Atom (comics)

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Modern Atom

The current version, introduced during the Silver Age of comic books in Showcase #34 (Sept.-Oct. 1961), is physicist and university professor Raymond "Ray" Palmer (named for real-life science-fiction writer Ray Palmer, who was himself quite short). Using a mass of white dwarf star matter, he fashioned a lens that enabled him to shrink any object to any degree he wished. However, any object so treated soon exploded as a side effect, which obviously precluded any practical use of the lens.

Related Topics:
Silver Age of comic books - Showcase - Science-fiction - Ray Palmer - Dwarf star - Lens

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During a spelunking expedition, Palmer and his friends found themselves trapped in the cave when the entrance collapsed. In desperation, Palmer secretly used the lens he carried with him to shrink himself down in order to be able to climb to a small hole high in the wall that led to the outside, knowing full well he would likely explode himself being so treated. Using a diamond engagement ring, he enlarged the hole sufficiently and descended to the floor to try alert the others of the escape route before dying. However, upon entering the lens' beam, he found himself returned to normal size. As the lens was covered with cave moisture, Palmer thought it altered the beam to allow this strange effect. When subesquent experiments showed no change with the explosions, Palmer concluded that there must be some mysterious force in his own body that allowed him to be shrunk safely and later returned to normal. He decided to use this effect to become a superhero.

Related Topics:
Spelunking - Diamond - Engagement ring

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Ray Palmer created a costume from what was initially depicted as white dwarf star matter, which allows him to shrink down to subatomic size. Originally, his size and molecular density abilities derived from mechanisms in his belt with a back up device in his gloves. Much later, he gained the innate equivalent powers with his own body. He has been a member of several incarnations of the Justice League.

Related Topics:
Dwarf star - Justice League

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Neither character appears regularly in comics, and even in their heyday were mostly supporting characters, although Palmer has had several short-lived series (including Sword of the Atom, in which he abandoned civilization and became a Conan-like figure, hero of a tribe of microscopic yellow-skinned humanoid aliens in the jungles of Central America). He was later rejuvenated to a teenager, and became a mentor of the Titans; he subsequently regained his original age and memories.

Related Topics:
Conan - Titans

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Palmer was suspected of murdering Sue Dibny, the wife of Elongated Man, during the Identity Crisis miniseries. However, it was revealed that Jean Loring was actually the guilty one; having suffered a mental breakdown, she had wanted to get back with Ray and believed that the surest way to do this would be to endanger another loved one of a hero, which would send all the others running back to their spouses and other relatives (including Ray). Using one of Ray's old costumes, she shrunk herself and attempted to cause a minor stroke in Dibny, but accidentally applied too much pressure to Dibny's brain and killed the woman. Panicking, she faked an attack on her own life and set up Captain Boomerang to be killed by Jack Drake and thus take the blame. Unfortunately, Jack Drake was also killed, leaving his son Robin an orphan. Palmer had her committed to Arkham Asylum, and then shrank himself down to nothingness. He is currently in South America. As of this writing, the editor in chief of DC Comics, Dan Didio, has said that he will not return to the DC Universe any time soon.

Related Topics:
Sue Dibny - Elongated Man - Identity Crisis - Mental breakdown - Captain Boomerang - Robin - Arkham Asylum - South America - Dan Didio

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