Captain Atom #23 (December 1988)

Tags

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

“Prey for the Dead”

Written by Cary Bates & Greg Weisman

Pencils by Pat Broderick

Inks by Romeo Tanghal

Colors by Shelley Eiber

Letters by Carrie Spiegle

Assistant Editor: Dan Raspler

Editor: Denny O’Neil

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Original Captain Atom Artwork by Adamantis

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Adamantis, Batman, Blue Beetle, Bombshell, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Elongated Man, Hawkgirl, Hawkman, Ice, Ironfire, Lobo, Major Force, Maxima, Modern Age Captain Atom, New 52 Captain Atom, Oberon, Power Girl, Rocket Red, Silver Shield, Supergirl, Superman, The Ghost, Waverider, Wonder Woman

I recently posted one of adamantis’ pieces here on this blog.  It was a Captain Aom/Captain Marvel team-up of sorts.  Upon exploring his deviantart page, I found a whole slew of great Captain Atom pieces.  This guy really has a great eye and imagination.  Honestly, I’d be pleased if he was tapped to be the artist on a new Captain Atom series (if that were ever a thing).  If you haven’t already, you should really check out his art.

Convergence – Power Couples

Filling In – Power Girl and Captain Atom (as Wonder Woman and Superman)

Power Girl and Captain Atom – Another Time

Threes a Crowd – Power Girl, Captain Atom, and Maxima

Power Girl and some other people…

Captain Atom and Power Girl – Don’t I Know You?

Justice League International – Celebration

Clearly, Adamantis loves the Captain Atom/Power Girl couple.  There’s so much more than this on his page. You’ve got to see it!

This last one is my absolute favorite:

Convergence: Blue Beetle #1 (June 2015)

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.)

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.

Charlton Bullseye #7 (May 1982)

Tags

Benjamin Smith, Bill Black, Captain Atom, Charlton Bullseye Captain Atom, Claw, Dan Reed, Green Lantern (Tomar-Re), Janet Rogers, Krog, Mathew Hopkins, Nightshade, Stone, Talnor, The Ghost, Wendy Fiore

“The Games of Ragnath”

• Writers:  Dan Reed and Benjamin Smith
• Pencils: Dan Reed
• Inks: Dan Reed
• Colors: Wendy Fiore
• Letters: Mathew Hopkins

This is not the same Charlton Bullseye fanzine series that Captain Atom appeared in before.  This series was actually published by Charlton Comics and was in color.  This issue is the only appearance of this particular version of Captain Atom.

Charlton Bullseye was a short-lived Charlton Comics showcase comic book series published from June 1981 through December 1982.  It featured several new stories using Charlton’s action heroes before they were sold to DC Comics in 1983.  Several other unpublished stories for the title were published by AC Comics.  This version of Captain Atom, who hadn’t seen publication since 1975, featured Ditko’s original Silver Age costume, a new secret identity, and a new origin story.

So, to set the stage, what was the world like in May of 1982?  On May 1, 1982, a crowd of over 100,000 attended the first day of the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee, which was kicked off with an address by U.S. President Ronald Reagan.  On May 5, a Unabomber bomb exploded in the computer science department at Vanderbilt University and secretary Janet Smith was injured.  The Falklands War raged on.  And on May 30,  Cal Ripken, Jr. played the first of what eventually became his record-breaking streak of 2,632 consecutive Major League Baseball games.

This story begins with a retelling of Captain Atom’s origin.  But, it is a slightly different origin than the one presented by Steve Ditko and Joe Gill in Space Adventures #33 twenty-two years earlier.  What we have here is a brand new Captain Atom.  In the early 1960s, NASA launched a rocket bound for “the fringes of space.”  Trapped aboard was Captain John Adam.  The plutonium engines overloaded and bathed the helpless Captain in deadly neutron radiation.  The rocket exploded but this did not kill John Adam.  It only served to aid his transformation into a powerful being that would come to be known as Captain Atom. The origin is similar to the original.

Gone is the partially metal skin.  Back in his Silver Age costume and renamed “John” Adam, he is now a Colonel in the Air Force and has been fighting space baddies for twenty years at least (presuming this story takes place in 1982).

In downtown Miami, Colonel Adam and his fiance Janet Rogers are preparing for their wedding (to take place in two days) and honeymoon.  They are stopped on the street by an Airman who has a message for Adam.  He is to meet up with his C.O. as soon as possible.  Upset that he would be bothered while on leave, the Colonel vows to Janet that he’ll be as quick as possible and races away.  Once he is gone, the Airman turns to Janet and knocks her out with a special gas.

Ducking into a nearby alley, out of sight, Colonel Adam transforms into Captain Atom (So John gets promoted but Atom has to remain a Captain.  I wonder if he is paid a Captain’s salary or a Colonel’s.  Oh, who am I kidding?  It is the United States!  Of course he is paid a Captain’s salary!).

2.703 seconds later (how’s that for precision?), Captain Atom arrives at Cape Canaveral.  He approaches the General (the General is never named, but let’s call him General Eiling for the hell of it), surprised to see many other Airmen around.  As soon as he touches down, the General and his men open fire on Cap with futuristic ray guns.  Captain Atom is knocked out, and the men drag him to a lift that takes them to an underground installation.

The General delivers Captain Atom to a green-skinned alien identified as “Talnor.”  Talnor zaps Captain Atom with energy from his hand, going on about how Cap is a slave and will represent him in “the games.”  Captain Atom awakens and says he isn’t anyone’s slave and isn’t going to take part in any games.  Talnor projects an image of Jan, saying she will only remain safe if Atom doesn’t resist his commands.  Predictably, Cap tells Talnor to do with him what he will, but to release his fiance immediately.  The alien says he will not be commanded by his slave, saying he made a fair trade with the General; Captain Atom in exchange for high tech weapons.  The General says Atom is government property and therefore he can be sold.  This seriously angers Captain Atom, who tells the General he just made the biggest mistake of his life.  Talnor teleports himself and Cap away.  One of the soldiers asks the General if they did the right thing, and the General makes it clear he feels the world is better off with one less super-hero.

Talnor and Cap reappear 2,500 million light years away, having traveled at the speed of light, on a stage surrounded by aliens on the planet Ragnath.  The Gamemasters of Ragnath are hopeful that Captain Atom will provide him with entertainment.  Cap wonders if his abilities mean nothing to them.  They read his thoughts and think he is arrogant.  They decide to test him and summon forth a “beast-man” named Krog (another slave).

Cap throws Krog aside, saying if he fights anyone he’s fighting the Gamemasters.  Loyal to his masters, Krog leaps forward again but Cap kicks him in the face.  Talnor teleports or vaporizes Krog, thanking Captain Atom for the demonstration of his abilities. Captain Atom is supremely pissed off, wanting to know what gives Talnor and his people the right to make other creatures fight to amuse them.   Talnor says their power gives them the right and they enjoy the pain and suffering.  Cap calls them sick.  Talnor says it is their right as immortals.  The logic escapes me.  To prove their power, the Gamemasters teleport Jan in, whom they have dressed in an alien dress.  She looks like Dale Arden from the Flash Gordon movie, only wearing blue instead of red.  Captain Atom promises Jan that he will get her out of this, but has no idea how.

Talnor teleports them to the arena, which appears to be on a desolate moon or asteroid.  His opponents are to be Earthmen who have trained for ten years who have no desire except to see Captain Atom’s “cracked bones bleached by our sun.”  But if these men are from Earth, they’ve been surgically altered.  They are three men, two of them enormous; one very musclebound and the other quite flabby with a big metal right arm.  The third man…

Well.

The third man is a chicken.

Weird, yes.  But not without a precedent.  Twenty-one years prior to this issue, DC Comics introduced Green Lantern Tomar-Re.  He was a space-cop chicken-man.  So I guess it takes all kinds in the universal melting pot.

Space Chicken Man

Cap puts Jan behind him as the fat one, Claw, approaches.  Moving faster than Captain Atom can see, Claw grabs Cap in his metal hand.  Claw also has a life-draining power, which he uses on Cap and begins to drain his atomic power away.

Green Lantern Tomar-Re

Captain Atom, his power draining and his costume ripped in places, builds up his atomic energy and overloads Claw.  Claw instantly weakens and passes out, loosening his grip on Captain Atom.  But, while Cap was focused on Claw, Space Chicken Man grabbed Jan and began to fly away with her.  Cap gives chase, flinging atomic fireballs at Space Chicken Man.  Space Chicken Man throws Jan back towards the surface of the planetoid from a great height.

The Gamemasters, watching all this from a distance, increase their bets.

Captain Atom races after Jan, scooping her up inches from hitting the hard ground.  He momentarily thinks she does not deserve this; having her life endangered just because she is a friend to Captain Atom.  He gently sets her inert body down – she has fainted.

Space Chicken Man and Muscle Head approach Captain Atom, who vows that even if they kill him, he’ll see to it they never lay a hand on Jan again.  He dodges Muscle Head’s attack and then kicks Space Chicken Man in the beak.  Muscle Head demands that Cap face him, but Cap finds he can barely remain upright.  As Captain Atom tries to pummel Muscle Head, Space Chicken Man calls out to his comrade (calling him “Stone”), saying something is wrong.

Space Chicken Man collapses, as does Stone (but not before Cap nearly breaks his hand on Stone’s bicep).  Talnor reappears, congratulating Captain Atom on his victory.  Cap is confused, saying he did nothing.  Talnor says it doesn’t matter; that Cap is his most honored slave thanks to the unexpected victory.  He zaps himself and Cap back to the stage on Ragnath.

As he is addressing Captain Atom, the king of Ragnath also keels over, followed by Talnor and several Gamemasters in the audience.  That is when Captain Atom realizes (as his strength returns), that they are all being sickened by his own radiation.  It is leaking through the rips in is costume (like the Silver Age Captain Atom, the costume serves as a radiation shield).  Cap increases his output and announces to his captors that he is the reason they are sick.  He tells them he is a free man and that the Gamemasters will all die if they don’t follow his instructions.  The king quickly agrees.

Captain Atom demands that he and Jan be returned to Earth, and that the Gamemasters never bother Earth again.  The king agrees, but as Cap doesn’t trust Talnor, he creates a radiation belt around Ragnath that will limit their powers for a thousand years.  It takes the combined strength of all the Gamemasters to send Cap and Jan home, much to Talnor’s chagrin.

They reappear in a city park.  Captain Atom quickly leaves Janet, to do “something I should have done a long time ago.”  He dons a new Captain Atom uniform and flies to Cape Canaveral.  Bursting into the General’s office, he throws his Air Force uniform at his desk.  He says he is no longer Air Force property.  Cap tells the General he is not turning his back on his country but will not answer to the government.  The final panel has the caption “The Beginning.”  But it isn’t.  Captain Atom would not see publication again until the next year, and this version of Captain Atom was only seen this one time.

Dan Reed did a great job on the artwork of this issue.  Cap is more ripped than he’s ever been.  It isn’t my favorite look for the hero, but also isn’t bad.  It is nice to see the old Silver Age costume again (he even leaves sparkles in his wake like the Ditko Cap).  A solid A.  The story wasn’t spectacular, but by no means bad. It is clearly setting up new adventures for Cap that just never came.  We’ve seen heroes forced to fight many times, across all forms of entertainment media, but the way Captain Atom actually defeated his opponents was unique (and dumb luck).  I really liked Space Chicken Man, Rock, and Claw, but would’ve loved a little back story on them. I’d love to know where Colonel John Adam was going next. I give the story a B+.

There is also a back-up story in this issue called “You Look Like You’ve Seen a Ghost” in which Nightshade battles the Ghost.  Credited as writer and illustrator is Bill Black.  The Ghost is again referred to as Alec Nois (as he was when he first appeared), but by the end of the story he is Alec Rois again.

The Charlton “universe” was absorbed into DC Comics’ Multiverse when the Charlton characters were purchased by DC.  Because of the change of costume, rank, and name, I do not consider this the Silver or Bronze Age “Charlton” Captain Atom. Although most likely intended to be the Earth-4 Cap we know, the Charlton Bullseye Captain Atom is a separate character.

Charlton Bullseye #2 (1975)

Tags

Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, David Kaler, E-Man, Joe Staton, John Byrne, Nightshade, Roger Stern, Steve Ditko, Sunurians, The Ghost

“Two Against Sunuria”

• Writer:  Roger Stern (also credited as “Guiding Light” is Dave Kaler)
• Pencils: Steve Ditko
• Inks:  John Byrne
• Letters:  John Byrne
• Cover Artist: Joe Staton

I did a minimal amount of research and learned (thanks to Mike’s Amazing World of Comics) that – although Charlton Bullseye #1 and #2 both carry the vague cover date of “1975,” the first issue was on sale December 1, 1974.  The second issue – which included the conclusion of the previous issue’s Captain Atom story – went on sale May 1, 1975, two months after Captain Atom’s 15th birthday.  This is the last Steve Ditko Captain Atom work that I am aware of.

Picking up right where Charlton Bullseye #1 left off, Nightshade has just awoken to find herself and Captain Atom in unfamiliar surroundings.  Cap explains that they were teleported to Sunuria when Nightshade was unconscious.  The Ghost, leader of the Sunurians and so-called “Faceless One,” is attacking Cap and Nightshade while this explanation is going on.  The Sunurian High Priestess is watching the battle, wary of the Ghost’s motives and methods.  The Sunurians halt the attack and declare that the Ghost is to fight Cap one-on-one.

Captain Atom and the Ghost agree to this, and face off against each other on a raised platform armed only with swords.  Both of their powers have been negated to ensure a fair fight.  The gravity is also disabled as the combat commences.  Cap thinks he and the Ghost are evenly matched, and refers to the Ghost as “Rois.”  We were never treated with a scene in which Captain Atom learns the Ghost is actually his friend Alec Rois.  As a matter of fact, in the Ghost’s last appearance, neither Allen Adam nor Eve Eden had any idea the Ghost was their friend Alec.  The revelation must have happened in the eight years that lapsed from when the Sunurians sent the Ghost to fetch Captain Atom to the time when he actually teleported Cap to Sunuria.  Or it was a mistake on the writers’ part.

The Ghost disarms Captain Atom, sending his sword flying.  From his shoulder, Cap whips off the Sunurian electro-thread they are both also armed with.  He isn’t clear on how to use it, but did see the weapon used by Punch in Captain Atom #85, and did wield them briefly against Punch and Jewelee.  Cap disarms the Ghost with the thread, and the Ghost whips out his own electro-thread.  Watching below, the High Priestess whispers to Nightshade that she wants to help the heroes.  She leads Nightshade away, and the darling of darkness easily dispatches the guard blocking their path.

Captain Atom disarms the Ghost again and throws his own electro-thread away.  He begins to pummel the Ghost.  The Ghost kicks Captain Atom into a nuclear furnace, which should kill the powerless hero.  But the High Priestess and Nightshade have made into the control center and deactivated the dampening field around Cap.  Nightshade hurries back to the arena as Captain Atom goes critical.

The Ghost has vanished, most likely buried under the rubble that was the arena.  Nightshade leads Captain Atom back to the control center, where the High Priestess warns them never to return before teleporting them home.  After they are gone, she destroys everything around her, saying that she and the Sunurians are “going to meet the Faceless One.”  Back on Earth, Captain Atom carries Nightshade off into the night.

And so ends this story.  The Ghost appears to be dead (but he isn’t; he returns to fight Nightshade in Charlton Bullseye #7).  The Sunurian civilization is destroyed, and Captain Atom has a date with Nightshade.  Overall, a pretty good issue.  Again, I give the Ditko/Byrne art team an A+ and Roger Stern’s writing an A.  There is also a Steve Ditko E-Man story entitled “Moonshift” in this issue, as evidenced on the cover.  Sadly, it would be seven more years before we see Captain Atom again.

*

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

Charlton Bullseye #1 (1975)

Tags

Balor the Barbarian, Barb Weaver, Blue Beetle, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Charlton Bullseye, CPL Gang, Damara of Arcadia, David Kaler, Gunner, John Byrne, Jon G. Michels, Nicola Cuti, Nightshade, ROC-2000, Roger Stern, Steve Ditko, Sunurians, The Ghost

“Showdown in Sunuria”

• Writer: Jon G. Michels (also credited as “Soul & Inspiration” is Dave Kaler)
• Pencils: Steve Ditko
• Inks: John Byrne
• Letters: John Byrne & Barb Weaver

At the close of the 1960s, Charlton’s superhero titles (including Captain Atom) had been cancelled, and licensed properties had become the company’s bread and butter; publishing comics featuring popular cartoon characters such as The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Top Cat, luring several such titles away from Gold Key Comics. Charlton also published Bullwinkle and Rocky, based on Jay Ward Productions’ Rocky and His Friends/The Bullwinkle Show.

Charton Bullseye was a fanzine published from 1975-76 by the CPL Gang highlighting Charlton Comics. It was a large format publication, with color covers on card stock and black & white interiors (although the first issue was black and white throughout). Charlton Bullseye published several previously unpublished Charlton superhero and adventure stories, along with articles on Charlton comics, news, reviews, pinups, and more.

The CPL Gang was a group of comics fans who published the fanzine Contemporary Pictorial Literature (CPL) in the mid-1970s. Founded by Roger Stern and Bob Layton, the CPL Gang included Roger Slifer, Duffy Vohland, and the young John Byrne, all of whom themselves became comics professionals by the tail-end of the 1970s.

CPL rapidly became a popular fan publication, and led to the CPL Gang forming an alliance with Charlton. They first got permission to publish a one-shot called Charlton Portfolio (actually CPL#9/10) in 1974 which included the unpublished sixth issue of Blue Beetle.

During the mid-1970s, both Marvel and DC were publishing in-house fan-zines publications, and Charlton wished to make a return to the superhero market, as well as establish a fan presence. The positive response to Charlton Portfolio led to the CPL Gang getting approval to publish a Charlton-focused fanzine, Charlton Bullseye. This in turn led to Charlton giving Layton and Stern access to unpublished material from their vaults by  Steve Ditko and many others. Much of this material made it into the five issues of Charlton Bullseye, including the continuation of the story dropped after Captain Atom #89.

When this comic was published, the United States was embroiled in the Watergate scandal.  The Rocky Horror Show opened on Broadway in March.  April brought us the Fall of Saigon and an end to the Vietnam War.  And the first Monster Truck, Bigfoot, was created by Bob Chandler (truly a great American milestone).

This is and the story in Charlton Bullseye #2 are the two last published Captain Atom stories drawn by Steve Ditko, the Captain’s creator, and the character had been absent from the spinner racks for eight years.  Before the story, we are treated with a quick refresher on the main players.

This is the first time the Ghost’s captors are referred to as “Sunurians” in print.  Also notable, Captain Adam’s name has changed from Allen Adam to N. Christopher Adam.  It isn’t indicated what the “N” stands for, although the Modern Age Captain Adam’s first name is established as “Nathaniel.”

In the mysterious land of the Sunurians (Sunuria?), the Ghost is pleading his case with the ruling council.  He wants to teleport Captain Atom to them because he has spent the past eight years idle and wants revenge.  This seems to contradict the ending of Captain Atom #89 in which the Sunurians were about to send the Ghost out to bring Cap to them.  Why did they decide to wait so long?

The High Priestess addresses the council and the Ghost.  She says if he fails in his attempt to defeat Captain Atom, it could mean his own doom.

Meanwhile, in New York, Captain Atom and Nightshade are fighting a giant robot.  As Nightshade goes after it in her gliding Nightshademobile, Cap enters the robot by becoming intangible and confronts the baddies inside who are operating it.  They draw weapons but lose sight of Cap when he bends light rays to become invisible (New power?  Invisibility isn’t new, but he’s never mentioned “bending light rays” before.).

Captain Atom throws the surrounding thugs around as Nightshade boards the robot.  She uses a “black light beam” to blind a goon.  As another thug reaches for the self-destruct button, Cap throws an atomic fireball at him.  No longer under the control of the men onboard, the robot pitches forward.  Nightshade hits her head and blacks out.  As Cap is radioing Gunner for emergency medical help, he and Nightshade vanish.

They reappear in Sunuria, surrounded by the Ghost and a few Sunurians.  Captain Atom runs away, leaving the unconscious Nightshade behind (bad form, Captain).  The Sunurians tell the Ghost that he must tend to the injured Nightshade before pursuing Captain Atom; it is their “warrior’s code.”  The Ghost agrees, knowing Cap can’t escape Sunuria.  They discover she has a hairline fracture of her skull, which they can heal.  However, if she suffered brain damage they cannot help her.  The Ghost thinks if that is the case, it would be kinder to let her die.  He still does not realize that she is his friend Eve Eden or that Atom is his friend Allen (er… N. Christopher I mean) Adam.

Meanwhile, N. Christopher Adam is flying around Sunuria, commenting that it looks like something dreamed up by H. Rider Haggard.  He sees evidence everywhere that the Sunurians worship the Ghost.  He is attacked by some Sunurians (women again; we’ve never seen a male Sunurian) but manages to evade them before having a thought that completely baffles me.

“Whoever runs this set-up must’ve been frightened by a Xerox machine.”  A Xerox machine was, in 1975 (and today) primarily a photocopier.  If the Sunurians are frightened by photocopiers, that would seem to indicate they are afraid of copies.  Which makes no sense because they are all blonde pony-tailed women (as if clones or copies of one woman).  If that is the case, wouldn’t they then love Xerox machines?  Or does he mean “fear them” in the way Christians are taught to “fear God?”

As Captain Atom flies off to find a place to hide (to conserve energy for the inevitable confrontation with the Ghost), the Ghost is having troubles of his own.  The high priestess shows up wanting to know why he isn’t fighting Captain Atom and is letting “her finest troops” take on the superhero.  Rather than point out that he is obeying the Sunurians’ own crazy “warrior’s code,” the Ghost takes offense to her referring to the soldiers as “her” troops.  He points out that he rules, and that they are his troops to do with as he pleases.  She agrees, begrudgingly.

Meanwhile, the Sunurians have found Cap’s hiding place.  He gets fed up with outrunning them and sets out to find the Ghost and Nightshade in earnest.  I can’t help but wonder why he left Nightshade behind in the first place.

Speaking of Nightshade, the Sunurians restore her with “healing rays.”  The Ghost drags her behind him, calling out to Captain Atom.  He threatens to kill her if Cap doesn’t surrender.  Rather than run the risk that the Ghost might be bluffing, Captain Atom comes up through the floor beneath him and socks him in the jaw.

It ends there.  I’m guessing they took a full-length story and chopped it in half to make room for “The Guardian Spiders” featuring Damara of Arcadia and Balor the Barbarian, “ROC-2000: A Family Album,” a Blue Beetle pin-up and an article about the hero, an interview with Nicola Cuti, and a couple other pin-ups and articles.

The artwork of this story, despite the lack of color, is absolutely beautiful.  John Byrne’s inks really compliment Steve Ditko’s pencils.  According to editors at Charlton, Ditko didn’t like to ink his own work.  I wonder what he thought of Byrne’s work.  As Ditko grants few interviews, we may never know.  I’d love to hear his thoughts on what became of Captain Atom after the character left his hands.  Perhaps I have some earnest Googling to do tonight.  Anyway, the story itself is passable.  It feels incomplete and a bit lopsided on its own.  I give it a C.  Add that to the A+ artwork and Charlton Bullseye #1 gets a B from me.

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

Captain Atom #89 (December 1967)

Tags

13, A. Machine, Bronze Age Captain Atom, David Kaler, Faustus, Frank McLaughlin, Gunner, Nightshade, Steve Ditko, Sunurians, The Ghost

“Thirteen”

• Writer: David Kaler
• Pencils: Steve Ditko
• Inks: Frank McLaughlin
• Letters: A. Machine

This issue is a sad milestone for Captain Atom.  The first time the Captain was shelved, it was for three and a half years (from Space Adventures #42 to Strange Suspense Stories #75).  By the end of 1968, all of Charlton’s super-hero comics were cancelled, including Captain Atom.  This was the last issue published, and it had a cliffhanger ending.  The world did not get a resolution to the story for eight years, and Captain Atom didn’t get his own title again until 1987, twenty years after Captain Atom #89 was published.

The story opens at “a place hidden from the eyes of man,” what appears to be some sort of underwater complex.  The Ghost, installed as the ruler of this place, complains that he misses his old home and doing evil things.  His teleportation circuitry on his arm has been hidden, covered by skin.  He says if he could return home, he could resume his double life and even bring about the demise of Captain Atom.  The woman he is talking to reminds him that his teleportation device has been disabled so he is forced to stay in this place and rule these people.  The Ghost wonders who the original “Faceless One” was.

His female companion uses a rod-like device to pull up an image of Captain Atom on a viewscreen.  She and the Ghost see he is standing by a missile that the woman seems to recognize.  The blonde woman and the Ghost then meet with more women in a “council chamber.”  These women are the gold-wearing pigtail-having women who took the Ghost away in Captain Atom #86.  They agree that the Ghost must be allowed to return home in order to bring the missile back with him.

Back in Washington, just as Alec Rois (the Ghost) returns home, his butler hands him a package and a letter.  The letter is from the U.S. government, asking Rois to help them unlock the secrets of the missile.  The package contains a crystal ball, in which Alec sees the masked face of a man who calls himself “13.”  13 clearly knows Alec is the Ghost, and warns him not to interfere with his own plans to take the missile.

At a Texas NASA base, Captain Atom and Gunner are examining the missile when a warning message appears on the wall.  It reads, “I claim the missile for myself!  I will take it peacefully or fight for it!  Nothing can stop 13!”

Captain Atom warns Gunner to double the security and then heads out to find more info on 13.  He doesn’t go far when he meets the costumed man up in the clouds, joined by a flying black cat.  The cat, which 13 calls Faustus, warns his master to be wary of Cap.  13 conjures up some red scarves which begin to bind Captain Atom.  Cap turns up his heat and burns the scarves away.

13 throws silver coins at Cap, which stick to Atom’s body.  He then increases the weight of the coins to more than a ton each and Captain Atom plummets into the sea.  As he sinks, he begins to think his powers are useless against magic.  Cap manages to shake off the coins and then returns to base.  Gunner reports that no one showed up to take the missile but a letter came from Alec Rois.  Rois and his staff will be there that afternoon.  Watching through a crystal ball, 13 and Faustus look forward to giving Cap more hell but are wary of the Ghost arriving.

Within the hour, Rois arrives on base.  He and Captain Adam shake hands (they are old friends, each unaware that the other is their mortal enemy).  Adam warns Rois of 13’s attack and that the magician will probably make another attempt.

This is what bugs me about Alec Rois.  He knows Captain Adam and has been face-to-face with Captain Atom.  Aside from the similarity in the names being a dead giveaway, Captain Atom no longer wears a mask.  So, aside from different hair color, Atom is physically identical to Adam.  Like all it takes to hide your identity is to change your hair color or put on a pair of glasses.

After working for a bit, Alec says he is leaving his men to work while he rests.  This pleases Adam because it means he can switch back to Captain Atom to check things out.  Gunner promises to call Rois if anything turns up.

Alec returns to the lab as the Ghost and sets up a teleportation device to steal the missile.  But Captain Atom arrives and flings an atomic fireball at the Ghost.  Just as the Ghost is readying to teleport Cap out of there, Faustus and 13 appear.  13 makes flowers appear in the Ghost’s hands while Faustus conjures ropes out of nowhere to bind Captain Atom.

13 conjures up small animals and flings them at the Ghost while Cap continues to struggle to free himself.  He manages to break free and goes for 13, who vanishes before Cap can grab him.  Realizing he won’t be able to get his hands on Ghost or 13, Cap returns to the missile to guard it.

The Ghost whips out weapons from the Hidden Land, stinging strings and a force field box.  13 instructs Faustus to keep an eye on the Ghost with the crystal ball.

Back at the missile, the men have nearly cracked into it when their tools go wild operating on their own and a booming voice fills the chamber.  The voice of 13 warns the men that if they don’t stop trying to get in to the missile, they will have “bad luck.”  Captain Atom arrives, and gets the men to safety.  He remarks on how “spooky” the place is when 13 and Faustus pop up out of nowhere.

Just then the Ghost shows up wielding his stinging strings.  Captain Atom comes at the Ghost from behind, smashing him into a mirror.

Gunner tries to take 13 from behind but Faustus conjures a giant umbrella and he becomes trapped inside.  13 uses the Ghost’s stinging strings and force field to subdue the Ghost, Captain Atom, and Gunner.

13 builds some sort of machinery under the missile while Cap, Ghost, and Gunner are suspended helplessly in the force field.  It is a shrink ray, which 13 uses to shrink the missile to fit in the palm of his hand.  Faustus carelessly knocks over the force field generator, freeing Cap and Ghost.

Faustus puts the Ghost in a “sound bubble” that prevents him from using his teleportation device.  Just before Cap grabs 13, the magician twiddles his fingers and the missile vanishes.  Cap demands to know where it was sent.  13, Faustus, Cap, and Ghost suddenly find themselves outside, hovering in the sky above the base.

The Ghost begins to suspect this isn’t magic at all.  He thinks magic can’t create a sound bubble to hold him.  What on Earth does he base this on?

Back on the ground, 13 binds Cap in chains (which he easily breaks).  Cap flings an atomic fireball at 13, which the evildoer turns into a flower.  13 and Faustus fly away just as the Ghost breaks free of the sound bubble.  The Ghost teleports away as 13 and Faustus vanish.

13 and Faustus reappear in “the distant future.”  As 13 removes his mask and costume to reveal a bald white guy underneath, Faustus comments on how fun it was to use their future technology to make Cap think they were using magic.  Joined by other future people (all bald men), 13 chides Faustus, saying that “playing for the future of Earth” was not fun.

Lamenting the fact that they made Captain Atom look like a fool, 13 peeks in on Cap with his “crystal ball.”  He witnesses Cap taking a call from the president, in which the president reveals that 13 was a secret agent who was working for the government.  The missile was sent to a secret base to be destroyed.  It isn’t clear how much the president knows about the future bald dudes.

Back in the “hidden land,” the Ghost is fuming about his failure, blaming 13 and Faustus.  The golden-wearing pigtail ladies (they are the Sunurians, although they haven’t yet been revealed as such in the comics) tell him to go back and get Captain Atom.  They want Cap’s fate to be determined in Sunuria.

To be continued next issue!  Except, of course, there was no next issue.  Eventually the story was picked up in a fanzine called Charlton Bullseye.  Roger Stern and John Byrne got their hands on Steve Ditko’s pencil work and finished the story, but that wouldn’t be until 1975.  THe next time Captain Atom was seen was a brief cameo in another Charlton book, Ghost Manor, in 1974.

This issue looked good, certainly.  Ditko and McLaughlin were a good team.  Frank McLaughlin went on to work for both Marvel and DC Comics.  He inked Captain Marvel  and Captain America for Marvel, and had notable runs inking The Flash with Carmine Infantino, Wonder Woman with Gene Colan, and Green Arrow with Dan Jurgens.  He was a regular inker for Dick Dillin’s Justice League of America.  Still alive and kicking as of this writing, Frank’s last contribution to comics was inking again for Dick Dillin in DC Retroactive: JLA – The ’70s #1 in 2011.  I give the artwork of Captain Atom #89 an A+.

The story, however… Why do the Sunurians want the missile?  Why do the future baldies want the missile?  Who was the original “Faceless One?”  Why can cats from the future speak English?  Where was the missile found?  What was inside the missile?  Why can’t sound bubbles be conjured magically?  Too much of this just didn’t make any sense.  This D story brings the overall rating of this issue to a B in my book.

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

Captain Atom #86 (June 1967)

Tags

A. Machine, Abby Ladd, Blue Beetle, Bronze Age Captain Atom, David Kaler, Gary Friedrich, Nightshade, Rocke Mastroserio, Steve Ditko, Sunurians, The Ghost

“The Fury of the Faceless Foe”

• Writer: Steve Ditko & David Kaler
• Pencils: Steve Ditko
• Inks: Rocke Mastroserio
• Letters: A. Machine

Time: Noon, Place: Times Square, Occasion: The Return of the Ghost!

The Ghost appears briefly in Times Square, laughing maniacally and teleporting people away left and right and teleporting cars on top of each other.  When the police show up, he vanishes.  On the same day at the same time in New Haven, Nightshade (in her floating Nightshademobile) spots the Ghost running into a library.  She throws “ebony bombs” at him (these appear to be smoke bombs) but he dodges them easily.  He teleports away before she can get a grip on him.  Meanwhile, at the Pentagon (still noon on the same day), the Ghost appears in front of Captain Atom and Gunner.  As Cap lunges, the Ghost dissolves Captain Atom and reforms him further away.  He then teleports out before Cap can get the upper hand.

Back at the suburban home of the Ghost (aka Alec Rois), three men dressed as the Ghost teleport into his lab.  He has sent out hired goons, manipulating them from a distance.  He pays the flunkies and sends them away, saying he will have need of them in two days.  The Ghost then reveals (talking to himself, a staple of comic book villains) that he stole “ghost devices” from Punch and Jewelee when he was kidnapped by them (in Captain Atom #85).  Soon he will have amassed enough gold to destroy Captain Atom and Nightshade.

The next morning, back at the Pentagon, Captain Atom, Nightshade, and their boss seem unable to piece together that the three Ghosts were three different people.  Cap admits it was fate that defeated the Ghost last time, and they can only hope to get lucky again.  Abby Ladd bursts into the office to give Cap a tongue-lashing.  When Nightshade giggles, the “lady news hound” turns her fury onto Eve.  Ladd says if they don’t catch the Ghost soon, she’s going to have her father force Senator Eden to investigate their department (Senator Eden is Nightshade’s father).  Abby leaves them and Cap’s boss says not to worry about her.

That evening, the Ghost teleports aboard a half-sunken tanker off the coast of Cape May, surprising his men their.  He checks on his equipment, which includes a gold-making machine.  He then checks on a special force field he’s created that he plans to lure Cap and Nightshade into, saying it will be “the end of them.”

Thousands of miles away, a strange group of women appear to be watching the Ghost’s progress (referring to him as “the faceless one”).  They say he is their long-lost God.

As the days go by, the Ghost keeps appearing in random places, faces Captain Atom and Nightshade, then teleports out before committing any actual crime.  Their chief calls them into his office (I find it funny they never gave the Chief a name – in the Modern Age stories he would be General Eiling).  He tells them they’ve traced the Ghost’s unique radar signals to Cape May and sends them out to investigate.

Captain Atom and Nightshade split up.  He checks in with the nearby military base.  They are able to pinpoint the source of the signal the Ghost is using – the sunken tanker.  Cap radios Nightshade to meet him there.  He sneaks on board, but once again the Ghost is a step ahead.

Cap flings atomic fireballs at the Ghost to distract him before attempting to tackle his enemy.  The Ghost blasts Cap with some yellow electricity that seems to subdue him.  Nightshade jumps the Ghost from behind, but he slips away and she finds herself similarly subdued.  The force field holding them down is draining their power.

In true 1960s villain fashion, the Ghost then reveals his secret plan to the two prone heroes.  The force field draining their powers will also somehow drain gold out of the world’s oceans.  He leaves to start his evil (and baffling) plan.

Nightshade turns into a shadow and is able to slip free of the force field.  She turns the machine off, switching back to her regular form before Cap sees her as a shadow (why doesn’t she want him to know what her power is?).  Weakened but not defeated, Nightshade and Captain Atom set upon the Ghost and his goons.

When Cap grabs the Ghost’s wrist to prevent him from using his teleporter, the Ghost flings a brick at Captain Atom’s head.

Let me say that again.

The Ghost threw a brick at Captain Atom.

Look, don’t take my word for it.

Nightshade tries to stop the Ghost from teleporting Cap to Nowhereland but finds herself facing the same prospect.  As he raises his hands to banish the two heroes forever, something happens and the Ghost freezes.  But it isn’t just him.  Captain Atom and Nightshade are also frozen in place.  Just then, three women enter the room’; the women from earlier who called the Ghost “the Faceless One.”  One of them is armed with cables like the ones Punch used last issue.

The women return Captain Atom and Nightshade to the shore, and say they are taking the Ghost to “the Hidden Land.”  He seems cool with it, as long as the “hidden land” has gold.  Dude always has his eyes on the prize.  He is loaded into what looks like a submarine that quickly departs.

As soon as the paralysis fades, Captain Atom goes after the ship but all trace of it has vanished.  Once again, the Ghost has escaped.  His henchmen are rounded up, and Cap and Nightshade are left wondering if they’ve seen the last of the Ghost.

This was a nice issue.  It progressed an ongoing story and added a little more to an established villain.  I do have a complaint. I don’t dislike Nightshade; I’d like to learn more about her powers and why she’s keeping them secret.  But does a hero as powerful as Captain Atom even really need a partner?  How about another solo story?  It was nice to see Gunner hasn’t been forgotten, though.  Too bad “the Chief” is so two-dimensional he doesn’t even get a name.  It was an okay story, even if it is all setup for something more to come.  It is a B story with A art.  Let’s call it an A-.

The letter page has the usual applause for Steve Ditko, Captain Atom, and the Blue Beetle backup stories.  Two knuckleheads from Virginia and West Virginia hate Cap’s new costume so much they banned all Charlton comics.  They are most likely the reason why Charlton Comics eventually ended up going the way of the dodo.

There is also a Steve Ditko/Gary Friedrich Blue Beetle backup story.  It promises at the end that Beetle will soon be starring in his own title.

One interesting thing to note about this issue:  the letterer is credited as “A. Machine.”  Rather than having each issue hand-lettered, Charlton went with a typesetter.  Comic book lettering is and often-overlooked and forgotten form of art.  Those guys put in just as much work with what they do.  And they bring us great words like “splort”, “flunkel,” and “kapow!”

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

Captain Atom #82 (September 1966)

Tags

Captain Atom, David Kaler, Frank McLaughlin, Jon D'Agostino, Judomaster, Nightshade, Rocke Mastroserio, Silver Age Captain Atom, Steve Ditko, The Ghost

“Captain Atom Vs. the Ghost”

• Writer: David Kaler
• Pencils: Steve Ditko
• Inks: Rocke Mastroserio
• Letterer: Jon D’Agostino

The security of the whole free world was at stake!  Every agent of the United States was put on extra alert!  That’s how Captain Atom came to be allied with Nightshade, one of the most attractive spy smashers that our country has ever had!  Together this powerful pair find themselves confronting an almost impossible task of capturing a man who could disappear at will.  But how do you catch a ghost?

And so begins a new chapter in Captain Atom’s life.  He gains a new nemesis and a new friend in this issue.  Both of which would follow him into his new life at DC Comics twenty-one years down the road.

Captain Atom is called to the Pentagon, where he is briefed on the Ghost, a criminal that has been “causing havoc for private industry.”  They believe he will soon strike the government but don’t know where.  As “ghosts have no use for industrial secrets or classified information,” Cap suspects it is “an outer space being or a very clever man.”

Cap is informed he’ll be working with a female agent named Nightshade (that darling of darkness).  This will be her first mission.  She arrives, her black ponytail bouncing.  She wears a mini-skirt over black tights and a mask – clearly she is a super-hero – but her powers are not yet revealed.  She and Cap are given tickets to a party being held that night by “Alec Nois.”  The military believes a few of the Ghost’s agents will be there.

Meanwhile, “in another part of Washington,” the Ghost arrives in a darkened office and removes his mask.  Through flashbacks we learn his name is Alec and that he suffered hardships when he was growing up (girls didn’t like him because he was poor and boys didn’t like him because he was studious).  He built a teleportation device and used it to rob banks and the like.  His goal is “Operation Golden Ghost,” which he will execute once he has stolen the floor plans for Fort Knox.

Meanwhile, Allen Adam is readying himself for the party, thinking to himself that Nightshade will be more of a burden than on asset.  As Eve Eden (Nightshade) prepares herself for the party, she is thinking how great it will be to be teamed up with that hunky Captain Atom (1960s comic stories at their best here, folks).

Later, at the Alec Nois party, Adam is having trouble figuring out which of the guests could be the Ghost.  He is impressed by Nois’ wealth, though, wondering how Nois made his first million.  Then all heads turn to see Eve Eden arrive (she is a “jet-set” leader and a Senator’s daughter).

Alec flirts with Eve. Adam takes notice of how hot she is.  Cap doesn’t know Eve is Nightshade, Eve doesn’t know Adam is Captain Atom, and nobody suspects Alec is the Ghost.

Adam sees a waiter pass a message to a dude.  He follows the dude to another room, where he is on the phone arranging Ghost stuff.  Eve also saw the exchange and makes an excuse to break away from Alec, who also wanted to break away from Eve to do more Ghost stuff.

Eve follows the dude outside.  She changes into her Nightshade costume instantly (that must be her super power – super clothes changing).  She flips the guy and demands to know what the message said.  Just then, the Ghost materializes before her.  When she takes a swing at him, he vanishes and reappears a few feet away.  This is when Captain Atom joins the fight.  With the wave of his hand, the Ghost teleports Nightshade and Cap to another dimension.

Before long, the two are teleported back where they came from, but the Ghost is long gone.  Cap remembers overhearing the Ghost’s flunky mentioning “section 18.”  Nightshade tells him section 18 is a secret file and map room at the Pentagon.  Cap picks her up and they fly off.

The two heroes burst in on the Ghost in section 18 just as he has located the plans to Fort Knox.  He teleports the blueprints away, makes a stupid Beatles reference, and vanishes before Cap can get him.  He reappears before Nightshade and taunts her.  This goes on for a little bit.  The heroes can’t catch him.  Before he teleports out for good, he says, “I’m going to do what Goldfinger failed to do!  I’m going to steal the gold in Fort Knox!”  Man, this guy loves his pop culture references.

The two heroes return to the Nois house and change into their civvies.  Adam is shocked to learn Eve Eden is Nightshade.  Eve thinks Allen Adam is a hottie.  When Adam asks her why she does the super-hero thing, Eve dodges the question.  They return to the party.

The next morning, they make their report to their C.O.  The next morning?  What if the Ghost’s plan was to go straight from the Pentagon to Fort Knox?  Was it really necessary to return to that party and then report their findings the next day?  It was okay, though, because the Ghost didn’t act that night.

Back home, Alec “Ghost” Nois studies the blueprints.  He talks about getting a crew together for the job.

Adam and Eve (yes, I know) opt to drive to Fort Knox in their civvies, afraid their super-identities would draw too much attention (but Cap can turn invisible and really doesn’t even need Nightshade!).  They pass a suspicious truck on the road and think it might be tied in to the Ghost’s heist.

The Ghost receives word that everything is nearly in place for the heist.  He collects a “machine” that will help him with his heist, makes a Lincoln reference (sheesh), and teleports away.

Fort Knox is on high alert.  For some reason, Cap and Nightshade dropped their plans to approach stealthily.  They are in an Air Force helicopter in full costume when the Ghost arrives.  Cap jumps out and flies down.  Nightshade waits for the helicopter to land and then takes out four armed thugs in hand-to-hand combat.  So she’s a scrapper.

Inside, Cap uses is invisibility power to freak the Ghost out.  He snatches the Ghost’s machine out of his hands.  Still invisible, Cap socks the Ghost in the face and the Ghost goes down.  Figuring his teleportation power comes from his gloves, Cap sets out to remove them.  But the Ghost was only feigning unconsciousness.  He kicks Cap in the face.

As Cap is going down, he rips the glove he has clenched in his hand.  The exposed circuitry goes haywire and the Ghost is enveloped in a mass of orange energy.  Cap believes the Ghost is defeated for good, but Cap doesn’t realize he is in a comic book and nobody stays dead.

This issue also includes an article about Sumo wrestlers and a short two-page “educational” comic featuring Judomaster’s “favorite throws” by Frank McLaughlin.  Also a special announcement from Charlton that soon they will start printing fan letters in the pages of Captain Atom.

This one is pretty good.  I would have liked to have learned more about Nightshade.  When I was introduced to the character years later, she had the power to travel long distances quickly via black portals she generated and could cross dimensions.  Perhaps some of that will come into play here in the Charlton universe later on.  A solid effort by Ditko and Mastroserio; these guys make a great team.  I like the Ghost in spite of his weird references.  David Kaler told spun a fairly good yarn.  A well-done book but nothing too spectacular.  I give Captain Atom #82 a B+.

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