Captain Atom #20 (October 1988)

Tags

Blue Beetle, Bob Smith, Booster Gold, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Carrie Spiegle, Cary Bates, Dennis O'Neill, Dick Giordano, Dr. Spectro, Frank McLaughlin, Henry Yarrow, Mister Miracle, Modern Age Captain Atom, Pablo Marcos, Pat Broderick, Shelly Eiber, Starshine Stone

 

“The Silver Lie”

• Writers: Cary Bates & Greg Weisman
• Pencils: Pablo Marcos
• Inks: Frank McLaughlin
• Colors: Shelley Eiber
• Letters: Carrie Spiegle
• Cover Artists: Pat Broderick & Bob Smith
• Editor: Dennis O’Neil
• Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

When is Nate going to learn to stop relying on “the lie” to get what he wants? It blows up in his face every time! Maybe not right away, but eventually the truth comes out for sad sack Nathaniel Adam. And the lie he spins in this issue marks a turning point in his history. Things are set into motion and his future with the Justice League is at risk.

The last time we saw Captain Atom in action was in Justice League International #17. This issue opens in the JLI’s New York Embassy, and right away things look… odd. Not bad at all. Just different. That’s because (for the first time) this issue was not penciled by Pat Broderick. Pablo Marcos did a lot of pencils and inks for both DC and Marvel throughout the 1970s to the 2000s.  He did ink Blue Beetle #13 a year prior to this comic’s publication.

Mister Miracle and Booster Gold enter the monitor room just as Cap and Blue Beetle are taking off on a mission. They are puzzled by BB and Cap’s new bromance.

The mystery is solved when the pair come across a file entitled “Captain Atom Blue Beetle, The Covert Casebook.” I know, I know.  Comics.

According to the casebook, when Cap was operating in secret (which never happened), he occasionally teamed up with the previous Blue Beetle, Dan Garrett. According to the fake history, Dan tried to convince Captain Atom to go public with his super-heroing years before he actually did.

Nate flashes back to the beginning of this latest piece of The Lie. It began one day when he was stocking shelves at Mellow Yellows and Henry Yarrow came in. Yarrow was Nate’s defense attorney in 1968 when he was first put on trial. He’s been trying to find evidence to clear Nate’s name. He’s also gotten a face-lift, as he is on the run from some crime organization that wants him dead. Nate closes up the shop and takes a ride with Yarrow, knowing that doing so will anger Starshine.

Yarrow reveals that Lester Bryant, chairman of Zyco Industries, has been buying up small R and D companies. In the 60s, Bryant was one of the Generals who sat in on Nate’s court martial. According to a “deathbed confession” by a “bitter employee,” there is a codebook in a safe in Bryant’s office that incriminates him as a member of a Vietnam, drug ring. Zyco security are on to Yarrow, thinking he is a corporate spy. He can’t break into the office safe, so he gives Nate all the info he has and lets Nate decide how to proceed.

Nate decides the best way to proceed is to lie to one of his Justice League team-mates and use him to gain access to Zyco Industries.  He meets Blue Beetle in a secluded area where Beetle demands to know how Nate found out he was Ted Kord (Kord Industries was one of the companies purchased by Zyco). Beetle, who claims he and Atom never saw eye-to-eye since Cap joined the league, asks Nate why he thinks he’d help him. Nate hands him the secret casebook.

Blue Beetle reads about a time when Dr. Spectro attacked the first Blue Beetle, Dan Garrett. The Bronze Age Captain Atom came to Dan’s rescue. This story is told in flashback form throughout the book. It is enough to convince Ted, who agrees to visit Zyco.

Ted calls on Lester Bryant, who is rather portly. He visits Zyco under the pretense that he is seeking a job with the company. Bryant is all too happy to oblige, and sends Ted off with the lovely Miss Devon to take a tour of the company. As Ted flirts with Devon, mini cameras in his cufflinks are snapping pics, which Beetle and Cap pull up on the JLI computer later on.

Captain Atom spots the safe behind Bryant’s desk. He opts to listen in on Bryant’s bugged phone while Blue Beetle goes on a date with Miss Devon. Cap feels like crap for lying to Ted – not only about the “secret casebook,” but also that the airman who’s name they are trying to clear is actually Nathaniel Adam.

Back at Zyco, Bryant places a call. He tells the person on the other end that he was aware of Ted’s wrist cameras, but clearly isn’t aware of the bugged phone. The individual on the other end shares Bryant’s concern about Ted Kord and Miss Devon going on a date, and orders Bryant to have them both killed.

Out on the town, Ted pushes Devon out of the path of a speeding taxi. Before the offending cab can speed away, Captain Atom shows up and grabs the driver. Miss Devon confesses to Ted she knows a lot more than she’s let on, and tearfully offers to tell him everything.

Later, after he’s dropped Miss Devon off with the police, Blue Beetle meets up with Captain Atom at the JLI Embassy to compare notes. After dropping the would-be assassin off at a nearby police station, Cap went over the surveillance footage and discovered that Zyco’s “research submersibles” are being equipped with military-grade weapons. Miss Devon revealed to Ted that two of these prototypes were sold to major drug rings operating in the Gulf of Mexico.

In flashback land, Blue Beetle (Dan Garrett) is strung upside down in Dr. Spectro’s lair. Spectro is torturing the Beetle, hoping to learn his and Captain Atom’s secrets. But before Dan can talk, Captain Atom bursts in to the rescue.

Back in the “real world,” Cap and Beetle come upon the bad guys testing out their new submersibles on an unsuspecting cruise ship. Beetle swings down to take on the baddies while Cap provides air support. Ted’s plan is to confiscate the subs for his repo business. He shatters one of the canopies but isn’t overly concerned as that is an easy fix. He seems mostly concerned with impressing his business partner Booster Gold. Cap accidentally sinks one on the subs and apologizes to Beetle as he rescues the pilot. The second sub is also destroyed by its’ pilot.

Cap thinks Ted will be angry and this actually relieves him. He feels bad for lying to Beetle. However, back on board the JLI shuttle (with the baddies stowed away), Ted tells him he isn’t sore. After all, they have a tradition to uphold. The non-existent tradition of a Blue Beetle/Captain Atom team.

Back at the JLI embassy, Ted and Nate listen in on Lester’s office. He’s on the phone with a very upset third party. They hear and eplosion and take off for Zyco to investigate (this is where we entered this story). They arrive only to find Lester has been killed.

The fake flashback story wraps up with old Cap and old Beetle leaving Spectro’s lair and promising to always have each others’ backs. The issue closes with current Cap and current Beetle (after discovering the safe they were looking for was destroyed along with its contents) making the same promise to each other. Cap flies away feeling like a total a-hole for using Ted that way. Which he is. Honestly, did he really think Ted wouldn’t help him without the lie? I mean, they’re Justice League team-mates. Those guys always look out for each other, don’t they?

So I give Pablo and Frank and A for art. This was beautiful. I love their take on the Bronze Age Captain Atom and the Golden Age Blue Beetle. And I can’t complain about not having seen Pat Broderick’s take on Beetle, because he drew the cover. Cary and Greg get an A for story, too. I’ve always really liked this issue. It was super fun seeing Captain Atom and Blue Beetle teaming up and I will never not love these two Ditko creations.

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The L.A.W. (Living Assault Weapons) (September 1999 – February 2000)

Tags

Aquaman, Avatar, Batman, Big Barda, Bill Clinton, Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Fate, Golden Age Blue Beetle, Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), Judomaster, L.A.W. Captain Atom, Martian Manhunter, Nightshade, Orion, Peacemaker, Plastic Man, Rama Kushna, Sarge Steel, Steel, Superman, The Flash, The Question, Wonder Woman, Yves Fortè

Writer: Bob Layton
Pencils: Dick Giordano
Inks: Bob Layton
Colors: Tom Ziuko
Letters: John Workman

The L.A.W. (Living Assault Weapons) was a six-issue mini series published by DC Comics starting in September 1999 and running to February 2000. The series logo on each of the six covers spotlighted one specific member of The L.A.W., with the first issue featuring Blue Beetle. The following five issue covers featured old Charlton characters the Question, the Peacemaker, Nightshade, Judomaster and Captain Atom. The six covers, when lined up, formed one complete picture. And everybody got a new costume!

So what was the world like in September 1999? Bill Clinton was in the White House with Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street. Rescuers were still searching for survivors of the İzmit earthquake (there were just over 17,000 dead from the 7.6 magnitude quake in Turkey). Greece was hit by an earthquake and multiple aftershocks. If you had a time machine and a hankering to go to the movies, you might catch American Beauty, The Sixth Sense, or The Iron Giant. Of course, you might also see Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, or Wild Wild West, so it’s sort of a crapshoot.

The basic story of L.A.W. (Living Assault Weapons): the team was formed in response to the disappearance of the JLA after they were attacked by the Avatar (who used to be Judomaster’s sidekick “Tiger”).

After causing the Justice Leauge  to disappear along with their Watchtower, Avatar then attacks a European Space Agency launch facility. During the attack, Captain Atom shows up to stop him, but he is quickly defeated and captured by the Avatar (way to fail, Cap). The Avatar keeps Captain Atom trapped within a large crystal that contains his powers, which he needs to carry out his plan.

Nate references his wife Plastique, which I love, even if it is something of a continuity headache.

Senior Advisor of Metahuman Affairs, Sarge Steel, is asked by President Clinton to go to the Swiss Alps (where the Peacemaker Project is located). The Peacemaker Project has a wide variety of information; specifically, information regarding the Avatar and the disappearance of the JLA. As Sarge Steel is arriving, the Avatar’s Ravanans are attacking the Peacemaker Project. With the help of the new Peacemaker, Mitchell Black, they are able to defeat Avatar’s henchmen before too much of the base is destroyed.

During the fight at the Peacemaker Project, the Blue Beetle and the Question are investigating a group of Avatar’s followers. They meet up with Judomaster who was going out on his own to correct a wrong that he had committed (although the particular “wrong” is not revealed, we do learn Judomaster was sent away from Nanda Parbat by Rama Kushna). The three heroes are attacked by Avatar’s group of followers and they flee in Blue Beetle’s Bug. While fleeing, they are contacted by Sergeant Steel to come and meet him in the Swiss Alps.

When they arrive at the Peacemaker Project’s base, they discover that Nightshade is also there, recovering from a procedure that Fate had performed to remove a succubus that was inhabiting her body. She has developed new powers as a result of the procedure. She can now easily travel through shadows and use them to form a shadow cyclone as a weapon against the Avatar’s Ravanans. She is able to prevent the Ravanans from capturing French Ambassador Yves Fortè.

During a battle with Avatar and his Ravanans, Peacemaker, Blue Beetle, The Question, and Judomaster are defeated and Judomaster is taken back to Avatar’s base. While they are detained, Judomaster reveals to the group that the Avatar is actually his former sidekick, Tiger.

Nightshade is able to locate the missing JLA and the Watchtower by utilizing her new powers. She is able to free them from the stasis that the Avatar had placed them in and the JLA help her repel the attacking Ravanans. The JLA return to Earth to battle the remaining Ravanans while Peacemaker, Blue Beetle, and The Question travel into outer space to destroy the targeting system that the Avatar has in place to destroy all of the military outlets in the world. Blue Beetle successfully shuts down the system and averts a major catastrophe. Judomaster then meets with the Avatar and, knowing that he is beaten, the Avatar gives up his mission.

The L.A.W. are able to free Captain Atom and all of the members go their separate ways. (When Cap emerges from the crystal, he is wearing his “Kingdome Come” costume.) The Blue Beetle decides that he is going to take some time off from being a super-hero for a while so that he can better understand who he truly is.

The reason for the wikipediaish entry for this series and lumping it all into one entry is simple: this is a Captain Atom blog, not a Charlton Comics blog. Don’t get me wrong, I love the old Charlton books. But Captain Atom hardly figured into this series at all. There is lots of Blue Beetle action though, including a dream sequence that features the Golden Age Dan Garrett Blue Beetle.

Dick Giordano and Bob Layton’s art is superb and Bob’s story is pretty good. If this had turned into an ongoing series, I certainly would have picked it up. I give The L.A.W. (Living Assault Weapons an A.

Captain Atom next appears in JLA Showcase 80-Page Giant #1.

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

 

 

 

Captain Atom and Captain Marvel by Adamantis

Tags

Adamantis, Captain Atom, Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics), Modern Age Captain Atom

This one is just beautiful, and really was bound to happen (Cap and Captain Marvel use the same “font” in their logos).  A digital artist from the UK, Adam describes his digital art thusly: “I tend to draw a fair bit of fanart depending on my mood. At the moment my gallery has been somewhat dominated by Powergirl. I also draw other DC/Marvel/2000AD comic related images, anime or computer game fanart, my own original fantasy and sci-fi characters, and the occasional Transformer and Warhammer 40’000 image.”

This image has a story attached:

“Nathaniel Adam cursed his luck at being hurled across dimensions again, only to bump into a large green man who decided to start hammering him into the ground, matters got worse when a hammer wielding buffoon joined in. The pair were incredibly strong, but not the brightest of fighters, and with barely any provocation on his part they handily started fighting each other. This gave Nathaniel his chance to leave, which might allow him to try and find his bearings.

“When a flying woman suddenly confronted him, and instead of attacking introduced herself, a sudden sense of hope struck him that there was at least one sane superhuman native to this world…

“Carol Danvers moved promptly when the news of the Hulk was engaged in a brawl with, according to reports, the Silver Surfer. The Surfers presence on Earth always meant something was up, and when it was then reported that Thor had entered the fray she couldn’t help but sigh.

“As she approached the area she noted that the energy she was sensing didn’t correspond to the ‘power cosmic’ of the Surfer. The energy was unique to her senses, and it was moving away from the inevitable brawl between Thor and the Hulk that was now occurring thankfully away from anywhere populated. Leaving Thor and Hulk to their own devices she moved to intercept the mystery individual, to see a silver skinned man bearing a chest symbol not dissimilar to her own. Could the man be a member of the Kree?

“She opted for diplomacy, there was something about him that made her think it was worth a shot, and so she introduced herself…

“(Two underrated powerhouses of their respective Earths. Carol Danvers/Ms Marvel/Captain Marvel of MARVEL comics and Nathaniel Adam/Captain Atom of DC Comics. I admit this started as a Power Girl/Captain atom picture, but then i had the idea of having Ms Marvel instead.)”

You can find Adamantis on deviantart.com, where he’s posted a lot more Captain Atom images among other beautiful pieces.

Captain Atom #14 (April 1988)

Tags

Captain Atom, General Eiling, Jeffrey "Goz" Goslin, Margaret Eiling/Peggy Adam, Martin Lockleed, Modern Age Captain Atom, Nightshade, Ronald Reagan, The Ghost

“Down Time”

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

Well, it is just like the old Charlton days in this issue.  Captain Atom teams up with Nightshade to fight the Ghost.  This issue, cover dated April, 1988, was gracing the shelves of comic shops on January 5, 1988.  In continuity, it has only been five days since Eve Eden and Cameron Scott met at Smitty’s Bar.

In his DC apartment, Nate receives a video message from President Reagan (delivered by two Secret Servicemen).  Reagan says he’s disappointed that Adam has severed his ties with the military “so soon after the first anniversary of [his] arrival from the quantum field.”  Reagan says he’s leaving Adam’s “re-recruitment” in Eiling’s hands, but he personally asks that Captain Atom continue spying on the Justice League.

Eve enters Adam’s apartment as the two Secret Servicemen leave.  She knows who they are and why they were there.  Meanwhile, back at the Base, Eiling is briefing his men on Eve Eden’s mission to spy on Cameron Scott (a fact she has not kept from Scott/Adam).  Eve Eden (aka Nightshade) is on loan to Eiling from Amanda Waller’s Suicide Squad.

Back in DC, Nate tells Eve he has to go to California to check out some job prospects.  They begin to have an argument (he was supposed to spend the remainder of the holidays with her) when they are approached by some street toughs.  The thugs, armed with knives, make clear their intentions to take Nate and Eve’s money.  The two super hero/secret agents continue to argue as they beat the hell out of their would-be assailants.

The fight ends with the thugs unconscious and Eve and Nate going their separate ways angrily.  The whole altercation took seconds, and neither of them used super powers.

Peggy and Goz see Nate off at the airport for his California trip.  Of course, the use of the airport is just a pretense for Peggy and Goz.  After parting with them, Nate changes to Captain Atom and flies west, still fuming over Eve’s words.

Nate visits Ferris Air (sometime workplace of Green Lantern Hal Jordan), but is turned down (even though they are impressed with his résumé).  At Lockleed Aircraft, he comes across the same problem.  Martin Lockleed thinks to himself that he dare not hire Cameron Scott after a call he got from General Eiling.  He’s allowing Scott to use the simulator even though he knows if Lockleed Aircraft hires the man, they’ll lose their government contracts.

There is an explosion on the site which results in a power outage while Nate is in the simulator.  Martin tells him to sit tight and stay out of their way.  He’s concerned about some secret “stealthray.”  Nate leaves the room and transforms into Captain Atom.  He goes to Lockleed’s R&D department and finds passed-out technicians on the floor (having been tasered.  or is it tased?).  He absorbs the remaining electrical current from the taser darts and the techs come to.  They tell Cap there were two assailants who were looking for the “stealthray” prototype.

The two intruders (Teresa and Durang) are on the roof.  They are discussing their failure to obtain the stealthray for their master, “the Faceless One.”  Die-hard Captain Atom fans will remember that the “Faceless One” from Steve Ditko’s Charlton Captain Atom era was also one Alec Rois, aka The Ghost.  The two are discussing their options when they begin to be surrounded by a black fog.  Out of the fog emerges Nightshade, who punches Durang.  When Teresa takes a swing at Eve, she finds that Nightshade has become intangible.  She then becomes tangible and knocks Teresa out cold like Durang.  As the fog clears, Nightshade discovers Captain Atom has been watching her.

As the two argue over their reasons for being there and Nate’s inability to open up, the two intruders kill themselves with poison pellets in their teeth.  Martin Lockleed makes it to the rooftop and invites the two heroes to meet him in Hangar 7 at midnight so he can explain what the two dead spies were looking for.  Cap flies off without a word.  Unknown to all of them, a third spy is monitoring them from a nearby rooftop.  His name is Eil, and he returns his secret mountain base to report the goings-on to his boss, the “Faceless One.”

The Faceless One takes matters into his own hands and teleports to Lockleed Aircraft.  He reveals in his inner monologue that he created the stealthray and he feels Lockleed stole it from him.

Nightshade and Captain Atom meet up in Hangar 7 at midnight, where Nate confesses that some of the things Nightshade said to him were true (she accused him of turning his back on his duties).  Lockleed appears but is interrupted by a call from his secretary.  General Eiling is on the phone again.  Nate overhears this and is angered when he hears Lockleed’s assurances that Cameron Scott will not be hired.  Nightshade convinces him to play it cool.

Lockleed tells the heroes that a former scientist working for him, Alec Rois, was perfecting a teleportation device called “stealthray” when he fell in with a weird fringe group/religious cult.  Rois was let go by Lockleed, but believed the stealthray was his alone and not company property.  Just as Martin reveals that the stealthray is in his own pocket, the Faceless One appears and attacks (he is flying and shooting energy blasts out of his belt).

When Cap throws a quantum blast at the Faceless One, it is absorbed and thrown back (his cape reflects energy).  Martin tries to reason with the villain (who is, of course, Alec Rois).  Martin gives Rois the stealthray, but Rois isn’t satisfied and tries to impale his former boss on the spikey nosecone of a plane.  Cap melts the spike and Nightshade distracts Rois with a burst of black light.  Captain Atom takes advantage of Rois’ momentary confusion and snatches Martin Lockleed to safety.  Rois begins to teleport out.  Nightshade warns Cap that Rois still has the prototype stealthray.  Cap aims carefully and destroys it with a precise quantum blast.

The next day, Martin Lockleed is telling “Cameron Scott” that he won’t be hiring him.  Eve is waiting outside.  Nate is still bitter, but not with Lockleed.  He knows it is Eiling preventing him from getting a job.  Eve has bad news of her own.  Amanda Waller has called her in for a Suicide Squad mission.  They part ways, unsure if their romance will continue.

When I first read this in 1988, I was not entirely impressed.  I didn’t know about Charlton Comics or Cap’s history at all.  I didn’t understand why this particular character, Nightshade, was being teamed up with Captain Atom (I was unaware they were both created by Steve Ditko, as was the Ghost).  And the Ghost seemed cool, but too easily defeated.  Of course, now that I’m more familiar with Cap’s history, I love this issue.  Nightshade is back (and still in her old costume).  And Alec Rois never reached his full potential in the Charlton days.  This issue, although not a lot happened in it, is one of my favorites of the series.  It further bridges the gap between the 60s Cap and the 80s Cap.  One thing bugs me, though.  Why did the Ghost give up trying to kill Lockleed?  Sure, Cap melted the pointy end of the plane, but wouldn’t the hot molten metal do as much (if not more) damage if a person were shoved onto it?  Still, Bates, Weisman, and Broderick all brought their “A” game.

Avengers/JLA (September-December 2003)

Tags

Captain America, Captain Atom, Firestorm, Galactus, George Pérez, Green Arrow, Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), Hawkeye, Iron Man, Kurt Busiek, Modern Age Captain Atom, Photon, Plastic Man, Red Tornado, Superman, The Avengers, The Wasp, Thor, Tom Smith, Yellowjacket

from Avengers/JLA #2

Well, it was bound to happen eventually.  JLA/Avengers (alternatively Avengers/JLA) was a four-issue limited series showcasing one of the first in-continuity meetings of DC Comics’ Justice League of America and the Marvel Comics’ Avengers. The two universe’s heroes had previously met in Amalgam Comics.  The mini-series was published in the 48-page Prestige Format.  Issues #1 and #3 were published by Marvel Comics under the title JLA/Avengers while issues #2 and #4 were published by DC Comics with the title “Avengers/JLA.”

The series was written by Kurt Busiek with pencils and inks by the great George Pérez and colors by Tom Smith.

They didn’t just throw the core members of each team at each other; many “fringe” members made appearances.  Captain Atom, Firestorm, and Red Tornado, for example.  It was a fun mini-series that I’m sure delighted and angered fanboys (and fangirls) in equal measure.  I thought it was great, but did have a “what the…?” moment in issue #2 when Captain Atom was taken down by Hawkeye.

from Avengers/JLA #2

Now, I don’t have a problem with Iron Man besting Green Arrow.  It would stand to reason that Tony Stark’s tech would outdo Oliver Queen’s.  The obvious choice would have been to have Hawkeye face off with Green Arrow, but I like that Busiek didn’t always go with the obvious choice.  But Hawkeye taking down Captain Atom?  Really?  Cap does recover, though.  I mean, it was just Hawkeye.

But then he is blasted by the Wasp and Yellowjacket.  They do no lasting damage, as Cap and Firestorm are seen later on in the fight saving Green Lantern Kyle Rayner from Photon, who had absorbed the Green Lantern energy.  She blasts them with this energy.  The Wasp, by this time, has moved on to try and take down Plastic Man.

from Avengers/JLA #2

from Avengers/JLA #2

Firestorm and Captain Atom later combine their energies with Photon to try and take down Galactus.  This attempt is most likely in vain, as Galactus is a god-like figure that feeds from draining living planets of all their energy.

Captain Atom isn’t seen again until Avengers/JLA #4, where he and many other DC & Marvel heroes are fighting an army of super-villains.  Presumably he made it out alive but he isn’t seen again in this final issue.

This series was pretty awesome.  The premise of these characters getting together is flimsy, but the execution is beautiful.  George Pérez is in his element, and he gives this series a Crisis on Infinite Earths feel.  And Superman is totally badass wielding Thor’s hammer and Captain America’s shield.  I give this whole series an A for story and an A+++ for art.  Just look at that last panel.  George Pérez is a genius talent.

from Avengers/JLA #4

DC Universe: Legacies #5 (November 2010) and #10 (April 2011)

Tags

Allen Passalaqua, Blue Beetle, Brad Anderson, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Firestorm, Gary Frank, George Pérez, Jesus Saiz, Jon Sibal, Judomaster, Karl Story, L.A.W. Captain Atom, Len Wein, Modern Age Captain Atom, Nightshade, Oracle, Peacemaker, Red Tornado, Rob Leigh, Scott Koblish, The Question, Thunderbolt, Tom Chu

DC Universe: Legacies was a ten-part history of the DC Universe that spanned five generations, starting with the dawn of the Mystery Men to the modern era.  With the rebooting of the DC Universe and the advent of the New 52, it has become moot.  The Bronze Age Captain Atom and his old pals from the Sentinels of Justice (along with Judomaster, Thunderbolt, and Peacemaker) make an appearance in issue 5.  This panel was penciled by George Pérez, inked by Scott Koblish, and colored by Allen Passalaqua with text lettered by Rob Leigh.

DCU: Legacies #5

In DC Universe: Legacies #10, the Modern Age Captain Atom is seen at Sue Dibny’s funeral (his pals Red Tornado, Blue Beetle, and Firestorm are there along with many others).  This page was penciled by Jesus Saiz with inks by Karl Story and colors by Tom Chu.

DCU: Legacies #10

Later in this issue is a back-up story entitled “Snapshot: Redemption!”  Written by Len Wein with pencils by Gary Frank, inks by Jon Sibal, colors by Brad Anderson, and letters by Rob Leigh, this story is labeled “From the super-secret blog of Ted Kord, a.k.a. the Blue Beetle.”  In the telling of the history of the Blue Beetle, the rarely-seen L.A.W. Captain Atom pops up, along with Oracle, Judomaster, and Peacemaker.

DCU: Legacies #10

The DC Comics Encyclopedia (2004)

Tags

Al Vey, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Dan Jurgens, Daniel Wallace, George Pérez, Jerry Ordway, Josef Rubinstein, Ken Branch, Kevin Maguire, Marc Campos, Modern Age Captain Atom, Monarch, Phil Jiminez, Robert Greenburger, Scott Beatty

Released in 2004, this hardcover book had Who’s Who type entries for most DC characters and events.  Writing credits have been given to Scott Beatty, Robert Greenburger, Phil Jimenez, and Daniel Wallace.  Captain Atom appeared several times (the Modern Age Captain Atom primarily, but also the Bronze Age Cap and Monarch).  Hundreds of artists are credited but where in the book their work appears is not specified.  Most of the artwork, if not all of it, is recycled from previously published works.

The Modern Age Captain Atom drawing is from JLA-Z #1 by Dan Jurgens & Al Vey.  The JLI featuring the Cap is from JLA-Z #2 by Kevin Maguire & Josef Rubinstein.  The image of the Bronze Age Cap and others attacking the Anti-Monitor is from the cover of Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 by George Pérez & Jerry Ordway.  The Extreme Justice drawing is from the cover of Extreme Justice #0 by Marc Campos & Ken Branch.  I could not track down the artists behind the drawings of Monarch and the rendition of Zero Hour.

An updated and expanded version of the encyclopedia was released in 2008.

JLA Secret Files & Origins #3 (December 2000)

Tags

Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Captain Marvel (Shazam), Drew Geraci, Kevin Maguire, Modern Age Captain Atom, Mr. Miracle, Rocket Red #4, Tom McCraw

This page from JLA Secret Files & Origins #3 was penciled by Kevin Maguire and inked by Drew Geraci with colors by Tom McCraw.

The picture depicts Shazam! (aka Captain Marvel), Captain Atom, Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Rocket Red #4, Mr. Miracle, and Oberon.  Not pictured above but part of the original two-page spread are Fire, Ice, Big Barda, Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Black Canary, Dr. Light, Batman, Max Lord, Martian Manhunter, and Dr. Fate.

Captain Atom #11 (January 1988)

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.

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.

DCU Heroes Secret Files & Origins #1 (February 1999)

Tags

Blue Beetle, Bob Layton, Captain Atom, Dick Giordano, Judomaster, L.A.W. Captain Atom, Matt Brady, Nightshade, Peacemaker, Sarge Steel, The L.A.W., The Question, Tom McCraw

This Who’s Who type entry for The L.A.W. was written by Matt Brady, penciled by Dick Giordano, and inked by Bob Layton, with colors by Tom McCraw.

It lists the members of The L.A.W. (Judomaster, Captain Atom, Sarge Steel, Peacemaker, Blue Beetle, Nightshade, and the Question) as well as their individual first appearances.  Cap was rarely seen in this costume.  The text of this piece is printed below.

“When the mysterious Avatar, believed by his followers to be the reincarnation of the Hindu Destroyer God, begins a campaign of terror against the world’s space programs, Captain Atom is captured – unknowingly becoming a part of the Avatar’s master plan.  Ordered by the president to stop the crisis at all costs, Sarge Steel recruits Nightshade, Blue Beetle, and the mysterious new Peacemaker to stand against the Avatar and his forces, the Ravanans.  Coming at the crisis from different sides, Judomaster and the investigative reporter Vic Sage (secretly the faceless crimefighter known as the Question), team with Steel and the others against the Avatar and his forces.

Can these heroes, collectively known as the L.A.W. (Last American Warriors), stop the Avatar and find the missing Captain Atom before the end of the world?

From Captain Atom’s quantum powers, to Blue Beetle’s techno-wizardry, to Judomaster’s martial arts mastery, the L.A.W. wield a varied arsenal of powers and abilities.”