¢VCS FUTURA - MAY/JUNE 1993¢¢¢THE COMIC CONNECTION¢by Alan Hitchen¢¢ In May 1981, Gerry Conway, Roy Thomas and Dick Giordano, the Special Projects Editor of DC Comics, visited the Sunnyvale Headquarters of Atari Corp. At the time, both companies were owned by Warner Communications. They looked around, met everyone, played Missile Command and generally had a great time. Only Dick actually knew what they were there for on that first visit but after many meetings, plans had been made for the inclusion of comic books in 2600 videogame packs - four issues of Swordquest and five issues of the Atari Force.¢¢ Created by Gerry and Roy with artist Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, these half-size comics were included with Defender, Berzerk, Star Raiders, Phoenix and Galaxian. Intended to complement the games by including the game play scenarios within the plot, the comics described the adventures of the Atari Force.¢¢ It is 2005 and the Earth is on the brink of collapse. War has reduced the population but agriculture can no longer sustain even this smaller number. The Atari Technology and Research Institute construct a spaceship called Scanner One to search the Multiverse for a new planet to settle on.¢¢ At this time, before the Crisis on Infinite Earths mini series (1985/6), a single universe was introduced. DC's Multiverse was composed of many parallel universes existing in alternate realities. A device first used to reintroduce characters from the Golden Age of comics, who were discovered to be living on Earth Two. The Atari Force inhabits a universe of its own as no other DC characters are seen.¢¢ A crew of five, commanded by Martin Champion, soon encounter many dangers. For example, the Zylons, controlled by the Dark Destroyer, attack. Discovering the spaceship Star Raider, the crew use it to distract the Zylons while Scanner One disposes of the Dark Destroyer. The aftermath of this story is told in the Star Raider Graphic Album.¢¢ Finally, a suitable planet is found but the Dark Destroyer attacks once more, only to be defeated again. Triumphant, the Atari Force return to Earth with the good news and the exodus to the new world begins.¢¢ An arcade game, Atari Force: Code Name Liberator was released in 1982. And in November of that year DC decided to relaunch the Atari Force as a regular comic. After a revamp, issue one of the new Atari Force was released in October 1983. Cover dated January 1984.¢¢ Set 25 years later on New Earth we find Martin Champion brooding over the death of his wife and his feeling that a familiar evil is about to make itself felt again. Determined to act before it is too late, he steals Scanner One from the museum, and with a motley crew soon re-encounters the Dark Destroyer, as well as many other threats.¢¢ The main focus of the new stories fall on Martin's son Christopher, aka Tempest, who has mutant powers gained from his parents exposure to radiation on the first expedition. And Erin Bia O'Rourke-Singh, aka Dart, the offspring of two other original crew members. She also has inherited mutant powers.¢¢ Other members of the new Atari Force are Pakrat, a thief. Babe, a huge child like cute alien. Morphea, an empathic psychiatrist. Blackjak, a mercenary. Hukka, another cute alien and Taz, an alien technical genius.¢¢ Despite a favourable response from comic fans, sales were mediocre. And this together with changes in the creative team caused the decision to bring the series to a close. The final issue, number 20 (Aug 1985), ended with Champion and company returning to old Earth completely disillusioned by the attitude of the new Earth authorities who had put them on trial.¢¢ A special was issued in 1986 to make use of stories drawn but not used. The main tale was about Darts youth. It explained how she had received her extensive tatoos and mercenary training. It also told of her first meeting with Blackjak and why she shot his left eye out.¢¢ And so ended the tales of the Atari Force. The series is not highly regarded by comic collectors and may still be found quite cheaply at any comic mart as I did. The mini comics are harder to find. I do not have them. However, mini comic issue four was printed within two DC comics as an advertisement for Atari before its issue with the videogame and it may be easier to locate.¢
