Atom (Al Pratt)
| Atom | |
|---|---|
| File:Atom (Al Pratt).png Al Pratt / Atom as depicted in Adventure Comics vol. 2 #1 (May 1999). Art by Dave Johnson. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | All-American Comics #19 (October 1940) |
| Created by |
|
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Albert "Al" Pratt |
| Species | Metahuman |
| Team affiliations | Justice Society of America All-Star Squadron Black Lantern Corps |
| Abilities |
|
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Albert "Al" Pratt is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first character to use the name Atom. He initially had no superpowers and was originally a diminutive college student and later a physicist, usually depicted as a "tough-guy" character.[1] Al Pratt is also the father of Damage and godfather of Atom Smasher.
The character made his live-action debut in the television series Smallville, played by Glenn Hoffman. Henry Winkler cameoed as the character in the DC Extended Universe film Black Adam (2022).
Publication history
The Atom first appeared in All-American Comics #19 (October 1940) and was created by writer Bill O'Connor and artist Ben Flinton.[2] The character continued to appear on and off through issue #72 (April 1946). In 1947, the Atom moved from All-American Comics to Flash Comics with issue #80 (February 1947), and continued until issue #104 (February 1949).[3]
In winter 1940, the Atom also began appearing in All Star Comics as a member of the Justice Society of America, beginning with issue #3. He continued with that team until issue #57 (February 1951).[3]
Fictional character biography
Golden Age
Initially a proverbial 98-pound weakling, bullied at school and unable to impress the girl of his dreams, Mary James, the 5 ft 1 in (1.55 m) Al Pratt was trained to fighting condition by ex-boxer Joe Morgan (the same man who trained Pratt's fellow mystery men Wildcat and the Guardian). Pratt soon became a founding member of the Justice Society of America, appearing in the team's various stories during their original Golden Age appearances. In All Star Comics #3 (Winter 1940), the Atom describes himself to his fellow JSAers as "Al Pratt, a quiet sophomore at Calvin College". He later became a founding and active member of the All-Star Squadron. During World War II, Pratt served as a tank driver for the United States Army.[1]
According to Jess Nevins' Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes, the Atom "fights the Emperor of America, agents of the Black Dragon Society, and the Carnival of Crime, in addition to the Cootie Gang, Mandini the Magician and the scavenger Undersea Raiders".[4]
In 1948, the Atom gained super strength as a result of the latent effects of his 1942 battle with the reluctant supervillain Cyclotron (after whose costume Pratt redesigned his own). It was later revealed that he had taken partial custodianship of Cyclotron's daughter, Terri.
Pratt's last Golden Age appearance was in All Star Comics #57 in 1951, also the last Golden Age Justice Society story. Later it was revealed that a special Senate investigation panel had moved to obtain the identities of all active superheroes, at which point virtually all members of the Justice Society retired. At this point in his life, as depicted in JSA #70, Pratt was engaged to Mary James, leading to their marriage at an undefined point in time.
Later years
Pratt was revived with the rest of the team in 1963 in The Flash #137, and continued to make various appearances in the years that followed.
The Atom comic book, showcasing the adventures of Ray Palmer, brought the Atom of Earth-2 together with the Atom of Earth-1. Issue #29 (1967) depicts Al Pratt as living in Calvin City and as being a professor at Calvin College; he also possesses a modified automobile that transforms from an ordinary convertible to the Atomobile. In the story, Palmer builds a "special dimensional vibrator" that allows travel between universe. In issue #36 (1968), Pratt is a professor of nuclear physics at Calvin College and has a dimensional vibrator integrated into his belt.[5]
Atom's status with the Justice Society of America was as a reserve member up until after the formation of Infinity, Inc. In Last Days of the Justice Society Special (1986), the Society enter a magical limbo to stop Ragnarök.
The 1992 miniseries Armageddon: Inferno brings Al Pratt and the other members of the JSA back into the post-Crisis continuity, with Pratt being depicted as short, stocky, balding, and about 60 years old.[6] During the events of Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!, Pratt is killed by Extant.[7][8]
Legacy
In the 1980s, Al Pratt's godson Al Rothstein was introduced; he was known as the superhero Nuklon (later changing his name to Atom Smasher), first appearing as a member of Infinity, Inc.[9]
In 1994, it was revealed that Pratt had a son named Grant Emerson. Pratt was unaware of this - he had been told that there were complications with childbirth and that the child had not survived, but Pratt's wife was suffocated by the villain Vandal Savage, who kidnapped Grant and genetically altered him into a superhuman. Grant later became the superhero Damage.[10]
In the afterlife, the Atom befriends the recently deceased Starman, David Knight. In dreams, David brings his brother, Jack Knight, to a banquet in limbo attended by Atom and several other deceased heroes.[11]
In the Blackest Night crossover, Al Pratt was reanimated as a member of the Black Lantern Corps, to attack the Justice Society and his sons Damage and Atom Smasher.[12]
Powers and abilities
During his early days of crime fighting, Al Pratt possessed no metahuman abilities, but was a formidable boxer, expert physicist, and superb athlete.[13] After being bombarded by Cyclotron's energies, Pratt gained immense strength, stamina, durability, and speed, as well as the ability to focus radioactive energy into a punch. In addition, the Atom has resistance to certain types of radiation.[14] He also gained eternal youth after the battle with Ian Karkull.[15]
Other versions
- An alternate universe version of Al Pratt / Atom appears in JSA: The Golden Age.[16]
- In 2011, The New 52 rebooted the continuity of the DC Universe. Al Pratt appears in the Earth 2 ongoing series as a U.S. Sergeant. He was in charge of a squad carrying an atomic bomb meant to neutralize an Apokoliptian tower. His squad however is attacked while en route to the tower and the bomb is detonated. Pratt is later found unharmed in the center of a giant hand print in the ground. Five years later, Pratt has become a captain in the World Army and is operating as a superhero codenamed "the Atom", wearing a costume similar to his son Damage while possessing the atomic energy powers of his original counterpart and the size-changing powers.[17] Atom takes part in one final mission, which involves him being dropped into a hole. He expands the hole to create a cavern for Earth 2's survivors at the cost of his life.[18]
In other media
Television
- A character partially based on Al Pratt / Atom named Tom Turbine appears in the Justice League episode "Legends", voiced by Ted McGinley.[19] He is a member of the Justice Guild of America, a superhero team from another universe who exist as comic characters in the "prime" universe, and died in a nuclear war years prior.
- Al Pratt / Atom appears in the Smallville episode "Absolute Justice", portrayed by Glenn Hoffman. This version was a member of the Justice Society of America (JSA) and a physics professor at Calvin College in the 1970s who was arrested during a student protest and framed for fraud by the U.S. government, who sought to take down the JSA. While Pratt was never convicted, he retired from heroics due to law enforcement being aware of his identity.
Film
Al Pratt appears in Black Adam, portrayed by Henry Winkler.[20] This version is Albert Rothstein's uncle and a former member of the Justice Society who previously operated as Atom Smasher before passing the mantle to him.[21]
Video games
Al Pratt / Atom appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[22]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Beatty, Scott, Wallace, Dan (2008), "Atom I", in Dougall, Alastair, The DC Comics Encyclopedia, London: Dorling Kindersley, p. 30, ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1
- ↑ Markstein, Don. "The Atom (1940)". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Benton, Mike (1992). Superhero Comics of the Golden Age: The Illustrated History. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company. pp. 147–148. ISBN 0-87833-808-X. Retrieved 8 April 2020. Search this book on
- ↑ Nevins, Jess (2013). Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes. High Rock Press. pp. 13–14. ISBN 978-1-61318-023-5. Search this book on
- ↑ Wells, John (May 2013). "Flashback: Whatever Happened to...?". Back Issue!. TwoMorrows Publishing (#64): 51–61.
- ↑ Armageddon: Inferno #3 (June 1992)
- ↑ Greenberger, Robert (2008), "Extant", in Dougall, Alastair, The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p. 117, ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1, OCLC 213309017
- ↑ Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! #3 (September 1994)
- ↑ All-Star Squadron #25 (September 1983)
- ↑ Damage #1 (April 1994)
- ↑ Starman (vol. 2) #37 (December 1997)
- ↑ Blackest Night #1 (July 2009)
- ↑ All-American Comics #19 (October 1940)
- ↑ All-Star Squadron #21 (May 1983)
- ↑ All-Star Squadron Annual #3 (September 1984)
- ↑ JSA: The Golden Age #1 (September 1993)
- ↑ Earth 2 #6 (January 2013)
- ↑ Earth 2: World's End #13 (February 2015)
- ↑ "Tom Turbine Voice - Justice League (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 6, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
- ↑ Busch, Jenna (October 21, 2022). "How Black Adam's Most Surprising Cameo Came Together [Exclusive]". /Film. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
- ↑ BigScreenLeaks (December 18, 2021). "Henry Winkler's Role in Black Adam Revealed (Exclusive)". One Take News. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ↑ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
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- All-American Publications characters
- Comics characters introduced in 1940
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