• About
  • Cameo Appearances
  • Captain Atom Brigade
  • Captain Atom in Who’s Who
  • Captain Atom’s Amazing Friends
  • Captain Atom’s Powers
  • Captain Atom’s Rogues
  • Captain Atom’s Secret Identity
  • Crossover Events
    • 1985 – Crisis on Infinite Earths
    • 1988 – Millennium
    • 1989 – Invasion!
    • 1989 – The Janus Directive
    • 1991 – Armageddon 2001
    • 1991 – War of the Gods
    • 1994 – Zero Hour
    • 1995 – Underworld Unleashed
    • 1996 – Final Night
    • 1997 – Genesis
    • 2004 – Identity Crisis
    • 2005 – Infinite Crisis
    • 2008 – Final Crisis
    • 2010 – Brightest Day
    • 2014 – Futures End
    • 2015 – Convergence
  • Every Appearance of Captain Atom
  • Know Your Captain Atom
    • Breach
    • Dr. Manhattan
    • Golden Age Captain Atom
  • Publication History
  • Silver & Gold Podcast
  • Supporting Cast
  • The Voice of Captain Atom

Splitting Atoms

~ A Captain Atom blog.

Splitting Atoms

Category Archives: Origin Stories

Audio

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

22 Wednesday Feb 2017

Posted by FKAjason in Captain Atom Loses His Powers, Captain Atom's Family, Captain Atom's Love Life, Origin Stories, Podcast, Silver and Gold

≈ Leave a comment

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!

Advertisement

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Silver and Gold Episode 09: Major Tom

30 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by FKAjason in Origin Stories, Personal, Podcast, Silver and Gold

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Captain Atom, Major Tom, Modern Age Captain Atom, Peter Schilling, Podcasts, Silver & Gold

major.tom.08In this episode of the Silver and Gold Podcast, Jay discusses the similarities between the origin of Captain Atom and the subject matter of the Peter Schilling song “Major Tom (Coming Home).”

Music
Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale – A-Ha
Major Tom (völlig losgelöst) – Peter Schilling

Direct Link.

Also available on iTunes and Stitcher.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Secret Origins #34 (December 1988)

22 Friday Apr 2016

Posted by FKAjason in "The Lie", Captain Atom: Healer, Origin Stories, Podcast

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Alan Weiss, Babylon, Buddy Larson, Captain Atom, Cary Bates, Dr. Megala, General Datko, General Eiling, Green Lantern (G'Nort), Greg Theakston, Greg Weisman, Harry Denison, Helen Vesik, Jerry Ordway, Joe Rubinstein, Matilda Denison, Modern Age Captain Atom, Rocket Red #4, Silver Age Captain Atom, Stove Datko, Theresa Delgado, Ty Templeton, Uri Voskof

“Yesterdays Once More”

Writers: Cary Bates & Greg Weisman
Pencils: Alan Weiss
Inks: Joe Rubinstein
Cover Artists: Jerry Ordway & Ty Templeton
Colors: Greg Theakston
Letters: Helen Vesik
Editor: Mark Waid
Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

Secret Origins was an ongoing comic book series published by DC Comics from 1986 to 1990. It spanned a total of fifty individual issues as well as three annuals and one special. Unlike Secret Origins (Volume 1), this series did not rely on reprinted material, but provided new and sometimes updated origin stories based on the framework provided by their original authors. The initial format of the series focused on the history of a single character, alternating issues between Golden Age characters and Modern Age characters. Beginning with issue #6, the title changed to a double-sized format and featured at least two character stories per issue, one Golden Age tale, and one modern tale. Occasionally, the series would alter its format to accommodate multi-title tie-in stories including the Legends crossover event and the Millennium crossover event. With the exception of issues #32-35, each issue of Secret Origins was a self-contained comic with no lead-ins to previous or later issues. Secret Origins #32-35 was a multi-issue event chronicling the entire career of the Justice League of America and its various members. This issue featured the Modern Age Captain Atom, Rocket Red #4, and Green Lantern Gnort.

The cover art of this issue was fine. I found it nothing special. Jerry Ordway and Ty Templeton did a good job and I have nothing to complain about. It isn’t spectacular but it is by no means bad. I like the red eyes and the yellow energy aura surrounding Cap. I thought they were a nice touch. As far as action shots go, it isn’t astounding. Just three super-heroes flying out of a building.

The big payoff is inside!

secret.origins.34.01

The opening splash page of the Silver Age Captain Atom is beautiful. Alan Weiss really seems to have captured Steve Ditko’s essence. Cap even has the little stars following him! Unfortunately, there are places later in the story where the art was less than stellar.

I have one complaint about this page. Why is Pat Masulli given creator credit for Captain Atom? I’ve never seen him credited before. He was Executive Editor of Charlton Comics when Captain Atom first appeared in Space Adventures #33, so I suppose a case could be made. I’ve just never seen him credited as a creator. Oh, well. On with the story.

A group of people have gathered in a Las Vegas hotel conference room to discuss Captain Atom. They are calling themselves “Friends of the Captain,” and appear to be a support group for people who have interacted with Captain Atom in some way. They’re a fan club of super-hero groupies. They’re discussing their thoughts on Captain Atom’s “classic” costume when the youngest among them, Theresa Delgado, calls the “meeting” to order. Theresa, regular Captain Atom readers will know, is part of the Air Force’s “Captain Atom Project” PR team.

Theresa asks General Datko, an aging soldier, to share his story. His name being “Datko” was not lost on me, and I had to wonder if his first name was “Stove.” Datko holds up a screwdriver and says his Captain Atom story is probably the oldest one, as it is the origin story. He tells the story (sort of ripped from the pages of Space Adventures #33) of the young Air Force man trapped in an Atlas rocket after dropping a screwdriver inside minutes before the launch.

The fact that the airman got stuck in the rocket seconds before launch always seemed a bit hokey to me, but in this telling of the origin, it seems a bit more believable. The screwdriver bounces further into the rocket and he scrambles in deeper to recover it, becoming horribly stuck. He thought the ground crew knew he was still inside and wouldn’t launch. But, as in the original Gill/Ditko story, the ground crew realizes he’s still inside when it is too late and the rocket launches. Of course, the rocket detonates in the upper atmosphere and the airman is vaporized.

secret.origins.34.02

“Even though my head is smaller than my hand, I still love Captain Atom!”

Later, while glumly sitting in the dark, Stove Datko is contacted by the airman, who was able to survive the blast and return to Earth. “Maybe it was something in the mix of the atomic radiation and the cosmic rays… or maybe it was some unknown ‘X-factor’ that will never be found for sure. I didn’t know or care about the explanation,” finishes Datko. “All I knew was my friend was alive and back on the base that very night.”

Miss Delgado then introduces Buddy Larson, a folksy country boy. He says he owes his life to Captain Atom, and begins to share his story.

As a boy, Buddy was very sick. Doctors didn’t know exactly what he had, but knew he’d be dead within a week. Buddy mentions that his father was a n Air Force mechanic, and that is presumably how Captain Atom found out about his sickness. Cap shows up in Buddy’s hospital room, takes the boy by the hand, and abducts him.

The two fly off into space. Luckily, Buddy has a child-sized astronaut suit to wear as he rides Captain Atom’s back into outer space. They land on an asteroid and begin to play tag. What the kid didn’t know, but Captain Atom did, was that the asteroid’s radiation had healing properties that completely cured the boy.

secret.origins.34.03

This story was lifted from Space Adventures #40, and was titled “The Boy and the Stars.”

Theresa Delgado next gives the floor to Matilda and Harry Denison. Matilda tells a tale of she and her then-new husband Harry being lost at sea on the other side of the world in a life raft after their boat capsized. They drifted into a Naval atomic testing area and were in danger of being vaporized by a hydrogen bomb when Captain Atom appeared out of nowhere. They watched him come in as the bomb detonated. He scooped up their raft and flew them to the safety of a nearby resort island. He swore the Denisons to secrecy, promising that they would be able to tell their story one day.

The last speaker introduced is a Russian cosmonaut named Uri Voskoff. Twenty-five years earlier, the guidance system on his orbiting spacecraft failed and he began to spiral towards the planet’s surface. Out of his window, he sees Captain Atom grab hold of the craft and guide it safely to the spot where it was intended to splash down.

secret.origins.34.04

Uri says that Captain Atom revealed himself to the Soviets only because he knew they’d never admit their cosmonaut was rescued by an American super-hero. This part of the story is a paraphrased version of “The Second Man in Space,” which appeared in Space Adventures #34.

Miss Delgado excuses herself and goes into an adjoining room, where General Eiling and Dr. Megala were watching the meeting through a two-way mirror. The two are not happy with the performance they just witnessed. Of course, the story of Captain Atom gaining his powers in a NASA mishap and being a super-hero in secret for years was a lie. All of the speakers at the Friends of Captain Atom meeting are paid actors. And the General and Megala found inconsistencies in their stories.

Eiling suggests changing Buddy’s story from being flown to the asteroid belt to being flown to the Arctic, where he was exposed to healing radiation. He suggests changing the Denison’s story and having Cap approach from a different direction, as they would have been blinded if they watched him come from the direction of the blast. Eiling also suggests they change Uri’s story so that Captain Atom releases the capsule’s parachute and can remain unseen by everyone except Uri. Lastly, he orders “Datko” to lose the screwdriver prop.

secret.origins.34.05

“But, General! It distracts people from my disproportionately small head!”

Dr. Megala finds the whole charade distasteful, prompting General Eiling to very breifly sum up Captain Atom’s “real” origin story (from Captain Atom #1).

secret.origins.34.06

Nathaniel Adam, an Air Force Captain, was a condemned traitor who volunteered to be the test subject in a government experiment. Megala and Eiling detonated an atom bomb under him to see if an alien metal would protect him. The metal not only protected Nate, but bonded with him and transported him 18 years into the future and endowed him with amazing powers.

Megala leaves in a huff. Miss Delgado hands the actors their new scripts and they run through their parts again.

Now, knowing what I know about Wade Eiling, after all these actors get their parts right and have them recorded for posterity, they are all going to be killed. With the possible exception of Theresa Delgado, these peoples’ days are numbered. Eiling does not like loose ends.

I give this story an A. Bates and Weismann were writing the regular Captain Atom series at the time, so this fits right in within the continuity. And I definitely liked all the nods to Steve Ditko’s original stories. And it was great to see Cap back in his yellow suit.  The art, however, was not the best. After a really promising start, things went a bit “Liefeld.” Alan Weiss did some work for DC Comics and Marvel in the 70s-80s, but not a long run on any one book. Joe Rubinstein, who inked this issue, said of Alan Weiss, he was “the most difficult guy in the business to ink, without exception.” He went on to say he really liked inking Weiss’ pencils. I guess you had to be there. It isn’t the worst I’ve ever seen and perhaps Weiss was under some pressure to meet a deadline. I give the art a D, making this adventure of Captain Atom a C.

Captain Atom next appears in Justice League International #20.

I discussed this issue of Secret Origins on Ryan Daly’s Secret Origins Podcast on 4/18/2016. Although I was a bit hard on Alan Weiss, Ryan did open my eyes to how good Weiss could be with inanimate objects. Check out this image below as an example:

secret.origins.34.07

The tubes and wires and whatnot of the rocket really do look great and adds to the whole claustrophobic nature of the scene.

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

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Silver and Gold Episode 05: Fighting Mad!

02 Wednesday Mar 2016

Posted by FKAjason in "The Lie", Captain Atom's Family, Origin Stories, Podcast, Silver and Gold

≈ Leave a comment

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

Booster_Gold_3In 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). Captain_Atom_Vol_1_3Also, 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!

Follow us on Twitter! (@SNGPOD4779)

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.

 

 

 

 

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Silver and Gold Episode 04: Introducing Captain Atom

04 Thursday Feb 2016

Posted by FKAjason in Origin Stories, Podcast, Silver and Gold, Throwback Thursday

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Captain Atom, Gunner, Joe Gill, Silver & Gold, Silver Age Captain Atom, Steve Ditko

space.adv.33.04Wait, haven’t we already introduced Captain Atom. Well, yes and no. Call this episode of SNGPOD our “throwback Thursday” episode. I have a special guest on and we talk about the origin of the “original” Silver Age Captain Atom from Space Adventures #33. The story (written by Joe Gill with art by the legendary Steve Ditko) is titled “Introducing Captain Atom,” and it, well, introduces Captain Atom.

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

Music
Heart of Gold – The Roy Clark Method
Silver – Echo and the Bunnymen

Download this episode now on iTunes!

Direct Link.

Check out our tumblr page for images from this episode.

 

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Silver and Gold Episode 01: First Issue Excitement!

22 Tuesday Dec 2015

Posted by FKAjason in Origin Stories, Podcast

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Ambush Bug, Angela Adam, Augustin Mas, Blackguard, Bob Smith, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Carl Gafford, Cary Bates, Dan Jurgens, Dirk Davis, Dr. Megala, General Eiling, Jeffrey "Goz" Goslin, Jimmy Olsen, John Costanza, Mike DeCarlo, Modern Age Captain Atom, Pat Broderick, Skeets, tom ziuko, Trixie Collins

booster_gold_1In the first (and possibly last and only) episode of the Silver and Gold Podcast, Roy and Jay Discuss and review Booster Gold #1 (from February 1986 and written and drawn by Dan Jurgens with inks by Mike DeCarlo, colors by Tom Ziuko and letters by Augustin Mas) and Captain Atom #1 (from March 1987 and written by Cary Bates with pencils by Pat Broderick, inks by Bob Smith, colors by Carl Gafford, and letters by John Costanza).  The Silver and Gold theme song is Heart of Gold by the Roy Clark Method. captain_atom_1This podcast was inspired by Shag and Rob of The Fire and Water Podcast. If response to the podcast is positive, we will continue recording and make this a regular show.

Click on the link below to play this episode.

Silver and Gold #1

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Captain Atom #2 (December 2011)

24 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by FKAjason in Captain Atom: Healer, Origin Stories

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Captain Atom, Dr. Megala, Freddie E. Williams II, J. T. Krul, José Villarrubia, Mikey Parker, New 52 Captain Atom, Ranita Carter, Rob Leigh, Scott Alexander, Stanley Lau

“Rebuilding Blocks”

  • Writer:  J.T. Krul
  • Pencils & Inks:  Freddie E. Williams II
  • Colors:  José Villarrubia
  • Letters:  Rob Leigh
  • Cover Artist:  Stanley Lau

This issue came out on October 19, 2011.  When we last saw the New 52 Captain Atom (excluding his cameo in Justice League International #1), he had been torn apart while trying to extinguish a volcano.  As he was melting down, he thought to himself, “If this is the end, at least I died doing some good for once.”  A news reporter covering the story says that Cap vanished right after he put out the mysterious Manhattan Volcano.  She suggests he has disappeared because he is hiding something.  Meanwhile, Cap begins to reconstitute his body in a nearby river (the East River maybe?).

This is not a new power for Cap.  The first time he used it was in his original origin story way back in 1960 (by Joe Gill and Steve Ditko).  The Modern Age Captainm Atom never used this power (and most likely didn’t have it) but Dr. Manhattan did.  Like the Silver Age Captain Atom, it was the first trick he learned (and he said as much to Ozymandius in Watchmen #12).  While it is an interesting power, it is a bit problematic.  It means that the New 52 Cap is really indestructible.  Godlike.  Or, as my stepson is fond of saying, “OP” (over-powered).  And Cap doesn’t have a Kryptonite weakness like Superman.  What would it take to defeat him?

This is the fundamental problem with Captain Atom.  He’s just too powerful.  Impossible to defeat with no end of powers.  Who could possibly challenge him?  After the Bronze Age, when the DC Universe was first rebooted in 1985, from which the Modern Age Cap was born, he was less powerful than his earlier incarnation.  He worked better as a character.  He didn’t lose touch with his humanity as Dr. Manhattan did.  Captain Atom works best when he is not indestructable.  At least, that’s my opinion.  Anyway, Cap resurrects himself.

Cap is briefly pleased that he saved Manhattan from the Volcano, but is soon bombarded by a “strange new energy pattern” pounding his brain.  His mind is beset by images and text gleaned from the internet, some of them about himself and not very flattering.  He hurries to the Continuum, where he begs Ranita Carter to “make it stop.”  Megala quickly submerges Cap in “superfluid” (your guess is as good as mine) which appears to calm him.

When Ranita remarks that Cap is lucky to have Megala, the doctor reveals that he feels responsible for Cap’s “current state.”  He’s surprised Cap confides in him at all.  He quickly tells Ranita of how Captain Atom came to be.

Unlike the previous, Nathaniel Adam (The Modern Age Cap), this fellow was a volunteer and not a convicted murderer (although that Nate was innocent – but that’s another story).  Though the project did not kill Nathaniel, it did change him forever.  Touched by Cap’s struggle, Ranita reaches out to him.  Her boyfriend Scott Alexander then bursts into the lab, angry with Ranita.  Cap tells Scott to relax and Scott tells Cap to stay away from Ranita.  Scott says Cap should be under quarantine and mentions that the Justice League “didn’t want him.”

Cap leaves the Continuum and flies about “reading” the internet images he can see in the air around him.  He is his own wifi hot-spot.  He comes across a message (email?) from a kid dying from cancer who is begging Cap to help him.  Making himself invisible (just like the original Captain Atom!), Cap enters the boy’s room at the hospital.  He learns the boy (Mikey) has a brain tumor that is more or less inoperable.  Shrinking himself to a microscopic level, Captain Atom enters Mikey’s body to attack the tumor.

A drug the doctors inject into Mikey mistake Captain Atom for a foreign object (which he is, to be fair) and attack him.  Cap dispatches the attacking drug and focuses his efforts on the tumor he has found.  We are treated with a really stunning splash page.

This is Freddie E. Williams II and José Villarrubia at their absolute best.  And I’m not a huge fan of Williams’ work on this title.  This is a truly beautiful work of art.

Mikey awakens as Captain Atom leaves his body.  The tumor was destroyed.  Mikey is certain that it wasn’t a miracle drug that saved him.  He asked Captain Atom for help and Captain Atom saved him.  He’ll live a long, healthy, normal life (cue ominous foreshadowing music here).  Cap, happy that he has done something non-destructive for once, flies away from the hospital room.

Meanwhile, in a dirty city alleyway, a man goes to chase fighting dogs away from his door.  He is shocked to discover that one of the dogs has a human face on his back. It is the face of the rat guy from the last issue (cue even more ominous foreshadowing music here).

I like this issue a whole lot.  It has a lot of nods to the Silver Age Captain Atom (rebuilding his body atom by atom, healing a sick child, becoming invisible and shrinking) and the Bronze Age Captain Atom (public mistrust of the hero).  This is a good amalgamation of the Silver/Bronze Age Cap and the Modern Age Cap with a bit of Dr. Manhattan thrown in.  Though very short (what’s that about anyway?), the story was well-told and compelling.  And the art in this one was stunning.  Upon rereading this series, I’m slowly warming up to Freddie Williams.  This issue deserves an A.

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

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Major Tom

24 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by FKAjason in Origin Stories, Personal

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Captain Atom, Chris, Major Tom, Modern Age Captain Atom, Peter Schilling

 

This has been on my mind for a while.  Well, for years it has been in the back of my mind, but for the past three years I’ve come back to it a lot.

In the mid-to-late-80s, my brothers and I got into comic books.  As I’ve documented before, I had a love of Green Lantern, Jonah Hex, and Captain Atom (DC Comics).  My younger brother Jonathan read Solo Avengers featuring Hawkeye (Marvel Comics), and Batman (DC Comics).  But my older brother Chris leaned more towards less “mainstream” publishers and had a fondness for Airboy (Eclipse Comics) and the Star Blazers comic series (Comico), but he did like DC Comics’ The Question; I don’t think either of us was aware at first that The Question and Captain Atom were old Charlton characters.  Eventually, Chris and Jonathan stopped buying comics, but I kept it up – off and on – for the rest of my life.

Early on in DC’s Captain Atom run, Chris pointed out to me that the Peter Schilling version of “Major Tom” could very well be the story of Nathaniel Adam.  The song always brought to mind Cap’s origin story for him.  Today I listened to that song and really thought about it.  Chris’ theory was solid.

Standing there alone
The ship is waiting
All systems are go
“Are you sure?”
Control is not convinced
But the computer
Has the evidence
No need to abort
The countdown starts

Nate is strapped into the Silver Nemesis “capsule” with a nuclear device under his butt.  The countdown has begun.  Nate isn’t sure about this experiment, but knows it may be the only way he can put behind him the crime he was convicted of and get back home.  Major Tom is not strapped to a nuclear missile, but is in a rocket to be launched into orbit.  He, too, has his doubts but the countdown goes on.

Watching in a trance
The crew is certain
Nothing left to chance
All is working
Trying to relax
Up in the capsule
“Send me up a drink.”
Jokes Major Tom
The count goes on…

In the song, Major Tom tries to ease the tension on the launchpad by cracking jokes.  In the Nemesis capsule, Nate tries to ease the tension by cracking jokes.  Dr. Megala and Colonel Eiling observe the worried, nervous Captain Adam.  While I wouldn’t call Eiling’s looking on as a “trance,” I think the word could easily apply to Megala.

Second stage is cut
We’re now in orbit
Stabilizers up
Runnning perfect
Starting to collect
Requested data
“What will it affect
When all is done?”
Thinks Major Tom

Back at ground control
There is a problem
“Go to rockets full.”
Not responding
“Hello Major Tom
Are you receiving?
Turn the thrusters on
We’re standing by.”
There’s no reply

At first everything seems to be going smoothly, but then something goes wrong with Major Tom’s mission.  Ground control loses contact with him.  Something goes wrong with Nate’s mission (or at least something unexpected).  Nate vanishes, and Megala loses contact with him.

 

 

Across the stratosphere
A final message:
“Give my wife my love.”
Then nothing more

Major Tom’s final message before contact is lost is, “Give my wife my love.”  The last thing Nate thinks of before they lose him is his wife and kids.  Before he goes on cracking jokes, he reminds Eiling that the Colonel promised to give Angela a letter if he died.  Eiling, of course, threw the letter away.  Major Tom’s people presumably actually did pass his message on.  He then goes on with his “trying to reach you since yesterday” joke before being (apparently) vaporized.

Far beneath the ship
The world is mourning
They don’t realize
He’s alive
No one understands
But Major Tom sees
“Now the light commands
This is my home
I’m coming home.”

Major Tom appears to have died.  His family and friends back home mourn him.  But he didn’t die just then.  He seems to have died some time after Ground Control lost contact with him.  But he does die, eventually.  He never comes home.

Nathaniel Adam appears to have died.  His family and friends back home mourn him.  But he didn’t die just then.  He was propelled through the quantum field to the same point in space, 18 years into his own future.  He did come home.

Although I enjoyed this song for many years, I never really paid much attention to the lyrics.  Until today, I never checked to see if Chris was right.  He usually was.

Chris died on February 20, 2011.  He was 41 years old.  I’d like to be able to say something poetic.  That he is out there with Major Tom or something.  But I honestly don’t know how much thought he gave that song after he noticed the Captain Atom paralels.  The song has always reminded me of my brother and Captain Atom.  I guess I felt like I should mention it here on my Captain Atom blog (a blog that I started after his death but I know if he was around he’d read my entries – and correct my grammar and spelling).

Earth below us
Drifting, falling
Floating weightless
Coming home…

Earth below us
Drifting, falling
Floating weightless
Coming, coming
Home

Home

“Major Tom (Coming Home)” was on the Peter Schilling album “Error in the System,” released by Elektra Records (in the U.S.) in 1983 and WEA Records (in Germany) in 1982.  It made it to number one on the music charts in Austria, Canada, Germany, and Switzerland, and made it to number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.  The song can be purchased on iTunes for $0.99 (U.S.).

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Captain Atom in Countdown to Final Crisis

07 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by FKAjason in Final Crisis, Monarch, Origin Stories

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Captain Atom, Carlos Magno, Dan Jurgens, Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Grey, Keith Giffen, Modern Age Captain Atom, Monarch, Norm Rapmund, Paul Dini, Rodney Ramos, Scott Beatty, Scott Kolins

Nathaniel Adam cropped up a few times in the Countdown series.  He first surfaced in Countdown #45 as Monarch, but not as Captain Atom until Countdown #43 (the series, like Zero Hour, was numbered in reverse) in the backup story “History of the Multiverse Chapter 7,” written and drawn by Dan Jurgens with finished art by Norm Rapmund. Countdown was a weekly series that ran from May 2007 to April 2008.  Issues #26-1 bore the title Countdown to Final Crisis.  The final issue, #1, was followed by DC Universe #0, which was then followed by Final Crisis.

from Countdown #43

Captain Atom next appeared in Countdown to Final Crisis #17, in the back-up story entitled “The Origin of Monarch.”  As the title suggests, it tells the story of how Nathaniel Adam became Monarch.  It leaves out the events of Extreme Justice, and actually contradicts them.  Instead of Monarch being a part of Nate that was left in the quantum field, his rise to power is much more direct.  This story was written by Scott Beatty with pencils and inks by Scott Kolins.

from Countdown to Final Crisis #17

from Countdown to Final Crisis #17

from Countdown to Final Crisis #17

from Countdown to Final Crisis #17

Captain Atom gets a brief mention and cameo in Countdown to Final Crisis #8 as well.  Darkseid reveals that he is aware of the Monitor’s attempt to push Nathaniel into becoming Monarch in Blüdhaven.  This issue was written by Paul Dini, Justin Grey, and Jimmy Palmiotti with Keith Giffen credited as “story consultant.”  The pencils were the work of Carlos Magno with inks by Rodney Ramos.

from Countdown to Final Crisis #8

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Captain Atom #11 (January 1988)

08 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by FKAjason in "The Lie", Captain Atom Versus Super-Heroes, Captain Atom's Family, Millennium, Origin Stories, Team-Ups

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Bob Smith, Captain Atom, Cary Bates, Duncan Andrews, Firestorm, General Eiling, Greg Weisman, Harry Hadley, Jerry Bingham, Modern Age Captain Atom, Nansi Hoolahan, Pat Broderick, Silver Age Captain Atom

“A Matter of Choice”

  • Writers:  Cary Bates & Greg Weisman
  • Pencils:  Pat Broderick
  • Inks:  Bob Smith
  • Colors:  Nansi Hoolahan
  • Letters:  Duncan Andrews
  • Cover Artist:  Jerry Bingham

This issue came out October 6, 1987 and was a tie-in with the Millennium crossover event.  Since Cap was seen (briefly) in Justice League International #9, he appeared in Secret Origins #22, Blue Beetle #20, Millennium #3 & 4, Teen Titans Spotlight #18, and Action Comics #596.  Suicide Squad #9 leads into this issue and it is followed by Firestorm #68, both of which also feature Captain Atom.

Four of the books tied in with week four of Millennium had covers that combined (not perfectly) to form one complete picture.  They were Captain Atom #11, Spectre #10, Detective Comics #582, and Suicide Squad #9.

At this point in the Millennium story, Firestorm is working with the Manhunters, having been convinced they are his creators.  Captain Atom has been sent by General Eiling to butt heads with Firestorm in the swamps of Belle Reve, Louisiana.  He’s unhappy that Eiling has given him this assignment and he’s super unhappy that he has to deal with that “most immature hotheaded superhero on Earth” again.  But Cap is unaware of the changes Firestorm has recently undergone.

In the apex of a nuclear explosion were Ronnie Raymond, Martin Stein (the two people who make up Firestorm) and Mikhail Arkadin (a Soviet super-hero with nuclear powers of his own that went by the code-name “Pozhar”).  The result was that a new Firestorm emerged with a body created by Martin Stein but a consciousness that held both Arkadin and Raymond (neither of which had control over Firestorm at this point).  This change began in Firestorm: The Nuclear Man Annual #5 (which hit the shelves in July 1987, three months prior to Captain Atom #11).  Firestorm is still trying to figure himself out (FIRESTORM FAN calls him the “blank slate Firestorm.”  Captain Atom also refers to Firestorm’s “blank slate” in this very issue).

The first part of this book is narrated by Firestorm.  And when he first shows up on page 2, the artwork is just fantastic.  Pat Broderick actually drew Firestorm regularly from June 1982 to November 1983.  I don’t know if he had any great love for the character, but I certainly like his take on this version of the Nuclear Man.

Firestorm has thrown up a wall of flame to stop Captain Atom.  He is protecting a Manhunter stronghold.  Of course, Cap blasts right through this wall.  He flies toward Firestorm, who calmly asks Cap to “please disengage.”  Captain Atom keeps coming, and knocks Firestorm into the trees.  I think this proves who the hot-head really is.

Firestorm tells Cap that he has given his last warning.  He means to stop Cap from waging war on his creators.  Firestorm referring to the Manhunters as such leaves Cap somewhat taken off guard.  Firestorm whips up a pink “molecular storm” within a metal sphere to hold Cap.  Atom begins to suspect the nuclear man might be brain-damaged.  When he tried to blast his way out of the sphere, Cap finds his powers useless.  And Firestorm has locked himself in with Captain Atom.  He can regenerate the sphere’s shell as quickly as Cap can disintegrate it.  Checking his watch, Nate realizes he only has 55 minutes until the explosive (brought into the swamp by the Suicide Squad) detonates.  He decides to relax and have a chat with Firestorm.
captain.atom.11.02

Realizing that this new Firestorm has a very simplistic world view, Captain Atom attempts to explain why the Manhunters are a threat via a story.  He tells of a young boy with a love of airplanes and a gift for aeronautical design.  This boy, however, had an intense fear of flying.  Determined to rid the boy of his fear, his father took him to an airfield owned by a friend.  Explaining that he was a pilot himself, the father strapped the boy into a crop duster and took to the skies.

As they flew, the father talked to the boy, calming him and reassuring him.  Soon, the boy grew to love flying as much as he loved planes.  When he grew up, he joined the Air Force.  As a result, he one day became Captain Atom.  Firestorm says he realizes, thanks to the story, that it would be bad if the Manhunters prevented mankind from realizing their true potential.  But they have never given Firestorm a reason to distrust them (indeed, he is still convinced they created him).  Captain Atom realizes he’ll need another story.

So Cap makes a colossal mistake and shares with Firestorm a story from his “early” super-hero days when he was still “working in secret.”  He tells of a time when he was called upon by his superiors to assist in a search for two career military men who had stolen a van full of top secret government equipment and fled.  Cap was ordered to bring back the equipment and kill the two deserters.  Not liking the order, yet reluctant to disobey his C.O., Cap discovered the van and realized his intel was wrong.  It was a communications van and the two men were on death’s door with radiation sickness.  They had been exposed to radiation in atomic warfare tests in the desert.  They stole the van to take their story to the public, hoping the end result would be compensation to insure the welfare of their families when they succumbed to the sickness and died.  As they explained this to Cap, the Air Force fired an air-to-ground rocket at the men.

Captain Atom intercepted the rocket.  When the smoke cleared, he, the men, and the van were nowhere to be found.  Captain Atom had moved them to a new location and allowed them to broadcast their story.  His C.O. was furious, but Cap said he would not follow orders that he felt were unjust, choosing instead to follow the dictates of his own conscience.  The two men did receive compensation and all charges against them were dropped.

Firestorm darkens and says he understands. He understands that Captain Atom is a liar.  The Manhunters had revealed to Firestorm the true story of how he became a super-hero.  He knows Cap’s story is a lie.  He leaves the sphere, leaving Cap still trapped within.  Firestorm fills the sphere with “toxic gas” and taunts Captain Atom’s attempts to blast his way out.  Old flame-top turns out to be a bit of a bad-ass in this one.  I’ve certainly learned a lesson here – don’t EFF with the Nuclear Man!

At that moment, “a thousand miles to the northeast,” Captain Atom is missing an interview on WGTV.  G. Gordon Liddy is preparing to go on in his stead, but Harry Hadley is waiting in the wings.  He thinks he will go on instead of Liddy, and plans to expose the Captain Atom Project’s “Big Lie.”  A stage hand directs him to the alleyway outside the studio when Hadley begins to light a cigarette.  Outside, he is confronted by General Eiling.

Eiling reminds Hadley that no one from the Captain Atom Project is ever to appear in public anywhere near Captain Atom.  Hadley showing up at the studio at a time when Cap is supposed to appear is tantamount to treason.  When Hadley pulls a high-tech-looking gun, a sniper takes him down.  Eiling remarks that he had suspicions about Hadley all along.

Back in the swamp, Captain Atom is paralyzed in the sphere while Firestorm chides him.  Cap keeps thinking to himself, “Damn the lie.”  He’s beating himself up for lying to Firestorm.  He should have known that the Manhunters, with all their knowledge, would have briefed Firestorm on his true background.  He doesn’t blame Firestorm for not believing him.

Cap confesses that he lied.  He admits it was wrong.  He tries to point out that the Manhunters also lied to Firestorm.  Their plans to conquer the human race are the truth.  Firestorm angrily exclaims, “The truth?  Someone who has been living a lie still dares to talk to me of truth?”  Cap responds by telling Firestorm the whole truth about his past.

Captain Atom tells Firestorm that he was a convicted murderer.  He says that he was part of a secret government project in 1968.  Yadda yadda yadda, he recounts his origin.  We all know it.  He goes on to say that he wants to clear his name and reconnect with the children he left behind.  Firestorm says, “Enough!” and dissolves the sphere.  He tells Cap he is going with his instinct and following his conscience.  He realizes he’s been duped by the Manhunters and wants to help Cap now.

Explaining the bomb the Suicide Squad placed, Cap flies off with Firestorm.  The Squad won’t be able to evacuate from the blast radius in time.  They have less than a minute to act.  Firestorm says he knows what to do.

The bomb detonates.  Captain Atom absorbs as much of the blast as he can without bumping himself into the future again.  That which he cannot absorb is transmuted by Firestorm… into snow.  He says he saw the Suicide Squad escaping to the west; all of them are safe.  The target – the Manhunter base – was decimated.

Firestorm explains that he changed his mind about Cap when he heard him talk about his kids.  His intuition told him Captain Atom was being honest.  The two walk off together with Firestorm full of questions and Captain Atom declaring, “Super-hero school is now back in session.”

Generally I don’t like issues of comics that tie in with big crossover events, but I really dug this one.  It helped that at the time I was reading Firestorm and was invested in both he and Captain Atom.  It also helped that it was a good story.  Cap’s doubt and Firestorm’s ire were compelling.  I always like it when those two butt heads.  The art is great except for one little thing.  Pat Broderick’s style of drawing children is a little weird.  Like Steve Ditko, his kids seem really cartoony.  Other than that, great great work.  A for art and A for story.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...
← Older posts

Categories

  • "The Lie"
  • Cameo
  • Captain Atom Fights Crime
  • Captain Atom in Outer Space
  • Captain Atom Loses His Powers
  • Captain Atom News
  • Captain Atom Versus Aliens
  • Captain Atom Versus Nature
  • Captain Atom Versus Super-Heroes
  • Captain Atom Versus Super-Villains
  • Captain Atom's Family
  • Captain Atom's Love Life
  • Captain Atom: Healer
  • Christmas
  • Convergence
  • Crisis (1985)
  • DC Universe Online
  • DC v Marvel
  • Earth-4
  • Educational
  • Elementals
  • Espionage
  • Extreme Justice
  • Final Crisis
  • Flashpoint
  • Futures End
  • Injustice: Gods Among Us
  • Introduction
  • Invasion
  • Justice League
  • L.A.W.
  • Millennium
  • Miscellaneous
  • Monarch
  • Nathaniel Adam's Crime
  • New 52
  • Origin Stories
  • Personal
  • Podcast
  • Rebirth
  • Sentinels of Justice
  • Silver and Gold
  • Sketches & Portraits
  • Team-Ups
  • The Multiversity
  • Throwback Thursday
  • Zero Hour

Recent Posts

  • Captain Atom #24 (January 1989) July 14, 2021
  • Captain Atom #23 (December 1988) July 7, 2021
  • Captain Atom Annual #2 (1988/1989) June 30, 2021
  • Captain Atom #22 (December 1988) March 17, 2021
  • The Fall and Rise of Captain Atom #6 (August 2017) March 10, 2021

Captain Atom on Facebook

Captain Atom on Facebook

I’m on Twitter

  • @joncoopertweets I would choose @joncoopertweets 1 week ago
  • @robreiner While I agree with the sentiment, I am distracted by the random capitalization of some of your words.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 1 week ago
  • @joncoopertweets Yes! 1 week ago
  • @TheRickWilson Never say never. I once said the American people were never stupid enough to elect Trump. 1 week ago
  • @Reading_Hix Sam's not a gamer. She won't get it. 2 weeks ago
Follow @FKAjason

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,355 other subscribers

Pages

  • About
  • Cameo Appearances
  • Captain Atom Brigade
  • Captain Atom in Who’s Who
  • Captain Atom’s Amazing Friends
  • Captain Atom’s Powers
  • Captain Atom’s Rogues
  • Captain Atom’s Secret Identity
  • Crossover Events
    • 1985 – Crisis on Infinite Earths
    • 1988 – Millennium
    • 1989 – Invasion!
    • 1989 – The Janus Directive
    • 1991 – Armageddon 2001
    • 1991 – War of the Gods
    • 1994 – Zero Hour
    • 1995 – Underworld Unleashed
    • 1996 – Final Night
    • 1997 – Genesis
    • 2004 – Identity Crisis
    • 2005 – Infinite Crisis
    • 2008 – Final Crisis
    • 2010 – Brightest Day
    • 2014 – Futures End
    • 2015 – Convergence
  • Every Appearance of Captain Atom
  • Know Your Captain Atom
    • Breach
    • Dr. Manhattan
    • Golden Age Captain Atom
  • Publication History
  • Silver & Gold Podcast
  • Supporting Cast
  • The Voice of Captain Atom

Top Posts & Pages

  • Captain Atom Brigade
  • Captain Atom's Powers
  • Dr. Manhattan
  • Golden Age Captain Atom
  • Know Your Captain Atom
  • 1991 - Armageddon 2001
  • Every Appearance of Captain Atom
  • Crossover Events
  • Captain Atom to Return in JLU?
  • Breach

Archives

  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Splitting Atoms
    • Join 36 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Splitting Atoms
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: