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| The first time I saw Captain Atom, I was at my grandparents’ home in bed with one of those diseases that 6 year-olds used to get, and my Aunt Shirley bought me a handful of comics to read, including Space Adventures 36, because the cover featured one of those costumed heroes she knew I loved.
Okay, the McCarthyesque Cold War plots were already hackneyed by 1960. Charlton Comics was clearly a step below DC, even to 6-year-old, except in one respect — that artist I couldn’t yet name but could always recognize.
Those angular, rather contorted figures, that sparkling radioactive con trail left by the hero in flight, the bizarrely beautiful yellow lamé costume, the curving mask that seemed have been designed, as someone said, using a French curve. And then there was that long-examined, curiously symbolic cover featuring a bisected someone who was half Air Force officer, half superhero.
It was an artistic device used by Steve Ditko that he would use again on the second and much more famous superhero he would co-create, over at what would be called Marvel Comics. |
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| Thanks for highlighting this Dan - Ditko's work stands out - always had a soft spot for Charlton |
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| Tondo’s gambit would be used the next year, rather clumsily, by Reed Richards. |
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| Additional Information |
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| Publication | October 1960 | Price: 0.10 USD | Pages: 1 | Frequency: bimonthly |
| Notes | Cover images taken from inside story. |
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| Cover | On Planet X |
| Credits | Letters: typeset |
| Content | Genre: Superhero |
| Notes | Cover images taken from inside story. |
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| Comic Story | The Wreck of X-44 (5 pages) |
| Synopsis | The rocket-ship that Captain Atom is testing has been sabotaged. |
| Credits | Letters: typeset | Job #: 6698 |
| Content | Genre: Superhero | Characters: Gerald Mudge |
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| Comic Story | The Galactic Souvenir (7 pages) |
| Credits | Letters: typeset | Job #: 6096 |
| Content | Genre: Science Fiction |
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| Text Story | Penetro (2 pages) |
| Credits | Letters: typeset |
| Content | Genre: Science Fiction |
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| Comic Story | The Omnipotent Robot (6 pages) |
| Synopsis | A scientist Siroco created Tondo, the Omnipotent robot, for space exploration. The planet where Tondo was created is not named, but a man whom Sirco calls 'Your Excellency' desires to use Tondo to explore possible worlds to invade and spread despotism. Tondo's first mission took an unexpected three years. He returns in bad shape, appearing damaged. Tondo shows moving pictures of the planet, displaying a desolate and unlivable planet. This dissuades the would-be invaders. Tondo's next mission is to Earth. Tondo intends on protecting the Earth by again deceiving the despotic conqueror. |
| Credits | Letters: typeset | Job #: 5916 |
| Content | Genre: Science Fiction | Characters: Tondo; Siroco |
| Notes | Some of Tondo's powers include invisibility, a super-computer mind, invulnerability, super strength, super-sonic speed, and the ability to record and play back motion images. |
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| Comic Story | Captain Atom on Planet X (5 pages) |
| Synopsis | Captain Atom guards a new orbital satellite from enemy missles. |
| Credits | Letters: typeset | Job #: 6744 |
| Content | Genre: Superhero |
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| The data in the additional content section is courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under a
Creative Commons Attribution License.
More details about this comic may be available in their page here |
