The Destructor: Lost Superhero of the Bronze Age

ATLAS SEABOARD Publishing challenged the comic book world with a new line of superheroes in 1975. THE DESTRUCTOR was one of their flagship titles. Created by Archie Goodwin, Larry Lieber, Wally Wood, and Steve Ditko-The Destructor is generally considered one of the better heroes to come from this short lived comic book line.

[@01grhornet]

Still have an almost complete collection of the Atlas comics. Fun stuff.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Lee! Me too...I really enjoy these characters.

[@watsonholmes3703]

Atlas. Was a thing of beauty. Wish there was better structure in place or whatever the problem was. But why no mention of their attempted comeback??

[@rustyvonhammerdown9054]

Outside of the Vickis, I have all the four color comics. Great stuff.

[@atlanteum]

Another "Atlas Comics? I still have mine, too!" commenter here! I remember really liking Phoenix, especially the very stylish art in the first couple of issues. Then they switched artists and the whole thing - story and art - seemed to go from a comic that was trying to do something unique to - Meh... just complete Meh. Well, bold of them to have tried, anyway!

[@ronmccain3105]

Good one! Archie was not only a long term creative dynamo for 3 decades, he was a very kind and attentive editor at DC for a young artist like myself in the early 90's. I lost a good mentor and friend the day he passed. Thanks for doing this vid, it shines a bit of light on a tiny part of his great career in comics.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Ron! I know his time at Atlas was not a high mark in his career, but the Destructor is a great read! He was one of the all-time greatest superhero writers. It's awesome that you knew him. He seemed like a great guy.

[@ronmccain3105]

He truly was a great guy, a good friend, and a huge loss to the industry as a whole. Thank you!

[@magicfeliuri2681]

Great job Sr

[@magicfeliuri2681]

@@FizzFop1 amazing

[@magicfeliuri2681]

Sr Iam Comic Writer And cartoonist

[@terrencetarr6913]

R.I.P. Archie Goodwin, he was one of the greatest comic book writers of all time

[@FizzFop1]

He was an amazing writer. One of my all time favorites.

[@macsnafu]

With all the creators they got to work for them, Atlas had real potential to create some *great* stuff, but they were too concerned about "beating" and/or copying Marvel to really let the creative teams do what they did best. I've got several of the Atlas titles, including the Destructor, but some of the titles and issues still elude me.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi macshafu!!! It was a proud day when I finished my Atlas collection! I think it was Vicki #4 was the last issue I needed to finish. I'm working on a Grim Ghost video....it's partially edited. I can't seem to find time/energy to finish it (sigh).

[@blackcap6725]

This is awesome. I own nearly all of what Atlas put out in the 70s. Classic stuff....

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Black Cap! I do too! I have everything with the exception of the Monster Movie Mags and the Romance Mag. I have all of the color comics and the comic B+W magazines. It's really fun stuff.

[@blackcap6725]

@@FizzFop1 I'm still looking for those magazines! Oh man, I'd give an arm for those!

[@FizzFop1]

I see them for sale on ebay...but I'm not paying the prices they want for them.

[@kurumais]

im surprised nobody has collected these books in an omnibus

[@misanthropicmusings4596]

Can't even find 'em on Comixology.

[@normalbert7313]

I was a huge fan of Planet of Vampires, Morlock 2001, and The Phoenix. All 3 took odd turns in the third issue and ended on cliffhangers. Had to conclude the stories by playing them out with my Mego action figures. Good times!

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Norm! I think we all did that!

[@franksimasko6661]

Yeah, all three of those titles were great ..... loved the entire Atlas Line Up

[@jonathangoode546]

I remember Atlas comics and TIGER-MAN my father has bought me an issue . It's was really good to reading .

[@greedycapitalist8590]

Captain Britain had an enemy called Slaymaster, in a 1977 story co-written by Jim Lawrence and Larry Lieber.

[@willdgol7501]

Good to see you back. Hope your doing better with your Cancer

[@FizzFop1]

Thanks Will-i-am Golden!!! I'm still a wreck, but I'm doing better. I had surgery last month. A couple of days ago was the first time I could sit at my computer desk without being in pain. So, the first thing I thought of was to finish the Destructor video. Hope you liked it!

[@willdgol7501]

@@FizzFop1 loved the video but take it easy and don't over work your self

[@andrewtate4897]

@@FizzFop1 I've been there mate chin up keep going, it's all you can do. I'm better now but it still affects me mentally.

[@MrWorf35]

@@FizzFop1 Hi. I am sorry to hear this. I hope you are better still now. Did you try the cannabis flower, for pain relief amongst other things? It really helps. With a spliff or by using a vaporizer or more concentrated forms if needed. Check out "Run From The Cure", a documentary by a man called Rick Simpson, who had cancer and healed himself with tinctures made out of the resin's cannabinoids.

[@michaelbrent854]

The Distructor need his own TV series !

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Michael! Funny you should mention that...there was a Atlas title called Targitt...which was later changed to John Targitt: Man-Hunter that used Robert Redford as the model for the main character. Other characters were also styled on actors and actresses. The dialogue borrowed from movies as well. I read somewhere that Atlas planned to pitch a couple of ideas to Hollywood studios after they established themselves. Right before Goodman retired from Marvel, Stan Lee had gone out to Hollywood to pitch show ideas. Eventually, those early discussions led to the Hulk TV show. If only Atlas could have survived...we might have had the Destructor TV show.

[@jeffjones4654]

I remember reading Tiger-Man as a kid.

[@acediadekay3793]

Always a blast to learn about the heroes from the past : D And great to hear that you are still going strong : )

[@grizzerker]

I remember Atlas and reading them all:)

[@ComicgeddonTV]

He also bares quite a strong resemblance to Hawk and Dove from DC Comics

[@FizzFop1]

Hi ComicgeddonTV! He does look like those guys. That may have been Ditko's default design for superhero costumes.

[@logan1er]

I used to read "TITANS" books when I was a kid, they gathered many titles each month with "STRANGE". TPB were too expensive so we loved to share or read those books which were the best introduction to comic books in France.

[@xaayer]

Yes! I've missed these! Just binged them on Sunday. Still think Black Bat was my favorite of yours. Hope to see more of these.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi xaayer! Yeah, the Black Bat was hands down the best video I did. I would love to do more live action scenes. I think it added a lot.

[@stendec-dd3he]

Remember the Atlas Comics, fondly.

[@jizzlinjay6]

Thank you so much for this! I loved the Destructor comics as a kid. In France where I grew up, the marvel comics were published in anthology albums and they mixed the Atlas stuff with the Marvel regular series. Phoenix was my other favorite.

[@IlluminovaNibiru]

If these movies by Paramount turn out good these are gonna Skyrocket.

[@tjwatson2112]

Outstanding. Great to see some Atlas/Seaboard love. I’m a big collector of this company. Hope you do a post on more of it.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi TJ! I was working on a history of the line...but it's turned into something too big to do. So, I'm in the process of breaking it down. More Atlas/Seaboard Love is on the way!

[@danebarrett237]

I absolutely ADORED the Atlas Comics, especially Destructor and Scorpion. The ditkobpenculs with the wood inks was simply stunning, and Goodwin could make anything work! I followed these and the Charlton hero books and the MLJ stuff. I always preferred the sideways, off the beaten path companies. Thanks for this vid! Between your historical stuff and your well chosen music cues, these may be the most professional stuff I've seen on comics on the Tube. Terrific!

[@FizzFop1]

Thanks Dane! I too always followed those weird off beat companies and their heroes.

[@shazbatagatha6100]

I remember tiger- man back when i was about7 or 8 years old ..he fought a villian called hypnos !! Awesome comic!! Wish i still had it !☺

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Shazbat! There's more Atlas stories to come!

[@janetbailey3804]

ATLAS WAS AN AWESOME GROUP OF COMICS BY A NUMBER OF WORLD RENOWNED CREATORS, THE ARTWORK, STORIES, AND CONCEPTS WERE ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!!GARY BAILEY KING OF DARKNESS TO BAD THE PUBLICATION DIDN'T LAST.

[@mmonurdz9456]

Wow, this brings back happy memories! I owned a copy of Destructor #1 when I was a boy! I really liked it!

[@wmeadsbrown]

Same!!

[@darrinwebber4077]

I had a bunch of Atlas comics. I liked them.

[@andrewwright01]

My favorite Atlas comic book was Iron Jaw. I still have the two issues I bought off the rack at the local gas station when I was a kid in the '70s.

[@FizzFop1]

That's awesome Andrew! I bought Demon Hunter at the local Sparkle Market.

[@dennisanderson3895]

While a number of the Atlas line were a bit [cough!cough!] derivative, I had appreciated it, seeing promise and potential. A factor I'd always heard hurt them was the explosion of titles - covering basically every genre of comics - in such a brief span was eschewed by distributors/retailers. But Atlas crafted a few or so I wish I could buy the rights to! The Destructor may seem a bit generic. But, honestly, how many motivating moments to become a costumed vigilante *are* there?

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Dennis, One of the reasons there was such an explosion was to force Atlas off the shelves. DC and Marvel both cut deals with distributors to take less money and they flooded the market with reprint titles. The distributors put out their comics on the spinner racks because they got a bigger cut of the sales. So, they undercut Atlas even though they took the hit. They started doing that just before they thought Atlas was ready to launch...it got pushed back a year, but that gave DC and Marvel additional time to flood the market. 1975 was the first year Marvel did not make a profit. A large part of that had to do with their anti-Atlas plan.

[@dennisanderson3895]

I just clicked Subscribe. Here's some inside info I'm gonna enjoy!

[@mollytherealdeal]

Another great video. I am a big fan of Archie Goodwin, such a creative and friendly guy. He was involved with the creation of my favorite comic book character, Doctor Zero.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi mollythereldeal! I don't know Doctor Zero...I will have to look that one up!

[@ricklogan7889]

I read these when they came out & really liked them.

[@franksimasko6661]

Same here ... loved the entire line

[@scottfree2248]

Brilliant video! I loved the Atlas line. It's a shame that it failed. It would have been a great to have a superhero comics publishing company to compete with DC and Marvel.

[@reedcomics8196]

Awesome vid! More please!

[@oliverbrownlow5615]

I was 11 years old when these comics came out, and I bought a lot of them and liked them, and I would have been very happy to continue buying them if they had remained available. The Destructor was the best of them, for sure. I also particularly liked The Grim Ghost. I know I also bought Tiger-Man, and I think the Brute and Scorpion. It's funny that they were intended to compete with Marvel, though, because with their stand-alone stories complete in each issue, they seemed more like the DC Comics of the time to me (while many Marvel titles featured ongoing plotlines that played out over dozens of issues -- brilliant, but sometimes frustrating for kids with limited pocket money who wanted to find out what happened at the end of a story). It should be noted that in addition to stories and artwork of generallly high quality, these titles also offered young readers the thrill of being able to buy the #1 issues of each book (at a time when the earily numbers of the popular Marvel and DC titles were already selling for hundreds and thousands of dollars, far out of reach of kid collectors).

[@ScreamingScallop]

I ate up Atlas Comics when I was a kid, for the brief time they were around, but was hardly surprised when they all got cancelled. My favorites back then were The Destructor and The Phoenix, probably because they were the most traditional-style superhero knockoffs; the Destructor also whiffs of elements of Captain America (dying scientist super serum!), the Punisher (kill the mobsters!) and Batman (that mask!). Thanks to weak sales I was spared Atlas' infamous "change-ups" which wildly altered several characters in a too-late attempt to save the company. Destructor got "belted by gamma rays" (a la the Hulk!) and gained zappy-blast powers while hooking up with some Inhumans knockoffs who may have been good OR evil. The Phoenix ran into some not-Asgardians and got a new eyesore of a suit; mercenary-adventurer-slash-typical-Chaykin-jackass The Scorpion jumped a generation into some spandex-crusader shenanigans, and Morlock and The Brute got...well, they got killed. If they had another issue, they probably would've gotten better, but it wasn't meant to be. My favorite of the lot now? The Tarantula (despite his badly-written stories), a man suffering a curse which transforms him every night into an evil human-devouring bug-demon, forever threatening to kill those close to him yet paradoxically protecting them from otherworldly dangers. Seems to be lifted more from "Dark Shadows" than anything else.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Screaming Scallop!!! I was a real little kid at the time, but I bought Demon Hunter off a spinner rack at the local drug store. I lost the cover on it and asked dealers about it when I got older. No one knew anything about it. Of the entire Atlas line...it's hard to call which one I like the best...Wulf? Targitt? Tigerman? Grim Ghost? The Scorpion? To tough to call...although Scorpion #1 and Wulf the Barbarian #2 are probably my favorite single issues.

[@silverliningreviews882]

Always love your stuff dude. Keep it up👍🏻

[@Rangersly]

I love the Atlas/Seaboard comicbook and magazine line! They are some hidden gems in there and it's a testament to the lousy management (the Goodmans) that they failed to produce anything lasting with the sum of awesome talents they attracted. Name any of the big artists that were relevant in the Bronze Age and they probably did some work at Atlas: Steve Ditko, Wally Wood, Neal Adams, Berni Wrightson (inked some Ditko on MORLOCK 2001 # 3), Alex Toth, Walt Simonson, Frank Thorne, John Severin, Russ Heath, Mike Ploog, Howard Chaykin, Doug Wildey, etc. It's easier to name the very few stars of the Bronze Age that didn't work there: Jack Kirby. Also, I don't think Jim Starlin ever did anything at Atlas. Can't remember anyone else that was relevant from that period. Last thing: you didn't mention it in your excellent video, but Wally Wood (like Ditko) also left Marvel because a creative conflict with Stan Lee when he was revamping Daredevil.

[@5foldunderstanding547]

Hey,, the Master Fizz Fop inspired me to do A Bronze Age Documentry of my own- About alot of them Names you mentioned (Neal Adams, Bernie "the Greatest Inker/ Penciler Ever" Wrightson, Toth) All our in my "HOUSE OF MYSTERY DC Horror comics HISTORY" Halloween micro-documentry ((Jus Click on My Face)) & Check it out. In the Beganinning, I talk about the Golden age of Horror comics & show people How Easy it is to go too the Beautifully constructed [ *Comic book Plus Web-site* // NOT ComicsPlus ] where Many Golden-Age Comics, by Publisher are FREE To Legally Read !! Including Fawcett City "WHIZ comics" / Charlton/ Better Nedor-Standard "Exciting Comics" (the Black Terror) *ETC.* Probably Not Atlas/Seaboard but You can find plenty of Older "Gems" for FREE right there.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi 5 Fold Understanding! I will check it out! I love those early 70s House of Mystery books...The earliest memories I have of buying comics was House of Mystery,Sgt. Rock, and Weird War Tales. I still love reading those.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Rangersly! I didn't know Wood left that way also. Atlas had some great ideas...just a shame they couldn't pull it out. I don't think they were in business for the long term. Martin Goodman wanted revenge on Marvel and this line forced Marvel to make a lot of bad long term business decisions. 1975 was the first year Marvel ran into the red and didn't make a profit. Shame because the Atlas line could have been a contender.

[@Rangersly]

@@FizzFop1 It was very diversified in the beginning with many genres represented Crime/Detective/adventure (Police Action, Targitt, Scorpion), western (Western Action), war (Blazing Battle Tales, Savage Combat Tales), sword & socrcery (Ironjaw, Wulf), weird heroes (Grim Ghost, Weird Suspense: Tarantula, etc.), Kung Fu (Hands of the Dragon), Horror (Tales of Evil), science fiction (Planet of Vampires, Morlock 2001), and of course costumed superheroes (Cougar, Destructor, etc.). All that creative talent and some good ideas that were either never fully developped or completely changed before they had a real chance to attact a readership. Like Howard Chaykin's Scorpion who was changed from a serial-type adventurer into a modern age superhero with the 3rd (and last) issue. Or Targitt who also was changed from a detective-type character into yet another costumed superhero. Also, from what I understand, the management at Atlas lured some of the best creators with more money but managed to pissed them off as soon as they started to work there as most of them didn't work on more than a couple of issues.

[@rob-brown]

Fizzfop... at 5:21 i had to stop the video and type this comment. i had to subscribe. fantastic work. love the sound effects while going through the comic. can't wait to finish the video. looking forward to looking through your uploads. keep them coming!

[@FizzFop1]

Thanks Rob! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@h.e.finleyjr.8463]

Steve Ditko and wally wood on art....fucking fabulous!!!

[@FizzFop1]

Hi H.E. Finley Jr...If you get the chance, the first two issues of The Destructor has great freakin' artwork...perhaps some of Ditko's best.

[@miker6452]

Another very well researched video. And the Atlas title Morlock 2001 looked interesting, I may look for it to buy later on. Once again, great commentary, very well done.

[@givmespace]

great to see you bro.! youve been missed

[@FizzFop1]

Hi givmespace! I glad to be back. Had surgery last month and just getting on my feet.

[@givmespace]

@@FizzFop1 Im truly happy that you are on the road to recovery

[@Blofeld001]

That was great, thanks! Had some Atlas comics growing up. Picked them up at a garage sale. Awesome seeing the history behind the line.

[@gnayr1305]

Another GREAT video! Well done. I have all of the Atlas titles. I love them. They are a small piece of my childhood that I look at fondly...and I thank you for the research and information. 👍

[@oluhamilton2121]

Seeing Wood's inks over Ditko's is a treat.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Olu! I would give you a double thumbs up for that comment if I could.

[@oluhamilton2121]

@@FizzFop1 Wood was the type of artist who could be transparent enough to let the penciller's work shine through and still be Wood. Have you ever seen his work on 'Mad magazine looks at the Comics'? Unbelievable!!

[@FizzFop1]

I love Wood's artwork on Mad. I went to the Mad Magazine exhibit at The Billy Ireland Cartoon Museum last year and the art was amazing! I made a video on it. There was a lot of original art that I didn't show. There was a number of Wood's pieces there. It's interesting to see what the original artwork looks like because you can see what got pasted on. You could see the white-out for corrections...you could also see the non-photographic blue pencil lines. Great Stuff!

[@e-cuauhtemoc]

I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL. Thanks so much for all your hard work!

[@Demonstryke13]

This was really cool. I've always wanted to learn more about Atlas Seaboard, for obvious reasons you don't hear about it a lot!!!

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Andrew! I'm making some more videos on Atlas. It was a fun line...it's even more fun when you read about the short comings and issues they had.

[@Demonstryke13]

Oh yeah. I looked up a little bit of stuff on Wikipedia today while killing time, reading about the failed 2010 revival and everything!!!@@FizzFop1

[@andrewjohnson6716]

Holy...! I used to own five out of the eight Atlas Comics that they showed!

[@Sazman]

You're back! Awesome vid

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Me! I hope to stay back!

[@vo1non]

Ditko and Wood...wow!

[@alfrede.neumann5513]

Wish this Atlas Seaboard stuff would get collected into hardcovers. Tpb at least. Had 75% of it collected as a kid.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Alfred! Thanks for watching! I wish they did a giant hardcover too. A few years back, I went on the hunt. I have everything except a rare Romance magazine, a Vicki comic, and the Movie Monster books. The superhero/horror/war/western stuff is complete.

[@nairbvel]

Destructor sounds like a character that could've had legs... Although the number of Marvel characters that were rolled into this one is kind of funny/sad. I'm glad the people involved were able to continue in the industry because their legacies are important.

[@holdthetruthhostage]

I wonder if he is public domain that storyline was amazing, the costume could use a redesign but the story wow

[@FizzFop1]

Unfortunately, the Atlas characters are not in public domain. They are currently owned by Paramount Pictures and are in movie development as of last year. Knowing how Hollywood is today, I'm terrified how bad these characters will look in film.

[@spacesergeant101]

Destructor sounds like a cross between The Shield and Darkman. Perhaps he was the inspiration for Darkman.

[@shawnmalone9711]

Wow , I have almost all of the Atlas Seaboard comics. I bought them at 7-11 in 1975. Too bad most of the comic books lasted for only three issues.

[@franksimasko6661]

Yeah ... I agree ... I really loved pretty much all of the Atla Titles .............

[@gladiator1342]

I like this channel. You respect the genre.

[@michaelmclaughlin261]

Those 1970's characters looked pretty badass. I wonder if they are now Public Domain.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Michael, No, unfortunately they are not in public domain. These characters are owned by the Goodman family and may never see the light of day again. Image attempted to purchase them, but the asking price is too much.

[@themanfromdyatron2196]

your channel is amazing, great work !

[@FizzFop1]

Thank You ERA 2!

[@SurfDUI]

Very cool

[@gsentinel4821]

WELL DONE!!👍👍

[@cumberbatchpepperpot]

interesting stuff, thank you

[@MrWorf35]

As a long time French reader myself, I still have the first issues of Titans magazine (LUG Editions) where some of the best ATLAS Comics material was translated: Wulf The Barbarian, Cursed Earth, The Protector, and The Destructor aka "Le Justicier" in French. Bravo for your work. Cheers!

[@wiseguymaybe]

Seems like a shame that The Destructor lasted only 4 issues. I've never heard of him, but sounds like an very well conceived character and a great origin story. I'd love to read these four issues. Especially with Steve Ditko's art.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi larry, You can pick them up relatively cheap...I personally feel that some of Ditko's best art ever was in the Destructor.

[@ricklogan7889]

I liked most Atlas titles. I still do.

[@matthewronson5218]

I liked Atlas comics and how they did look like Marvel productions. I understood that it was primarily distribution problems that killed them as it did Comely Comics (Captain Canuck). Many don't know that DC (then National) distributed Marvel comics, at least back then. So some sort of collusion to stifle competition through this choke point says "dirty deals" that if not illegal, certainly bordered on it. Charlton Comisc was its own publishing and distribution company. However, the comics still seemed highly derivative and formulaic. If not uninspired they were under-inspired. Character development was secondary though they hired and paid generously for first rate talent, they got incidental solid hits kind of a long the lines of Charlton, which was because it was simply a side business to keep the printers running more economically. Derivative does not have to mean bland and/or uninteresting. After all. Rorschach and all of the Watchmen were derivatives that worked quite well, as surely as there have been a plethora of "Superman clones" created e.g. Hyperion and Gladiator; Darkseid and Thanos. It takes a solid Editor-in-Chief, a grueling job, to tie this all together as it does to start a new universe, but it sounds liek Chip was also a prime cause for this failure. There were probably good reasons his Dad didn't pass this enterprise to his son, and why Marvel dropped him the first moment that they could. It seems they did well developing the initial character, but there wasn't a lot of thought past the first or second issue. Like the adage: location, location, location, distribution for any periodical is the direct equivalent. That is the tail/detail that wags the dog, no matter if the product is top shelf. That can't matter is nobody can see it or obtain it. This should have been the first priority. But the comic industry is as cut throat as any can be. National sued over Capt. Marvel. Unlike the poplar fiction, National lost, but the legal costs devastated Fawcett's finances so badly that they had to sell the character they were trying to protect from an unfounded and over reaching accusation. So it was probably 'karmic' that National let the copyright lapse and Marvel acquired the name "Capt. Marvel", as the character was arguably ill-gotten in the first place.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Matthew! Thanks for watching! Atlas was plagued on all sides. They made a series of bad internal decisions and the other publishers were out to get them. I have another Atlas video that I'm working on and I talk about some of the issues going on. There's ways to imitate and still make it different and new. A large portion of the comics industry has done this. National didn't let the copyright and trademark for Captain Marvel lapse. It was Fawcett Publishing. For some reason, they let it go.

[@jeremycline9542]

Great to see another vid from you, man...hope you're feeling okay.

[@FizzFop1]

Thanks Jeremy! I was laid up after surgery. I'm up and about and going to crank out a few more videos before I have to go back to work!

[@jeremycline9542]

Glad to have you back! Things are good for fans of Golden Age and pulp characters: in the next few months we will have a new Captain Marvel series (which editorial calls "Shazam"...), a new Miss Fury series and a new Freedom Fighters! Finally, while not Golden Age proper, Peter Cannon is coming back in January and the previews make it look like he's getting the A-list treatment.

[@kahanitv19]

Men you deserve more Subscribe your work is so amazing

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

I'm not familiar with the works of Atlas, I'm glad you did this.

[@franksimasko6661]

The entire line really is worth checking out ..... I loved pretty much all the Atlas titles .... sadly many of them ended without totally wrapping up the story line

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

@@franksimasko6661 That's the sad part...none of their stories ever ended.

[@1971thedoctor]

Love Ditko’s art on this comic

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Jerrod! I think it's some of his best outside of Spider-man.

[@springheeledjackofthegurdi2117]

wow, I never these guys where a thing thanks for making me aware of them, good to see I with my marvel homage project aren't the only one to try and swipe marveldom it can be done.

[@stephenwit1]

Re-watched this video getting ready for what Paramount has plans for their comic book movie line. I hope these movies would be good.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi stephenwit1! I hope you got a chance to see my new Grim Ghost video!

[@stephenwit1]

Yes looking forward to the next video.

[@thefroknight3149]

Sucks that the archive site doesn't work for now. I actually wanted to read some of these.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi TheFroKnight! Yeah, the archive website doesn't have any books to read through...it's a major disappointment. You can pick them up pretty cheap on Ebay. Some of their books I recommend are...Grim Ghost issues 1 and 2, Wulf the Barbarian 1-4...(Issue 2 has some great art in it). Tigerman 1 is way ahead of its time in story theme and violence-The character is avenging the murder and rape of his sister. Demon Hunter #1 might be my all time favorite--Rich Buckler art...but the story is left to be continued and there was no issue 2. There's some other great stuff there, but I would begin with those.

[@thefroknight3149]

@@FizzFop1 Thanks! I already finished Phoenix since it was on Readcomiconline but I was mostly interested in Destructor, Grim Ghost and Tigerman.

[@rustyvonhammerdown9054]

Great job! I was a big fan of the Atlas titles as a kid. They certainly had their flaws but both Marvel and DC turned out some pretty turgid material as well.

[@scott1434]

I had that comic and enjoyed the line

[@Janizzary]

This is such a great channel - well researched and fun.

[@catsithx]

Wow what nice story. A nice look at a character who was created during this time.

[@rickytoddbotelho9555]

Great.

[@peterblood50]

I loved 'The Scorpion' The one I have is the one shown. I never saw another one so I don't know if there were anymore. 🤔

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Peter! There's three issues of The Scorpion. The first two issues are absolutely worth reading/owning. The third issue ain't so great. I could do a whole video about those three issues...that might be on the drawing board. There's a great story behind that character.

[@stephenwit1]

I remember Atlas

[@staceymeans134]

The saga continued with Jay seeking mob boss Joe Bonanno---er, Big Mike Brand in Arizona. That was where he met the mutants, results of the radiation their parents absorbed from the faulty nuclear plant at which they worked. They could have been called The Z-Men, only because there are no letters in the alphabet after that.

[@KollectingKaos]

I've been tracking down the Atlas Seaboard comics for years, if not for E-Bay, I would most likely never even get close to getting them.

[@shoresean1237]

I have a personal theory about Stan Lee welcoming Goodwin back so readily. I think that, given what Atlas tried to do, he expected it to last a lot longer. Distribution was a problem because of DC and Marvel's reprint flood scheme, but if the books had been as strong as this one seemed across the board, I don't know that it would have worked as well. I think that maybe when Chip ran things into the ground that hard, Stan among others said something like "Damn! That was fast." and just let go of any bitterness, probably aided by his own brother regaling him with how the whole thing sank. Marvel and DC would never have gone so far if they hadn't thought Atlas was poised to move; when it didn't, there was probably some shock along with the relief. Anyway, Goodwin had deep ties at Marvel, and whatever Lee said, didn't set out to burn his bridges, whereas Rovin recruited from DC's pool, didn't have real Marvel ties, and so when DC said goodbye, they meant it. I'll also take back something I said partially: Destructor might be a character Paramount could develop, whereas so many other Atlas properties seem too expy or were reworked for sale to Marvel - which is now to say, the most litigious entertainment firm in existence. Also, I wonder: Do these creative types still get paid for things like Destructor, if Paramount's plans go well?

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Rob, Marvel may have taken him back for a couple of reasons. Goodwin was an extremely talented writer who Stan had groomed. Marvel may have felt it was better to get him back than letting him go to DC or Warren. I believe that Roy Thomas was a friend of Goodwin and was the Editor and Chief after Stan was promoted. That would have been another reason to take him back. From what I've heard Goodwin was well liked and a pleasure to work with...that goes a long way. I've also heard stories that both DC and Marvel sent moles to work at Atlas. Their job was to get hired and report back everything that was going on. I've never heard a name drop as to who these spies were-but Goodwin could have been one. Rovin was the whipping boy of the whole Atlas thing. From what I understand, Carmen Infantino took the Rovin situation very personally. When Rovin was named as editor and chief, some people said that he was as proud as a father would be...and when the talent raid began, he took it personally like a knife to the back. The final blow up happened when Mike Grell went to the Atlas offices to talk with Rovin. I've heard different versions of this story which I plan on doing another video on. I think Paramount can make it work. There's a lot of great stuff there. The question becomes can they develop it in such a way that it will connect with audiences. Strike One: These characters are not in the public consciousness. There's not years of publications and a built in dedicated fan base like Marvel and DC characters have. They have to figure out a way to over come that. Strike Two: They don't have a superhero team, female, or other minority characters. The current production team has to expand this universe. It's hard to do a successful gender or race swap character-but because these characters aren't established, they might be able to do that...my vote would be to turn Tigerman into an African American or to do a Jill Targitt instead of John Targitt...regardless what they do-they need to add characters not in the original Atlas run. And finally Strike Three: Like the original Atlas run...they have to be original and find their own audience...if they try to copy the MCU, they will fail just like before. They also have some things working in their favor. The characters are mostly off-beat when compared to Marvel and DC. That originality may help them survive when superhero fatigue sets in with the audience. Because they are not established with a fan base, you can do almost anything to the characters without reprisals from hardcore fans. Personally, I think they should be bold. Make the movies "R" rated...go down the sex and violence route. It should be more "Game of Thrones" rather than copy the MCU. That would be a very bold way to go and I doubt they have the nerve to do it. Anyway, that's my two cents.

[@shoresean1237]

@@FizzFop1 I actually had this idea: Do a movie not based on Atlas/Seaboard properties per se, but about the rise and fall of the company. I even have a title: Away On The Seaboard. The frame is Archie meeting Stan after all is done, and Stan is like "I was scared of these guys, Carmine was scared - and then what? How did it all fall apart? Larry won't say anything except 'It Didn't Go'." Archie then takes over narrating, citing the choices and decisions that went to this place. Along the way, the Archie character explains various comic book publishing and creative tropes for the audience, and why some were adhered to and others weren't. I think it could work.

[@FizzFop1]

@@shoresean1237 I wrote a script for the Atlas Seasboard story. I estimate it would be well over an hour long. There is so much Game of Thrones style politics and corporate espionage going on that it would make a great TV series. I've thought about breaking it up into parts. I have the same problem with my Fox Features script...how do I present so many stories in a fashion that viewers would like?

[@thegunslinger8806]

Decent mid term turn out,Comicsgate on the up and up, I just talked to a few friends and joked for a bit with my fellow podcasters. Man what else could go good today? *sees new videos* HOLY SHIT A FIZZPOP VIDEO! I was curious about this guy cuz he sounded like a super power version of blue beetle and Daredevil. Now with the backstory I understand that this was the first attempt at an image comics like walk out by creators and honestly I don't blame them, comics at this time took a hit with the comics code crap and DC cow towing willingly didn't help, no wonder they were so frustrated when nobody wanted to make waves in a country that was going through such rapid changes. Great video and great job has always Fizz! Hope you keep them coming cuz the history lessons in comics are something I would like to see, especially with some of the comic book crashes.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Player Juan! I've been recovering after my surgery. I'm a wreck-but at least now I can sit up at my computer desk to edit without being in pain. The Atlas story is great. I'm planning on doing more videos about this line. Some of the books they had were way way ahead of the curve.

[@thegunslinger8806]

@@FizzFop1 I hope you're doing well and have a speedy recovery,cant wait to see the other videos I'm sure they will be great! Also hope you have a great holiday season and a happy new year since its coming up soon.

[@jasonbean1176]

Thanks. Good recap.:)

[@vincentfranklin17]

I definitely remember reading a few Atlas Comics titles when I was about nine years old. They were... different, to say the least. Btw, hope you're feeling better!

[@FizzFop1]

Thank You Vincent! I am doing better. Now that I'm recuperating, I'm working on two new videos. Hope to have them out soon.

[@Psylliumhead]

Atlas comics were great, they would have succeeded if not for distribution.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi Psylliumhead! I've been reading up on Atlas for years...they had a lot of issues. They were sunk from all sides. Internal arguing between Rovin and Chip Goodman. The Goodmans made bad decisions. They had a third tier distributor. To make matters worse, DC and Marvel cut sweet deals to the distributors and took a much lower percentage off of sales. They started spitting out all these reprint titles and literally squeezed Atlas off the spinner racks. Even Charlton got into the act. Atlas just couldn't stand up to the tidal wave against them.

[@Psylliumhead]

@@FizzFop1 Yep, its funny how the video mocks them. I was a teenager then and I loved them.

[@franksimasko6661]

Yes I agree 100% ..... I loved the entire Atlas line of comics ..... they were as good or better than the stuff produced by Marvel or DC ... Your right about Atlas having to compete with Marvel and DC for rack space back in the day. There was a serious effort by both companies to bury Atlas titles and deny them shelf space ........

[@xpluscollectorscrew]

Cool

[@sharkfinbite]

Great video. I am not sure if feud is the right word for Ditko's issue with Stan. It was more like creative differences. I heard he was a follower and believer of a philosophy that caused friction and problems with Stan and the company at times. It was like an irritation. Their reasons for having a conflicts with each other were understandable I think it was for the best for the man to leave to another company. Ditko was not going to have enough creative liberty like he wanted if he stayed and Marvel couldn't handle him.

[@donmcc6573]

I have all the Destructor comics, few as they are.....

[@theherrdark4834]

Nice to see this: A new Atlas company was formed by May 2019 with SP Media Group owning a majority and Goodman retaining an interest. The new company purchased the Atlas characters and IPs from Nemesis Group that month. A number of deals to bring the characters to theaters starting in 2021 with one release each year with budgets starting at $60 million were also announced. Akiva Goldsman and his Weed Road Pictures were hired to run a writers room to develop 10 story outlines to select one for further development and production. Paramount Pictures was signed on in a first-look contract which includes development, financing, producing and distribution with Paramount holding North American rights and SP Media holding international rights. Further rights exploitation would be done jointly. Atlas appointed Goodman as head of publishing and executive producer and Spike Seldin as president of production. Seldin would supervise development with Weed Road's Greg Lessans and produce with Steven Paul and Goldsman. I wonder what will happen?

[@FizzFop1]

Hi TheHerrDark! Thanks for watching! It will be interesting to see how these characters will be handled for the big screen. Some concepts hold up...Demon Hunter could go to screen with zero changes from the comic...others like The Brute or Moorlock would need complete revamping (for legal reasons). I'm sure there will be race and gender flips as well...The big question is...are Goldsman and crew capable at pulling it off? I'm not sure on that. Goldman's history is good and bad. His recent work on Star Trek hasn't yielded positive results. My gut feeling is that I will either love it or hate it, but I'm hoping I will love it. We'll see.

[@theherrdark4834]

@@FizzFop1 The one thing I hope Paramount will learn from DC and Marvel mistakes and success is that some will be best on the big screen while others will be better as a tv/streaming series, and still be able to have them connected. Another lesson is some characters are better in a position of supporting other character's stories (at least for a while). Here is hoping.

[@johnminehan1148]

That was a good book, nice work by Ditko (I think it was one of his last few things he both penciled and inked, #3). Wood did nice inking, Ditko and Wood did some mystery stories after this, as well as the DC hero Stalker. Not bad work, even though it could have been better.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi John, Thanks for watching. I wasn't aware that they did some mystery stories after this. What books are these? I would like to take a look at them.

[@Jarjarbinksreallife]

It’s been too long!

[@conradojavier7547]

Please do Silver Age Spinoff.

[@donaldwiggins1799]

What’s funny is that I had the hands of the dragon comic book!

[@htgaines]

I remember snapping the Atlas comics up at the time as they were new (if derivative) but was puzzled by the relationship to Marvel. I knew Larry Leiber and Stan Lee were brothers, and thought at the time that Atlas / Timely / Marvel were all from the same publisher. Seems like it was more petty action than what I thought at the time. I thought it just an expansion of the market to squeeze more rack space from rival National Periodical Publications (DC).

[@FizzFop1]

Hi htgaines! There was a whole war going on at the time and I only covered one small portion of it.

[@astirmichael]

Enjoy your videos

[@teaguehansberry3135]

Interesting, but I would like to see a list of forgotten bronze to modern age "Monster" or "Feral/Beastial" heroes! I always had a soft spot for the furry or scally freaks of nature who activly interfere with the machinations of shadowy cult like evil doers.

[@Melvinshermen]

Yep Good one

[@donmcc6573]

Great character. A shame it lasted only four issues.

[@Thrillr]

I need a video on The Brute & The Scorpion 🦂 matey

[@FizzFop1]

It just so happens I have first draft scripts for both of them. Hhhhmmm, maybe I should give them a look?

[@AaronSpielman]

So... any possibility of you doing an in-depth look at Marvel's Killraven series?

[@MarkFanboyX]

I actually have Tiger-Man #1. Atlas could have been a success if they were given a chance... and had more original material.

[@FizzFop1]

Hi MarkFanboyX. I don't have the Monster Movie and the Romance Magazine titles--but I managed to collect the rest of the line. There was some great ideas in there. The first two issues of the Grim Ghost are great. I love the first issues of TIgerman and Demon Hunter. Good Stuff! There was just too many factors facing them to survive.

[@MarkFanboyX]

@@FizzFop1 If I ever get around to doing my own comic book review show, kind of a cross between yours and Linkara's, Tiger-Man #1 will be one of the first books I'll do!

[@franksimasko6661]

I loved the entire Atlas line of comics ..... they were as good or better than the stuff produced by Marvel or DC ... however, Atlas had to compete with Marvel and DC for rack space back in the day and there was a serious effort by both companies to bury Atlas titles and deny them shelf space ........