Dr. Atomic

From 1972 to 1981, Larry S. Todd wrote and drew Dr. Atomic for Last Gasp, a six-issue underground comix series that blended atomic-age sci-fi with counterculture satire. The title character, a mad scientist in the tradition of classic pulp heroes, careened through a landscape of mushroom clouds, bizarre inventions, and psychedelic absurdity. Todd’s intricate, rubbery linework and deadpan humor made the series a cult touchstone of the underground era, capturing the era’s anxious fascination with nuclear power and technological hubris.