Other Sources

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.
Ambush Bug Stocking Stuffer #1, 1986.
Hukka appears (and is abused) in the first few pages.
Atari Age (magazine), vol. 1, no. 2, July/August 1982.
This issue of the official magazine of the Atari Club contains a brief news story on the Atari Force mini-comics.
Atari Age (magazine), vol. 1, no. 4, November/December 1982.
This issue contains a feature called "The Making of Atari Force" by Andy Helfer.
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.
Atari Force poster, c. 1983.
DC produced a promotional poster. The art is from the cover of AF2.01, minus the Dark Destroyer background (it's solid black, like AF2.20, instead).
Best of DC #61 ("Year's Best Comics Stories") (digest), June 1985.
Reprints AF2.08, "Babe's Story". Atari Force appears in the background of an original cover by Broderick.
Best of DC #71 ("Year's Best Comics Stories") (digest), April 1986.
Reprints AF2.20/2, "Hukka vs. the Bob."
Blip #6, July 1983.
Has a brief item on the Liberator coin-op.
Comics Interview #12, August[?] 1984.
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.)
DC Sampler #2, September 1984.
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."
DC Sampler #3, 1984.
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.
Liberator flyer, 1982.
It was common practice for coin-op companies to produce flyers for their new games. Liberator was no exception.
Liberator poster, c. 1982.
A poster to help advertise the Liberator arcade game. It features the original Atari Force. (Artist unknown.)
Liberator t-shirt, c. 1982.
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!)
Star Raiders book & record
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. 1, no. 10, July 1983.
This issue features over a page on the Star Raiders graphic novel, including several panels from it.
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.
Who's Who in the DC Universe #1, March 1985.
Atari Force entry with art by Eduardo Barreto.
Who's Who in the DC Universe #2, April 1985.
Babe entry with art by Eduardo Barreto.
Who's Who in the DC Universe #6, August 1985.
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