“Yesterday’s” Comic> Captain Atom #88

This remake of Yars’ Revenge seems off.

Captain Atom #88

Charlton Comics Group (October, 1967)

WRITER: Dave Kaler

“Ravage Of Ronthor!”

PENCILER: Steve Ditko

INKER: Frank McLaughin

COLORIST: uncredited though the whole comic is in color

LETTERING: A. Machine

Nightshade: “Poetry Of Peril”

ARTIST: JIm Aparo

[Read along with me here]

Earth receives a distress call and Captain Atom takes a rocket to investigate. He finds an empty city being attacked by giant insects that arrived on the planet years ago. Apparently the planet Ronthor was so peaceful everybody got bored and left, now existing as a warning to others about the downsides of their too serene life. Captain Atom manages to create a poison that kills the insects and return home…but what’s he towing with him.

This is where, at least for the main story, I do the whole got right/got wrong bit, but there is so much stupid. I guess I’m glad they didn’t go for the blatantly obvious twist of “the bugs were actually the ones who sent out the call for help” bit by having the city’s computer summon help to protect his warning to others. The warp science used to get there, of course powered by Captain Atom (making me wonder just how much radioactivity is in his body) is nonsense, the story is kind of boring when he isn’t fighting the insects, and the story is still something that comes off as a leftover from Space Adventures, and I can do without that.

Continuing our Nightshade story from last issue, Eve is taken to the Image’s base while he threatens her life if her father and colleagues don’t kill a bill to strengthen the nation’s defense systems, which is not in his unnamed country’s best interest. While prisoner, she remembers Incubus’ forces killing her mother and taking her brother, who she has sworn to rescue someday. In the present, Eve manages to escape and become Nightshade, who “rescues herself” and stops the Image.

This was the better story, as we learn more of Nightshade’s origins and a potentially interesting adventure for her down the line…though with one issue left that’s not very likely. The Image may not be the most interesting villain, but he served for the purpose of the story and help us learn more about our heroine.

Overall the first story was kind of crap, but the second story, while not enough to make up for it, showed more potential. Next time, the final issue according to Comic Book Plus.