BEACH BUM COMICS : May 2016

Moving forward, we go from Space Adventures #42 to an actual Captain Atom title, with issue #78. The numbering continued from Strange Suspense Stories (Charlton, 1955 series) #77, which ran three issues, #75-#77, of various Captain Atom reprints from Space Adventures #33-#42.

Captain Atom was created by writer Joe Gill and artist/co-writer Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Space Adventures #33. When he got his own title in Captain Atom #78, it gave the hero full-length stories and supervillain antagonists such as Dr. Spectro. (previous stories involved Cold War anti-Communist missions or dealing with aliens). He later teamed with the superhero Nightshade, with whom he shared a mutual attraction.

Captain Atom #78 The Most Exciting Hero of Them All! You've Asked...Begged...Demanded! Now You've Got It! The New Adventures of Captain Atom!
"The Gremlins from Planet Blue"
Captain Atom must rescue Professor Jupe and his daughter from aliens who have brainwashed him into working for them on killer missiles. Brief recap of origin.

Written by Joe Gill (Doomsday +1) with art by Steve Ditko (Blue Beetle) & Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio (Fightin' 5.)

"The Sun God"One page text story.
"Part II Planet Blue"
Captain Atom faces death at the hands of the aliens from Planet Blue.
Written by Joe Gill with art by Steve Ditko & Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio.
"The Vast Unknown-n-n-n"
One horizon of man's knowledge has been pushed back. We know now that the moon is not made of green cheese.
Art by Ernie Bache (Fightin' 5.)

Volume Two includes an unpublished Question story by Alex Toth!

Fan colored cover for the unpublished Captain Atom #90. Steve Ditko's unfinsihed art was finished by John Byrne.

The two part Captain Atom story was reprinted in DC Comics The Action Hero Archives Volume 1. If you're any kind of Captain Atom fan, this is the book for you. Volume 2 finished out the Captain Atom comics, issues #83-#89. There's also an unfinished Captain Atom gem, that was to be issue #90, in the second volume. The only other place you can find that gem is from the hard to come by Charlton Bullseye magazine series, issues #1 & #2.

Here's where things really get rolling for Captain Atom, leading up to a dramatic twist in issues #83 & #84. I remember the excitement with that change, as well as the introduction of the new Blue Beetle in issues #83-#86.

And then the Blue Beetle got his own title! It was a great time to be reading Charlton Comics.

House ad and features from Captain Atom #78.

Live Large My Friends!

Thank You!

Joe Gill co-created Doomsday +1 with John Byrne.

More Steve Ditko magic!

Joe Gill & "Rocke" Mastroserio worked early on the Fightin' 5 series.

Joe Gill, Bill Montes & Ernie Bache worked on later issues of Fightin' 5. My favorite cover, #41 (got me with the dinosaur.)

From Charlton Bullseye #2, Jim Stalin does Captain Atom!

Urban legend has it that artist Wally Wood joked about drawing Power Girl with bigger chest each issue, just to see how far he could go until his editor reacted. What a guy!

Showcase #97 begins Power Girl's origin, continuing in Showcase #98. Cameo of many members of the Justice Society of America throughout the run, especially Green Lantern (Alan Scott) and the Flash (Jay Garrick.) Spin-off from the Justice Society of America feature in the All-Star Comics series.

Power Girl (real name Kara Zor-L, also known as Karen Starr) is a fictional DC Comics superheroine, making her first appearance in All Star Comics #58. Power Girl is the cousin of DC's flagship hero Superman, but from an alternate universe in the fictional multiverse in which DC Comics stories are set. Originally hailing from the world of Earth-Two, first envisioned as the home of DC's wartime heroes as published in 1940s comic books, Power Girl becomes stranded on the main universe where DC stories are set, and becomes acquainted with that world's Superman and her own counterpart, Supergirl.

I was already a big fan of Joe Staton. A perfect choice to illustrate Power Girl!

Showcase #97
"Power Girl"
After stopping a robbery at Central Electronics, Power Girl is swarmed by the press, including Andrew Vinson. She flees to the countryside and dreams of how she came to Earth from Krypton. Andrew Vinson catches up to her just as she wakes up and heads off to handle another electronics robbery. Afterwards, Power Girl faces the press again, but this time is interrupted by Vinson in a flying spacesuit.
Written by Paul Levitz (Legion of Super-Heroes) with art by Joe Staton (E-Man) & Joe Orlando (Blazing Combat, Mad.)

This Power Girl TP cover was originally presented in JLA Classified #1.

Adam Hughes' Power Girl cover pencils. Used for the 2nd printing cover of JLA Classified #1.

Reprinted in the Power Girl trade paperback, with an iconic cover by Adam Hughes. This cover was used for Power Girl in JLA Classified #1. The color version was for the 1st printing while the 2nd printing of JLA Classified #1 used the AH! sketch. Got them both, had to have them. Even went on to get them both autographed when Adam Hughes came to our fabulous Emerald City ComicCon.

Lots of good stuff all the way around in the Secret Origins series!

Splash page for Power Girl in Secret Origins #11.

Secret Origins #11
"Ancient Histories"
Power Girl (Kara Zor-L) learns of her origin from the mystic mage Arion, Lord of Atlantis.
This is the "Post Crisis" origin, where Power Girl is shown to be descended from Arion. This was later revealed to be a deception during the Infinite Crisis storyline and her origin was retold to the original origin.
Written by Paul Kupperberg (Arion, Lord of Atlantis) with art by Mary Wilshire (Red Sonja.)


Catchy cover to the first issue of the Power Girl mini-series. My favorite Kerry Gammill cover! Great Dick Giordano inks!

Power Girl #1 (of a 4 issue mini-series)
Cover by Kerry Gammill & Dick Giordano.
"Threads"
The past she believed was hers has proven to be an illusion, and now Power Girl must create a new present for herself...if the forces of Chaos from out of her past don't destroy her first. As Karen Starr, she's a successful young entrepreneur in the computer software field, with a life full of everyday hassles. As Power Girl, she's become the target of one of her grandfather Arion's greatest and most powerful foes, the Weaver, servant of Chaos and the ages-old guardian of the mighty Threads of Magic. The battle begins near Karen's Brooklyn home. It will end in that dark relic of the age when magic ruled the Earth, the dimension called Darkworld, with Power Girl in a battle for her life and the fate of the world.
Written by Paul Kupperberg with art by Rick Hoberg (What if?) & Arne Starr (Nexus.)

For the longest time, I did not realize this was a Mike Grell cover!

Power Girl (real name Kara Zor-L, aka Karen Starr) made her first appearance in All Star Comics #58 as a member of the Justice Society of America. She is Superman's cousin. Power Girl was created by Gerry Conway (Amazing Spider-Man), Ric Estrada (Richard Dragon) & Wally Wood (based on Supergirl by Otto Binder and Al Plastino.)