The feature as a whole, though beautifully illustrated, was ultimately rather dry, and, after 38 issues of his own title and 7 more co-headlining with Hawkman, the Atom was relegated to a backup slot in Action Comics. Thus, his villains, such as the human-plant hybrid Floronic Man and the time-jumping Chronos, also tended to be lesser threats. When shrunk, the Atom had increased physical strength, but he could not compete with costumed titans such as Superman or Wonder Woman. Schwartz and Fox had solid backgrounds in science fiction, and the Atom’s adventures were frequently based on some sort of scientific conundrum or another, be it a natural disaster or a trip back in time to meet Jules Verne or Edgar Allan Poe. Palmer donned a red-and-blue superhero costume and embarked on a clandestine career as a crime fighter. Over three issues of Showcase in 19, Schwartz, Kane, and writer Gardner Fox introduced physics professor Ray Palmer, whose experiments with fragments of a white dwarf star enabled him to shrink almost at will. Kane was inspired by Doll Man, a Golden Age character created by Will Eisner, and his Atom update could shrink himself down to an almost microscopic size. Following the success of the relaunched versions of the Flash and Green Lantern, DC editor Julius Schwartz was looking for another Golden Age character to revamp when artist Gil Kane brought in some new designs for the Atom. By that time he had undergone a radical revamp in which he acquired “atomic strength” and sported a new costume, topped off with a fin on his head.Īl Pratt’s Atom was next seen in the 1960s, but only as an occasional participant in Justice Society adventures, perhaps because another Atom had been created in his absence. He would become an enduring member of the Justice Society of America in All Star Comics, appearing in almost every story until that comic’s demise in 1951. He starred in more than 50 issues of All-American Comics before moving to Flash Comics. Considering how basic the feature’s premise was, it is perhaps surprising that the Atom was to prove so enduring, but he outlasted many of his more-flamboyant colleagues. What the strip had, particularly when drawn by artist Joe Gallagher, was a sort of down-to-earth honesty, as the hero took on a variety of hoodlums and gangsters in a succession of short punchy yarns. He had no superpowers, teenaged sidekicks, or gimmicky weapons. Without doubt, the Atom was one of the most-uncomplicated characters of the so-called Golden Age of comics. You may know Superman and Iron Man, but how well do you know some of the other characters from Marvel and DC? See if you can determine which of these characters belongs to each superhero powerhouse.
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