DCDirect
Captain Atom Action Figure
By Hervé St-Louis
April 16, 2006 - 23:10




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Created by Steve Dikto, Captain Atom was published by Charlton Comics in the 1960s and first appeared in Space Adventures #33 1960. Caught in a nuclear experiment he gained quantum powers allowing him to serve his country as a military super hero. In the Superman/Batman series, he fought the pairs under the guidance of the American government. A former Justice League leader, this is the first Captain Atom action figure ever.

Likeness

The look of Captain Atom is based on his Post Crisis look which he held for years since the new series published by DC Comics in 1986. His entire body is silver, except for his red gloves, blue boots and atom symbol on his chest. His eyes are yellow, but because the figure is an interpretation of artist Ed McGuiness who drew the Superman/Batman where Captain Atom appeared.

Sculpt

Captain Atom’s body is bulky and large. In fact he shares the same scultp as the Superman, Batman and Captain Marvel action figures released for the Public Enemies line. There are some problems in some of the figures, as the Captain Atom’s biceps may not have taken the mould correctly. I expect it to be several figures with such problems. This is a major let down of DC Direct’s quality standards.

Paint

Finding a Captain Atom figure without scratches on the atom logo on his chest is difficult. The paint is not as nice as say, the one for Marvel Legends’ Silver Surfer action figure. The paint looks dull. The legs and the arms are not covered with metallic paint either. That would have made the figure nicer.

Scale

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Captain Atom fits well with other figures from this line although he may be taller than other DCDirect action figures. As a soldier in his prime, this is not a problem at all. Captain Atom looks swell with former Justice Leaguers Power Girl, Elongated Man and Blue Beetle.

Stability

Captain Atom is stable and will not fall easily. His feet are flat and capable of supporting his top heavy chest. Still, he comes with a Superman/Batman action figure stand that fits well in his feet. He doesn’t need it though.

Articulation

Captain Atom has twelve articulations at the neck, the shoulders, the elbows, the forearms, the hips, the knees and the calves. The articulations are limited because the figure is too bulky. The shoulders have ball joints.

Plastic

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Captain Atom is made of solid plastic with a hollow torso. The plastic is tough enough for kids to play with.

Props

The Superman/Batman styled action figure stand is groovy although it is unnecessary. It’s a mix of the Batman and Superman logos in black and red.

Packaging
Captain Atom comes in a card packaging with a plastic cover. On the back of the card, there are images of the other figures from this line. Captain Atom isn held with wires inside the card.

Cost

Captain Atom costs from $12 to $34 depending on the store. This figure’s price increased because of its limited circulation and fan interest. DCDirect seems to have diminished the cost of manufacturing its figures allowing stores to sell them for less than before.

Availability

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Captain Atom was the most sought figure from this line because unlike Batman, Superman and, Captain Marvel, it was the first figure of the character. Fans unsure of whether DCDirect would ever make another Captain Atom, bought this one quickly. Selection is also reduced because many fans have had to buy several Captain Atom to find one without paint scratches and deformed limbs. Late fans may just have to settle with less than perfect figures.













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