Bates: Believe it or not, within a couple of months, when this #1 hits in January, it will be within two or three months of being exactly 30 years since the Silver version back in the '80s, which I find it hard to believe, but it's true.
It's very rare to get an opportunity to come back to something after 30 years – I mean, it doesn't really happen all that often.
Nrama: You mentioned the "core" of the character, and that's a familiar phrase for readers who have been following the events of "Rebirth." How would you describe what you two believe is the core of the character, and what you hope to bring back to him by the end of this series?
Bates: There are two or three that come to mind. One thing is the military conspiracy angle, which Greg and I developed. Back in the '80s, the military conspiracy stuff, with regard to superheroes or pop culture, was really in its infancy. It was even pre-X-Files.
And I think a big element that was always a factor was, Nathaniel Adam was always on a personal quest to rebuild his family, which had been shattered by what happened to him when he got his quantum powers. That was the big factor.
And there was a big time travel element in our original version as well. Long-time readers remember how the original Captain Atom was catapulted 18 years into the future. And we brought back that as well, but in a totally different context — I don't want to give it away.
I guess the last thing that's true to our version was, with regard to quantum powers, although our Cap was powerful, he didn't have godlike power, like in the Dr. Manhattan sense. And I think Dan wanted us to put a new take on that.
Weisman: I think, also, I wanted to bring back the general feeling that we had created. Eiling's gone on to have his own career as a character. You know, Clancy Brown has played him on The Flash on television.