The 20th Century marked the dawn of the atomic age, an era where the raw power of nuclear fission was accessed by mere mortals with devastating results. While notable heroes have been created in modern fiction from such a source, this has also spawned those who would use such power for evil. Today we highligh two such villains, one errantly turned the power upon himself and the other upon his foe, leading to divergent tales for Captain Adam/Atom and Captain Strong, the Shield!
Our bad guys in question are Professor Koste and Doctor Collins (the Deathstar..young Skywalker. Will our Captains use the force? Fundamental, that is...):
While out two captains battled gangs, the prof and doc had stolen toxic items unleashing deadly radiation!
Atom leaked radiation from his damaged suit, while Collins was exposed to massive radiation from the device he stole. Each of these sinister scientists unleashed new threats to the world...threats the people of this era were scared of since the dawn of nuclear power!
Koste takes this opportunity to gain access to a reactor.Meanwhile Collins seeks Doctor Laureen Smith to help reverse the mutating effects of the negatron device he had unleashed.
Atom heroically stalled the reactor activated by Koste from going critical mass, at the cost of losing his own powers. Collins as Dreadstar went critical mass and attempted to take Shield and Laureen with him.
Journalist Abby Ladd attempted to discredit Atom during this confrontation, though its obvious that she and Laureen secretly harbored deep feelings for the heroes and their miiltary alter egos.
Atom and Shield dealt their foes a defeat. Atom gained a new lease on life, Shield lost his.The loss felt by Maureen and the aggravation expressed by Abby shows how ironic things turned out for both potential love interests.
As for Koste and Collins, they weren't seen again...yet in their two encounters with our couple of captains they changed their lives in ways that last to this day. While Captain Atom gained a new costume and greater control over his powers, giving him a new lease on life, for Captain Strong - the Shield - it led to his demise as he has never returned.
Posts
