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Splitting Atoms

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Splitting Atoms

Tag Archives: Doctor Spectro

Silver and Gold Episode 12: At Last! The Origin of Booster Gold

06 Monday Jun 2016

Posted by FKAjason in "The Lie", Captain Atom Versus Super-Villains, Podcast, Silver and Gold

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Alan Gold, Augustin Mas, Bob Smith, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Carl Gafford, Cary Bates, Dan Jurgens, Dennis O'Neill, Doctor Spectro, Duncan Andrews, Mike DeCarlo, Modern Age Captain Atom, Nansi Hoolahan, Pat Broderick, Skeets, Superman

Like Julius Caesar in 49 BC, FKAjason and Roy “Charlemagne” Cleary cross the Rubicon with Booster Gold, Skeets, Superman, and their new pal Z. Finally, the origin of Booster Gold is revealed by Dan Jurgens, Mike DeCarlo, Nansi Hoolahan, Augustin Mas, and Alan Gold. We then turn our sights on the new Doctor Spectro trying to get a piece of Captain Atom’s lie with Cary Bates, Pat Broderick, Bob Smith, Carl Gafford, Duncan Andrews, and Dennis O’Neil. All of this and more are found in today’s reviews of Booster Gold (vol 1) #6, and Captain Atom (DC, vol 1) #6. Plus, your listener feedback!

Music
Heart of Gold – The Roy Clark Method
Channel Z – The B-52’s
Kiss – Prince
With or Without You – U2

Direct Link.

Also available on iTunes and Stitcher.

Check out our Tumblr for images from this issue.

 

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Silver and Gold Episode 10: Face Off

05 Thursday May 2016

Posted by FKAjason in Captain Atom Versus Super-Heroes, Podcast, Silver and Gold

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Augustin Mas, Bob Le Rose, Bob Smith, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Cary Bates, Dan Jurgens, Dennis O'Neill, Doctor Spectro, Dr. Spectro, Firestorm, Janice Race, Mike DeCarlo, Mister Twister, Modern Age Captain Atom, Nansi Hoolahan, Pat Broderick, The Irredeemable Shag

SNG10In this episode of Silver and Gold Podcast, Captain Atom faces off with Firestorm, the Nuclear Man! Dr. Spectro faces off with a journalist! Booster Gold faces off with a killer zamboni and the Metropolis hockey team! So many face offs we had to call in the Irredeemable Shag to help us out. We review the Booster Gold (vol 1) #5 story “Face Off” (by the creative team of Dan Jurgens, Mike DeCarlo, Nansi Hoolahan, Augustin Mas, and Janice Race) and the Captain Atom (DC, vol 1) #5 story “The Return of Dr. Spectro” (by the creative team of Cary Bates, Pat Broderick, Bob Smith, Bob Le Rose, Augustin Mas, and Dennis O’Neill).

Music
Heart of Gold – The Roy Clark Method

Purple Rain – Prince
Kiss – Prince

Batdance – Prince
Face Off – Bow Wow & Omarion

Direct Link.

Also available on iTunes and Stitcher.

Check out our Tumblr blog for images from this issue.

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Convergence: Blue Beetle #1 (June 2015)

30 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by FKAjason in Captain Atom Versus Super-Heroes, Captain Atom Versus Super-Villains, Convergence, Earth-4, Sentinels of Justice

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Chip Kidd, David McCaig, Dick Giordano, Doctor Spectro, George Pérez, Nightshade, Saida Temofonte, Scott Lobdell, The Ghost, The Madmen, The Question, Yishan Li

“Convergence”

  • Writer:  Scott Lobdell
  • Pencils & Inks:  Yishan Li
  • Colors: David McCaig
  • Letters: Saida Temofonte
  • Cover Artists:  George Perez, Dick Giordano, Chip Kidd

>>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<<

(You’ve been warned.)

This is what I’ve been waiting for.  The Bronze Age (and “original”) Captain Atom returns in this Convergence tie-in.  Cameos aside, this version of Cap hasn’t seen this much action since Americomics Special: Sentinels of Justice #1 in 1983 (yes, Cap was a prominent character in Multiversity: Pax Americana #1, but he was not sporting the white hair, red tights, and silver arms designed by Steve Ditko in 1967).  And even this Captain Atom isn’t exactly the Bronze Age Cap (but close enough).  While I thoroughly enjoyed his return to the printed page, I’m wondering why this issue was a Blue Beetle and not called something else (Sentinels of Justice, perhaps).  Blue Beetle isn’t really the focus of the book.  There’s as much Captain Atom and the Question in this as there is Blue Beetle.  But that minor complaint does not make me enjoy this issue any less.  I was happy with it from start to finish and am extremely pleased to see Captain Atom in any form.

The issue opens with WHUB News reporter Vic Sage (aka the Question) reporting on a terrorist attack on the already-besieged Hub City.  One of the many cities domed and cut off by Telos, Hub City is at the mercy of the Madmen.  The Madmen – armed to the teeth – are facing off against the National Guard (led by Captain Nathaniel Adam).

Okay, so Irritating Minutia Point #1: This version of Captain Atom’s real name is Allen Atom, not Nathaniel Adam.  But they are essentially the same dude so I’ll let that one slide.

The Madmen open fire so Captain Adam’s men retaliate in kind.  However, they’ve brought some more heavy weapons than the Madmen.

Vic sends his crew to upload the story and approaches Captain Adam in the aftermath of the destruction.  The Madmen appear to have all been killed.  Donning his Question mask, Vic says he’s not pleased with Adam’s handling of the Madmen situation, but that isn’t what he wants to talk about.  He tells Adam that Ted Kord requires his help.  The two part ways, with Adam not very thrilled at the prospect of hanging out with Ted.

Later, in the rooftop lab of Ted Kord at the top of Kord Industries headquarters, Ted’s assistant Tracy questions Ted about his latest “nothing burger” invention and his need to put a door in the roof of the building.  Captain Adam enters (with his side-arm drawn!?!?!?) and Ted accosts him at once about the attack on the Madmen.

Ted reveals his new invention may free Hub City from the dome and wants Nate’s approval to try.  Thinking back on the pile of dead Madmen, Nate says he has no objection.  Ted pulls a lever and the machine fires a pink blast at the dome.  It appears to not even scratch the surface.  Ted collapses, sure he’s failed, but Tracy tells him to take a look at Nate.

Captain Atom has returned to full power.  As the two heroes bicker over whether or not Ted should be allowed to suit up as Blue Beetle, Cap notices a bunch of swirly colors in the sky.  Figuring he knows what this means, Captain Atom flies off to investigate.

Irritating Minutia Point #2:  There is clearly a door in the ceiling of the room they’re in.  Tracy questioned Ted about it earlier and Ted shot a pink ray at the dome through it.  Why did Cap burst through a wall to exit the room?  Is he just being an ass?  I do like that Yishan Li drew the little sparkles around Cap, though.  Haven’t seen those in a while.

Above the streets of Hub City, Cap finds Dr. Spectro blasting the dome with his colorful rays.  Cap automatically (and wrongly, of course) assumes Spectro is behind the dome and demands answers.  The two are interrupted by the bizarre appearance out of thin air of a costumed individual neither of them recognize.

It is Booster Gold, who does not exist in the Hub City Earth (Earth-4 for those of you keeping score).  Cap assumes Booster is in league with Spectro and gives him an atomic blast.  Blue Beetle, now in costume, hurries to the fight and arrives just as Booster fades away.  This scene has played out before.  We saw it from Booster’s perspective in Booster Gold: Futures End #1 in November 2014.

As soon as Booster vanishes, Cap loses his powers.  He drops from the sky and Blue Beetle scrambles to catch him.  Neither of them are concerned about Dr. Spectro, who also loses his powers and drops out of the sky.  The Question appears on the rooftop with them, but neither Blue Beetle or Captain Adam are interested in what he has to say.

Thinking Hub City is falling victim to an earthquake, the three heroes jump off the roof onto Beetle’s Bug (piloted by Tracy).  The building they were on transforms into Telo, who tells them they must fight the heroes of the other captive cities.  The dome drops, resulting in Captain Atom’s powers returning again.

The dome drops and the heroes brace themselves for what comes next (in Convergence: Blue Beetle #2).  To be continued.

We are treated with a brief history of the Charlton characters of Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, and the Question.

Yishan Li is a capable artist, perhaps not my favorite but by no means bad.  I give his art an A.  Scott Lobdell, I feel, did the best he could with what he had (basically this is just setting up the big fight with the Legionnaires next issue) so I give this issue an A for writing as well.

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

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Captain Atom #16 (June 1988)

23 Thursday Oct 2014

Posted by FKAjason in Captain Atom Versus Nature, Captain Atom Versus Super-Heroes, Justice League

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Babylon, Black Canary, Blue Beetle, Bob Smith, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Cary Bates, Doctor Spectro, Dr. Megala, Duncan Andrews, General Eiling, Greg Weisman, Jeffrey "Goz" Goslin, Major Force, Margaret Eiling/Peggy Adam, Martin Allard, Mister Miracle, Modern Age Captain Atom, Pat Broderick, Red Tornado, Shelly Eiber, Starshine Stone, Swamp Thing

“The Big Blowout”

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

This issue hit the stands on March 1, 1988.  This issue featured Cap’s JLI friends and his first meeting with Red Tornado.

When this issue opens, General Eiling and Dr. Megala are looking at images of Captain Atom taking a beating from Major Force (from the last issue) and discussing whether or not Force should be reprimanded.  Dr. Megala thinks he should be, but Eiling says that since Nate quit the Air Force, he had that beating coming to him.  Megala warns that if the surveillance video of the fight ever gets out, it would be devastating to their project.  Eiling says that isn’t a concern; he is having Allard wipe the tapes.  He begins to wheel Megala out of his command room, but is intercepted by Babylon.  Allard reports that Major Force is again under control as Babylon wheels Megala away, and Megala continues to beat himself up over the mess he’s gotten Nathaniel Adam into.

Back in his apartment, Nate has made the discovery that bruises acquired in his metal exo-shell also appear on his human non-super-hero face.

Nate is upset that he couldn’t stay away from Major Force and Dr. Spectro.  Upon leaving his apartment (wearing dark sunglasses and a fedora to hide his bruises), Nate discovers an eviction notice on his apartment door.  He pawns his watch for $375.  As he walks home contemplating his bills, Nate discovers a business called “Mellow Yellows.”  The sign outside declares it an “authentic 60s nostalgia outlet,” and that they buy and sell memorabilia.

Inside Mellow Yellows, two boys are arguing about the first astronaut to go up in a Gemini capsule.  One says it was John Glenn, the other insists it was Gus Grissom.  Nate cuts in and says it was actually Alan Shepard and that the model the two are arguing over is of a Mercury capsule, not Gemini.  The owner of the business comes over and introduces herself as Starshine Stone.  Nate introduces himself as Cameron Scott and asks how much she’ll give him for an authentic JFK keyring from the 1960 presidential campaign.  She offers him $250 and then tells Nate if he can answer four more “vintage questions,” she’ll pay him double.

Of course, Nate wins the wager.  After all, it was the 1960s just a year or so ago for him.  After a little shameless flirting with Starshine, he leaves the store with his slightly-ill-gotten $500.

The story cuts to a couple of freaked-out meteorologists (probably at the National Weather Service).  They are very worried about a storm brewing off the Eastern seaboard of the United States, from the Gulf of Mexico as far north as Washington, DC.  Not only is the storm massive, but one of the meteorologists thinks it is alive.  He warns his coworker that they must notify the Governor, the National Guard, and the Justice League.

At the JLI New York Embassy, Blue Beetle is on monitor duty when the warning comes through.

Beetle assembles the Justice League.  Mister Miracle, Black Canary, and Booster Gold come running.  The hurricane is somehow “saying” that it has a duty to cleanse the Earth.  With Blue Beetle as acting leader, the JLI piles into the shuttle and heads towards the eye of the storm.  As they approach, some relief workers on the ground who are busy piling sandbags hear the “voice of the storm.”  It says, “I descend upon the Earth to rid it of the impurities which have tainted its skies for so long! For I am the elemental of the air!”  This is the first mention of elementals in the pages of Captain Atom, and it is an important theme throughout the title’s run.

On the shuttle, Black Canary recognizes the voice of the storm as that of her old team-mate Red Tornado.  She uses her sonic scream to communicate with the Red Tornado elemental/hurricane.  In response, the storm blasts the shuttle, sending its occupants flying about the cabin.  A giant cloud hand grabs the shuttle and places it on the ground outside the storm’s radius.  The JLI emerges from the ship and the face of Red Tornado appears in the clouds and addresses them.

He warns that if they try and interfere again, he will kill them.   Blue Beetle calls for backup, which means Cap’s pager goes off just as he is buzzing Peggy and Goz up to his apartment.  He leaves his friend and daughter a hastily scrawled note of apology and jumps out the window on his way to the storm in Louisiana.

The JLI has their hands full saving civilians on the ground and have just about given up hope that their backup will arrive when Captain Atom arrives on the scene.  They brief Cap on the situation and point out how dangerously close the storm is to the Langley Nuclear Reactor Plant.  Beetle doesn’t believe Cap is up to the task of fighting Red Tornado (based on the bruises on his face), but Cap ignores him and flies towards the storm.

Red Tornado knocks Cap into the Gulf of Mexico, but the hero doesn’t stay down.  He returns to the storm and begins circling it at a rapid speed.  He draws energy from the quantum field to create a counter-vortex that deflects the storm from the path of the nuclear plant.  The storm is diverted over a nearby swamp, where the battle is watched by an angry Swamp Thing.

To be continued next issue.  So we have the earth elemental, the air elemental, and Captain Atom facing off in the next issue.  It promises to be an epic battle.

This wasn’t a spectacular story.  I do like Blue Beetle’s mistrust of Captain Atom for no particular reason that is hinted at in this story, though.  I never cared much for Starshine Stone, either.  I don’t know why she bugs me.  I give it the story B-.  But Pat Broderick and Bob Smith have knocked it out of the park again. A for art.

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Booster Gold: Futures End #1 (November 2014)

24 Wednesday Sep 2014

Posted by FKAjason in Cameo, Convergence, Earth-4, Futures End

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Brett Booth, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Dan Jurgens, Doctor Spectro, John Kalisz, Mark Irwin, Moritat, Ron Frenz, Scott Hanna, Stephen Thompson, Steve Lightle, Taylor Esposito, Will Conrad

Well, this was a nice surprise.  The Bronze Age Captain Atom had a brief cameo (along with Dr. Spectro and Blue Beetle) in Booster Gold: Futures End #1.

This issue was written by Dan Jurgens (naturally) with art by Jurgens, Moritat, Will Conrad, Steve Lightle, Stephen Thompson, Mark Irwin, Ron Frenz, Scott Hanna, and Brett Booth.  Colors were by John Kalisz and the letterer was Taylor Esposito.

It was good to see Cap back in the red tights again.

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

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Captain Atom #15 (May 1988)

12 Tuesday Aug 2014

Posted by FKAjason in "The Lie", Captain Atom Versus Super-Heroes, Captain Atom Versus Super-Villains, Personal

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Bob Smith, Captain Atom, Cary Bates, Doctor Spectro, Douglas Eliot, Duncan Andrews, General Eiling, Greg Weisman, Major Force, Martin Allard, Modern Age Captain Atom, Nansi Hoolahan, Pat Broderick, Theresa Delgado

“Slugfest”

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

This issue of Captain Atom, released to the public on February 2, 1988, will always be one of my favorites.  It opens with General Eiling reading a report submitted by Nathaniel Adam detailing the events of Justice League International #11 and #12.  At the end of the report, Nate has tacked on the extremely mature phrase “Eiling bites it.”  Nate thinks to himself how dirty it makes him feel, spying on the Justice League for the government.  Eiling’s underling Douglas Eliot clearly finds Nates extra jab amusing.  Eiling clearly does not.

As a news report mentions the fact that no one has seen Major Force in public lately, Randy calls his dad to let him know he’s out of Project Majestic.  Randy explains it was Peggy’s idea for him to call.  Randy is still upset with Nate for “walking out” on the Air Force, just like he “walked out” on his family.  Nate has trouble hearing Randy and battles with the TV remote.  Randy hangs up and boards a plane as Nate angrily smashes his TV screen with the remote control.

At Eiling’s base, the General and Martin Allard are meeting with the newly-released-from-prison Tom Emory (Doctor Spectro).  He reveals that the UFO used in the Major Force fake origin was one of Emory’s toys.  Emory says he doesn’t mind, as his new government employers have sprung him from prison.  Eiling lets the ex con know he’s not entirely pleased with his Spectro persona and that Emory’s sloppy tech almost blew the whole deal.  Eiling had to transfer his stepson because Randy was close to uncovering the plot.

Eiling gives the floor to Theresa Delgado, who begins to explain how Spectro’s upcoming “battle” with Major Force is going to go down.

Tom says there’s no way he’s putting on the Spectro costume again and getting thrown back into prison.  Eiling calls in Major Force to “persuade” Emory.  The Major bursts through a wall and picks up Tom.  Force says Tom is lucky their battle is scripted because otherwise he would kill Dr. Spectro.  Tom fishes a small disk out of his pocket and flashes Force with dazzling light that knocks the Major out.

When Tom tries to walk out, Martin Allard grabs his arm and twists it behind his back.  Tom threatens to go to the police, to which Eiling counter-threats that he will have Major Force kill Dr. Spectro.

In his apartment, Nate gets a call from his new employer.  Turns out that “Cameron Scott” has some “improprieties” in his service record and the job offer is rescinded.  Nate realizes Eiling has gotten to them.  He checks his mail and reads more rejection letters as he strolls downtown (past an interesting comic book store, I might add – signs in the window exclaim “Comic Cafe featuring DC and that other company,” and “Millennium week 368 is here.”).

Nate thinks to himself that he shouldn’t have quit Eiling; he should have killed the man.  He is completely oblivious to the newspaper headlines in a nearby news-stand that reveal Dr. Spectro’s release from prison.

Two days later, Spectro is fleeing the scene of his latest crime.  He has robbed a bunch of rich snobs who were attending some sort of function in what looks like the Seattle Space Needle (This is New York City so maybe it is The View? I don’t know if it was around in 1988.).  Major Force leaps from a helicopter onto the back out Spectro’s glider and they begin to go down.  All scripted, of course.  They “crash” right in front of a lucky camera crew.  On the streets of DC, Nate catches the live broadcast on a store-front TV.

The Major forgets his lines and begins to ad-lib.  The scripted scene takes an unexpected turn when Captain Atom appears to lend a hand.

Spectro runs.  He’s not wanting to face Captain Atom again.  Cap goes after him, and Major force hops on his back to go with them.  Cap shoots Spectro down and shakes off Major Force.  Tom uses his holograms to appear as a gorilla, but Cap isn’t fooled and knocks Spectro back.

Major Force attacks Captain Atom.  Dr. Spectro thinks Force is a fool to go off script, but the Major points out there are now cameras nearby (they’re in a wooded area – Central Park?).  Tom likes the sound of this.  He uses one of his doo-dads to temporarily blind Cap.  Major Force then channels Ben Grimm and goes to town on Captain Atom, mercilessly beating his disabled opponent.  It says a lot about his character.  He knows he can’t beat Captain Atom in a fair fight and is determined to bring down his enemy any way he can.  But the only reason Cap is his “enemy” is because of the Major doing douchebag stuff like this.

The splash page of the Major beating Cap is some of Broderick and Smith’s best work, but the true hero of the page is Duncan Andrews and his addition of the word “plopffff.”

Major Force and Dr. Spectro leave Captain Atom’s unconcious body in the woods, reminding each other to give the good Captain credit for assisting in Spectro’s capture.

I liked the idea of Captain Atom trying to mess with Eiling’s party and then getting beaten for his trouble.  Very well written and drawn, I give this issue an A.  But why is it one of my favorites?  Well, the answer to that lies on the letters page with this little gem:

“TO:  Captain Cameron Scott/Captain Nathaniel Adam/Captain Atom
FROM:  Sergeant Jason *****
RE:  The Captain Atom Project
MSG:  Sir,
I have noticed over the past few comics that you’ve been taking a lot of unwanted abuse from General Eiling.  As a fellow Air Force officer, I should remind you that you have the power to simply desert the Air Force and forget about the entire Captain Atom Project.  I say this knowing how much you despise being a super-hero in general, and most of all you hate spying on the Justice League International.  You should simply get up in front of the General and retire from the Air Force.  Everyone knows you didn’t kill General Lemar anyway.  You’re too swell a guy!

Sgt. Jason X. Xxxxx”

Yeah, that was me.  No, I was never in the Air Force.  I was 15 years old.  In those days, DC would print the sender’s address along with the letter.  Some months later, I got a letter from a kid who was thinking of enlisting in the Air Force and wanted advice from me.  I should have written him back and said I was just a kid myself, but it just seemed too embarrassing for me at the time.  Also, was I naive or what?  Thinking Cap could just quit like that?  I mean, he DID quit, but not for long.

Anyway, that’s my brush with comic book fame.

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Captain Atom #6 (August 1987)

21 Saturday Sep 2013

Posted by FKAjason in "The Lie", Captain Atom Versus Super-Villains

≈ Leave a comment

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Bob Smith, Captain Atom, Carl Gafford, Cary Bates, Doctor Spectro, Duncan Andrews, General Eiling, Martin Allard, Modern Age Captain Atom, Pat Broderick, Theresa Delgado

“A Piece of the Lie”

  • Writer: Cary Bates
  • Pencils: Pat Broderick
  • Inks: Bob Smith
  • Colors: Carl Gafford
  • Letters: Duncan Andrews

The story opens with a man wearing a heavy raincoat, ridiculously large red sunglasses, and a fedora with the brim pulled down over his face walking down the street in Tampa, Florida with his hands in his pockets.  A passer-by thinks he must be a flasher, as it is too warm on a cloudless day to warrant such a getup.  A homeless man in the gutter asks the raincoated man if he can spare some change.  The fedora man removes his coat and hands it to the homeless man.  And so we get our first look at the new Doctor Spectro.

His costume is vastly different from the Silver Age Dr. Spectro.  It appears to be a black leotard with a pattern of red, yellow, and blue circles all over it.  Spectro appears to transform into a giant, red, three-headed demon.  The homeless man runs.  Two security guards who are making a payroll delivery see not a demon but a grey muscle-bound monster that bears an uncanny resemblance to a certain incredible Marvel character.  The monster snatches the bags of cash the two men were carrying.

A cab driver who is relating this story to the police (along with the homeless man and the two security guys) says he saw a giant green snake carrying the two bags of cash.  He fled, and the snake stole his cab.  A school bus narrowly misses hitting the cab, ending up on its side in the street.  All of the witnesses claim that Doctor Spectro said he was back in business.  But the police have no files on Spectro because he didn’t exist.  He was part of Captain Atom’s fake backstory.  One of the cops holds out an issue of National Penetrator (ew) with Captain Atom on the cover.

Cut to General Eiling briefing Theresa Delgado.  He reminds her (and us) of the intricacies of “The Lie” (The Captain Atom Project), which is good because this is the sixth issue and we may have forgotten all about it.  They know Dr. Spectro was made up by them, and Delgado vows to get to the bottom of who this clown is.  She thinks the appearance of Dr. Spectro lends credibility to Cap’s back story.  Eiling sees him as a potential threat – that Spectro must know Cap’s story is made up.

As Delgado leaves, Allard calls Eiling and says he has a call from someone who “claims to know the truth about Dr. Spectro.”

Meanwhile, Captain Atom is meeting sick kids in a hospital, explaining how his powers work.
It turns out these kids were on the school bus that Spectro caused to wreck.  Captain Atom clearly feels guilty, saying to a doctor that he is responsible for what happened to those kids “in more ways than you can imagine.”

Two days later, Eiling shows up in an isolated section of forest in northeast Colorado.  Alone in a Jeep, he is meeting with the mysterious caller.  He is soon joined by a holographic projection of Dr. Spectro.  He wants money from Eiling and says he’ll stop with the Spectro nonsense if the government pays up.  Besides, he says, he really doesn’t want to face Captain Atom for real.  Eiling drops the “first payment” and drives away, leaving the hologram behind.

As he is driving away, Eiling’s Jeep is picked up by Captain Atom and deposited on a mountain peak.  Cap demands answers regarding Spectro.  Eiling lies and says the whole thing was staged, and that the kids on the bus was a stupid mistake.  Cap isn’t buying it and says as much.  As he drops Eiling’s Jeep back on the road, the General is warning Captain Atom not to investigate the matter further.

Captain Atom shows up at a Florida police impound where Spectro’s getaway cab is being searched.  The car has been cleaned but the investigator found a trace of mud on the fender that has been sent to the lab for analysis.  They are able to narrow down the location of the mud to a place in north Florida called Breezy Point.

We cut to Tom Emory, laying in a bed full of cash and dreaming of beautiful women.  He is awakened by an angry, shouting Captain Atom outside of his house.  Atom warns Spectro if he doesn’t give up, their first fight will be Spectro’s last.  Spectro suits up and flies away on a flying motorbike contraption (the Rainbow Raider’s flyer).  Captain Atom chases him, and they are filmed by two documentary filmmakers who happen to be in the area.

Cap quickly realizes he’s been duped and has been chasing a hologram.  When the real Spectro emerges from the house, Atom gives chase.  Spectro tries to scare Cap with images of aliens but Captain Atom us undeterred.

The ensuing fight takes place off-panel.  Back in his office, reading the newspaper article about Spectro’s capture, Eiling is on the phone with Delgado.  He tells her that despite Cap going against orders and taking down Spectro, it has been a p.r. win for the Captain Atom Project.

In prison, various inmates begin attacking Tom Emory.  They appear to have been hired by Eiling to do so.  Tom thinks they’re the Rainbow Raider’s loyal flunkies and asks Captain Atom to help him.  As a result, Cap addresses the prisoners in the yard.  He turns up the heat, and has the whole pissed-off-eye-flare thing going on.  He tells those gathered that Emory is under his protection and hopes the inmates don’t give him a reason to come back.  Emory walks away with a smug expression and Captain Atom flies home, pissed off that he has been drawn further into “the lie.”

Nothing too special about this issue.  I liked Captain Atom visiting sick kids in the hospital.  Dr. Spectro with his illusions is a lot less threatening than the original Charlton Dr. Spectro.  I like how, despite his best efforts, Cap gets pulled further and further into the lie.  I particularly like the way Pat Broderick worked in the Incredible Hulk!  Overall a B+ book.

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Captain Atom #81 (July 1966)

05 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by FKAjason in Captain Atom Versus Super-Villains, Earth-4

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Captain Atom, Doctor Spectro, Gunner, Joe Gill, Rocke Mastroserio, Silver Age Captain Atom, Steve Ditko

“The Five Faces of Doctor Spectro”

  • Writer:  Joe Gill
  • Pencils:  Steve Ditko
  • Inks:  Rocke Mastroserio

The story opens “somewhere on the outskirts of a major city.”  Captain Adam and Gunner are sifting through the equipment left behind by Doctor Spectro.  Cap hopes to find something that will benefit man, as Spectro had been working on a new way to fight diseases before he became a side-show performer and later criminal.  After feeling the effects of Spectro’s light beams, Cap is convinced the doctor was on to something.

Meanwhile, the disembodied spirit of Doctor Spectro positions itself just right in the atmosphere and is hit by five simultaneous bolts of lighting.  The result is the birth of five mini-Spectros, each sporting a different colored costume.  They quickly learn that each one of them has a single light power.  The tiny Spectros begin collecting satellites and space junk to form a secret orbital headquarters.

Back on the surface, Captain Atom is beating down some neo-Nazis who want to rule the world.  Afterwards, while on a coffee-and-doughnut break (no kidding), Adam gets a call from his bosses.  There have been reports of “little men” raiding defense stations and stealing valuable equipment.  The little men fit Cap’s description of Doctor Spectro.  Adam puts the coffee and doughnuts down and flies back to the base to check in with Gunner.

I love the way Steve Ditko draws Captain Atom flying.  The movement of his body is very Spider-Man-esque.  Ditko has a talent for drawing people doing these fantastic things but making it look natural.

A nearby radio operator informs Cap and Gunner that the imps were spotted at the science center at Cape May.  I’m guessing this is Cape May, New Jersey.  Wherever it is, Cap wings it there in a hurry.  The mini Spectros are in a lab looking for a safe, which they find hidden within a desk.  Red Spectro heats up the door of the metal safe with his red beam after which Blue Spectro freezes it with his blue beam, making the door brittle, and it crumbles away.  They are carrying off a box marked “SECRET DANGER” when Captain Atom bursts in.

The two Spectros combine their heat and ice powers, which knocks out Cap.  They grab the box and run off.  When Cap comes to, he realizes the two Spectros were aspects of the original man.

The next night, the Green, Yellow, and Purple Spectros leave the space station on a foraging mission.  They hope to encounter Captain Atom to give him a taste of their powers.  While the other two are foraging (on a military base maybe?) the Purple Spectro stands watch at the gate.  He is approached by a little girl on crutches who mistakes him for a magical elf.  Purple Spectro pities the girl and uses his power (an  orange beam?) to heal her.  He echoes what Captain Atom said earlier about his powers being used to heal the sick.  He says he is still an enemy of mankind “because of the rest of me.”

Inside, Captain Atom shows up to take down the Green and Yellow Spectros.  They also shoot orange beams, which incapacitate the “man of molecular mastery.”

Captain Atom isn’t out for long.  He puts up a shield to protect himself from the radiation Spectro is flinging about (but, earlier issues established Cap could withstand this sort of attack… here he says that without the shield he would melt).  Yellow and Green lead Cap outside where they will outnumber him 3 to 1.

Outside, Purple Spectro is worried his cohorts will use the little girl (Kathy) as a hostage.  He leads her away to safety and then takes on Captain Atom.  His inner monologue indicates he wants to merge all the Spectros back into one with Purple in control.  He uses his beam (now blue) on Cap, which takes away the hero’s anger temporarily, making him not want to fight.  Purple Spectro escapes (presumably with Yellow and Green close behind).

Once Cap breaks the “spell” Purple Spectro put on him, he talks to Kathy.  She tells him how the dwarf cured her.  Cap realizes there is some good in Spectro, but he still has to take the evil genius down.

After taking Kathy home, Cap’s commanding officer tells him to put the Spectro case on hold.  Turns out several satellites have stopped operating and he needs Captain Atom to investigate.

Up in the space station, the Spectros have constructed a machine that should merge them back into one.  The other Spectros look forward to fighting Captain Atom once they are whole, but the Purple Spectro is hoping that his “evil side will vanish like Hyde did.”

Back on the surface, Kathy’s parents are having her checked out by a doctor.  The doctor says he has reconstructed Spectro’s machine but doesn’t know how to make it work.

In the upper atmosphere, Captain Atom comes across an unusual cloud formation.  He finds it is concealing Spectro’s space station.  The Spectros spot him before he spots them.  Yellow wants to use his heat beam (so the Spectros do each have multiple beams).  Purple convinces him to use his anger beam while Purple uses his happiness beam to confuse Cap.  When they strike, Captain Atom sees it coming and erects a screen (an emotion screen? New power!).

Cap punches Red and Yellow out.  The remaining Spectros overpower him and knock him to the ground.  Purple hits him with a sickness beam hoping Cap will pass out from the pain.  The Purple Spectro (mis-colored orange in the panel to the right) believes that once they are merged together, he can turn himself over to Cap and begin working on his theories and help people.

Captain Atom breaks free but is overpowered by the imps.  Purple Spectro manages to knock Cap out cold.  While he is out, the Spectros activate their machine and begin to merge together.  Cap awakens and tries to stop the machine by hurling a fireball at it (new power!)  The fireball actually seems to help the process and the one true Doctor Spectro is flung from the resulting explosion.

Cap turns Spectro over to the police, but it seems there is a lingering effect of the whole fiasco.  Doctor Spectro appears to have five separate personalities and doesn’t seem to realize he has been reformed into one person.

This issue also includes a short comic about UFOs and one about jiu jitsu as well as a strange editorial article entitled “The Strong Man.”  It is nice to see Captain Atom doing traditional super-hero stuff and fighting a recurring villain.  Doctor Spectro would be seen only one more time, in Crisis on Infinite Earths #10 before the character was revised in the 1987 Captain Atom series.  The art in this issue is beautiful, Ditko was a master.  The story was pretty good if hoaky in places.  Definitely an A.  I love Captain Adam relaxing over coffee and doughnuts.

This “universe” was absorbed into DC Comics’ Multiverse when the Charlton characters were purchased by DC.  This universe became Earth-4.

Note:  Throughout this review, I have used the words “dwarf” and “imp” and the like.  I realize, as a fairly well-educated 21st century man, that these terms can be offensive to little people.  I only used them in the context that this comic book from 1966 used them.  I do not condone the use of the words, which some may find offensive.  They are used to point out how preposterous comic book dialogue could be (and sometimes still is).  I am a firm believer in equal rights and suggest all Splitting Atoms readers check out the Coalition for Dwarf Advocacy, a non-profit charity formed in 2006 to advocate for the full rights and benefits of individuals with short stature (dwarfs), and their families within the public and private sectors of society.

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Captain Atom #5 (July 1987)

04 Saturday May 2013

Posted by FKAjason in "The Lie", Captain Atom Versus Super-Heroes, Captain Atom's Family

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Augustin Mas, Babylon, Bob Le Rose, Bob Smith, Captain Atom, Cary Bates, Doctor Spectro, Dr. Megala, Firestorm, General Eiling, Jeffrey "Goz" Goslin, Mabel Ryan, Margaret Eiling/Peggy Adam, Modern Age Captain Atom, Pat Broderick

“The Return of Dr. Spectro”

  • Writer: Cary Bates
  • Pencils: Pat Broderick
  • Inks: Bob Smith
  • Colors: Bob Le Rose
  • Letters: Agustin Mas

This issue opens with journalist Mabel Ryan reading an article about Captain Atom to her publisher.  It is the story of Captain Atom (in his Bronze Age costume) fighting Doctor Spectro for the final time.  Of course, the story is totally bogus because Dr. Spectro and the Bronze Age Captain Atom are fabrications created by Eiling and his cohorts.  In the article (from a magazine or book entitled “Captain Atom Tells His Story”), just as it appears Spectro is getting the best of Cap, he goes nuclear and blows up Spectro’s base.  Cap sees Spectro escape in some sort of capsule and he is never heard from again.  Mabel is trying to convince her publisher to let her go out in search of Spectro.

Mabel says to her publisher (Walter) that Captain Atom has become a hot media property, joining the ranks of “…Max Headroom, Eddie Murphy, and Crocodile Dundee.”  Oh, brother.  What horribly dated references.  Well, it was 1987.

Back at the base, Dr. Megala is explaining to Nate what we’ve all already figured out.  When he absorbs too much energy (as he did in issue 3), he will be bumped forward in time equal to the amount of energy he has absorbed (what a crappy power).  He advises Cap to exercise moderation.  Nate, meanwhile, is playing with a yo-yo.

Babylon comes in with orders for Cap from Eiling.  Nate says he is on leave still and plans to take Peggy to the carnival.  Babylon chucks the orders as Nate leaves, much to the pleasure of Dr. Megala.  Nobody likes General Eiling.

Meanwhile, at a government building in downtown Washington, DC, Mabel has gotten a friend to pull some strings and is searching through a national database.  She won’t say what she is looking for, and instructs that the program they are running be deleted when they are done.

At the carnival, Nate and Peggy are riding kiddy rides with Goz.  When Nate goes for cotton candy, Peggy confides in Goz that her dad is sort of treating her like a kid.  He gave her the yo-yo.  She says her father seems oblivious to the fact that she is only five years younger than him.  Goz tells her to give Nate time, that her dad is still adjusting to his new world and life.  It is pretty clear that Nate told Goz and Peggy about the time-jump, but probably left out the Captain Atom part.  Goz sees another Airman at the carnival (he assumes the guy is looking for Cap) and excuses himself to go talk to the man.

When Nate rejoins Peggy, he asks after Randy.  He says whenever he brings his son up, Peggy changes the subject.  She says it is nonsense and quickly changes the subject.  A barker interrupts them and suggests Nate try and win a prize for his lovely girlfriend.  This pisses Nate off, but Peggy seems slightly amused.  Ew.

Meanwhile, Goz intercepts the Airman and takes Cap’s orders, promising to deliver them (he outranks the courier).  Then Goz slips into a photo booth and uses a little spy camera to snap some pics of Cap’s orders before delivering them to Nate.  Seems sketchy.  What’s he up to?

Later, in a “small midwestern town,” Mabel comes across a man named Tom Emery at a pool hall.  I’d like to know what is going on there, but we cut back to Nate and Peggy, who are visiting Angela’s grave.  Nate says he misses his wife, and doesn’t understand why she married Eiling.  Neither do I, Nate.

Goz makes his ill-gotten photos into slides and studies them.  Nate’s orders are written in a code that hasn’t been used since before the Vietnam War.  Goz is confident he can decode the message, and then “…I’ll know for sure if my gut is right about you.”

Back in the “small midwestern town,” Mabel is sitting in a poorly-lit office with Tom Emery (he appears to be the owner of the pool hall).  She explains how she used her government connections to create a database of people who could be Dr. Spectro.  She said that the top of the list was Roy G. Bivolo, the Rainbow Raider.  However, Bivolo was in prison at the time of Captain Atom’s last battle with Dr. Spectro.

But, Mabel says, Bivolo had a lab assistant who suddenly came into money a few years back and paid off all his debts.  A lab assistant named – yup, you guessed it – Tom Emery.  Emery tells Mabel that anyone who puts on a costume is a freak and tells her to get out.

Firestorm was on the cover of this issue.  He is in this comic, isn’t he?

On her way out, Mabel mentions the $50,000 advance her publisher gave her for Tom’s story.  This piques Tom’s interest, and the two of them drive off to his house (Tom makes sure she has a cashier’s check first).  During the drive, he comes clean about Dr. Spectro; that it was Tom, using Bivolo’s old equipment.  Of course, we know this can’t be true.  Dr. Spectro was made up, wasn’t he?

Later, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, Captain Atom is on hand at the unveiling of a new plane.  There is a crowd of civilians watching, one of whom really seems to dislike Captain Atom.
Who is this brown-haired fellow who so dislikes Cap?  I would say it is Ronnie Raymond (AKA Firestorm), but Ronnie is a redhead.

Back at Tom’s place, he is showing off his equipment and telling Mabel “his story.”  He claims that he didn’t go in for goofy costumes or aliases because that just attracted attention from super-heroes.  Then he found out about a “secret” super-hero named Captain Atom.

Back at Wright-Patt, the demonstration of the “Vanquisher” goes on.  The general who is hosting the event describes the plane’s revolutionary automated guidance system, the new “Smart-A-Z-Z” (real subtle, Mr. Bates).  Just then, someone launches a heat-seeking missile at the Vanquisher.

The crowd panics.  The young man who has a hate-on for Captain Atom sees that Cap isn’t springing to action.  He decides to take matters into his own hands.
He transforms into Firestorm (pulling his cohort Martin Stein away from a delicious hoagy).  Finally, the Nuclear Man is on the scene.  Captain Atom quickly flies off after Firestorm, leaving Goz (whose presence here makes no sense and is mis-colored as a white guy) to observe “…these two are going to mix about as well as oil and lemonade.”

Cap tries words first.  Let it be known he didn’t start this.  He tells Firestorm to stand down.  Firestorm says Cap is afraid folks will see him for the “silver-plated phoney” he really is.  Stein (who is a disembodied voice in Ronnie’s head, for those who don’t know) advises Ronnie to use better manners.

Firestorm zips around Cap and flies after the plane.  Captain Atom again gets between Firestorm and the Vanquisher and tells him again to stand down.  Firestorm will have none of this and sucker-body-slams Captain Atom.

Firestorm fires some nuclear bolts at the missile (which both Ronnie and Stein think is weird for having not yet hit the plane), but Captain Atom deflects the beams and absorbs them.  Cap and Firestorm barrel head-first into each other as the missile makes contact.  Firestorm is knocked to the ground.

The missile was a dummy warhead, to demonstrate the plane’s maneuverability.  The Vanquisher lands safe and sound.  Captain Atom advises Firestorm to better assess the situation in future conflicts.  And, yeah, Ronnie’s a bit of a hot-head (pun intended), but how was he supposed to know it was a demonstration?  Go easy on the guy, Cap.
You too, Professor Stein.

In the crowd below, watching as Firestorm and Captain Atom fly off their separate ways, Goz gets a look at Cap with his binoculars.  He thinks, “Funny thing about that silver skin and those glowing eyes, ol’ buddy… together they do a great job of keeping your secret from just about everybody.  Almost everybody.”  So that’s what Goz’s gut is telling him; that Nate is Captain Atom.  Oh, and Goz is black again.

Back at Tom’s place, Mabel says she’s convinced that Tom is Dr. Spectro.  She gives him the cashier’s check and then uses Tom’s phone to call one of her associates, Sissy, back in Washington.  Sissy tells Mabel she’s stumbled upon a big story: Captain Atom’s entire origin story is a fake.  Sissy gets cut off (rather ominous) and Mabel dials another number.  She tells Tom she’s calling her publisher to stop payment on his check.

Tom admits he made everything up.  Then he uses one of Bivolo’s machines to incinerate Mabel.  He says that maybe the whole Dr. Spectro thing was made up, but he’s decided that he will be the new Dr. Spectro.

I expected better from Captain Atom’s first interaction with another super-hero.  I wanted more fighting.  Or talking.  Or anything, really.  After putting Firestorm on the cover, he doesn’t show up until halfway through the book.  But I liked the Dr. Spectro stuff in the beginning, from Cap’s fake past.  And I like Tom Emery (so far).  I’m very pleased that Cary Bates worked the Bronze Age villain into the Modern Age mythos.  The Tom/Mabel and Peggy/Nate stuff were this issue’s saving graces.  It earns the book a B for story.  A for art again.  I’m really digging Pat Broderick’s style, although I’m not crazy about Tom’s weird Harry Potter glasses.  I had a few complaints about the colors, but nothing major.  Overall, this is a B+ book in my opinion.

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Captain Atom #79 (February 1966)

02 Tuesday Apr 2013

Posted by FKAjason in Captain Atom Versus Super-Villains, Earth-4, Espionage

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Captain Atom, Doctor Spectro, Gunner, Joe Gill, Jon D'Agostino, Pat Masulli, Rocke Mastroserio, Silver Age Captain Atom, Steve Ditko

“Captain Atom Faces Doctor Spectro: Master of Moods”

  • Writer: Joe Gill
  • Pencils: Steve Ditko
  • Inks: Rocke Mastroserio
  • Letterer: Jon D’Agostino

This issue marks the beginning of some major changes for Captain Atom.  Over the span of issues 79-84, he becomes more of a traditional superhero.  Spectro is Captain Atom’s first “real” supervillain.  The character resurfaces and is even included in the 1980s reboot by DC.  Over the next five issues of the series, Cap will start fighting supervillains, he’ll begin doing so openly instead of being a secret government agent, he’ll begin working with other superheroes, and in issue 84 he gets a major costume change.  But all these changes begin here in issue #79 with Doctor Spectro.

Now it wouldn’t be a 1960s Charlton book without at least one thing thrown in there to confuse me.  In the box on the first page that credits the creative team, the first line is “created by Pat Masulli.”  It only confused me for a second because I quickly realized it was Dr. Spectro that Pat Masulli created and not our dear Captain Atom (a Ditko/Gill joint).  Pat Masulli was the executive editor of Charlton at the time, and was an accomplished artist himself.  He was the creator of Sarge Steel (although sometimes that credit is given to the great Dick Giordano, who did work on the series with none other than Joe Gill – who himself spun quite a few plates at Charlton in the sixties), as well as Son of Vulcan.  Masulli retired from comics (or withdrew from comics depending on who is telling the story) in 1967.  He died in 1998 at the age of 67.

This story begins with some thugs knocking over an Air Force transport truck loaded with “highly classified and expensive equipment.”  Through some heavy-handed exposition, we learn they are working for a fellow called “Rodent.”  At the same time, “many miles away,” Captain Atom bursts into Rodent’s lair.  His thugs recognize Cap, so I’m guessing Gill and Ditko have decided at this point Captain Atom is no longer working in secret.  Rodent has elaborate traps set for Cap, but they prove no challenge for our hero.

Cap declares, “I’m going to smash you and your racket, Rodent.”  Oy, the dialogue… like something from the Adam West Batman TV series (which premiered the month before this issue hit the stands, by the way).  Rodent starts burning his records while his henchmen keep Captain Atom busy.  They don’t keep him busy for long, and Cap manages to grab a document while knocking out Rodent.  It is a list of gangs Rodent works with – only one name on the list is obscured.  Atom uses his belt radio (new – er – gadget?) to pass the info to Washington.

Captain Atom is informed of the truck hijacking, and that two of the names on the list are people who are in Cap’s area.  He is told to go undercover and track them down.

Days later, Captain Adam is at a local circus.  He is supposed to meet Gunner there to exchange information (so Goslin is now in the spy business with Cap).  The meet-up is to take place at Dr. Spectro’s side-show.  While Cap is waiting, the show begins.  Billing himself as “Master of Moods,” Spectro claims to have control over light and color, which can alter moods.  Cap is impressed, but another patron is not – he heckles Spectro.

Now, I have to point out that on page 5, Captain Adam is in his civilian clothes in one panel, then inexplicably in his Air Force uniform in the next one.  cap.atom.79.1

The heckler sends Spectro into a flashback, where he recalls “the authorities” scoffing at his belief that he could cure the sick with color.  He was fired from wherever he worked, but didn’t give up on his work.  Every time he presented his idea to others, he was openly mocked.  So he became a circus performer so he could continue his experiments and test his theories on people.  And Spectro was right.  When he blasted the crowd with a red ray, everyone (including Adam) become depressed.

Spectro uses a blue ray on the heckler, who is overcome with fear and runs off.  Captain Adam is alarmed and decides he needs to talk to Spectro after the show.  What he doesn’t realize is that the gang leader whose name was burned off the list is also in the audience.  He wants to use Dr. Spectro to cause a distraction in town while he knocks over a local bank.

Adam meets up with Gunner, who has no new info.  Meanwhile, the gang leader is trying to get Spectro to go along with his “joke.”  Spectro says he’s fed up with jokes so the gang leader socks him in the jaw.  Dr. Spectro falls backward into his light and color machine and he absorbs all the refracted energy.  The resulting power he now has twists his mind and he vows to teach everyone who ever mocked him a lesson.  He blasts the gang leader and his henchmen with a green ray that makes them feel sick.  They run off.

Gunner catches a smoke while Adam goes to speak with Spectro.  The crooks pass him, blabbing about their upcoming bank robbery.  They realize Gunner has overheard them, so they pull a gun on him.  Meanwhile, Adam is trying to convince Spectro to use his discoveries to benefit mankind.  Spectro says he’s already tried that and was laughed at.  He blasts Adam with the green ray and Adam rabbits out of his tent.

Gunner, who had been knocked out by the crooks, comes to in a storage room behind an iron door.  He uses a secret radio hidden in his dogtags to contact Adam.  As Captain Atom, he homes in on the signal and rips open the iron door.  Cap quickly realizes these are the jokers who hijacked the Air Force truck.  Gunner clues Cap in on the bank job.

Cap catches up with the crooks at the banks, where they are hard at work on the vault.  He uses his heat blast to make one of the hood’s guns sizzling hot.  But the boss criminal (and they really call him the “boss criminal”) refuses to give up.  He flings sand from an ashtray at Cap, which momentarily blinds him.  It doesn’t slow Captain Atom down, who takes out the goons and gives the boss criminal an atomic punch.

Just as the cops arrive to mop things up, Doctor Spectro makes his move.  Out in the street, he’s shooting colors left and right.  People run away in terror, and even Captain Atom and the cops succumb to the fear ray’s power.  Captain Atom generates tremendous body heat which deflects the fear ray’s power.

Doctor Spectro converts all his light and color into pure power rays, knocking Captain Atom back.  He then uses blue light to cause the bystanders to hate Cap.  Realizing the crowd in being manipulated, Cap leaps beyond their reach and creates an atomic fireball in his hand.  He flings the ball at Spectro, who absorbs the power, and stores it so he can use it for himself.

Spectro blasts Atom with Cap’s own power, knocking Captain Atom to the ground.  But Spectro’s second blast misses Captain Atom, and Cap gest a punch in. Spectro punches back (Captain Atom remarks, “He’s got a wallop too!”).  Dr. Spectro’s color ray blasts Captain Atom off his feet, but he suffers no real ill effects.  It basically comes down to Atom and Spectro trading blows.
cap.atom.79.2

Spectro blasts a nearby car’s gas tank.  The car explodes, and Spectro absorbs the power of the explosion.  He hits Captain Atom with a a ray “more brilliant that the sun, with more power than an atomic blast.”  With a “last desperate lunge,” Atom smashes Spectro into nearby power lines.  Spectro begins to absorb the energy of the power lines.  Cap tries to cut off the power before Spectro can take in more than he can control.

cap.atom.79.3Supercharged with “more energy than any man had ever held before,” Dr. Spectro hurtles after Captain Atom.  Spectro continues to blast Atom, eventually burning out like a light bulb that has received too much voltage.  Doctor Spectro simply fades away.  When the police ask what became of the evil doctor, Cap says he feels Spectro is still up there somewhere.

Overall, I really liked this issue.  It is obvious they are taking Captain Atom in a new direction.  This is Joe Gill and Steve Ditko at their best (so far).  Captain Atom #79 is definitely an A.  Venturing close to A+ (the ham-handed exposition in the first few panels bring it down).

This “universe” was absorbed into DC Comics’ Multiverse when the Charlton characters were purchased by DC.  This universe became Earth-4.

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  • 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

  • Dr. Manhattan
  • Know Your Captain Atom
  • Every Appearance of Captain Atom
  • Captain Atom's Rogues

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