Every legend has a beginning and Adam Eterno was
no exception. Readers of the first Issue of Thunder were able to read his very genesis on October 17th 1970
- " Origin ". Created by Chris Lowder and first written and drawn by Tom Tully and Tom
Kerr respectively , we were introduced to a London cellar in 1580. There a wizened old Alchemist and his assistant ,
Adam Eterno are excited as the potion they have been working on for years is almost ready - the Elixir of Life!
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Adam's master Erasmus Hemlock tells his impatient
apprentice that the potion needs time to blend and simmer. However later that night while the Doctor slept,he sneaks back
down into the cellar intending to drink the Elixir himself believing it to be his reward for all his years of devotion.
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Adam then quaffs the Elixir of Life! And unknowingly
sets in train a string of events that will curse him forever. For just then his master appears on the steps catching him red
handed. He states that Adam has betrayed him.
The supposed benefit of drinking the Elixir was
Eternal Youth so long as you lived but in his rage the Alchemist cursed Adam with a "second" gift - that of Everlasting Life!
He was doomed to live for ever.However the apprentice merely scoffed at this "gibberish" smashing the empty glass container
on the stone floor.
The Doctor let it be known that only one thing
could restore Adam to his normal self again-a mortal blow delivered by a weapon of solid gold. In his rage the quivering Sorceror
fell down the steps , knocking over a burning brazzier in the process. Adam begged forgiveness from the dying man while lifting
him to safety outside. But it was too late.
Cursed to live forever,Adam tried to live a normal
life but as the years passed and those around him grew old , he became an outcast. In desperation he joined the Armies of
the world , fighting in the Napoleonic Wars right up to World War 2.Throughout the 50's and 60's he became a hobo until one
day in 1970 when his whole life took an unexpected turn.
It was fate that day that deemed Adam Eterno should
unwittingly get involved in 1 bullion robbery , 2 rival gangs and 3 car crashes! The first car accidentally ran him down whilst
the gang were escaping with their loot.
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Tricked into robbing the gold from a rival gang
, Adam double crosses the other gang. Incensed seeing Adam running away with the gold ( which he intends to use to kill himself
with ) they run him down.
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Escaping the clutches of both gangs and police Adam wanders blindly
onto a busy London road straight into the path of a gold plated limousine. First Adam has been struck by a car , then struck
by a car while carrying gold , now propelled into limbo by a gold plated one!
Adam awakes as if from a dream on board a sailing
vessel in 1770 - "BARNABY SHARK" , 200 years before the present day. He believes he now has to live his life all over again!
He overcomes a band of pirates , but is still rejected by the very people he rescued. He goes on to have several more adventures
trying to kill himself with gold.
During a fight with a hooded scoundrel intent on
robbing a gold turban from a visiting Dignitary - "THE FLYING FOOTPAD" , Adam instead hands over the robber and the turban
to the police. Warmed by the thanks of the gathering crowd , Adam then and there vows to avoid gold and instead help people.
I have drawn on the 1st , 2nd and 4th of the very
first adventures from THUNDER comic for this article - "ORIGIN" , "BARNABY SHARK" and "THE FLYING FOOTPAD" respectively. The
4th story "CEDAR BEND" was not needed to explain the origin.
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