Across the comic universe, superheroes gain their powers in a variety of different ways. Some accidentally drink super-plastic fluid and gain bouncing abilities, while others are granted super speed following a transfusion of mongoose blood. It seems one of the rarer ways to acquire enhanced abilities is to be born with them. One of the first mutant metahuman superheroes to be born with his powers was Adam Blake, a/k/a Captain Comet.
Created by DC Comics Editor Julius Schwartz, writer John Broome, and artist Carmine Infantino, Captain Comet made his debut in Strange Adventures #9 in 1951. Known as the “first man of the future,” Captain Comet was born a hundred thousand years before his time to a farming couple in 1931. A comet passing overhead at his birth triggered his metagene and granted him several abilities. They included super strength, invulnerability, immense telekinetic powers, flight, super speed, tremendous intellect, photographic memory, concussive energy shot, aura vision, teleportation, clairvoyance, post-cognition, accelerated healing, invisibility, and an extended lifespan.
Although he discovered his powers pretty early on, he later sought the help of renowned physicist Professor Emery Zackro who officially discovered he was a mutant. Following an altercation with criminals in Professor Zackro’s lab, the pair agreed that Captain Comet should become a full-time superhero. The professor supplied him with a costume, spacesuit, stun gun and his personal spaceship, The Cometeer. Throughout his heroic escapades, Captain Comet saved Earth from numerous alien invasions, explored the farthest regions of space and met beautiful alien damsels in distress.
Shortly after 1954 he disappeared into space in The Cometeer on another expedition of discovery, but did not return for over 20 years. Upon his return, some trickery on the part of Gorilla Grodd resulted in him joining the Secret Society of Super Villains. Once this situation was corrected, Captain Comet was offered a full membership to the Justice League. While he turned down this offer, he became an honorary member and took up residence in their satellite headquarters. He spent the next few years roaming through space, before briefly joining L.E.G.I.O.N. in a supporting role.
Even though he was once considered a minor character in the DC Comics canon, Captain Comet remains a favorite hero of “The Atomic Age.” As he continues to search the galaxies for adventure, who knows where the accidental specimen of future man will find himself next.
