Russkie-Smashers SPACE ADVENTURES "Introducing Captain Atom"

Though an accident gave him his super-powers...

...his first assignment (of many) was to stop a Russkie atomic missile being used in a false-flag operation to blame America!

Captain Atom has enjoyed the longest career of any Charlton character, still going strong today as a guest star in various DC titles as well as a new mini-series every few years!
(Note: The Charlton version of the Fox Blue Beetle didn't come along until 1964, and the new Ditko version first appeared in 1967!)

Despite the blue/silver coloring on the interiors of his premiere in Space Adventures #33 (1960), Captain Atom was shown on the cover in his orange/yellow garb.

Also, his trademark hair-color change from red to white when he "powers up"  isn't shown.

Please Support Hero Histories

Visit Amazon and Order...

Action Hero Archives
Captain Atom
Volume 1

Russkie-Smashers SPURS JACKSON AND HIS SPACE VIGILANTES "Battle the Red Menace Beyond the Moon"

Blackhawk and his crew weren't the only ones to discover Russkies on the Moon!

A bunch of average all-American cowboys who were zipping around space in flying saucers (as shown HERE) also found them!

This seldom-reprinted (once in b/w in 1992) tale from Charlton's Space Western Comics #43 (1953) was written by Walter (The Shadow) Gibson and illustrated by Stan Campbell.
Considering how poorly the Russkies are doing in Ukraine, it's doubtful they ever could've mounted an attempt at lunar conquest!

Check out the

Comics Collectibles Store

Russkie-Smashers BLACKHAWK "Battle on the Moon"

From a lone Black Cobra to a flock of Blackhawks...

...there's no end to the lineup of Commie-crushing Russkie-Smashers who will fight for freedom anywhere on Earth...or beyond!

Though the writer of this never-reprinted tale from Quality's Modern Comics #99 (1950) is unknown, it's illustrated by penciller John Forte and inker Chuck Cuidera.
The "Dark Knights", as they're often referred to, went whole-heartedly after Russkie and Chinese Communists during the post-World War II days of their Quality Comics run.
But, when the characters were continued by DC after Quality closed up shop, their other opponents, mad scientists, aliens, and the occasional ex-Nazi, took center stage, along with newly-created super villains until the middle-aged aviators became superheroes/spies in the Swinging '60s as shown

 HERE!

But, Quality's two books featuring the "Ace Aviators", Modern Comics and Blackhawk have more than enough Russkie-Smashing stories to keep this feature going for months to come, so they'll be popping up again...
Trivia: John Forte is better-known to present-day comics readers as the primary artist on the first few years of The Legion of Super-Heroes' run in Adventure Comics, while Blackhawk co-creator Chuck Cuidera remained on the strip after DC took it over, almost to the very end of the Silver Age run!
Plus, Cuidera inked Dick Dillin (who penciled almost all the DC Blackhawk stories) on Dillin's Hawkman run after Blackhawk was cancelled!
And, in an ironic turn, that the Blackhawks adopted uniforms surprisingly-similar to the Russkies' outfits in this story when they entered a "scientific adventurer" phase in the early 1960s...

..yet nobody noticed!
(Of course it was over a decade later...)
Next week, another Russkie Smasher takes center stage!

Russkie-Smashers BLACK COBRA "Ace Spy Smasher vs Voice of Treason"

He's not as well-known as our previous Commie-crushers...

...but there's no denying his enthusiasm for the job...or his effectiveness!

The creatives for this never-reprinted tale from Ajax/Farrell's Black Cobra #1 (1954) were from the Iger Studio which "packaged" comic stories (both scripts and artwork) for various publishers including Fox, Chesler, Elliot, Fiction House, St John, and (of course) Ajax/Farrell!
It may be a re-working of a previously-published comic story, which the studio was notorious for, as shown HERE, where a story written and drawn for one character was modified/updated for a totally-different character!
Or, it may be a totally-new tale.
We're not yet certain.
BTW, the Voice of America is still broadcasting, as shown HERE!

Russkie-Smashers FIGHTING AMERICAN and SPEEDBOY "Second Assignment: Track Down the Baby Buzz Bombs"

As you may have noticed when we presented Fighting American's origin last week...

...unlike Simon and Kirby's first super-patriot, Captain America, he didn't have a sidekick from the first story onward!

Nope, this kid had to earn the job...

While the costume has a similar look (and color scheme) to Bucky's, at least his costumed identity isn't his real name (as Bucky's was)!

But "Speedboy"?

Really?
Do we blame Joe or Jack for that one?
This tale from Prize's Fighting American #1 (1954) concludes our presentation of this patriotic pair...for now.
While the duo had a number of other adventures, those involved other Communists like Chinese and North Koreans, as well as gangsters...and even aliens, so they don't fall under the "Russkie Smasher" category.
But fear not!
Beginning next week, we'll be rotating several other 1950s heroes' anti-Soviet exploits, including one of this summer's breakout-hit movie characters!
Which one?

You'll have to drop by each week to find out!
(Sneaky little devils, ain't we?)