First Thoughts on my Favourite Comic Books – episode one

Captain Atom no. 51 (my favourite single issue comic book)
In this book, Captain Atom is not actually the central character. Instead we are treated to a simple story which mirrors the events in Cap’s life right now – his checkered past catching up with him. The central character is an old man called Pops. He “might be more powerful than Captain Atom.” His power is an energy based telekinetic blast. When he was a kid he was bullied and he couldn’t take it so he lashed out and the bullies were killed. This haunts him. In his present day life, Pops avoids confrontation, turns a blind eye to violence in his neighbourhood. But his son is the opposite. Son of Pops inspires the neighbourhood to get rid of a gang who are bullying residents, robbing, raping, mugging. The pimp-style gang boss decides to send a message, beats up the son’s girl and kidnaps him. He is beaten to within an inch of his life. Pops finds out when he is called to the hospital to see to the girl. Everybody knows where the gang hide out, so it is not hard for Pops to find his son. He walks in, blowing away anything, anyone in his way. Picks up his son and leaves. The fact that finally he puts away what happened and focuses on doing the thing his heart requires, that he uses his powers in the end even though he vowed to never again – it’s a compelling story, even if it is rather simplistic.

Captain Atom arrives home at the end of the book and there is a news item about Pops. So the story links in part with the main plot at the end of the book. Captain Atom’s past is tainted by the fact that he was on death row for murder and he was a hamster in an experiment, guaranteed his freedom if he survived. The nuke he was sitting on, when it exploded it fused the alien metal casing which he was contained in with his flesh. The alien metal kept him alive as he dematerialised and rematerialised. The atomic bomb also became a part of him as he ingested its energy. And he became Captain Atom. This was an unexpected result. Due to the force of the explosion, he teleported a few times as he began to reform his body, finally landing a few decades in the future. The general who was in charge of the experiment tried to cover it up and destroy the Captain. But Cap found an ally in a survivalist scientist who also had been following the experiment – but whose interest in Cap was purely academic.

I love stories which explore family relationships in a new way. Captain Atom 51 does this.