Atari Force

In‑universe (fictional): A.T.A.R.I. (Advanced Technology and Research Institute) assembled a multinational team to pilot the multi‑dimensional starship Scanner One and search for a new planet for humanity because Earth faced ecological devastation. Out‑of‑universe: Atari Force was created by DC Comics writers and artists as a promotional and narrative franchise for Atari video games; the team first appeared in 1982 5x7 pack‑in minicomics and was expanded into a 1983 DC Graphic Novel (Star Raiders) and a January 1984–August 1985 monthly series.

As a published team the Atari Force appears as a multinational human crew depicted in early‑1980s mainstream DC science‑fiction comic art. The original 1982 minicomic team is presented in the 5x7 pack‑in format and named as Martin Champion (mission commander), Lydia Perez (pilot/executive officer), Li‑San O'Rourke (security officer), Mohandas Singh (flight engineer), Dr. Lucas Orion (medical officer), with a later nonhuman semi‑sentient mascot Hukka. The later (second) series, set ~25 years later, shows descendants and additional alien teammates such as Christopher "Tempest" Champion (son of Martin and Lydia), Morphea (an insectoid empath), Babe (an immense‑strength alien toddler), and Pakrat (a humanoid rodent thief). Artists associated with the property include Ross Andru, Gil Kane, Dick Giordano, Mike DeCarlo, José Luis García‑López, and Eduardo Barreto, reflecting a mainstream early‑1980s DC comics aesthetic.

As fictional characters their abilities are narrative and skill‑based rather than supernatural. The original team's behaviors center on exploration and problem‑solving using the Scanner One to locate a habitable world amid Earth's ecological crisis. Later team members include specialists and archetypes (pilot, security officer, engineer, medical officer), empathic ability attributed to Morphea, exceptional physical strength in the character Babe, and thief/rogue skills for Pakrat. Hukka is described as semi‑sentient and functions as a mascot. The team opposes antagonists such as the Dark Destroyer and its former chief underling Kargg.