Atomicus

Atomicus
Real name	Adam Peterson
Gender	Male
Nationality	American
Occupation	Reporter
Affiliations
Marital status	Single
Base of operations	Astro City
Alignment	Good
Publication
Creators	Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson
First appearance	Astro City: Local Heroes #2 (2003)

He was a disembodied alien intelligence ... He was an air force lieutenant ... He was an ancient spirit ... It didn't much matter. He was here. He was power incarnate. And he was perfect.

--Irene Merryweather

 

Atomicus is a brief, yet powerful hero, of Astro City. There are many tales which purport to be of his true origins, however no one really knows where he came from.

History

What is known is that Atomicus was "born" from Fort Kanigher's Atomic Research Lab when an experiment went wrong while on of the site's leading doctors was being accosted. Atomicus had arrived with a strong sense of justice and the need to be human. He eventually met a young reporter, Irene Merryweather, and the two began an on-and-off relationship in which Irene would chase Atomicus throughout Astro City in order to prove he was her coworker Adam Peterson. Though she was right from the beginning, the stress from Atomicus' identity being told to the public plus the anxiety of feeling unworthy to be human, Atomicus eventually told Irene the truth and fled Astro City and then the planet; never to be seen again.

Powers and Abilities

• Transformation: Atomicus is naturally a large amount of powerful nuclear energy which is housed in a human male's body. Atomicus can switch from his true atomic form to that of a normal adult man within only a few seconds.

• Flight: Atomicus naturally hovers through his own power and when pressed can soar through the sky with full control, leaving only a trail of atomic particles in his wake.
• Superhuman Strength: Atomicus can pick up and lift a few people at a time with no problem and has punched through machines and armored personal with atomic force.
• Atomic Duplicates: Atomicus can split himself into many versions of himself which all function independently, but within the same mind. As such, Atomicus and Adam Peterson can be at two places in one time.
• Energy Projection: Atomicus can fire, ignite and manipulate nuclear energy. Though his power is rarely seen it is the fuel within the furnace of his body and is only used for raw output of damage.

Weaknesses

• Vulnerability to Energy Absorption: Atomicus seems impervious, however, he can be disrupted when his nuclear energy is sapped. Irene Merryweather found this out when she used a Nucli-Glove to try and expose Adam Peterson as Atomicus.

Notes

• The true origin of Atomicus is never stated and most likely will never be exposed to ensure the mysteriousness of the character.

Trivia

• Atomicus dated Irene Merryweather while on Earth. Irene is the mother of another hero named the Flying Fox.

Appearances

Astro City: Local Heroes #2 - Shining Armor Astro City: A Visitor's Guide #1 - A Visitor's Guide

Gallery

 

External links

• Atomicus at Comic Book Database