Captain Atom Explained – What the Potential New DCU’s Hero Means for the Franchise’s Future – TopLineDaily.Com

The latest rumor surrounding James Gunn’s DCU might hint at one of the comics’ most powerful heroes joining the franchise. A recent rumor emerged that Creature Commandos Season 2 would feature a pivotal role for the hero Captain Atom. Now, nothing is official until James Gunn confirms it, though, as seen with the recent casting announcement of Brainiac, despite the director denying any confirmations, there is a lot of wiggle room.

Captain Atom is likely best known for his pivotal role in the hit series Justice League Unlimited, but the character has a rich comic history that hints at a potentially dark anti-hero or even a possible threat that would unite the likes of Superman, the Creature Commandos, and lead to the formation of teams like The Authority and The Justice League. Here is everything to know about Captain Atom and how he could factor into the DCU’s future.

Who Is Captain Atom?

DC Comics

The original Captain Atom was created by Joe Gill and Steve Ditko for Charlton Comics, debuting in Space Adventures #33 from March 1960. Real name Allen Adams, he was a rocket technician and possessed a whole host of powers, including matter, time, and atom manipulation, as well as immortality, and the ability to alter his size. This original version was the inspiration for Doctor Manhattan in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen.

In 1987, following Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC Comics brought in and revamped Captain Atom, like they had other Charlton Comics characters that they had acquired. Created by Cary Bates, Greg Weisman, and Pat Broderick, the new Captain Atom debuted in Captain Atom vol. 3 #1 (March 1987). His real name was Nathanal Adams, an Air Force Pilot in Vietnam who underwent an experimental test for a pardon on a crime he didn’t commit. The result was that Adams was given a metallic skin that contained his atomic powers, but also one that transported him into the future, allowing him to become the superhero Captain Atom.

The DC Comics version of Captain Atom’s design was heavily influenced by Doctor Manhattan, creating a link between how Doctor Manhattan was inspired by the original Captain Atom. Later DC Comics, like the Jenny Sparks miniseries from 2024, have steered into this Doctor Manhattan comparison by giving the character a god complex, similar to the Watchmen character.

Captain Atom is both a member of the Justice League and a member of the Air Force, which often puts his loyalty to the test, as seen in the Justice League Unlimited series. Captain Atom was also famously supposed to be revealed as the villain Monarch in the storyline Armageddon 2001, but when the twist was leaked, a last-minute change led to the villain being revealed as a future version of the hero Hawk. Subsequent DC Comics have had Captain Atom adopt the villainous Monarch persona. This line between hero and villain makes Captain Atom an interesting pick for the DCU, and one that could have major repercussions for the franchise.

How Captain Atom Could Fit Into the DCU

Captain Atom is rumored to be part of Creature Commandos Season 2. There are a few potential ways in which this storyline could play. One is that the United States government assigns Captain Atom, a superhero with strong ties to the military, to lead the Creature Commandos, which could put him at odds with characters like the Bride, Doctor Phospherous, Weasel, and the rest. There is also the chance that Gunn might revisit a concept from Gavin O’Connor’s original plans for a Suicide Squad follow-up before James Gunn came aboard. That project would have seen the Suicide Squad tracking a weapon of mass destruction, which would be revealed to be Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam. It is easy to see how a similar plan could be laid out for Creature Commandos Season 2, with Captain Atom in the place of Black Adam and the Creature Commandos filling the role of the Suicide Squad.

Captain Atom could also be used to tie into a troubled DCU production, The Authority. The Authority was one of the first titles announced for the DCU back in January 2023. Despite María Gabriela de Faría playing one of The Authority’s members, the Engineer, in Superman, the film has faced many delays. Captain Atom did play a pivotal role in the Jenny Sparks miniseries from 2024, and Jenny Sparks is a key member of The Authority. Maybe a Captain Atom-related title could introduce Jenny Sparks, along with the Engineer in Superman, as the formation of the superhero team.

James Gunn has hinted that the DC Animated Universe has been an influence on his approach to the DCU, which could hint at Captain Atom’s role in the DCU’s future. Captain Atom famously fought Superman under the orders of the United States government during the critically acclaimed “Cadmus” arc. Introducing Captain Atom might set the stage for a live-action slug fest between Superman and Captain Atom, with Captain Atom possibly being used by the United States government to round up metahumans and send them to the interdimensional prison, Salvation, which was shown in the Peacemaker Season 2 finale.

This could also lead to Captain Atom donning the Monarch villain persona and James Gunn merging elements from Armageddon 2001 with Salvation Run into one story. Captain Atom and his Monarch persona are a threat powerful enough to unite the DCU’s Justice League or even the Authority. Meanwhile, he presents the franchise with a character sworn between his heart and duty, one that could examine the concept of heroism, and if Captain Atom is destined to become a villain like Monarch, or if he can change his future and be a true superhero.

For right now, Captain Atom’s DC future is not confirmed. However, all the clues seem to be pointing in his general direction. He would be a great addition to the DCU’s current roster of heroes, and a government-sponsored hero who would stand in sharp contrast to Superman. That would also allow Gunn a thematically rich character who could either embrace his heroism or become a full-blown villain. Captain Atom’s inclusion into the DCU would be another exciting development for this rich, lived-in universe and a chance to spotlight one of the many great characters from DC’s rich history that has gone overlooked by Warner Bros. for far too long. As for who should play him…this might be the messier role that Reacher star Alan Ritchson teased.