The original Atom,Al Pratt,first appeared inAll-American Comics #19 (October 1940).[3] He initially had no superpowers; instead, he was adiminutive college student and later a physicist who was depicted as a tough guy, a symbol of all the short kids who could still make a difference. Pratt was a founding member of theJustice Society of America, later gaining limited super-strength, and an energy charged 'atomic punch'. He died in the charge againstExtant during theZero Hour.[4]
The Atom introduced during theSilver Age of comic books inShowcase #34 (1961) is physicist and university professorRaymond Palmer, Ph.D. (He was named for real-lifescience fiction writerRaymond A. Palmer, who was himself quite short.) After stumbling onto a mass ofwhite dwarf star matter that had fallen to Earth, he fashioned alens which allowed him to shrink down to subatomic size. Originally, his size and molecular density abilities derived from the white dwarf star material of his costume, controlled by mechanisms in his belt, and later by controls in the palms of his gloves. Much later, he gained the innate equivalent powers within his own body. After the events ofIdentity Crisis, Ray shrank himself to microscopic size and disappeared. Finding him became a major theme of theCountdown year-long series and crossover event.[4]
Prior to Ray Palmer's trip to theAmazon Jungle, he learns his wifeJean Loring has had an affair with her colleague, Paul Hoben. Palmer and Loring got a divorce. Later, Palmer offers his blessing to the couple when they marry, and he offers Hoben his size-changing belt so that Hoben can protectIvy Town after Ray returns to the Morlaidhans. Adam Cray would later steal this belt; Hoben never uses the costume or name of the Atom.
Adam Cray, son of the murdered Senator Joseph Cray, first appeared as the Atom in the pages ofSuicide Squad #44 byJohn Ostrander (August 1990). Cray was initially believed to be Ray Palmer in disguise by members of the team. Cray had been recruited by Palmer (who faked his own death) to apprehend the Micro Squad, a group of villains that had been reduced in size. Palmer intended to use Cray to uncover a shadowy government cabal which was using Palmer to discover the secret identities of other costumed heroes (Palmer's own identity no longer being secret). While Palmer infiltrated the Micro Squad, Cray would attract the attention of the Cabal as the new Atom so that no one would notice Palmer assuming the identity of a fallen Micro Squad member.
Adam Cray remained with the Suicide Squad briefly, serving as a secret weapon whose existence was unknown to others of the Squad. Cray saves Amanda Waller from a group of assassins. At one point, Cray approachesDeadshot about his role in Senator Cray's murder. Later, Cray is impaled through the chest with a screw by Blacksnake, a Micro Squad member who believes him to be Palmer.
After the unanticipated murder of Cray, Palmer reveals himself and defeats Cray's murderer. The ruse ended, Palmer explains himself to the Justice League, who had been searching for him after hearing rumors of a new Atom.
During the events ofBlackest Night, Adam's corpse is reanimated as a member of theBlack Lantern Corps alongside several other fallen Suicide Squad members.[5] Following his reanimation, Adam and the other Black Lanterns travel to Belle Reve and attackBane andBlack Alice.[6] Adam is apparently destroyed by theManhunter's self-destruct mechanism, unleashing an explosion ofGreen Lantern energy that eradicates the Black Lanterns.[7]
InDC Rebirth, Adam Cray is the son of Senator Cray and Ryan Choi's roommate at Ivy University. Senator Cray also attended Ivy and expected Adam to attend Ivy as well. He first meets Ryan when he walks into their dorm with heavy luggage and kindly introduces himself. Adam teaches Ryan how to play rugby and video games.[8]
Ryan Choi, as described by DC solicitations, is "a young hotshot professor who's filling the extra spot on Ivy University's teaching staff. .. and who inadvertently ends up filling the old Atom's super-heroic shoes".[9] This new Atom is based on a redesign byGrant Morrison. He debuted in theBrave New World one-shot, a preview of projects, and then appeared in the seriesThe All-New Atom, written byGail Simone. He is later murdered byDeathstroke and his Titans.
In September 2011,The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, a new, female Atom is introduced,Rhonda Piñeda, aHispanic American college student from Ivy Town.[10] She is revealed to be working as a reluctant spy forAmanda Waller andSteve Trevor, gathering intel on the new Justice League recruits. She is noted to be "the most important member of the Justice League of America" by Steve Trevor.[11] At the conclusion of the "Trinity War" storyline, she is revealed to in fact be betraying both teams; she hails from the alternate universe ofEarth-3, where she is a member of theCrime Syndicate operating under the name Atomica. She also reveals that by placing a sliver of Green Kryptonite in Superman's optic nerve, she caused him to accidentally killDoctor Light, with the added effect of severely weakening and almost killing Superman over time.[12]
Atomica originally worked on Earth-3 withJonathan Allen / Johnny Quick as a thief and killer. One night after killing two cops, they are cornered on the roof ofS.T.A.R. Labs during a storm. Lightning hits a satellite, electrocuting Johnny and granting him speed powers. Rhonda falls inside the building and lands near Ray Palmer's Atomico work, gaining size- and density-changing powers.[13] During the final battle with the Crime Syndicate, Atomica reduces her size and is killed whenLex Luthor steps on her.[14]
Following the reboot of the multiverse afterDark Nights: Death Metal, a new Earth 3 and Atomica are created. Atomica is the lover of speedster serial killerJonathan Chambers / Johnny Quick and accompanies him on his high-speed murder spree across Central City.[15]
An unnamed scientist in the853rd Century performed experiments insuperstring theory that creates asingularity and whose radiation alters his physical make-up. When the singularity threatened to expand and destroy his universe, he enters it in an attempt to save the universe but instead finds himself on aninterdimensional bridge to another universe as his own is wiped out, unable to stop it. At the end of the bridge, he findsSuperman Prime who came to help but was too late. Stranded, he searches this universe for remnants of the one he lost, in time taking the name the Atom and joining theJustice Legion Alpha when he helped them defeat the Bizarro-Legion. This Atom's powers differ from his predecessors in that he doesn't shrink but breaks up into several smaller duplicates of himself divided amongst his mass. At atomic size, these duplicates can mimicelements such as gold and oxygen.[16]
Perry Poodle - A baseball player who invents a machine that would enable him to cheat at baseball even when two criminals take advantage of him. Atom exposed to Perry what the two criminals were doing behind his back and defeated them. Some of the money Perry made was split between the donation to the Policeman's Ball and to Perry and his impoverished mother.[23]
Bat-Knights - A group of six-inch high warriors from the tribe of Elvana who ride on bats. They were manipulated by a crook named Eddie Gordon until he was defeated by Atom.[40] The Bat-Knights were manipulated by Eddie again when he escaped from prison.[41]
Big Gang - A gang who uses big gimmicks and target big items in their heists.[42]
Big Head - The mastermind and leader of the Big Gang.
Big Ben - The Big Gang's timing specialist.
Big Bertha - The Big Gang's strongest member.
Big Cheese - A member of the Big Gang who uses specially-made cheeses that have different properties.
Big Deal - A magician and card trick specialist who is the latest member of the Big Gang.
Big Shot - The Big Gang's marksman.
Big Wig - The Big Gang's master of disguise who utilizes different wigs.
Billy Knolles - A toymaker who poses as a handyman to map out rich people's houses for his heists.[43]
Black Phantom - A costumed criminal who leaves a thumbprint as his calling card.[44]
Cannoneer - Ahuman cannonball who turned to a life of crime and fought Atom and Batman.[46]
Carl Ballard - A criminal who took advantage of the alien Kulan Dar.[47]
Druid - The ruler of the sub-atomic world of Catamoore which is governed by magic. He is also an old enemy ofZatara.[48]
Eddie Gordon - A criminal who manipulated the Bat-Knights into doing his bidding until he was defeated by Atom.[40] Eddie later escaped from prison and manipulated the Bat-Knights into working for him again thanks to the invention of the criminal scientist Luke Preston who was his cellmate.[41]
Elkins - A man whose camera hypnotizes people into doing his bidding.[49]
Gestalt - A group of elite scientific thinkers.[50]
Humbug - An artificial being created by the thoughts of the members of Gestalt.[50]
M'nagalah - A shapeless alien life form who was an old enemy ofSwamp Thing.[33]
Man in the Ion Mask - William Jameson is a man who uses an ionic ray in which anyone in the vicinity of him would be temporarily paralyzed so that he can rob them.[51] Man in the Ion Mask resurfaced years later where he collaborated with Bug-Eyed Bandit, Floronic Man, Panther, Thinker, and Wizardo in attacking the Lighter Than Air Society.[52]
Oscar D. Dollar - A gentleman who blames himself for his Silver Dollar causing trouble. Atom discovered that the Silver Dollar in question was made from a chunk of White Dwarf Star Matter.[47]
Panther - Ablack panther-themed villain and leader of the Panther Gang.[53] Panther resurfaced years later where he collaborated with Bug-Eyed Bandit, Floronic Man, Man in the Ion Mask, Thinker, and Wizardo in attacking the Lighter Than Air Society.[52]
Sting - An old friend of Blacksnake who controls robotic bees.[55]
Swan Maiden - Dorothy Briggs is aswan-themed villain who used special effects and a slight disguise to pull off a trick where an actual swan robbed a bank. Her ruse was exposed by Atom who secretly recorded her confession.[56]
Toyboy - A criminal who uses his psychic power to animate toys and also possesses super-strength. Atom and Hawkman discovered that this was the evil side of Johnny Burns that manifested due to an exposure to the Photonoscope and a device that Ray Palmer was analyzing which affected his mother who worked as Ivy University's cleaning lady. When both Burns' were in the same area, the nice Burns disappeared and overcame the bad side in one body. After surrendering and being handed over to the police, Johnny was released into his mother's custody.[57]
Wizardo - Howard Crane is a magician, theater owner, and former quick change artist who performed a trick that enabled him to pose as astronaut Peter Venner and frame him for the crimes that he committed.[58] Wizardo resurfaced years later where he collaborated with Bug-Eyed Bandit, Floronic Man, Man in the Ion Mask, Panther, and Thinker in attacking the Lighter Than Air Society.[52]
Frank Miller portrayed Ray Palmer as a major player inBatman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again as part of Batman's resistance. He was taken prisoner by Lex Luthor and made to live in one of his own petri dishes for a period of months until his rescue byCatgirl. inDark Knight III, He was then instrumental in the liberation ofKandor until killed by their leader, Baal.[59]
In the Tangent Comics imprint, the Atom is "Arthur Harrison Thompson", a subject of radiation testing on human beings.[60] The first hero in the Tangent timeline, he inadvertently caused theCuban Missile Crisis to escalate into a limited nuclear exchange that obliteratedFlorida andCuba in 1962, unknown to his fellow Americans. Thompson was succeeded by his son, who was killed by the Tangent Comics version of theFatal Five, and a grandson named Adam, who, inTangent: Superman's Reign, is being held captive by Superman.
It is suggested in the Tangent series that the Atom's name was at least in part chosen because of the abbreviation of his full name "Arthur Harrison Thompson" on his barracks door to simply "A. Thom."
Also in the Tangent series, the Atom's presence as America's first superhero during the 1960s has led to a huge cultural impact, and in this world many significant points in pop culture have been effected by his presence; for instanceThe Beatles choose to be called "The Atomiks", further more TV shows such asThe Beverly Hillbillies becameThe Superman Hillbillies,The Dick Van Dyke Show becameThe Dick Van Hero Show andGet Smart becameGet Powers.
Some other re-imaginings of the Atom include an appearance inLeague of Justice, a story portraying the Justice League in aThe Lord of the Rings-type story where the Atom was recast as a wizard/fortune teller called "Atomus The Palmer".
Al Pratt as the Atom was one of the three heroes who chose to work at the side of Senator Thompson inThe Golden Age. When Al discovers that Thompson is really theUltra-Humanite, he joins the other heroes against the villain and Dyna-Man.
The Al Pratt Atom appeared inJSA: The Unholy Three as a post-WW2 intelligence agent with transparent atomic flesh and a visible skeleton.
JLA: Created Equal, after Ray Palmer is killed in the cosmic storm that nearly wipes out the rest of the male population on Earth, a graduate student namedJill Athron is given a research grant to study Palmer's white-dwarf-star-belt. She becomes the Atom and joins the Justice League.
In the final issue of52, a new Multiverse is revealed, originally consisting of 52 identical realities. Among the parallel realities shown is one designated "Earth-2". As a result ofMister Mind "eating" aspects of this reality, it takes on visual aspects similar to the pre-Crisis Earth-2, including theAtom among other Justice Society of America characters. The names of the characters and the team are not mentioned in the panel in which they appear, but the Atom is visually similar to the Al Pratt Atom.[62] Based on comments byGrant Morrison, this alternate universe is not the pre-Crisis Earth-2.[63]
InCountdown #30, the Challengers from Beyond encountered Earth-15, a world where the sidekicks had taken their mentor's places. On this Earth, the Atom isJessica Palmer, a genius who graduated fromMIT at age eight.The Search for Ray Palmer - Red Son features the Ray Palmer ofEarth-30, an American captured by theSuperman of a communist Russia.Countdown: Arena also depicts the Ray Palmer ofEarth-6, who through unknown circumstances now has the powers and title of theRay.The Search For Ray Palmer: Superwoman/Batwoman briefly features a female version of The Atom.On the newly introduced Earth-52, Atomarsupial is one of the metasimian Primate Legion[64]
^Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019).DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. DK Publishing. p. 31.ISBN978-1-4654-8578-6.
^Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016).The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 21.ISBN978-1-4654-5357-0.
^abBeatty, Scott, Wallace, Dan (2008). "Atom I, II and III". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.).The DC Comics Encyclopedia. London:Dorling Kindersley. p. 30.ISBN978-0-7566-4119-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Johns, Geoff (w), Reis, Ivan (p), Prado, Joe, Eber Ferreira, Rob Hunter, Andy Lanning (i), Reis, Rod, Tomeu Morey, Tony Avina (col), Napolitano, Nick J. (let). "Forever Numb" Justice League, vol. 2, no. 26 (February 2013). DC Comics.
^Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019).DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. DK Publishing. p. 265.ISBN978-1-4654-8578-6.
^Just Imagine Stan Lee creating Crisis (January 2002)
