Backstory

1958, America

Atomic power reigns supreme.

The discovery of nuclear fusion paved the way for a new age of technological advancement, with atomic engineering being taught as common curriculum in most schools, and inventors, tinkerers, and entrepreneurs showcasing their contributions at the annual Atomic Expo. This year, the Expo was being held on the outskirts of St. Louis, Missouri.

As a young inventor named Lonnis Tober III was just getting done explaining his newest contraptions to his acquaintances, the Expo grew dark as space and time warped above and a large metal cylinder dropped from a dimensional tear in the sky. Upon landing, a voice spoke...

"People of Dimension One-Thousand, One-Hundred and Thirty Eight, this is Sender Six of the Transgalactic Federation. We have noted that your dimension in particular has become increasingly adept in utilizing atomic power, a power that we, as enforcers of the multiverse, reserve use of. You are hereby ordered to surrender all atomic devices and ordnance, as well as the engineers who designed them, to be processed and redeployed for Federation use."

Sender Six had barely a moment to say another word when Lonnis's mechanic assistant, a greaser by the name of Johnny "Dymes" Tenncent stepped forward. "Hey, nosebleed! Bet'cha can't tell but, eh, there's a lotta cool cats here that like to stay where they at! Everyone one of 'em, hard-workin' and decent. So if you're thinkin' that you and your cronies are gonna pick a few of us off and ship us to some space station God knows where... Earth to Sender, it ain't happenin'!"

"...so be it," replied Sender Six, "Yours isn't the only source of atomic invention and genius, and you serve no further use to us. Good day, Dimension One-Thousand, One-Hundred and Thirty Eight."

Immediately, the cylinder expanded and took new form, mechanical limbs protruding out and the various sections spinning. A digital interface appeared, and the number it displayed started counting down. A bomb. An atom bomb.

"I calculated several dozen ways that could have panned out," chimed Inkwell, Lonnis's robot companion, "Dymes literally picked the worst one."

Pulling his colleagues into his ChroniCaddy MK IV, a cherry red '58 Cadillac mounted with a working time-space portal generator, Lonnis pounded buttons and threw switches in preparation for its maiden voyage.

With the portal generator operational, Lonnis pulled up coordinates for the dimension he was planning to take his guests as part of a casual demonstration, one in which the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis was just about to begin.

At the pull of a trigger, the ChroniCaddy created its own tear in space-time, and the automobile with its passengers were sucked inside just as the nuclear explosive detonated.

News spread quickly across the planet, and Sender Six was soon broadcasting on every television set, promising that he would personally visit Dimension 1138 to round up any remaining atomic engineers and squash any resistance.

Upon his arrival, however, he discovered evidence of the tear made by Lonnis and the gang. "They got away..."

"Sir?" inquired one of Sender's armed escorts.

"Inform command to be monitoring the multiverse for signs of dimension hopping," commanded Sender Six,

"We have fugitives on the run..."