This article is about the Marvel Comics character Atlas. For the comic book series by Dylan Horrocks see Atlas (comic series), for companies of that name, see Atlas Comics (1950s) or Atlas/Seaboard Comics.

Atlas (Erik Josten), formerly Power Man, Smuggler and Goliath, is a fictional character, a former supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe and member of the Thunderbolts. Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Publishing, Inc. ... In comic books, first appearance refers to first comic book to feature a character. ... Spider-Man swinging around his hometown, New York City. ... Iron Man (Anthony Tony Edward Stark) is a fictional comic-book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The Thunderbolts are a Marvel Comics superhero team, which consists mostly of former supervillains. ... The Lethal Legion is a name used by four fictional supervillain teams in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The Masters of Evil are a fictional team of supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. ... At least two comic book characters have been called Power Man: Luke Cage, a Marvel Comics superhero, briefly adopted the name Power Man. ... Atlas is the name of a comic book series by cartoonist Dylan Horrocks. ... Atlas Comics is the 1950s comic book publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. ... Atlas/Seaboard is the term that comic book historians and collectors use to refer to the short-lived line of comics published as Atlas Comics by Seaboard Periodicals, to differentiate it from Atlas Comics, the former name of Marvel Comics. ... Alice, a fictional character from the work of Lewis Carroll. ... Doctor Doom, one of the most archetypal supervillains and his arch-enemies The Fantastic Four (in background). ... Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Publishing, Inc. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... The Thunderbolts are a Marvel Comics superhero team, which consists mostly of former supervillains. ...

Fictional character biography

Erik Josten was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was originally a mercenary who was convinced by the Enchantress to undergo the same 'ionic-ray' treatment (from a machine invented by Baron Zemo) as Wonder Man, making Josten super-strong. Taking the name Power Man, he became the Enchantress's partner for a while, but later struck out on his own. He became a professional supervillain, joining such teams as the Lethal Legion and the Masters of Evil. Nickname: Location of Milwaukee in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Coordinates: County Milwaukee Government  - Mayor Tom Barrett Area  - City  97 sq mi (251. ... The Enchantress — also known as Amora — is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. ... Baron Zemo is the name of two fictional characters, both supervillains, in various Marvel Comics comic books, notably Captain America and the Avengers. ... Wonder Man is a fictional character, a superhero and a long-time member of the Avengers that appears in the Marvel Universe. ... The Lethal Legion is a name used by four fictional supervillain teams in the Marvel Comics universe. ... The Masters of Evil are a fictional team of supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

Eventually, Josten met Luke Cage, a hero who for a brief time had assumed the name Power Man. The two fought; Cage won. Luke Cage, born Carl Lucas and once called Power Man, is a Marvel Comics superhero. ...

Josten's powers were greatly reduced when Count Nefaria stole them (along with those of his other superhuman underlings.) His strength fading, he changed his costume and became a smuggler, taking the unimaginative name the Smuggler. Count Luchino Nefaria is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe. ... Smuggler is a comic book character in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

Later, he gained the ability to grow to giant size from the criminal Doctor Karl Malus, who used a sample of Henry Pym's growth serum. He then took on the name Goliath, a name used previously by superheroes (see Goliath, Black Goliath) and again changed his costume. Dr. Karl Malus is a fictional mad scientist and criminal in the Marvel Universe, created by Michael Fleisher, Steve Leialoha and Jim Mooney. ... Dr. Henry Hank Pym is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe, created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby. ... Superheroes are fictional heroes who possess abilities beyond those of normal human beings. ... Yellowjacket. ... Black Goliath makes his debut (1976). ...

Josten joined a new version of the Masters of Evil, founded by the second Baron Zemo. During his time with this group, Josten was one of the villains who invaded Avengers Mansion and beat Hercules severely . When Zemo decided to disguise the Masters as a superhero team called The Thunderbolts, Josten created the original identity (and costume) of Atlas. However, like most of the Thunderbolts, Atlas began to enjoy public admiration, and eventually reformed to become a genuine superhero, even after the Thunderbolts' criminal past was publicly revealed. After absorbing the energy from one of Nefaria's weapons, an "ionic bomb", Josten mutated into an "ionic energy creature" similar to what Wonder Man had become. In this form, he came to inhabit the body of Dallas Riordan, a woman he loved. Hercules, or Heracles, being in one sense a superhero from classical antiquity, and a recognisable character freely available in the public domain, has been featured in a number of comic book series. ... The Thunderbolts are a Marvel Comics superhero team, which consists mostly of former supervillains. ... Dallas Riordan is a character in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

When they were separated, Dallas took the ionic energy, leaving Josten powerless, a situation which lasted until Fixer gave him a new dose of Pym particles. This lasted until the end of the Avengers/Thunderbolts limited series, when Erik asked Henry Pym to remove the particles from his system. The Fixer is a name used by two villainous fictional characters in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

However, he regained the ability to change his size, by reclaiming the ionic energy from Dallas, leaving her a paraplegic again.^[1]

Altered again by the Wellspring, during a battle against the Grandmaster in which he had to surrender his powers temporarirly to Zemo, he was left stuck in a giant form, too heavy even to move and communicate. However he was able to send back some ionic energy to Dallas, restoring her legs. The Grandmaster is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. ...

Civil War/The Initiative

Erik has been identified as one of the 142 registered superheroes who appear on the cover of the comic book Avengers: The Initiative #1.^[2]

Footnotes

External links

• Atlas (Erik Josten) on the Marvel Universe Character Bio Wiki
• Atlas - Marveldirectory