“Yesterday’s” Comic> Captain Atom #83

Cap’s firework display went a bit wrong.

Captain Atom #83

Charlton Comics Group (November, 1966)

“Finally Falls The Mighty”

PLOT/PENCILER: Steve Ditko

WRITER: David A. Kaler

INKER: Rocke Mastroserio

The New Blue Beetle

CONCEPT/ART: Steve Ditko

WRITER: Gary Friedrich

[Read along with me here]

In the main story, Captain Nathaniel Adam fired a scientist named Koste he thought was a security risk, but the man finds a way to steal a component anyway. Then, while hoping to study a reactor he’s forced to sabotage it when Captain Atom shows up, only for it to nearly blow up. Captain Atom uses his powers to stop the reactor, but costs him his power, giving his goons a chance to take the hero down. As Koste studies the reactor and the goons take him hostage, some guy I guess we’re calling Iron Arms has a plan to meet the evil professor.

Most of this story is Atom fighting the reactor. The comic starts going for a “oh, he’s such a threat” idea when his suit is damaged and starts leaking radiation, but doesn’t do anything with it. We’ll get to his previous comics in the future, and I’m only doing the current comics as part of the Blue Beetle Friday fest so we can learn Ted Kord’s origin, so maybe this is a running issue in the comic. Koste’s part in this story is almost an afterthought until the end, but next issue we’ll see where that goes.

Now for Ted Kord’s comic debut as the Blue Beetle. It’s Ted’s first night on the job, as he chases the Killer Koke gang. Too bad at their first fight they manage to take him out, and he only wins because he uses his bug-like ship to capture their escaping car. Then Koke convinces the cops he was in on it but betrayed them. Not knowing this, the new Blue Beetle is ready for his next adventure.

So….is Beetle Girl getting her training from Ted, because he makes the same showing. I know it’s his first night but he gets taken out and framed way too easy. The original (Charlton version anyway) Blue Beetle is mentioned by the crooks and Ted knows Dan was the first Blue Beetle. Hopefully the next Captain Atom issue will have his origin, but as for this story he doesn’t really get the best showing. I thought that was a DC Comics problem

Overall, this was not a very strong comic. The Captain Atom story needed another draft, but we’ll see next issue how that tale turns out. Ted Kord’s first outing as the second(ish) Blue Beetle is kind of lackluster, but we’ll see how that goes leading up to his own title. This was just not a great comic for me, especially as the first appearance of a new hero that’s gone on to be part of a big legacy.