Atlas/Seaboard October 1975.

Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon. 

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Atlas/Seaboard; the company launched with a mission.

A mission to sink Marvel Comics and take over the American market.

With Marvel's former publisher Martin Goodman at the helm and a huge pile of cash in its bank account, it couldn't possibly fail.

And yet it did. A victim of the clumsiness of its comics and the randomness of its editorial decisions.

But did it at least go out in style?

It goes out with the Phoenix, in his fourth issue, having a dramatic change of direction when he tries to kill himself by friction - but is instead rescued by Teutonic aliens who employ nurses in space bikinis and give him a new costume, a new name, new powers and a new mission.

Surely, from now on, he'll be unstoppable.

Or would be if he hadn't already stopped.

Regardless, in some ways I'm glad the Phoenix is the last Atlas character to bite the bullet, as I always felt he was one of the company's more potential-packed super-doers. As such, it seems only right that he should outlive their lesser lights. Even if it is by just one month.

But this shall not be the end of the story.

Because, from nowhere, he and several other Atlas heroes will return, thanks to 2011's three-part Atlas Unified mini-series.

During 1974 & 1975, Atlas/Seaboard published 28 titles, all of which failed to survive past their fourth issue, and introduced a whole slew of new characters to the world, many of whom had a fondness for cannibalism and near-plagiarism. It would be easy to say they it was not a popular company but some of us have a respect for plucky underdogs and have fond memories of buying their books. In my case, during a two-week buying frenzy in the summer of 1975 when they seemed to be everywhere and really did look like they were here to stay.

Will we ever see their likes again?

We can only stare at any empty spinner racks we come across in our journey through life, and wonder...