Atari Force made a few appearances outside the mini-comics, their own
comic, and the Star Raiders graphic novel. All references to
Who's Who in the DC Universe below are for the first series
(1985).
Amazing Heroes #22, April 1983.
This comic book magazine contains a review of the mini-comics by
Bob Sodaro.
Atari Age (magazine), vol. 2, no. 2, July/August 1983.
This issue of the official magazine of the Atari Club contains a
brief news story on the Atari Force series. It also had a
contest asking Atari Club members to send a photo for a chance to have
their face used in an issue of the series. Lastly, there's an article
on the Star Raiders graphic novel.
Atari Age (magazine), vol. 2, no. 4, July/August 1983.
This issue contains the list of winners in the contest from vol.
2, no. 2. I contacted one of the winners in 1998 and he said he
received his other prizes, but his likeness was never used in the
comic.
Features an interview with Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (and Andy
Helfer), with some discussion of the Star Raiders graphic novel
and Atari Force. It has an original Atari Force cover by
Garcia-Lopez. As of May 1995, you could order CI#12 by sending $5.00
to Fictioneer Books Ltd., 234 Fifth Avenue, Suite 301, New York, NY
10001. (I doubt this offer is still good.)
Just a bunch of ads for various DC comics, but the first three
pages feature all original art by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez. The splash
page has a wonderful drawing of the Dark Destroyer in an Uncle Sam
pose that says "I want you to read Atari Force."
No original art this time. Just some drawings lifted from the
series and a bunch of text on what's coming up in the future. Not all
of it came true, however.
Liberator (arcade video game),
1982.
This video game was not very widespread. It was put out by Atari,
of course, and based on AF1.04. Its
closest relation would be Missile Command. The center of the screen
has a rotating planet with bases on it that shoot at the players
ships. In each corner is one of the player's ships. The player
controls the cursor with a trackball to shoot the bases on the planet.
As the level increases, the planets rotate faster, making it harder
to hit the bases.
Apparently Atari created a Liberator t-shirt. The only
information I have is that it was advertised as part of a t-shirt
closeout sale in the October 1983 issue of Atari Coin
Connection. (For only $2.90!)
A series of Atari-based read-along books and records was created
during Atari's heyday. One was based on Star Raiders. It features
Commander Champion, Li-San O'Rourke, and Scanner One, although
in the artwork neither the people nor the ship look the same as they
do in the comics. Li-San even calls Cmdr. Martin Champion "Steve" for
one page for unknown reasons.
Video Games (magazine), vol. 1, no. 5, February 1983.
This issue features a short story on the Atari Force mini-comics.
It has a single panel from AF1.02 in
which they manage to mis-identify an ATARI security guard as Commander
Champion.
Video Games (magazine), vol. 2, no. 1., October 1983.
This issue contains a story over a page long on the series. It
includes four of the drawings that were published in the comics as
character profiles, plus one of the Dark Destroyer which I don't think
was published anywhere else.
Dark Destroyer and Dart entries with art on both by Jose Luis
Garcia-Lopez.
Who's Who in the DC Universe #14, April 1986.
Martin Champion entry with art by James Fry and Ricardo Villagran.
Who's Who in the DC Universe #16, June 1986.
Morphea entry with art by Cara Sherman-Tereno and Bob Smith.
Who's Who in the DC Universe #17, July 1986.
Pakrat entry with art by Mike Chen and Joe DelBeato.
Who's Who in the DC Universe #23, January 1987.
Taz and Tempest entries. Taz art by Ed Hannigan and Don Heck.
Tempest art by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez.
Who's Who in the DC Universe #26, April 1987.
Blackjak entry with art by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez.
ATARI FORCE is an expired registered trademark of the original Atari,
Inc. Copyright on ATARI FORCE material belongs to either Atari, Inc.
(formerly known as Infogrames) or DC Comics, depending on which
issue's indica you examine. This web site, its operators, and any
content contained on this site relating to ATARI FORCE are not
authorized by DC Comics or Atari.
Lee K. Seitz
(lkseitz@hiwaay.net)
Created: 4 May 1999; Last Modified: 2 Jun 2000