| Atom Smasher | |
|---|---|
 Albert Rothstein as Atom Smasher, as depicted inJSA #12 (July 2000). Art byAlan Davis. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | (As Nuklon): The All-Star Squadron #25 (September 1983) (As Atom Smasher) Kingdom Come #2 (June 1996) |
| Created by | |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Albert Julian Rothstein |
| Species | Metahuman |
| Team affiliations | Suicide Squad Justice Society of America Justice League America The Conglomerate Infinity, Inc. Justice League |
| Partnerships | Atom |
| Notable aliases | Nuklon |
| Abilities |
(Previously):
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Albert Julian "Al" Rothstein, also known asNuklon andAtom Smasher, is asuperhero appearing inAmerican comic books published byDC Comics. Atom Smasher is known for his powers of size and density manipulation andsuperhuman strength.[1]
The character made his live-action debut inThe Flash, portrayed byAdam Copeland. He also appears inBlack Adam, portrayed byNoah Centineo.
Atom Smasher was created byRoy Thomas andJerry Ordway, and first appeared inThe All-Star Squadron #25 (September 1983).[2]
Thomas spoke on Atom Smasher's creation, stating that he was named after Alan Rothstein, a friend of him and his wifeDann Thomas.[3][4] Albert was madeJewish for the purposes of representation, with the Thomases believing that there were few overtly Jewish superheroes.[3] Additionally, Albert's growth-based abilities were designed to contrast with the shrinking powers of his godfather, the Atom.[3]
The godson of Al Pratt, theGolden AgeAtom, Albert Rothstein acquired hismetahuman powers of super strength and control over his molecular structure, allowing him to alter the size and density of his body, from his grandfather, a reluctantsupervillain known asCyclotron.[5][6] This allowed him to fight crime first as Nuklon,[7] and then, later, as Atom Smasher.[8] As Nuklon, Albert was a charter member ofInfinity, Inc. and subsequently served in theJustice League.[9] He was considered a dependable, but rather insecure and indecisive superhero while in Infinity, Inc. During this time he had amohawk haircut. While in the JLA, he forged a strong friendship with fellow former Infinity Inc. teammateObsidian.
Albert finally gets his dream and is invited to join the reunited JSA under his new name and identity, Atom Smasher.[10] For years, Atom Smasher cherishes his role in upholding Pratt's legacy and constantly seeks to prove himself worthy to his Golden Age idols – especially when many of them became his teammates in the JSA. He looks up to the elder JSA members, but is himself looked up to by young rookie memberStargirl. When Albert's mother is murdered in a plane crash engineered by the terroristKobra,[11] he becomes consumed by vengeance, nearly crushing Kobra in his hands before he is talked down by his teammateJack Knight, who convinces him that he should not taint the memory of his mother by associating it with Kobra's murder.[12] Not long after the crash, Albert andMetron travel back in time and force the weakened villainExtant into a position where he takes the place of Albert's mother.[13]
WhenBlack Adam reforms and joins the JSA, he and Rothstein develop a rivalry at first as Al refuses to believe Adam has reformed.[14] This soon turns to kinship after Adam justifies Al's murderous actions towards Extant.[15] Indeed, Adam comments that he thinks of Atom Smasher as the brother he never had. Encouraged by Adam, Atom Smasher grows frustrated with the JSA's moral boundaries, especially when Kobra blackmails authorities into granting his release. Albert and Adam quit the JSA after Kobra's escape.[16]
Shortly thereafter, the unlikely duo settle each other's personal scores. Adam kills Kobra,[17] while Rothstein kills the dictatorial president ofKahndaq, Adam's home country.[18] Atom Smasher helps lead a team of rogue metahumans (including former Infinity Inc. teammatesBrainwave andNorthwind) in an invasion of Kahndaq and overthrow its oppressive regime. Atom Smasher initially fights against his JSA teammates in Kahndaq before deciding instead to help forge an uneasy truce—Adam and his compatriots can remain in power so long as they never leave the country.[19]
Atom Smasher remains in Kahndaq for a time, although he eventually begins to question Adam's motives. Rothstein perishes inJSA #75 while fighting against theSpectre, but is revived by Adam's lightning and carried back to JSA headquarters.
He is later put on trial for his actions in Kahndaq and pleads guilty to all charges. Teammate Stargirl promises to "be there for him" when he gets out. Whilst in jail, he is approached by the founder of theSuicide Squad,Amanda Waller.[20] In52, he is seen assembling a new Suicide Squad under Waller's orders, instructed to fight Adam,[21] and, unbeknownst to Atom Smasher himself, push his family to overreact. They succeed, andOsiris is disgraced and exposed for having killed a Squad member, as Amanda Waller was filming the events, leading to the downfall of the whole Black Marvel Family, and a murderous rampage of Adam, dubbedWorld War III.[22]
He then sides with theJustice Society,[23] trying to apprehend Adam, but refuses to condemn him in any way, not even believing him guilty of the genocide inBialya.[24] When Adam is robbed of his powers byCaptain Marvel, and is about to plunge to his death, it is Atom Smasher who saves him, though no character ever sees this, and Al keeps it hidden.[1]
In theBlack Adam: The Dark Age series, Albert is shown searching for his former friend, who is intent upon resurrecting his dead wifeIsis. InBlack Adam #5, Albert brings Adam a bone from Isis' remains and tries unsuccessfully to persuade his friend to go into hiding.
In theJustice Society of America: The Kingdom special, Stargirl recruits Atom Smasher to knock some sense intoDamage, who has become an evangelist of sorts forGog after the cosmic being temporarily healed his face. He views Pratt's son as a brother figure, since he was brought up by Pratt in the first place.
Atom Smasher finally returns to the JSA during the "Black Adam and Isis" arc printed inJustice Society of America #23–25. Asking the team for a second chance at honoring the memory of Al Pratt, Atom Smasher joins the Justice Society in battling Black Adam and Isis, who have robbed Captain Marvel of his powers and his throne at theRock of Eternity. At the conclusion of the story, despite Wildcat's distrust, Atom Smasher is readmitted into the JSA as a full member,[25] along with all the other members of the team who had acted poorly in recent issues. He vanishes for several issues, but he reappears in theJSA All-Stars book as a victim of kidnapping.
InDoomsday Clock, Atom Smasher and the Justice Society are revealed to have been erased from existence byDoctor Manhattan, who altered the timeline to prevent the Justice Society from forming. They are resurrected whenSuperman convinces Manhattan to undo his actions.[26]
Atom Smasher possesses superhuman strength and durability, and can further increase in size and strength at will. His strength and density increase proportionately to whatever size he chooses.
Albert has had complicated relationships with women during his tenure on various super-hero teams. While on Infinity, Inc., he was shown to be clearly in love with teammateFury, despite her engagement to his friendSilver Scarab. Many other characters make note of this, though none of them begrudge Al, and actually feel sorry for him because he will inevitably have his heart broken. Looking up to her even as children, he eventually proposes when Hector is killed and she is left pregnant, so that she will not be alone. She turns him down, saying that she prefers them to be friends. He also has a brief flirtation with the secondWildcat (Yolanda Montez), but things never developed between them. During his time with the League, he datesFire,[1] but he discontinues the relationship because she is not Jewish—even though this did not stop his earlier or later crushes.
His relationship with Stargirl becomes increasingly complex over time. While she expresses romantic interest in Atom Smasher early on, he does not initially reciprocate. Later issues establish that Courtney has strong feelings for him, with friends such asCaptain Marvel andMary Marvel pointing it out, and Courtney promising to wait for his return from prison. When Al is killed temporarily bythe Spectre, she grieves openly over his body, revealing the depth of her attachment. Upon rejoining the JSA during the fight against Black Adam, Al acknowledges his own feelings, admitting that Billy Batson is more deserving of Courtney's affection than he is. Their teammates recognize the mutual attraction when the two begin showing open affection in public. Power Girl is supportive, encouraging Al to "rescue [his] fair maiden," but senior JSA members instruct him to end the relationship due to their age difference. Al complies, leaving him despondent and prompting Courtney to run off in tears. However, the two remain emotionally connected, though their relationship becomes strained once again whenJohnny Sorrow impersonates Al and deceives Courtney into a kiss. As a result, they mutually agree to take some space apart.[27]
Not long afterward, during a beach volleyball outing, Al is shown flirting with new team memberAnna Fortune, teasingly asking if she is a time traveler. Their exchange is lighthearted, with Anna playfully referencing her age, claiming she was 26 when she left the past but would be 187 if aged naturally. Although she has attempted to move on emotionally, Courtney is shown visibly upset as she observes their interaction.[28]
Al Rothstein / Atom-Smasher appears inKingdom Come as a member ofSuperman'sJustice League.[29]
Albert Rothstein / Atom Smasher appears inBlack Adam, portrayed byNoah Centineo.[32][33] This version is a member of theJustice Society and Al Pratt's nephew.[34][35]
Atom Smasher makes a background appearance inInjustice: Gods Among Us via the Hall of Justice stage.[36]
Atom Smasher received an action figure inMattel'sJustice League Unlimited toyline in the summer of 2005.
In February 2009, Atom Smasher received aCollect-and-Connect figure of theDC Universe Classics line.
In December 2023, Australia'sNational Basketball League (NBL) held an event called the "DC Multiverse Round",[37] wherein the teams wore stylized jerseys based on DC Comics characters, which were also made available to the public.[37] Atom Smasher was featured on the Perth Wildcats' jersey.[38]
In October 2025,McFarlane Toys released aDC Multiverse two-pack featuring Atom Smasher vs. The Spectre, based on their comic book appearances.[39]
The children of the original Justice Society of America made their smash debut in this issue by writer Roy Thomas and penciler Jerry Ordway...All-Star Squadron #25 marked the first appearances of future cult-favorite heroes Jade, Obsidian, Fury, Brainwave Jr., the Silver Scarab, Northwind, and Nuklon.
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