The Atom

Origin:  Al Pratt never grew to be very tall. A sophomore at Calvin College, he stood only a little over five feet in height. For this reason he was subjected to constant teasing, often referred to as "Atom Al" by his harrassers. Al also had a crush on debutante Mary James. One night he encountered her on the street and the two began walking together. Al was about to ask Mary to a dance when the two were assaulted by a mugger. The mugger easily bested Al and then made away with Mary's purse. Mary only added salt to Al's wounds when she deprecated him for his inability to stop the mugger.

Al then started on his way home and on the way encountered a beggar. Feeling sorry for the old man, Al took him to a local eatery and bought him dinner. Through the course of conversation Al learned that the panhandler was Joe Morgan, former heavyweight boxer. Al related his the story of how he had been humiliated in front of Mary and expressed his wish to be stronger and better able to fight. Morgan then offered to train the boy in the fine art of boxing. Al trained intensively under Morgan, until at last he was a formidable combatant. Morgan referred to Al as "the Atom," in reference to both fact that although he was small he was also powerful, and provided him with calling cards bearing that name.

Now a rather stout, young man, Al decided to visit Mary James. He arrived just in time to witness see Mary, blindfolded and tied, being forced into a car by a gang of criminals. Al leapt onto the back of the car and rode it to the criminal's hideout. Near a window he eavesdropped on the criminal's plan to hold the young debutante for ransom. Having heard enough, he smashed through a window and, with his training in boxing, Al easily defeated the gang. Al left behind one of his calling cards bearing his nom de guerre, "The Atom."

Still hopelessly in love with Mary, Al decided to attend a debutante ball where she would be present. Unfortunately, the ball had unwelcome visitors in the form of jewel thieves. Al made a hasty exit and changed into the blue and yellow costume he had designed to wear as The Atom. He made swift work of the jewel thieves and told those present that he was The Atom.

Powers: Originally The Atom lacked any sort of superpowers, relying instead upon Olympic level athletic skills and a good knowledge of the martial arts. Later The Atom would develop superhuman strength, complete with an "atomic punch." No explanation was given during the Golden Age as to how this had happened!

History:  Created by Bill O'Conner & Ben Flinton, the inspiration for The Atom can perhaps be found in two sources. First, atoms were making the news in the late Thirties and early Forties. In 1939 physicists developed the theory of nuclear fission, although it would be 1942 before the first nuclear chain reaction would be achieved. Second, it is human nature for those who are sometimes belittled for their size or appearance to long to be stronger, faster, or more handsome. The Atom was just such an individual who managed to fulfil that desire.

The Atom debuted in All-American Comics #19, October 1940, although it would not be until the following issue that he donned his costume. As a very new character (only a few months old), The Atom had the good fortune to be one of the charter members of the Justice Society of America in All-Star Comics #3, winter 1940. Unfortunately, at one point The Atom very nearly lost his membership in the Justice Society of America in the mid Forties. The Atom's feature in All-American Comics had been cancelled (he last appeared in All-American Comics #72, April 1946. As The Atom no longer had his own series, it was decided that he would be replaced with Wildcat, beginning with the story "A Place in the World (where Wildcat appeared as a full-fledged member of the JSA)."  Luck was on The Atom's side, however, as three Justice Society of America stories featuring the character were already completed and "A Place in the World" was moved ahead a few issues in the publishing schedule. It was decided to give the Atom another chance and he was given a feature in Flash Comics, starting with issue 80.

The Atom appeared in Flash Comics until it ended its run with issue 104, February 1949. Thereafter he continued to appear in All-Star Comics until the Justice Society's final appearance in issue 57, February-March 1951.  As a long standing member of the JSA, he was among the first members revived in the Silver Age. He appeared in the two page flashback in Flash #129, June 1962 and the Justice Society's first real Silver Age appearance in Flash #137, June 1963. He also appeared in the first JSA/JLA team-up in Justice League of America #21, August 1963.

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 Unless otherwise stated, all text on this site is © 1999 T. L. Canote