CAPTAIN ATOM MUST STOP WORLDS COLLIDING !!!

“Only if men abandon selfish personal desires and work for the common good can there be peace on Earth and goodwill toward men.”

Quote from Captain Atom at the end of "Death Knell of the World."

Panel detail from Space Adventures #33.

Air Force Captain Adam was the 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.

Dick Giordano does a great Blue Beetle.

Nightshade by Jim Aparo, came in later, toward the end of the Captain Atom (#87) run at Charlton.

Captain Atom debuted in Charlton Comic’s Space Adventures in the early sixties, an early entry into the Silver Age super-hero revival. Despite lean and gutsy art by Steve Ditko, Captain Atom could not survive Charlton’s mediocre scripting and sank into obscurity. The comic was revived in this series in the late sixties, under the editorship of Dick Giordano (Sarge Steel), who brought back Ditko (Blue Beetle), along with Denny O’Neil (Charlton Premiere #2 "Children of Doom") and Jim Aparo (Nightshade.)

 

Captain Atom #80  The Incredible Tyrant Held Destiny in his Hands! Would Captain Atom Provide the Energy to Power Mad Drako's Machine? Could He Avert the Collision of Two Worlds?
"Death Knell of the World"
Captain Atom must stop a space ark from crashing into the Earth. He agrees to help the ruler, not knowing he is letting himself into a trap.
Brief recap of origin in a flashback. 
Written by Steve Ditko (co-plotting) & Joe Gill (co-plotting & script) with cover & interior art by Ditko & Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio (Nature Boy.)
"Alpine Avalanche"
Text story.
"Out Planet Earth"
Three page story. 
Art by Bill Fraccio (Son of Vulcan) & Tony Tallarico (Blue Beetle.)

DC Comics The Action Heroes Archives Volume 1 reprints the cover & story from Captain Atom #80. Beautiful hardcover, with slipcover, treatment for the classic Silver Age Charlton Comics series. Highly Recommended!

Portugal (reprints cover & Captain Atom story) & UK (only reprints the cover) editions. Not fond of the coloring of Captain Atom from the Portugal cover.

I did however like the bolder coloring on the UK cover!

Live Large My Friends!

Thank You!

Bill Fraccio art.

Tony Tallarico art on the Dan Garrett incarnation of Blue Beetle.

Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio art on Nature Boy, also done by John Buscema.

Previously uncompleted & unpublished Ditko Captain Atom, finished by a young, talented John Byrne. 

Proposed cover for Captain Atom #90. I was glad to see the Ghost return! Along with Nightshade

This story was was finally published in the first two issues of the Charlton Bullseye magazine.