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Atom

Cover of Atom Special #1 (1993).
Art by Steve Dillon
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Showcase # 34 (1961)
Created by Gardner Fox
Gil Kane
In story information
Alter ego Raymond "Ray" Palmer
Team affiliations Justice League
Teen Titans
Abilities Ability to shrink his body to varying degrees (including the subatomic level) while manipulating his weight to his advantage. Steve Dillon is a British Comic book artist He is particularly known for his run on DC Comics Hellblazer and Preacher DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company In Comic books and other stories with a long history first appearance refers to the first occurrence to feature a Fictional character. Gardner Francis Cooper Fox (Speed Saunders was initially credited to "E Eli Katz ( April 6, 1926, Riga, Latvia – January 31, 2000, Miami Florida, United States) who The Justice League sometimes called the Justice League of America or JLA for short is a Fictional DC Comics superhero team. For an overview of the Teen Titans team (including more details on the comics listed below see Teen Titans Various Superhero groups by the name Teen Titans

The Atom is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero introduced during the Silver Age of comic books in Showcase # 34 (Sep-Oct 1961). DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books predominantly those featuring the Superhero Showcase has been the title of several Anthology series published by DC Comics. Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Contents

Fictional character biography

Using a mass of white dwarf star matter, Ray Palmer fashions a lens that enables him to shrink any object to any degree he wishes. A white dwarf, also called a degenerate dwarf, is a small Star composed mostly of Electron-degenerate matter. A lens is an optical device with perfect or approximate Axial symmetry which transmits and refracts Light, converging or diverging However, any object so treated soon explodes as a side effect, which obviously precludes any practical use of the lens.

Ray Palmer (back) with his girlfriend/wife Jean Loring.
Ray Palmer (back) with his girlfriend/wife Jean Loring.

During a spelunking expedition, Palmer and his friends find themselves trapped in the cave when the entrance collapses. Caving or spelunking is the recreational Sport of exploring Caves In contrast Speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave A cave is a natural underground void large enough for a human to enter In desperation, Palmer secretly uses the lens he has carried with him to shrink himself down in order to be able to climb to a small hole high in the wall that leads to the outside, knowing full well he will likely explode. Using a diamond engagement ring, Palmer enlarges the hole sufficiently and descends to the floor to try to alert the others of the escape route before dying. In Mineralogy, diamond is the allotrope of carbon where the carbon atoms are arranged in In Western tradition an engagement ring is a ring worn by a woman indicating her Engagement to be married. However, upon entering the lens' beam, he finds himself returned to normal size. As the lens is covered with cave moisture, Palmer thinks this fact has altered the beam to allow this strange effect. When subsequent experiments show no change with the explosions, Palmer concludes that there must be some mysterious force in his own body that allows him to be shrunk safely and later returned to normal. He decides to use this effect to become a superhero.

Ray Palmer creates a belt tool from what was initially depicted as white dwarf star matter, which allows him to shrink down to subatomic size. A white dwarf, also called a degenerate dwarf, is a small Star composed mostly of Electron-degenerate matter. A subatomic particle is an elementary or composite Particle smaller than an Atom. Furthermore, he develops a special costume that he can wear at most times that only becomes visible when he shrinks significantly. In addition, he develops new equipment that allows him to instantly alter his molecular density to whatever degree he desires. This allows him to glide on air currents on a low setting, while a high setting allows him to handle or strike objects with the equivalent strength of his normal size and build. A favorite travel method is to call some location on the telephone and when the intended phone is answered, Palmer can shrink down enough to literally travel through the phone lines in seconds to emerge out of the answering phone. Basic principle A traditional landline telephone system also known as "plain old telephone service" (POTS, commonly handles both signaling and audio information

Originally, his size and molecular density abilities derive from mechanisms in his belt with a back-up device in his gloves. He carries out the bulk of his early superheroic adventures in his home of Ivy Town where he often helps his girlfriend, lawyer Jean Loring, win her cases. Ivy Town is a fictional city set in the DC Universe. Created in 1961 by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane, it served as the main backdrop to many A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law as an attorney, Counsel or Solicitor; a person Jean Loring is a Fictional character in Comic books published by DC Comics, primarily associated with Superhero the Atom for whom Much later, he gains the innate equivalent powers within his own body.

Palmer has fought against several alien and supernatural threats, as well as having his own rogues gallery: his arch enemy is Chronos the Time Bandit, the menace of the Bug-Eyed Bandit, and the dangerous eco-terrorist Floronic Man. Chronos is the name of several Fictional characters of DC Comics, both Supervillains who take their name from the Greek personification of Time Bug-Eyed Bandit is the name of two DC Comics Supervillains Fictional character biography Bertram Larvan Bertram Larvan The Floronic Man ( Jason Woodrue) also known as the Plant Master and Floro, is a Fictional character in the DC Comics universe The Atom is a member of several incarnations of the Justice League, and the team is gracious enough to supply a special chair scaled to his default size which can elevate to whatever height needed so he can easily partake in team meetings without having to go out of costume. The Justice League sometimes called the Justice League of America or JLA for short is a Fictional DC Comics superhero team. There, he meets Hawkman (Katar Hol pre-Hawkworld, Carter Hall post-Hawkworld), one of his closest friends in the superhero community. For other meanings of the term see Hawkman (disambiguation Hawkman is a Superhero in the DC Comics universe. Katar Hol is a DC Comics Superhero, the Silver Age Hawkman. Created by Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert, he first appeared in Hawkworld was a Comic book mini-series from DC Comics that explored the origins of the Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman Carter Hall is a DC Comics Superhero, the original Hawkman. Created by Gardner Fox and Dennis Neville, he first appeared Neither character achieved major popularity, and even in their heyday were mostly supporting characters, often with Palmer as a specialist who was needed to access extremely confined areas only he could access although he has had several short-lived series.

Cover to Sword of the Atom #3 by Gil Kane.
Cover to Sword of the Atom #3 by Gil Kane. Eli Katz ( April 6, 1926, Riga, Latvia – January 31, 2000, Miami Florida, United States) who

One of them was a four-issue limited series and three subsequent specials all entitled Sword of the Atom, in which he abandons civilization and becomes a Conan-like figure, hero of a tribe of six-inch tall yellow-skinned humanoid aliens in the jungles of Central America). A limited series is a term originated by Marvel Comics referring to a Comic book series with a set number of issues Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian, from the name of his homeland Cimmeria) is a Fictional character often associated with

Eventually the colony is destroyed by loggers despite Palmer's attempts to stop it, and he is forced to escape via the telephone to North America. A lumberjack or logger is a man who harvests lumber The term lumberjack is somewhat archaic having been mostly replaced by logger. In the attempt, he fails to anticipate that the connection will involve satellite relay and the unexpectedly arduous trip causes him to remain at approximately three feet high and without his costume's size changing equipment. This article is about artificial satellites For natural satellites also known as moons see Natural satellite.

The Atom in his new costume during the Power of the Atom series. Cover to Power of the Atom #7.
The Atom in his new costume during the Power of the Atom series. Cover to Power of the Atom #7.

With the help of a friend, Ray creates a new costume from the material of the white dwarf star. This time, instead of a belt, Ray uses an encephalotronic grid in the costume's headpiece to control the costume. The grid is keyed to his unique brainwaves. This enables him to transfer his mass into an unknown dimension which allows him to alter his size and weight just by thinking about it. He can even make the new costume appear or disappear with a thought by shifting most of its atoms to or from the other dimension. This allows him to be in costume while at full height or to shrink without having to have his costume appear. He can even increase his weight while remaining six inches tall or reduce his weight while remaining at full size. Ray often does this and is then light enough to ride wind currents, where he appears to actually be flying to a limited degree. Ray also develops a mental link with the white dwarf matter to which he has been regularly exposed. Most of the mass lies within another dimension. Ray can draw upon that mass and hit with a super-concussive force. He has been shown to punch through concrete walls, crush an exam table and break an axle of a car that is moving at high speed.

Later, during the events of Zero Hour, Palmer is rejuvenated to a teenage state, and becomes a mentor of the Teen Titans. Zero Hour Crisis in Time is a five-issue Comic book Limited series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 1994 For an overview of the Teen Titans team (including more details on the comics listed below see Teen Titans Various Superhero groups by the name Teen Titans He subsequently regains his original age and memories. Palmer returns to his teaching job, but also becomes an associate and alter member of the current JLA incarnation.

Identity Crisis and Countdown

In the 2004-05 limited series Identity Crisis, Jean Loring kills Sue Dibny, the wife of the Elongated Man. A limited series is a term originated by Marvel Comics referring to a Comic book series with a set number of issues Identity Crisis is a seven-issue Comic book Limited series published by DC Comics in 2004, written by Brad Meltzer Susan "Sue" Dearbon Dibny is a Fictional character from DC Comics associated with The Elongated Man. The Elongated Man ( Ralph Dibny) is a fictional Comic book Superhero in the DC universe. After stealing some of the Atom's shrinking technology and his costume, she kills Sue in a misguided attempt to win Ray back. She also arranges a hit on Tim Drake's father which is carried out by Captain Boomerang (Digger Harkness). Timothy "Tim" Drake Wayne is a Fictional character, a Comic book Superhero from the DC Comics universe. Captain Boomerang (George "Digger" Harkness is a Fictional character in the. The intent is for Jack Drake to kill some random attacker, but both manage to kill each other. After committing her to Arkham Asylum, Ray shrinks himself to microscopic size and disappears. The Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane is a Fictional setting a Psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually in stories featuring

Palmer eventually meets up with his old friend Carter Hall after microscopically traveling through phone lines. He warns Hall of the consequences of mindwiping Batman and of harassing criminals over a crime that is perpetrated by Jean, one of their own. Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a fictional Comic book Superhero co-created Palmer explains he needs time away, and shrinks himself again after Hall agrees to keep the meeting secret [1].

His legacy lives on, however, with Ryan Choi finding a copy of his costume and shrinking device to become the current Atom.

During the missing year, Palmer's technology is employed by Supernova to shrink and grow in size in order to enter and exit the bottle city of Kandor. Supernova is an identity used by three characters in the, all related to the Carter bloodline Kandor is the name of the former Capital city of the fictional planet Krypton in the DC Universe.

DC Comics would not reveal Ray Palmer's whereabouts since his disappearance at the end of Identity Crisis. Identity Crisis is a seven-issue Comic book Limited series published by DC Comics in 2004, written by Brad Meltzer [2] However, Palmer returned to play a very important role in the Countdown limited series. Countdown to Final Crisis, known as Countdown for its first 25 issues is a Comic book Limited series published by DC Comics In Countdown, a Monitor asks the Source Wall what is the solution to "the great disaster," it answers "Ray Palmer". The Monitor is a Fictional character created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez as one of the main characters of DC Comics The Source Wall is a fictional structure in the DC Comics universe In Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer, Kyle Rayner, Donna Troy and Jason Todd scour the Multiverse for the former Atom, who just might hold the key to saving reality from a crisis of unparalleled proportions. Kyle Rayner is a Fictional character, a Superhero from the DC Comics universe, known for most of his publication history as Green Lantern Donna Troy is a Fictional character, a superheroine in the DC Universe. Jason Todd is a Fictional character appearing in Comic books published by DC Comics. "[1]

In their travels, the quartet has found people marked with the Atom's familiar symbol. The group tracks Ray to Earth-51, where he assumes the life of its Ray after his life is cut short during his studies of the Multiverse and discovery of the looming Crisis. Meeting the Jean of Earth-51 and the Justice League again for the first time, Ray is found on a world where the heroes have been able to eradicate supercrime and create a utopian Earth. However, once Kyle, Donna, Jason and Bob are able to track him down, Bob attempts to kill Ray. But with the Challengers' help, Ray escapes. Ray reveals to the Challengers that it was the Ray Palmer of Earth-51 who was meant to stop the Great Disaster, and that he had been trying to carry on his work, to no avail.

When the Challengers return to their own earth, Jimmy Olsen is kidnapped by Mary Marvel, who has been corrupted by Darkseid. James Bartholomew "Jimmy" Olsen is a Fictional character, a Photojournalist who appears mainly in DC Comics ’ Superman stories Mary Marvel is a Fictional character, a Comic book superheroine originally published by Fawcett Comics and now owned by DC Comics Darkseid is a Fictional character that appears in Comic books published by DC Comics. Ray hitches a ride from within Jimmy. When Darkseid takes control of Jimmy's powers, Ray locates and shuts down the control sphere inside Jimmy's brain, but is then swarmed by Apokoliptian antibodies. While escaping this onslaught, Ray discovers the "battery" containing the New God spirit energies. Ray removes it from Jimmy's head and shatters it, releasing the energies.

Ray later (after much cajoling) joins Donna, Kyle, and Forager in their new mission as border guards to the Multiverse, realising that there is nothing left for him on New Earth anymore. Forager is a Fictional Superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in New Gods #9 (August 1972 and was created by Jack

Other versions

Other media

John Kassir in Justice League of America as Ray Palmer about to "shrink"
John Kassir in Justice League of America as Ray Palmer about to "shrink"

References

  1. ^ DC Comics

External links

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