Erik Josten
Erik Josten | |
---|---|
Swordsman | |
Notable aliases | Power Man, Smuggler, Goliath, Atlas |
Abilities | Pym particle/Ionic-energy physiology
Expert hand-to-hand combatant Skilled marksman & tactician Trained pilot |
Erik Josten, also known as Power Man, Smuggler, Goliath and Atlas, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been a prominent member of both the Masters of Evil and the Thunderbolts.
Publication history
Created by writer
Fictional character biography
Erik Josten was born in
Eventually, Josten meets Luke Cage, a hero who for a time has assumed the name Power Man.[9] The two fight over the right to use the name, and Cage wins.[10] Josten then joins Count Nefaria's new Lethal Legion under the promise that Nefaria would greatly increase Josten's powers. This he does, but Nefaria later steals Josten's enhanced powers (along with those of his other superhuman underlings), which greatly reduces his strength.[11]
His strength fading, Josten changes his costume and becomes a smuggler, taking the unimaginative yet appropriate name of the "Smuggler". In his first and only appearance as Smuggler, he is defeated by Spider-Man.[12] Spider-Man then assists Josten against the Maggia.[13]
Later, he gains the ability to grow to giant size from the criminal Doctor
Under the leadership of the
Josten joins a new fourth version of the Masters of Evil, founded by Baron Helmut Zemo. During his time with this group, Josten is one of the villains who invades and captures Avengers Mansion and beats Hercules severely.[17]
Goliath later battles Spider-Man during the "
Josten as Goliath later fights
When Zemo later decides to disguise the Masters of Evil as a superhero team called the
When they are separated upon returning from Counter Earth, Dallas takes the ionic energy, leaving Josten powerless, a situation which lasts until
Altered again by the Wellspring, during a battle against the Grandmaster in which he has to surrender his powers temporarily to Zemo, he is left stuck in a giant form, too heavy even to move and communicate. He is later able to send back some ionic energy to Dallas, restoring her legs.[36]
Atlas is restored to normal size by scientists at
Atlas was later recruited by Wonder Man (whose ionic energy leaking problem was affecting his judgement) to join his Revengers.[38] Atlas's reason for joining the Revengers was that his numerous requests to join the Initiative were denied.[39]
During the Avengers: Standoff! storyline, Atlas was an inmate of Pleasant Hill, a gated community established by S.H.I.E.L.D. Using the Kobik project, S.H.I.E.L.D. transformed Atlas into an unnamed Pleasant Hill mailman.[40]
Following the Pleasant Hill incident, Atlas joined up with Winter Soldier's incarnation of the Thunderbolts with the goal to prevent S.H.I.E.L.D. from continuing the Kobik Project.[41]
During the Monsters Unleashed storyline, Atlas was seen fighting the Leviathon Tide monsters in Washington, D.C.[42]
Atlas was later approached by Baron Helmut Zemo and his third incarnation of the Masters of Evil to recruit him. When he resisted, the Masters of Evil attacked him as
During the "Opening Salvo" part of the Secret Empire storyline, Atlas, Moonstone, and Fixer eventually defect to the Masters of Evil after Baron Helmut Zemo uses Kobik's abilities to send Winter Soldier back in time. After Kobik shattered, Atlas assisted in searching for her fragments for Baron Zemo to put her back together.[44] When the Masters of Evil become part of Hydra's Army of Evil, Atlas took part in the attack on Manhattan in retaliation for what happened at Pleasant Hill.[45]
Powers and abilities
Similarly to Wonder Man and Count Nefaria, Erik Josten is a virtually indestructible immortal made of "ionic energy", as a result of the application of mutagenic processes developed by Heinrich Zemo.[46] He possesses incredible superhuman dynamism regarding strength, coordination, stamina and durability. He is practically invulnerable even at normal size.[47]
After losing his ionic powers to Nefaria,[48] Josten would gain new abilities as a result of Dr. Karl Malus' experimentations, additionally gaining the power to increase his size and mass at will.[14] Originally he was limited to convert his normal 6-foot (1.8 m) height to his maximum 60-foot (18 m), but he later learned to increase this limit when he was angry.[49] Josten psionically draws the additional mass from an extra-dimensional source of "Cosmos", to which it returns as he decreases in size. At his maximum height he is capable of greatly outmatching Namor,[50] or even defeating Hyperion with a single attack.[51] His durability also increases with his height, and if his physical state were ever to be disrupted in any way, he would eventually physically reincorporate himself even from death if need be, giving him an expedient regenerative ability capable of reconstructing his body, if given enough time.[52]
Once, when helping renegade Kosmossians, he was able to absorb the majority of the mass from their prison, allowing them to escape. His obsession with size and power made him their prisoner as they continually filled him with the mass from their prison. Encased in an extra dimension, and hundreds of miles tall, he was saved by the 100-foot Giant Man (Henry Pym) and was returned to normal size and in a coma. In a similar vein he could funnel Pym Particle energies through himself from Kosmos to cause all manner of mass shifting induction that affected everyone and everything differently (such as giving Clint Barton his size-shifting abilities without Pym Particle intake).[53]
After Nefaria had consolidated his ionic energy to be predominant, Eric gained access to the fullest effect of his latent abilities.[54] As his ionic force meshes with the growth particles in his system; Goliath also has access to certain abilities which Simon and Nefaria do not have, such as extra-dimensional breech generation, which can be turned against him if he grows too large or has his energy polarity shifted.[55][56] Becoming pure ionic energy much like Nefaria and Wonder Man; making him powerful enough to stalemate two superhero teams.[57] Able to fly by force of will, maintain increased physicals while at normal height, lacking the need for physical sustenance and absorb, transfer or manipulate ionic energy at will.[58]
After his energy form became unstable and he exploded, Atlas started using the paraplegic Dallas Riorden as an anchor to manifest in the living world,[59] giving her some of his Atlas powers and an energy form to match. Powers beyond increased physical ability, such as his size shifting, energy manipulation and flight.[60] Even while separated from her, Eric could still bestow on Riorden some of his ionic energy, giving her both mobility and slightly enhanced conditioning back.[61]
Josten is a good hand-to-hand combatant, having received combat training in armed and unarmed offense when working both in the military and as a mercenary. He is an able pilot and aviation specialist, capable of flying most any kind of aerodynamic vehicle. And while preferring to serve rather than lead, Mr. Josten also excels as a combat strategist while on the field.
Family
Erik's parents were farmers who lost their farm as a result of Erik's crimes as Power Man making the news.[62] No one in their town would do business with the Jostens. His older brother Carl became an alcoholic and a gambling addict. His younger sister Lindy was killed when she was 14 years old and Erik was 17. She tried to follow him and his friends on her bike and was eventually hit by a car.[63] His younger brother Conrad was so ashamed of Erik that he ran away and changed his name.[62] Carl was murdered by a loanshark he owed money to. Conrad was inducted into the Redeemers and took Erik's previous codename Smuggler and was given a suit that allowed him to access the darkforce dimension.[64] Conrad and the majority of the Redeemers were killed by the villain Graviton.[65] Years later Zemo coerced Erik into betraying the Thunderbolts by offering to save Conrad from the darkforce dimension.[66] Conrad briefly serves a member of the Thunderbolts alongside Erik and they made peace with their past.[67]
Personality
As a Thunderbolt Erik was the least assertive member despite being the physically strongest one on the team. He frequently runs from his problems. He ran away from home after his sister's death and joined the military, then he went
Reception
- In 2021, CBR.com ranked Power Man 6th in their "Marvel: 10 Characters Baron Zemo Created In The Comics" list.[74]
Other versions
JLA/Avengers
During the JLA/Avengers storyline Erik, as Goliath, is seen among the enthralled villains defending Krona's stronghold, along with other members of the Masters of Evil.[75] He is shown being struck by Plastic Man, who has turned into a giant ball.[75]
Marvel Zombies
Atlas appears alongside the Thunderbolts in the Dead Days one-shot of the Marvel Zombies miniseries attacking Thor. He is seen in one panel being hit in the face with Thor's mighty hammer.[volume & issue needed]
Marvel Adventures: The Avengers
Erik Josten appears in
House of M
In the
Old Man Logan
Atlas appears in Old Man Hawkeye, a prequel to Old Man Logan. Erik and the rest of the Thunderbolts betrayed Hawkeye and sided with Red Skull, resulting in the deaths of all of the other Avengers. Years later, Erik works as Atlas in a circus until Hawkeye hunts him down and challenges him to one final battle before killing him.[78]
Amalgam Comics
Goliath/Oliver Queen appears in the Amalgam Universe as an amalgamation of DC Comics Green Arrow and Josten.[79]
In other media
Television
- Erik Josten / Power Man appears in the "Captain America" and "Avengers" segments of The Marvel Super Heroes, voiced by Paul Kligman.
- Erik Josten appears in Avengers Assemble, voiced by Jesse Burch.[80] He first appears as Masters of Evil member Goliath in the episodes "Adapting to Change" and "Under Siege" before appearing as Thunderbolts member Atlas in the group's self-titled episode and "Thunderbolts Revealed".
Video games
- Erik Josten / Goliath appears in Iron Man and X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal.
- Erik Josten / Atlas in Lego Marvel's Avengers, as part of the "Thunderbolts" DLC pack.[81]
References
- ^ The New Avengers Annual vol. 2 #1 (2011)
- ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
- ISBN 0-8160-1356-X.[1]
- ^ The Avengers #21-22
- ^ The Avengers #29-30
- ^ Tales of Suspense #88
- ^ The Avengers King Size Special #1
- ^ The Avengers #78-79
- ISBN 978-1465455505.
- ^ Power Man #21
- ^ The Avengers #164
- ^ Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #49-50
- ^ Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #54
- ^ a b Iron Man Annual #7
- ^ West Coast Avengers vol. 2, #1-2; Vision and Scarlet Witch vol. 2, #1-2
- ^ Iron Man #206
- ^ The Avengers #273-274
- ^ Web of Spider-Man #60, 64-65
- ^ Avengers: Deathtrap - The Vault
- ^ Wonder Man #1
- ^ Marvel Comics Presents #114-118
- ^ Marvel Comics Presents #137
- ^ Avengers West Coast #92
- ^ Wonder Man #24-25
- ^ The Avengers #382
- ^ Thunderbolts ´97 Annual
- ^ Thunderbolts #5
- ^ Thunderbolts #10-12
- ^ Thunderbolts #47
- ^ Thunderbolts #51
- ^ Thunderbolts #56-74
- ^ Thunderbolts #58, 60
- ^ Thunderbolts #74-75
- ^ Avengers/Thunderbolts #6
- ^ a b New Thunderbolts #1
- ^ Thunderbolts #108-109
- ^ The Last Defenders #3
- ^ The New Avengers Annual vol. 2, #1
- ^ The Avengers Annual vol. 4, #1
- ^ Avengers Standoff: Assault on Pleasant Hill Alpha #1
- ^ Thunderbolts vol. 3, #1
- ^ Monsters Unleashed vol. 2, #2
- ^ Thunderbolts vol. 3, #10
- ^ Thunderbolts vol. 3, #12
- ^ Secret Empire #0
- ^ The Avengers #21 (1965)
- ^ The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #1 (Mar. 2008)
- ^ The Avengers #164-165 (1977)
- ^ Thunderbolts #1
- ^ New Thunderbolts #4 (Mar. 2005)
- ^ New Thunderbolts #16 (Feb. 2006)
- ^ Thunderbolts #45
- ^ Marvel Double Feature... The Avengers/Giant-Man #379-382 (1994-1995)
- ^ Thunderbolts #43 (Oct. 2000)
- ^ The Avengers #382 (1995)
- ^ Wonder Man #25 (1993)
- ^ The Avengers vol. 3, #32 (Oct. 2000)
- ^ Thunderbolts #44 (Nov. 2000)
- ^ Thunderbolts #42-44
- ^ Thunderbolts #74
- ^ Avengers/Thunderbolts #2-4
- ^ a b Thunderbolts #16
- ^ Thunderbolts #10
- ^ Thunderbolts #48
- ^ Thunderbolts #56
- ^ a b Thunderbolts #100
- ^ Thunderbolts #101
- ^ Thunderbolts #18
- ^ Thunderbolts #-1: "Distant Rumblings"
- ^ a b Thunderbolts #12
- ^ Thunderbolts #20
- ^ Thunderbolts #27
- ^ Thunderbolts #30
- ^ Allan, Scoot (2021-11-01). "Marvel: 10 Characters Baron Zemo Created In The Comics". CBR. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ^ a b JLA/Avengers #4. DC Comics/Marvel Comics.
- ^ Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #20
- ^ House of M: Avengers #5
- ^ Old Man Hawkeye #3
- ^ JLX #2
- ^ "Adapting to Change". Avengers Assemble. Season 3. Episode 1. March 13, 2016. Disney XD.
- ^ "Lego Avengers DLC Season Pass Detailed - GameSpot". www.gamespot.com.
External links
- Atlas (Erik Josten) at Marvel.com
- Atlas - Marveldirectory