Firestorm and The Atom

[Sugar Daddy]

Could someone please tell me the history and origin of Firestorm and The Atom(I guess there are more than one:))? Also, how come both of them do not have monthly comics at the moment?

Thanks a bunch

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

The Atom's Unofficial Home Page is at http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Zone/1383/atom.htm . Features a full biography, enemies and friends lists, comic appearances, and the kitchen sink. Short version: Dr. Ray Palmer found a fragment of a white dwarf star and can shrink himself down to microscopic and sub-atomic sizes.

The best synopsis of Firestorm is at http://www.proudrobot.com/hembeck/firestorm.html . I quote:

"Firestorm had an interesting twist to the typical super-hero schtick. He was actually two people in one, the result of a nuclear fusion accident between teenager Ronnie Raymond and physicist Martin Stein. In their super-hero form, Ronnie retained full physical and mental control, with Stein reduced to being a disembodied voice advising Ronnie on how to use his atomic restructuring powers. Visually, Milgrom represented Stein as this great, disembodied head floating alongside."

This info may very well be out of date, since Firestorm has been a rather underused character, and was probably prime for a revamp whenever someone else used him.

-- Ed/Ace

[Sugar Daddy]

Originally posted by Ace the Bathound
Howdy,

The Atom's Unofficial Home Page is at http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Zone/1383/atom.htm . Features a full biography, enemies and friends lists, comic appearances, and the kitchen sink. Short version: Dr. Ray Palmer found a fragment of a white dwarf star and can shrink himself down to microscopic and sub-atomic sizes.


Thanks. One thing that interests me is that I always thought that Ray Palmer was The Atom, but in JSA, Atom Smasher referred to his godfather as the original Atom, but his real name, which I forget was different. What am I confusing here?

Thanks

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

I think this is another Golden Age/Silver Age mixup. Back in the day of Jay Garrick/Flash and Alan Scott/Green Lantern (the Golden Age), there was a character named the Atom, whose major power was being short and good at boxing, I think. He was a member of the Justice Society of America.

Ray Palmer is the Silver Age equivalent of the Golden Age Atom, just as Barry Allen is the SA Flash and Hal Jordan is the SA Green Lantern. Same names, different characters.

-- Ed/Ace

[Sugar Daddy]

Originally posted by Ace the Bathound
Howdy,

I think this is another Golden Age/Silver Age mixup. Back in the day of Jay Garrick/Flash and Alan Scott/Green Lantern (the Golden Age), there was a character named the Atom, whose major power was being short and good at boxing, I think. He was a member of the Justice Society of America.

Ray Palmer is the Silver Age equivalent of the Golden Age Atom, just as Barry Allen is the SA Flash and Hal Jordan is the SA Green Lantern. Same names, different characters.

-- Ed/Ace

Cool, thanks.