I'm Captain Atom. I have no wife. I have no children. I'm Captain Atom. I'm a living conduit plugged into the limitless Quantum Field that comprises all matter and energy. That means--there must be no limit--to what I can do! I'm Captain Atom. 
Captain Atom (Volume 2) #3 is an issue of the series Captain Atom (Volume 2) with a cover date of May, 1987.
Synopsis for "Blast From the Past"
As part of the government's public relations stunt, Captain Atom participates in a television interview where he tells a heavily fabricated cover story. According to his cover story, Captain Atom was an aerospace engineer who was accidentally launched into space on a nuclear missile and the subsequent explosion gave him his powers. He became a superhero, but kept his existence and actions secret for years in order to protect his identity. After those years, his powers gradually develop that gave him his current appearance. He was also married to a woman named Eve until she died from a terminal illness. On her deathbed, Eve requested her husband to continue working as Captain Atom where he was spurred to coming out to the public.
Nathaniel is summoned to a debriefing at the Pentagon. A nuclear submarine, the Stalwart, suffered problems in its reactor and sunk within hundreds of miles off the coast of Virginia Beach after its crew were safely evacuated. Currently, the submarine is spewing deadly levels of radiation from the ocean floor, and the situation require Captain Atom for the job. Dr. Megala also warn Captain Atom to not absorb the radiation too soon and must remain outside of the sub at a 500 ft radius given that there is still much to learn about the limits of his quantum abilities. But Nathaniel refuses to follow that order because of a deal made with General Eiling to see his children was denied. Eiling threatens Nathaniel to have him court-martialed again, but Nathaniel counter that since he has nothing to lose he can confess to the world of his true identity and therefore ruining Eiling's and the government's trust with the public... unless Eiling live up to his end of their agreement. Nathaniel's act of defiance embarrass Eiling in front of his superiors.
After Nathaniel left the briefing, he meets up with Goslin. His friend has been working to find the whereabouts of Nathaniel's children, and he has discovered that his daughter, Peggy, is due to arrive at Dulles International Airport. Nathaniel awaits at the airport and is surprised to meet with his grown-up daughter, who resembles an exact image of her mother. Nathaniel is too stunned to properly introduce himself to Peggy, who initially mistakes Nathaniel for one of General Eiling's aides. When Peggy realizes that he was not sent by Eiling, she angrily dismisses Nathaniel for a man in uniform trying to seduce her. She then calls for a taxi cab before Nathaniel can have any chance of explaining to her.
Nathaniel sadly accepts the reality that he cannot be reunited with his grown-up children, who are now considered Eiling's children. He then transforms into Captain Atom and heads off to keep the radiation of the Stalwart contained. But Nathaniel, ignoring Dr. Megala's warnings, positions himself right near the submarine's ruptured reactor and proceeds to completely absorb all the radiation. Right before everyone's eyes, Nathaniel disappears.
Appearing in "Blast From the Past"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Tod Donner (First appearance)
- Admiral Place
- Randy Eiling (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Washington, D.C.
- Dulles International Airport
- Arlington, Virginia
Items:
Vehicles:
- Stalwart
Trivia
- Nathaniel's cover story is a modified version of Captain Atom's pre-Crisis origin story, presented as a governmental cover-up for the post-Crisis version's origin story seen in issue #1.
- Fictitious counterparts of the pre-Crisis Captain Atom villains Doctor Spectro, Drako, and the Fiery Icer are mentioned in the issue. The identity of Doctor Spectro was later adopted by Tom Emery in post-Crisis continuity.
- The fictional Eve is named after Eve Eden, the pre-Crisis Captain Atom's love interest and superhero partner Nightshade. Her post-Crisis counterpart was introduced in Suicide Squad #1.