The Atomic Knights made their debut in 1960’s Unusual Adventures #117, which launched the workforce with a hyperbolic caption: “World Conflict III — the good Atomic Conflict — is over… and in it’s wake lies an Earth in ruins!” Written by John Broome and penciled by Murphy Anderson, “The Rise of the Atomic Knights” reads like a typical little bit of Chilly Conflict period apocalyptic fiction. Atomic weapons have bombed the world again into the medieval interval, a wasteland during which (in keeping with the narration), “May makes proper!”
Beneath the management of Gardner Grayle, the Atomic Knights donned armor that had been irradiated for hundreds of years to defend the powerless. They confronted off towards big salt creatures and devolved cavemen, and rode on big mutant Dalmatians. These tales have a sure Silver Age appeal to them, however regardless of co-creating the Hal Jordan Inexperienced Lantern and the Barry Allen Flash, John Broome was by no means probably the most ingenious author. Whereas the Atomic Knights idea had worth, Broome actually wanted an artist like Gil Kane or Carmine Infantino to carry them to life.
So it is smart that DC would come again to the Atomic Knights repeatedly, looking for a spot to plug them in. DC enfolded the Knights into Jack Kirby‘s post-apocalyptic Kamandi tales, which made them a well-liked background characters. Grayle went toe-to-toe with Hercules in a narrative by Cary Bates and Walter Simonson and sometimes crossed paths with Superman and Marvel Lady.
Grayle was later reimagined as a modern-day soldier within the U.S. Military who makes use of a swimsuit developed by STAR Labs to turn out to be the Shining Knight of the reformed Seven Troopers of Victory after which a modern-day Atomic Knight, the place he crossed paths with the Outsiders.
As a bizarre Silver Age idea with connections to Jack Kirby, the Atomic Knights are additionally favorites of Grant Morrison, who reimagined them for his (nonetheless underrated!) Closing Disaster occasion. Led by one more tackle Gardner Grayle, the Atomic Knights patrol Nightwing’s metropolis Blüdhaven, after it will get destroyed in an assault by the supervillain Chemo. Written by Justin Grey and Jimmy Palmiotti and penciled by Dan Jurgens, the 2006 miniseries Battle for Blüdhaven portrays Grayle and the Knights as heroes defending the residents of the irradiated metropolis towards varied forces, together with the key group SHADE. Nonetheless, this model of the Knights will get devastated by a corrupted Mary Marvel in Closing Disaster.
Since then, the Knights have made background appearances alongside Kamandi and different figures from the Nice Catastrophe, and Grayle did pop up in an episode of Black Lightning (performed by Boone Platt). However exterior of reoccurring within the Convergence crossover, Creature Commandos is the primary main Knights look in virtually 20 years.
