Who Is Atlas? Origin, Powers and Key Facts

Atlas is a Marvel comic book character, the alter ego of Erik Stephan Josten, with over 444 comic issue appearances. Starting his super-criminal life as Power Man and then reinventing himself as the size-altering Goliath, Erik Josten has served as a member of several incarnations of the Masters of Evil and the Lethal Legion. It wasn't until he became Atlas and a founding Thunderbolts member that he truly "discovered" himself.

Who is Atlas?

Origin Power Man and Swordsman vs the original Goliath A Milwaukee, Wisconsin native, Erik Josten was a mercenary who gained superhuman strength after exposing himself to ionic rays at the urging of The Enchantress from the request of Baron Zemo . These were the same rays that gave Wonder Man his powers. He and The Enchantress partnered up for a short while. He took the name Power Man. During this partnership, Power Man and the Enchantress attempted to discredit the Avengers by tricking them into causing property damage, whilst remaining unnoticed themselves. Thanks mostly due to the Enchantress's magic powers, this was successful, and the Avengers were ordered to disband by a court. However, Captain America later managed to clear the Avengers' names by recording a confession of Power Man's that he and Enchantress had set up the Avengers, and Power Man gave up the fight after Enchantress left him, not thinking that he possessed the "killer instinct". Soon his partnership with The Enchantress would dissolve and his career as a professional supervillain began.

Key facts

Atlas is of human origin and first appeared in "The Bitter Taste of Defeat". The character is published by Marvel. With 444 recorded issue appearances, Atlas ranks among the most featured characters in comics.