Atlas
Erik Josten
| Fighting |
Excellent |
| Agility |
Good |
| Strength |
Incredible |
| Endurance |
Monstrous |
| Reason |
Typical |
| Intuition |
Poor |
| Psyche |
Poor |
| Health |
145 |
| Karma |
14 |
| Resources |
Typical |
| Popularity |
0 |
Powers
- Body Resistance: Amazing protection vs physical and energy attacks at larger than normal size.
- Invulnerabilities: Class 1000 resistance to heat and cold
- Life Support: Erik does not need food, water or air, he can survive space for a short time without ill effects.
- Size Manipulation-Growth (Atomic Dispersal): Erik can grow with Incredible ability, allowing him to grow up to 60 feet tall. At this height, Erik is +2CS to be hit by all attacks from normal sized characters. With Atomic Dispersal, Erik increases the distance between his own atoms, thus increasing his overall size. Under normal circumstances his mass would remain the same no matter how large he becomes. However, his mass increase power counteracts these effects, to a point (see below).
- Mass Increase: Atlas can increase his body's mass with Amazing ability. His weight is multiplied by the power rank number. Of course, as he weighs more, he has a greater effect on the environment. Physical force has a decreased effect on Atlas because of his greater mass. In game terms, the power gives Atlas up to Amazing rank resistance to physical attacks. He can also use the power rank instead of his strength to inflict charging damage. This power is tied to his growth power (see table, below).
- Hyper-Strength: As Atlas grows this Monstrous rank power increases his strength, both compensating for his increased mass and allowing him to grow to greater and greater heights. See the table, below.
| Rank |
Height |
Bonus to be hit |
Mass Increase |
Strength |
Lifting Weight |
| Shift-0 |
6 feet |
+0 Column Shifts |
nil |
Incredible |
800 pounds |
| Feeble |
9 feet |
+1 Column Shift |
Good |
Incredible |
10 Tons |
| Poor |
12 feet |
+1 Column Shift |
Excellent |
Incredible |
15 Tons |
| Typical |
18 feet |
+1 Column Shift |
Remarkable |
Incredible |
30 Tons |
| Good |
24 feet |
+1 Column Shift |
Remarkable |
Amazing |
50 Tons |
| Excellent |
36 feet |
+1 Column Shifts |
Incredible |
Amazing |
60 Tons |
| Remarkable |
48 feet |
+2 Column Shifts |
Incredible |
Monstrous |
75 Tons |
| Incredible |
60 feet |
+2 Column Shifts |
Amazing |
Unearthly |
90 Tons |
Limitation
- Below Incredible growth, Atlas's mass increase counteracts the normal drawbacks of Atomic Dispersal. However, at above 60 feet in height it gets harder for him to keep his molecular structure cohesive. If this happens he is unable to shrink to a safer height and becomes more fragile as his molecular structure begins to break down. His body's material strength decreases -1CS with each doubling in size. However, for some unknown reason, Atlas can temporarily grow beyond his limit when he is angry, the angrier he is, the taller he can get.
- The Ionic energy in Eric's cells has stabilized and he has lost some of the powers that he originally received from Baron Zemo's Ionic Ray treatments. These powers included:
- Monstrous Strength and Monstrous Endurance
- Body Resistance: Amazing protection from physical and energy attacks.
- Invulnerabilities: Cl1000 resistance to heat and cold
- Life Support: Erik does not need food, water or air, he can survive space for a short time without ill effects. He has stopped aging.
Talents
Military, Wrestling
Contacts
Thunderbolts
History
Erik Josten was raised on a farm outside of Madison, Wisconsin. In his own words, "I got my little sister killed 'cause I didn't think- so I ran off and joined the army. But even in the army I got in trouble, got caught smugglin'- so I run off again, going AWOL and becoming a mercenary." He was hired by Nazi scientist Baron Heinrich Zemo to smuggle stolen technology into his secret South American stronghold. Jostins stayed in Zemo's employ and met his son, Helmut.
With this equipment, Heinrich Zemo built a machine that could project an unknown form of mutagenic radiation ('ionic rays') capable of bestowing superhuman physical powers to a subject. The first test subject was industrialist Simon Williams, who became known as Wonder Man. When Zemo fled his South American base shortly thereafter, he left his 'ionic ray' machine functional. Josten, who had been wounded by South American authorities in his latest smuggling venture, sought refuge in Zemo's now abandoned fortress and learned of the machine.
While he was there, Josten came to the mystical attention of the Enchantress, the Asgardian goddess who had been a former ally of Zemo. When she offered him the chance to submit to the 'ionic ray' treatment, he readily accepted. Later, when the radiation bombardment ended, Josten emerged with physical powers roughly equivalent to those of Wonder Man. The Enchantress produced a costume for him and dubbed him Power Man.
Traveling to the United States, Power Man assisted the Enchantress in her scheme to discredit and defeat the Avengers. When that plot failed and the Enchantress disappeared, the love-smitten Power Man surrendered to the Avengers who later refused to press charges thus causing Power Man to be released.
Power Man soon met and allied himself with the criminal Swordsman and the Russian spy, the Black Widow who, at the time, had been brainwashed by the Red Chinese. In a battle with the Avengers, Power Man and the Swordsman were defeated but not taken into custody. Shortly thereafter, they were pitted unsuccessfully against Captain America by the Red Skull. The Skull returned the two to where he found them and shortly afterwards they were summoned by the Mandarin to aid him in his latest scheme of world conquest. Again defeated by the Avengers in South America, Power Man and the Swordsman managed to escape while being extradited back to the United States. Later the two were contacted by the criminal Grim Reaper and invited to join his Lethal Legion for the express purpose of exacting revenge upon the Avengers. Although the Legion managed to capture all active Avengers, the heroes later escaped and subdued their captors.
This time, however, the Avengers decided to press charges and Power Man and most of his teammates were tried and imprisoned. When Josten was released, he learned that the name 'Power Man' had been assumed by the hero-for-hire Luke Cage. Battling Cage for the right to the name, Josten lost. Inexplicably, the strength conferred upon him by Zemo's machine was on the wane. Disheartened by the defeat, Josten shelved his costume and took a job as a dock worker in order to renew contacts in the smuggling profession. He was then sought out by Count Nefaria, who offered him a chance to regain his former strength in exchange for special services. Josten performed Nefaria's errands and was subjected to a strength enhancing treatment. However, the bargain was all a scheme by Nefaria to steal the power of Josten and his other henchmen for himself.
Josten managed to escape while the Avengers battled Nefaria and he returned to the docks where, under the name of 'the Smuggler', he set up a smuggling operation for black market goods. Spider-Man stumbled upon Josten's business, however, and with Josten's strength now a fraction of what it had once been, Spider-Man managed to defeat him in combat. Turned over to the authorities, Josten was sentenced and incarcerated for the second time.
When he was finally set free, Josten left the East Coast went to California where he had heard that a criminal scientist, Dr. Karl Malus, specialized in the study of superhuman powers. Josten made a bargain with Malus to renew his lost strength. Dr. Malus not only managed to return Josten's strength to its original level but also subjected him to an extract of the growth formula created by Dr. Henry Pym, the original Giant-Man.
The Pym formula reacted with the strength-enhancing treatment to give Josten far more physical power than he had ever known. Josten decided to take the name Goliath, deriving satisfaction from stealing a hero's name even as a hero had once stolen his. However, the power came with a price, throughout his time as Goliath Josten became more and more violent and insane. Exhilarated by his newfound power, Goliath went on a rampage to make his might known to the world and was challenged by a contingent of West Coast Avengers who barely managed to subdue him by making him overextend his powers.
Goliath was later freed by allies of the Grim Reaper and thus joined the Reaper in his battle against the West Coast Avengers. When they were defeated, Goliath was returned to captivity. Not long thereafter, Josten was freed by Baron Zemo's Masters of Evil and joined them in their assault on Avengers Mansion. Josten helped the Wrecking Crew, Tiger Shark, and Mr. Hyde battle Hercules. They brutally beat and nearly killed the Asgardian. In spite of the Masters initial success, the Avengers soon rallied and retook the Mansion. Goliath was again captured.
Goliath escaped and battled the West Coast Avengers and Hawkeye, who was then using the name Goliath. The Avengers defeated Josten, in the process disrupting his powers. Josten was approached by a group of Kosmosian criminals. He thought they would help him get revenge on the Avengers. However, they tricked him and uses him as a living conduit to Earth. Hank Pym defeated the Kosmosians and rescued Josten, but Josten slipped into a coma. He awakened when the ruling Kosmosians kidnapped him. They tortured him, keeping him in constant pain, until he was rescued again, that time by Baron Zemo. Zemo invited Josten to join his Thunderbolts masquerade. Josten accepted out of loyalty to Zemo.
In his guise as Atlas, Josten enjoyed the adoration of the public. He became more calm and sane. He began a romance with Dallas Riordan, the Thunderbolts' liaison with the NYC mayors office. He also developed a friendship with the Thunderbolts' young recruit, Jolt. Atlas' change in behavior can be attributed to several factors. It appears that when he was rescued from Kosmos by Zemo the Pym particles which had previously infused his body were flushed out. It also appears that the ionic energy which grants his powers has stabilized, and even lessened some. For some reason this has lead to a more stable personality, and allowed Josten to overcome the insanity that was his increasingly his primary characteristic as his criminal career advanced.
When the Thunderbolts' identities were revealed they fled to Zemo's orbiting headquarters. From the satellite Zemo and Techno activated a mind control device they had constructed and took over the minds of many political and military leaders, and the Avengers and Fantastic Four, who had only recently reappeared on Earth after their apparent deaths. At Jolt's urging Moonstone, Songbird, and M.A.C.H.-1 rebelled against Zemo and tried to stop his plan. Atlas initially sided with Zemo, but turned against him when Zemo attempted to kill Jolt. However, Jostens' loyalty to the Zemo family was such that he later helped Zemo escaped after he was brutally beaten by Moonstone.
Atlas continued as a member of the Thunderbolts, first while they were on the run under Moonstone's leadership and later when Hawkeye agreed to lead them and helped them find a direction. However, he was still haunted by his past failures, feeling that he had betrayed his family, who were disgraced and ruined when he became a super-villain, that he betrayed Zemo, and that he betrayed the Thunderbolts.
In a confrontation with Hercules, who sought revenge on Josten for the beating he received during the siege on Avenger's Mansion, Atlas displayed a willingness to take responsibility for his actions and even sacrifice his life for his teammates. Jolt also helped him come to terms with his prior failures, particularly his guilt over his family, and helped him to become a more stable individual.
Following the Thunderbolts' defeat of the Masters of Evil, Josten discovered that one of the escaped Masters of Evil, Man-Killer was working as a bartender in Burton Canyon. He chose not to turn her in, wanting to allow her the same opportunity for redemption that he had. Josten was torn by the apparent discovery that Dallas Riordan was the Crimson Cowl, and was relieved to later discover that she had been framed, and was actually the new Citizen V.
Riordan's reappearance and subsequent kidnapping by the Crimson Cowl lead to the Thunderbolts' confrontation with the V-Battalion. Josten was able to get some information about Riordan's past with the Battalion from the head of the Penance Council, Roger Aubrey. However, he is still confused about Riordan's intentions and character.
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