ATOMIC OVERDRIVE
Atomic Overdrive was a comic book produced by Toronto writer Dave Darrigo and illustrators Peter Grau and Paul McCusker , and published by Caliber Press in Michigan, U.S.
The Atomic Overdrive stories were a combination of two genres popular through the 1950’s and 1970’s: science fiction and hotrods/car racing. Issue 1 was the work of the Dave Darrigo – Peter Grau team. Darrigo was the writer. Grau illustrated the stories. The stories: “The Creature that craved my comet” and “One of our zombies is missing” revolved around a Frankenstein type character. In issue 2 Darrigo and Grau did the first and third stories. The first story “They want to warp our minds” involved aliens. The third story: “Hot Rods: Cold War” continued the hot rods and Frankenstein theme of issue 1 and actually occurred before the events in issue 1. Paul McCusker joined Darrigo to illustrate the second: “Ghost riders ghost town” which was a spoof combining western and science fiction themes. Peter Grau painted the covers for both issues.
Issue 2 was the last for Atomic Overdrive which appears to have been published in 1997.
MEDIUM:
PERIODICAL GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:
Cover
Front: Illus., Peter Grau. Atomic Overdrive,1, no date. Caliber Comics.
Front: Illus., Peter Grau. Atomic Overdrive,.2, no date. Caliber Comics..
Content:
Story:
Atomic Overdrive,1, no date. Caliber Comics. “The Creature That Craved My Comet.” Writ., D. Darrigo. Illus. Peter Grau:1-16. “Hot Rods And Zombies – One Of Our Zombies Is Missing.” Writ., Dave Darrigo. Illus. Peter Grau: 17-32.
Atomic Overdrive,.2, no date. Caliber Comics. “They Want To Warp Our Minds.” Writ., Dave Darrigo. Illus. Peter Grau: 1-13. “Kid Desperado in Ghost Riders For A Ghost Town.” Writ., Dave Darrigo. Illus. Paul McCusker: 15-21. “Hot Rods And Zombies – Hot Rods = Cold War.” Writer, Dave Darrigo. Illus. Peter Grau: 23- 32.
GALLERY:
Illus., Peter Grau. Atomic Overdrive, 1, 1997: Front cover.
“One of Our Zombies Is Missing.” Illus., Peter Grau. Atomic Overdrive, 1, 1997: 32.
“Ghost Riders For A Ghost Town.” Illus., Paul McCusker. Atomic Overdrive, 2, 1997: 15
“Hot Rods – Cold War.” (Origin story) Illus., Peter Grau. Atomic Overdrive, 2, 1997: 23.