 the next morning, fifteen miles south of the Florida Keys, Captain Atom witnesses a plane dropping off a shipment of drugs to a nearby fishing boat. He sinks the boat and heads after the plane. He’s hoping the plane will lead him to “the last link in the pipeline.” He follows the plane to an island where poppies are being grown and harvested.

Captain Atom begins burning the poppy fields. The cartel opens fire and launches missiles at the hero. Of course, they fail. Cap destroys all their equipment, confident that he’s brought these particular bad guys to their knees.

Later, Starshine is remembering when Mitch proposed to her at an outdoor music festival. It was a good memory of a good time but the reality of the present creeps in. Mitchell has died. Starshine slips a peace symbol momento into the corpse’s hand and buries her face in Nate’s shoulder.

“Captain Atom Versus the South American Drug Lords” was a fine story. I like to see him taking down common thugs and criminals instead of always slugging it out with super-villains. Cary and Greg told a concise, solid story with some hints at subplots hat will come up later. Pat and Bob did some great work, particularly when Cap was burning the poppy fields. My one complaint was that Captain Atom looked a little awkward when he was hovering outside Ramone’s window. That aside, I give this issue an A.

Captain Atom next appears in Animal Man (vol 1) #1.

(All characters and images belong to DC Comics and I am not making any profit off this blog.)

Captain Atom #18 (August 1988)

Tags

Babylon, Bob Smith, Captain Atom, Cary Bates, Colonel Uber, Dr. Megala, Duncan Andrews, General Eiling, Greg Weisman, Major Force, Margaret Eiling/Peggy Adam, Martin Allard, Master Militarius, Modern Age Captain Atom, Pat Broderick, Shelley Eiber

“Power Play”

• Writers:  Cary Bates & Greg Weisman
• Pencils:  Pat Broderick
• Inks:  Bob Smith
• Colors:  Shelley Eiber
• Letters:  Duncan Andrews

This issue was published in May of 1988.  It opens with General Eiling paying a visit Dr. Megala.  He demands that Megala quit “playing sick” and gets back to the base.  Eiling wants Megala on hand for the launch of something called the Force-One.  Megala points out he is convalescing and that he is no longer needed for the Force-One project anyway.  Eiling tries to convince him that he needs to come because the Force-One is a vital key to keeping Major Force in check.  The General leaves, meeting Allard outside with a chopper.  Allard asks if there is any improvement in Megala’s condition.  Eiling says Megala feels guilt over unleashing Major Force on the world.  More likely, he feels guilt over the government’s treatment of Nate and could care less about Clifford Zmeck.

Later, as Nate tries to wrap a gift, he receives a call for help from a Colonel Uber.  It seems that Eiling’s helicopter never made it back to base.  Uber, fully aware of Nate’s secret identity, is asking for Captain Atom’s help finding the General.  Nate is not amused.

Back at the base, it seems Megala decided to come in after all. He says it was the General’s “pep talk” that brought him in.  Noticing a glitch, he goes up into the gantry to repair the faulty Force-One.

Later, Nate presents Peggy with the birthday gift he bought her: a bracelet she’s had her eye on for a while.  Peggy begins to cry because this is the first birthday Eiling hasn’t called her since he became her stepfather.  Not expecting this guilt trip, Nate drops in on his ex-wife Angela after dropping Peggy off.  Of course, Angela has been dead for a few years so he visits her at the cemetary.  He still doesn’t understand why she married Eiling after his own “death,” but concedes that he was a good father and must have been a good husband.  He drops flowers on her grave and tells her he knows what she’d want him to do.

Cut to some place completely dark where Eiling and Allard are being held.  Allard lights a match, but visibility is near zero.  We get a rare glimpse of Eiling’s human side when allard apologizes for passing out and the General says there no shame in it; he passed out himself.

Back at the base, Captain Atom shows up with Eiling’s crashed helicopter.  He found in on the north face of Wiley’s Peak.  Colonel uber appreciates Cap’s help but when pressed, Nate refuses to tell him why he changed his mind.  Uber theorizes that the General was kidnapped by Major Force, who has been AWOL for ten days.  The Major has strayed 200 miles outside of their sensor range.  Uber explains that Megala’s Satellite (set to launch that night), the Force One, will fix that glitch and give the military constant tabs on Force.

All the while Cap and Uber are talking we see Megala hard at work on his rocket.  Atom flies off to continue his search for General Eiling.

Eiling and Allard manage to burst out of their dark cell.  Allard is convinced that Major Force is their captor, but the General is not so sure. Allard recall nozzles coming out of the helicopter’s control panel and shooting nerve gas at them.  Eiling says the gas only could have been put in at Megala’s retreat.  The evidence doesn’t add up to Major Force.  Eiling can recall seeing someone beat their downed helicopter with an iron mallet before passing out.

Just then, a television mounted on the ceiling outside their cell comes to life and General Eiling meets his kidnapper.

 “Master Militarius,” according to Allard, was one of the villains Captain Atom fought while he was working in secret (the “Big Lie” – Nate’s cover story).  Whomever this is, they most likely know Cap’s cover is a lie.  Allard and Eiling don’t have a chance to work this out.  A cannon emerges from the walls and begin to shoot bouncy black balls around the room.  The two captors use the wooden door of their cell as a shield, but the balls begin to smash it to bits.  Clearly Master Militarius means to kill them or do serious bodily harm to them.  The two prisoners use the door to jam the cannon, which destroys it.  They go into the next room, the room that housed the cannon, only to find another monitor.  Master Militarius tells them that the entire house was recently renovated with booby traps.  Allard hears rushing water.  The room begins to fill with water while back at the base Uber continues with the countdown for Megala’s rocket.

General Eiling and Allard duck under the water.  Eiling finds a weak spot in the wall where the wood had been rotting and shoves his weight into it.  The two captors burst out of the room, and completely out of the house onto a tranquil hillside.  Eiling thinks their escape was too easy.  He finds Militarius’ costume in some nearby bushes along with a note warning him that he’s in danger of being listed as AWOL.  Allard points out the launch of Megala’s rocket in the distance.

As the two hike back to base, we see Babylon hiding in the bushes wearing Militarius’ coat.

Later, back at the base, Eiling confronts Megala.  He has figured out that it was Babylon that kidnapped him on orders from the doctor.  Megala explained that he needed Eiling out of the way while he added something special to the satellite’s payload.  There is a monitor connected to a device in the rocket. At the point of Megala’s death, a message will be broadcast to the world by the satellite.  The message will expose the truth about Captain Atom and expose Eiling’s involvement.  It is Megala’s insurance policy (Eiling has tried to have the doctor killed at least once before).

Captain Atom appears, with a very drunk Major Force in tow.  He found the Major stinking drunk in the Swiss Alps, and returned him to Eiling as a favor to the Swiss people.

The issue charmingly ends with Major Force puking on General Eiling’s shoes.

This was not my favorite issue of Captain Atom.  There was not a lot of super-heroing going on.  While I do like to see Nate’s human life, I’m not overly fond of Eiling-heavy stories.  And Allard is such a dork, I wonder how he ever rose so high.  Also, Babylon’s deathtraps really could have killed Eiling and Allard.  Like dead for realsies.  Is that really the kind of guys Babylon and Megala are?  The art was great, though.  Pat Broderick was doing great.  I give this issue an A for art and a C+ for story.

(All characters and images belong to DC Comics and I am not making any profit off this blog.)