Captain Atom

Introduction

Captain Atom was created by Joe Gill and famous artist Steve Ditko in Space Adventures #33 in March of 1960 under Charlton Comics, but was later acquired by DC comics in 1987 where he first appeared in Captain Atom #1. Both versions were military officials, in Charlton he was Scientist Allen Adam and in DC Ai Force Captain, Nathaniel Christopher Adam.

The Charlton Years

Scientist Allen Adam was working on an experimental rocket, which launched with him trapped inside. The rocket exploded and the good scientist disappeared. However he gained superpowers, and didn't disappear later reforming his body on the Earth. he wore a red and yellow costume which shielded people from the radiation he gave off and his hair would turn white when he'd power up to his alias. later he would replace the yellow and red for a more liquefied metal look. Captain Atom was first published in a series of short stories in the anthology series , titled "Space Adventures # 33-40 (March 1960-June 1961) and # 42 (October 1961). he'd have the series eventually renamed after himself and he would find himself facing odd villains and teaming up with other heroes, such as the famous "Blue Beetle. " By 1967 Charlton's Superman was cancelled after issue number 89. He would later appear in 1982 in a series called Charlton Bullseye in which he wore his initial outfit. Before DC bought off the Charlton characters he last appeared in 1983 which teamed him up with most of the other symbolic Charlton heroes. These characters would be bought by DC appearing in the infamous "Crisis on Infinite Earths" as these characters would appear as people from Earth 4 of the multiverse whilst characters like Superman and Batman would derive from Earth 1. The last time the Charlton Captain Atom would ever appear would be in "Dc Comics presents: #90" being teamed up with Firestorm, and Superman. After this event this characters would be rebooted to fit the rebooted fictional universe.

The DC years

In 1986, Captain Atom was launched in the post crisis DCU with a new costume and a new solo series, written by Cory Bates, that ran for more than 50 issues. The story begins back in Vietnam-War era 1960's. Captain Nathaniel Christopher Adam of The United States Air Force is accused of a crime he didn’t commit while over seas. Given the option of execution or to take place in an unusual experiment. Should he survive, he would receive a presidential pardon. Obviously Nate chose the ladder, and participated in a project called “Project Adam.” Placed in a chamber with an alien alloy which it would be tested for its durability by exploding a nuclear device over it There was little chance of survival, and when the test occurred, Nathanial Adam left behind his wife and his child with a world he knew, as it sent him into the future over 20 years. When he arrived in the future, the alien alloy had bonded with Nate, causing him to have a sleek silvery skin and with it bizarre extraordinary powers. After being a little disgruntled, he discovered his wife had remarried, and throughout the early stories of his ongoing, The newly dubbed “Captain Atom” dealt with learning about his powers while serving under the government and General Eiling, the man who married his wife. He did this to clear his name. “A man out of his place” Captain Atom had to adjust to life of the 1980’s and after some stints with Firestorm and Plastique, among others, it was his battle with Major Force, where Captain Atom decided not to serve under Eiling anymore. Captain Atom would later marry the Canadian terrorist Plastique, though they would find themselves divorced by 1999, Captain Atom would eventually find himself serving with the Justice League.

Being placed as leader of The Europe team of the JLA. It would be this time where Major Force would serve as his successor in the military, who was involved in “Project Atom.” When Captain Atom lost the ability to tap into the Quantum Field, he found himself being taught some basics under The Dark Knight Batman and would command a force of Meta humans during the “invasion” story line. Sadly in 1991, Captain Atom’s ongoing series was cancelled with it’s 57th issue and it was during this time DC was plotting for Captain Atom to be the newly plotted villain “Monarch” in the crossover series “Armageddon 2001” , however when word was leaked and after many placed context clues, they changed it to “Hawk.” This has gone down as one of the more embarrassing moments in DC history. However, they had Captain square off with Monarch. The two were sent back in time, in “Alien Agenda.” where both characters would eventually be sent home. Captain Atom would later be seen in 1995 leading The Extreme Justice, after dismissing the styles of The Justice League. The series did not last long, and neither did the team, and the team would be disbanded after low sales. In 1999 Captain Atom would be a part of The all Charlton team L.A.W , though it was merely a Mini-series, it was poorly received.

In 2003, in one of the more embarrassing moments of the characters run, he was paired off in the comical mini-series, “Super-Buddies formally known as the Justice League” where he played the straight man. Around this time, the writers developed an inner struggle between with his roles as super hero and government agent. Later, in “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies" President Luthor noticed a kryptonite comet heading to Earth, placed a price on the Man of Steel’s head and ordered Captain Atom to lead a group to capture the Man of Steel. After finding out what would happen, should the comet hit Earth, Captain Atom took a ship and blew up the comet. The impact, along with the absorption of the kryptonite, caused Captain Atom to Quantum Leap, sending him to The Wildstorm Universe.

Finding himself in The WSU, he was immediately confronted by the Superman-esque character, Mr. Majestic. After fending him off would ask himself the same questions “Why Am I gold?” and “How can I get home?” for throughout the series finding it impossible to leave. Being confronted by Majestic again, by the Wildcats, and by The Authority holding his own fairly well. By the end of the series Captain Atom was sent home.

Returning to the DCU with his classic silver look, he found that his powers had been altered. His suit no longer contain his energy; a new suit was facilitated for him to wear and use. He awoke in the city of Bludhaven and would instruct for the citizens to evacuate, and would eventually kill Major Force. When we last saw Captain Atom a few months ago, he was seen in the bleed between the Multi-Verse fending off some WSU characters, and talking to Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner in which he discusses his requirements for a large power supply and of The Monitors. It can only be assumed that Captain Atom may take a place in the big crossover event “Count Down” or be planning to attack the Monitors, In Countdown #44, Captain Atom makes himself aware to "Forerunner." He actually calls himself The Monarch, and makes many promises to her, to which she swore to him, that if he is lying, she would kill him. This could very well be foreshadowing something ahead. Captain Atom's story continues.

Under the alias of Monarch, Captain Atom had been spending time in the Bleed, planning to build an army to fight against the Monitors of the Multiverse. His army of foot soldiers mainly consisted of the JL-Axis of Earth-10, the Extremists of Earth-8, and the Crime Society of Earth-3. During the Countdown: Arena arc, Monarch traversed through different Earths, gathering superheroes for his strike force. But, he sought to choose the best of the best, and that could only be determined in battle, in a colosseum made by him in his Quantum Universe. With the heroes fighting amongst themselves, he was eventually drawn into it. His armor was able to shrug off the willpower-based attacks of three Green Lanterns at once without a scratch and he, himself, was able overpower, toss, and smack around three Supermen with ease. Out of the heroes he captured, Red Son Superman and Liberty Files Batman were able to figure out that Captain Atom was under the Monarch armor. Two of Atom's counterparts, Breach and Quantum Storm, escaped from the Quantum Universe to gather all of the Captain Atoms from the different universes to fight against Monarch. As they all arrived, the plan backfired. It was revealed that Breach was brainwashed by Monarch into bringing all of his 51 counterparts in order to kill them and absorb their power. Monarch was able to single-handedly eradicate every incarnation of himself and absorb them into his very being, becoming more powerful in the process. In the end of it all, his strike force consisted of Ray "The Ray" Palmer (Earth-6), Eve of Shadows (Earth-13), Red Son Superman (Earth-30), Vampire Batman (Earth-43), the monstrous Scarab (Earth-26), Hal Jordan Jr. (Earth-12), Starwoman (Earth-7), Johnny Quick (Earth-3), Wonder Woman (Earth-34), and himself. He finally goes to war against the Monitors on Earth-51. During the war, Monarch was confronted be Superman-Prime, resulting in an intense battle between the both of them. In a fit rage due to Monarch's ridicule, Superman-Prime rips open the breastplate of Monarch's armor, setting off a massive explosion that destroyed the entire universe of Earth-51, apart from its Monitor. The status of Monarch and Prime is yet to be revealed...