After this debut, Captain Atom balances between sci-fi and fantasy, offering stories with a hint of Cold War edge and at the same time flights of fancy about young boys riding space birds in their dreams. He battles alien threats, staving off an invasion or two and himself traveling to Venus to confront some very lovely space ladies. Captain Atom's powers fluctuate somewhat as the series progresses, with his top speed between 22, 000 miles per hour and the speed of light. He has complete control over his atomic structure and can pass through steel walls. His most visually arresting power is how he ignites part of his mass to generate thrust.
Two men in addition to President Eisenhower know Atom's secrets. Sgt. Gunner Goslin and General Eining. These two are important cast members in the earliest stories, but fade out of the stories as they roll along. Captain Atom reports to the President throughout the initial run, first Eisenhower, then a non-descript fill-in fellow and finally Kennedy.
Steve Ditko is the artist on most of the stories, but Rocke Mastroserio does pinch-hit on several. There is a distinct drop-off in quality when others than Gill and Ditko do the work, the series loses its distinctiveness, becoming a rather bland superhero outing. The series offered up a single Captain Atom story per issue, then two and finally three before it was cancelled after nine issues of Space Adventures.
But that was not the end. More next week when Captain Atom returns.
Here are the covers for Space Adventures featuring Captain Atom. To read each individual issue in its entirety just check out the links beneath each juicy cover.
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Read this issue here.
Great stories Rip thank you, however smiled to myself issue 34 insatiable monster planet shades of Ego the living planet Thor 133!
ReplyDeleteI read a lot of criticism of the coves for these Charltons of this era and I for one like them. If a cover is an ad for what's inside they perform wonderfully. As great pieces of art perhaps not so much.
DeleteInteresting that Ditko never claimed to be Captain Atom's co-creator, actually denying being so in an interview, where he said that all he did was design the costume. Funny how his view was at the other end of the spectrum when it came to Spider-Man.
ReplyDeleteIt's strange that he'd deny it since it's so obviously true. Joe Gill and he were tasked with creating a superhero by Pat Masulli as I understand it. I don't know that he's ever claimed to have much to do with it other than that. I've been reading about the relationship between Ditko and Eric Stanton and the early days of Spidey come into play. There's stuff we haven't known about that, at least I haven't.
DeleteArt wise Captain Atom is one of my favourite Ditko strips along with Blue Beetle. I read most of these in the Alan Class reprint books.
ReplyDeleteThat first story is magnificent, every page and panel works absolutely to the best effect. And the blue costume actually works for me, though gold makes more sense I guess.
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