Captain Atom
“The Silver Lie”
Volume 1, Issue 20, October 1988
Released July 5, 1988
Cover Price: $1.00
Guide Price: $2.50 (as of 2003)
Writers: Cary Bates, Greg Weisman
Penciller: Pablo Marcos
Inker: Frank McLaughlin
Colorist: Shelley Eiber
Letterer: Carrie Spiegle
Editor: Denny O'Neil
Heroes: Blue Beetle II, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Mister Miracle
Setting: New York, NY, USA, 20th-century
Cover Description: On the left side of a divided page, Blue Beetle II and Captain Atom, dressed in their pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths uniforms, stand together and smile while on the right side Blue Beetle and Captain Atom, dressed in their modern uniforms, stand together and scowl. (No Booster Gold.)
Brief Synopsis: Captain Atom misleads Blue Beetle into thinking that Atom and Blue Beetle's predecessor, Dan Garrett, were close friends and fighting companions.
Booster Gold's role in this story:
Supporting (Booster Gold plays a lesser role)
Costume Worn: MARK I power-suit
Issue Notes: Despite the disparity in publication dates, the events in this story likely take place after Justice League International #21, as indicated by Mister Miracle's presence.
Story Notes: This story contains a flashback story depicting fictional events from Blue Beetle and Captain Atom's history that are based on the characters' Charleton Comics publications in the 1950s. The main events of the story take place over the course of three days, as indicated in an introductory narrative balloon.
Page 1, panel 3
Booster Gold and Mister Miracle are surprised at the sudden friendship between Blue Beetle II and Captain Atom. Booster comments that they haven't been on good terms for "the past six missions." If all of the Justice League's missions to this point have been depicted, that means that the two have not seen eye-to-eye since practically the Millennium event months prior.
Page 5, panel 1
Beetle is furious that Atom knows his secret identity as Ted Kord. This is the panel that causes the most continuity friction with other titles: Captain Atom sees Blue Beetle unmasked in Justice League International #17 (published a month earlier than this book), so Beetle shouldn't be concerned that Captain Atom knows his secret identity unless these events took place before those.
Page 16, panel 4
Beetle intends to repossess two mini-subs for the repossession agency that he has been working with Booster Gold. Booster and Beetle began working as repo men in Justice League International Annual #2.
Boosterrific Review: This issue is a unique nod to the Charleton Comics history of Justice League International members Blue Beetle and Captain Atom. Fans of either character from either era should enjoy this stand-alone team-up issue of standard super heroics.
Boosterrific Rating: Gold Standard.
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