CAPTAIN ATOM GUARDS PLANET X !!!

U.S.A.F. missile expert test pilot, Captain Allen Adam, was the tragic victim of a freak nuclear accident, but instead of being disintegrated by the deadly radiation, he was transformed into a being of pure energy - Captain Atom!

Great Dick Giordano work!

One of the all-time best comic book stories!

 
Captain Atom debuted in Charlton’s Space Adventures in the early sixties of the Silver Age. Despite lean and gutsy art by legendary Steve Ditko, Captain Atom could not survive Charlton’s mediocre scripting and so sank into obscurity. The strip was revived in this series in the mid sixties, under the editorship of Dick (Sarge Steel) Giordano, who brought back Ditko, along with Denny ("Children of Doom" in Charlton Premiere #2) O’Neil and Jim (Nightshade, from Captain Atom #87) Aparo, into the Charlton ranks.

(Fast Moving Episodes Of...) Space Adventures #36
Cover images taken from the "Captain Atom on Planet X" story, pages 2 & 5.
"The Wreck of X-44"
X-44, the rocket-ship Captain Atom is testing, has been sabotaged by a spy apparatus.
"Captain Atom on Planet X"
Captain Atom guards a new orbital satellite, Planet X, equipped with weather instruments, geiger counters and a missile guidance systems, from targeted enemy missiles.
Written by the prolific Joe (Doomsday+1) Gill with legendary Steve (Blue Beetle, The Question) Ditko artwork.

Fantastic Pat Masulli & Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio Ditkoesque cover!

"The Wreck of X-44" was reprinted in Strange Suspense Stories #76, Space Adventures #11 (a nice 1978 reprint edition) & Action Heroes Archives Volume 1 (excellent, highly recommended hardcover edition.) In the UK, it was reprinted in Out of This World #2 (sorry, no Captain Atom cover there.)

"Captain Atom on Planet X" was reprinted in Strange Suspense Stories #75, Space Adventures #11 & Action Heroes Archives Volume 1. In the UK, it was reprinted, with the same Ditko illustration, in Secrets of the Unknown #68. 

Groundbreaking comic! If you really want to watch the movie though, I highly recommend the Watchmen Director's Cut! It brings the story together much better than the original theatrical version. Of course, the completists will want the Ultimate Cut, which includes the Tales of the Black Freighter woven into the movie.

In the mid-1980s, DC Comics bought the rights to the Charlton heroes, using them both as heroes in the DC Universe and as the basis for the characters in Alan Moore’s Watchmen, where Captain Atom served as the template for Doc Manhattan.

Years later, Before Watchmen acted as a prequel to the Watchmen limited series, reuniting Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Their new project consists of eight limited series and one one-shot (though two were initially planned.)  

Back-up stories from Space Adventures #36. This one from Joe Gill & Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio.

 

This other back-up story was brought to us by Joe Gill, Bill Molno & Vince Alascia.

Live Large My Friends!

Thank You!

Not only did Ditko bring us Capt. Atom, but gave us the all new Blue Beetle!

Doomsday+1 #1 created by writer Joe Gill & artist John Byrne! Fantastic series you do not want to miss!

Mysterious Suspense #1 gave us a full length the Question adventure! Created since Ditko did not want to use his new  Mr. A character at the time. His stories began in Blue Beetle #1.

Still love the original Captain Atom, didn't care so much for the blue costume, as much as the yellow one!