The Atom is a DC Comics superhero, introduced during the Silver Age of comic books in Showcase # 34 (Sep-Oct 1961). He is physicist and university professor Ray Palmer, named for real-life science fiction writer Raymond A. Palmer, who was himself quite short. DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... In comic books, first appearance refers to first comic book to feature a character. ... Gardner Francis Fox (May 20, 1911, Brooklyn, New York – December 24, 1986) was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. ... Showcase #22 (Oct. ... For the animated television series, see Justice League (TV series) or Justice League Unlimited. ... The Teen Titans, also known as “The New Teen Titans”, “New Titans”, or “The Titans”, a DC Comics superhero team. ... The Atom is a fictional comic book superhero published by DC Comics. ... DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company. ... Showcase #4 (Oct. ... 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. ... Not to be confused with physician, a person who practices medicine. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Raymond A. Palmer (1910-1977) was the influential editor of Amazing Stories from 1938 through 1949, when he left publisher Ziff-Davis to form his own company. ...

Fictional character history

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. However, any object so treated soon explodes as a side effect, which obviously precludes any practical use of the lens. White dwarf Sirius-B in x-rays A white dwarf is an astronomical object which is produced when a low or medium mass star dies. ... This article is about the optical device. ...

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. 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 descendes to the floor to try to alert the others of the escape route before dying. 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. Jean Loring. ... Jean Loring. ... Inside the cave at Cave Stream, New Zealand Caving is the recreational sport of exploring caves. ... For other uses, see Cave (disambiguation). ... This article is about the gemstone. ... A yellow gold wedding ring and a single-diamond, gold-banded engagement ring. ...

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. 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. However, 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. White dwarf Sirius-B in x-rays A white dwarf is an astronomical object which is produced when a low or medium mass star dies. ... Helium atom (not to scale) Showing two protons (red), two neutrons (green) and a probability cloud (gray) of two electrons (yellow). ... For other uses, see Telephone (disambiguation). ...

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. Much later, he gains the innate equivalent powers within his own body. Ivy Town is a fictional city set in the DC Universe. ... For the fish called lawyer, see Burbot. ... Jean Loring is a fictional character from DC Comics associated with The Atom. ...

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. There, he meets Hawkman (Katar Hol pre-Hawkworld, Carter Hall post-Hawkworld), one of his closest friends in the superhero community. 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. For the animated television series, see Justice League (TV series) or Justice League Unlimited. ... For other meanings of the term, see Hawkman (disambiguation) Hawkman is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. ... Katar Hol is a DC Comics superhero, the Silver Age Hawkman. ... Hawkworld was a comic book from DC Comics that explored the origins of Hawkman and Hawkwoman. ... Carter Hall is a DC Comics superhero, the original Hawkman. ...

Cover to Sword of the Atom #3 by Gil Kane.

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). Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (400x619, 83 KB) Scanned cover to Sword of the Atom #3. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (400x619, 83 KB) Scanned cover to Sword of the Atom #3. ... Showcase #22 (Oct. ... The limited series is a term referring to a comic book series with a set finite number of issues. ... This article is about the fictional character. ... For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ...

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. 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. A logger is someone who is employed in the logging industry to cut down and transport trees to market. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... For other uses, please see Satellite (disambiguation) A satellite is an object that orbits another object (known as its primary). ...

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

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. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 390 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1320 × 2028 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 390 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1320 × 2028 pixel, file size: 2. ... The Hobgoblin character co-created by Stern. ...

Later, during the events of Zero Hour, Palmer is rejuvenated to a teenage state, and becomes a mentor of the 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. Zero Hour: Crisis in Time was a 1994 comic book miniseries and crossover storyline that ran in DC Comics. ... The Teen Titans, also known as “The New Teen Titans”, “New Titans”, or “The Titans”, a DC Comics superhero team. ...

Identity Crisis and Countdown

In the 2004-05 mini-series, Identity Crisis, Jean Loring kills Sue Dibny, the wife of the Elongated Man. After stealing some of the Atom's shrinking technology and his costume, she unintentionally 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). 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. This article is about the DC Comics series. ... Susan Sue Dearbon Dibny is a fictional character from DC comics. ... The Elongated Man is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC universe. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this comics-related article or section may require cleanup. ... George Digger Harkness and his son Owen Mercer, both known as Captain Boomerang, are fictional characters in the DC Universe. ... Arkham Asylum as it appeared on Batman: The Animated Series. ...

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. Palmer explains he needs time away, and shrinks himself again after Hall agrees to keep the meeting secret [1]. Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ...

His legacy lives on, however, with Ryan Choi finding a copy of his costume and shrinking device to become the current Atom. The Atom is a fictional comic book superhero published by DC Comics. ...

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. 52 is the title of a comic book limited series published by DC Comics, which debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. ... Booster Gold is a fictional character, a superhero in publications from DC Comics. ... Superman and the modern Kandor. ...

DC Comics has refused to reveal Ray Palmer's whereabouts since his disappearance at the end of Identity Crisis. [2] However, Palmer will return and play a very important role in the Countdown limited series. In Countdown a Monitor asks the Source Wall what is the solution to "the great disaster," it answers "Ray Palmer". 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"[3]. This article is about the DC Comics series. ... Countdown is a comic book limited series published by DC Comics, which debuted on May 9, 2007, directly following the conclusion of the last issue of 52. ... The Monitor was a character created by comic book writer Marv Wolfman and comics artist George Pérez as one of the main characters of DC Comics Crisis on Infinite Earths limited series. ... The Source Wall is a fictional structure in the DC Comics universe. ...

In their travels, the quartet has found people marked with the Atom's familiar symbol. Apparently, this is a trail he left so that he could be found.

Other versions

• Frank Miller portrayed Ray Palmer as a major player in Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again. He was taken prisoner by Lex Luthor and made to live in one of his own petri dishes for a period of years until his rescue by Catgirl. He was then instrumental in the liberation of Kandor.

• Some other re-imaginings of the Atom include an appearance in League of Justice, an Elseworlds story portraying the Justice League in a The Lord of the Rings-type story where the Atom was recast as a wizard/fortune teller called "Atomus The Palmer".

• Another was an appearance in JLA: Age of Wonder where Ray Palmer worked with a science consortium whose numbers at one point included Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla.

• Atom has appeared in the Justice League Unlimited spin-off comic book in #3.

Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American writer, artist and film director best known for his film noir-style comic book stories. ... The Dark Knight Strikes Again is a Batman graphic novel by Frank Miller. ... Robin is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Comics universe. ... Superman and the modern Kandor. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the novel. ... “Edison” redirects here. ... Nikola Tesla (1856-1943)[1] was a world-renowned Serbian inventor, physicist, mechanical engineer and electrical engineer. ...

Other media

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

• In the The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, Ray Palmer appeared in his own episodes and in the Justice League of America segments along with Superman, The Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkman. He was voiced by Pat Harrington, Jr., who would be better known a decade later for his role as Schneider on the sitcom One Day at a Time. Ray also made occasional appearances on The All-New Super Friends Hour in the 1970s, probably voiced by another actor.

• The Atom appeared in the 1997 live action TV series pilot, Justice League of America. He was played by John Kassir.

• Palmer was mentioned by name in the Justice League episode "Hereafter," by Vandal Savage. A future version of Savage mentions that a younger version of himself stole a piece of dwarf star matter from a scientist called Ray Palmer. The mention of dwarf star matter fits in with the Atom's original comic book origin.

• Ray Palmer (voiced by John C. McGinley) eventually appeared in Justice League Unlimited to help Lex Luthor defend himself against Amazo (The Return) and disable a grey goo-like alien weapon known as the Dark Heart (Dark Heart, written by Warren Ellis). Both of the devices utilized nanotechnology, the field of Palmer's expertise. The Atom's final vocalized appearance was in Clash, when he examined a device built by Luthor which Superman had mistaken for a bomb.

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Johnny Kassir (born October 24, 1957 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American actor, voice actor, and comedian who has been active in many facets of entertainment since 1984. ... Justice League of America is an unsuccessful TV-pilot based on the characters of The Justice League. ... Title card from The New Adventures of Superman Title card from Aquaman The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure was a Filmation animated series that aired on CBS from 1967 to 1968. ... Title card from The New Adventures of Superman Title card from Aquaman The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure was a Filmation animated series that aired on CBS from 1967 to 1968. ... Superman is a fictional character and comic book superhero , originally created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian artist Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics. ... The Flash. ... For the DJ, see DJ Green Lantern. ... For other meanings of the term, see Hawkman (disambiguation) Hawkman is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. ... Pat Harrington, Jr. ... One Day at a Time is a long-running American situation comedy that portrayed a divorced mother, played by Bonnie Franklin, her two teenage daughters (Mackenzie Phillips and Valerie Bertinelli and their building superintendent (Pat Harrington, Jr. ... The All-New Super Friends Hour is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 1977 to 1978. ... Justice League of America is an unsuccessful TV-pilot based on the characters of The Justice League. ... Johnny Kassir (born October 24, 1957 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American actor, voice actor, and comedian who has been active in many facets of entertainment since 1984. ... For the animated television series, see Justice League (TV series) or Justice League Unlimited. ... John Christopher McGinley (born August 3, 1959) is an American actor, producer and screenwriter, most notable for his roles as Perry Cox in NBCs Scrubs and Sergeant Red ONeil in Oliver Stones Platoon. ... Justice League Unlimited (or JLU) was the name of an American animated television series that was produced by and aired on Cartoon Network. ... Lex Luthor is a fictional DC Comics supervillain. ... Amazo is a fictional android from DC Comics. ... Grey goo is a hypothetical end-of-the-world scenario involving molecular nanotechnology in which out-of-control self-replicating robots consume all living matter on Earth while building more of themselves (a scenario known as ecophagy). ... This article is about the comic book author. ... Buckminsterfullerene C60, also known as the buckyball, is the simplest of the carbon structures known as fullerenes. ... Superman is a fictional character and comic book superhero , originally created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian artist Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics. ...

External links

• Index to the Atom's Earth-1 adventures
• Article on the history/legacy of The Atom from the Comics 101 article series by Scott Tipton.