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The Atom Archives
The Atom Archives, Vol. 1
The legend of the scientific super-hero, the Atom, is brought back to life as it was originally presented in the 1960s. Reprinting the earliest adventures of Ray Palmer and his belt of White Dwarf Star material, which allowed him to shrink his body in size, these classic tales show the beginnings of one of the most well-known heroes of all time. In this collection of stories, the Atom must take on a tiny planet-hopping thief, solve the mystery of a lingering curse from the ancient Salem Witch Trials, and capture a communist spy attempting to steal American defense plans.
- GenresComicsGraphic Novels
224 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2001
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About the author
Gardner Francis Fox
1,192 books90 followersGardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer known best for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic book historians estimate that he wrote more than 4,000 comics stories, including 1,500 for DC Comics.
Fox is known as the co-creator of DC Comics heroes the Flash, Hawkman, Doctor Fate and the original Sandman, and was the writer who first teamed those and other heroes as the Justice Society of America. Fox introduced the concept of the Multiverse to DC Comics in the 1961 story "Flash of Two Worlds!"
Pseudonyms: Gardner F. Fox, Jefferson Cooper, Bart Sommers, Paul Dean, Ray Gardner, Lynna Cooper, Rod Gray, Larry Dean, Robert Starr, Don Blake, Ed Blake, Warner Blake, Michael Blake, Tex Blane, Willis Blane, Ed Carlisle, Edgar Weston, Tex Slade, Eddie Duane, Simon Majors, James Kendricks, Troy Conway, Kevin Matthews, Glen Chase
Fox is known as the co-creator of DC Comics heroes the Flash, Hawkman, Doctor Fate and the original Sandman, and was the writer who first teamed those and other heroes as the Justice Society of America. Fox introduced the concept of the Multiverse to DC Comics in the 1961 story "Flash of Two Worlds!"
Pseudonyms: Gardner F. Fox, Jefferson Cooper, Bart Sommers, Paul Dean, Ray Gardner, Lynna Cooper, Rod Gray, Larry Dean, Robert Starr, Don Blake, Ed Blake, Warner Blake, Michael Blake, Tex Blane, Willis Blane, Ed Carlisle, Edgar Weston, Tex Slade, Eddie Duane, Simon Majors, James Kendricks, Troy Conway, Kevin Matthews, Glen Chase
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 30, 2017
Well, this was pleasant. Great Gil Kane art and crazy Silver Age writing. Beautiful color palette. A taste of the absurdity:
"I'm going to hypnotize you, Atom - and command you to teleport yourself to the heart of darkest Africa every time you lay eyes on me!" - pg. 138
"As the Atom stands on a grain of sand, he pushes the door shut behind him." (Yes, an entire normal-sized door.) - pg. 152
"I've incorporated all colors - even the finest shadings - into a pool of absolute whiteness! And in some mysterious manner, that whiteness has the power to pierce the barrier between the present and the past!" - pg. 160
"I'm going to hypnotize you, Atom - and command you to teleport yourself to the heart of darkest Africa every time you lay eyes on me!" - pg. 138
"As the Atom stands on a grain of sand, he pushes the door shut behind him." (Yes, an entire normal-sized door.) - pg. 152
"I've incorporated all colors - even the finest shadings - into a pool of absolute whiteness! And in some mysterious manner, that whiteness has the power to pierce the barrier between the present and the past!" - pg. 160
June 28, 2013
There is some overlap between these Gardner Fox-penned stories and those he wrote for Justice League of America, but maybe because he had only one hero to work with, the stories are not as contrived and flow more easily.
Ray Palmer seems a bit creepy with his every issue asking Jean Loring to marry him. and it's quite unnerving to see Jean again, before she went crazy.
the surprise is that many of these early issues of the Atom actually included two stories. seeing a guest appearance by Snapper Carr was also a nice early nod to the wider DCU.
Kane and Anderson on the art are flawless.
Ray Palmer seems a bit creepy with his every issue asking Jean Loring to marry him. and it's quite unnerving to see Jean again, before she went crazy.
the surprise is that many of these early issues of the Atom actually included two stories. seeing a guest appearance by Snapper Carr was also a nice early nod to the wider DCU.
Kane and Anderson on the art are flawless.
July 15, 2018
Wonderful artwork and, unlike some others in this timeframe, the stories hold up well for being written in the early 60’s for 12 year old boys.
March 7, 2010
Great collection of stories featuring the tiny titan as he tangles with gangsters, super villains, mad scientists, many tiny aliens, does a bit of time travel and still manages to romance a young lady lawyer.
Gardner Fox keeps the Atom, a hero with a limited gimmick power interesting by mixing up the types of adventures he has. You are never sure what will happen in the next story. The Atom may save a kidnapped scientist, he might fight an alien or he might go back in time and meet Edgar Allen Poe.
Lots of fun, and with the beautiful art by Gil Kane the aliens are funky, the women are babes and the bad guys look thoroughly evil.
Great stuff.
Gardner Fox keeps the Atom, a hero with a limited gimmick power interesting by mixing up the types of adventures he has. You are never sure what will happen in the next story. The Atom may save a kidnapped scientist, he might fight an alien or he might go back in time and meet Edgar Allen Poe.
Lots of fun, and with the beautiful art by Gil Kane the aliens are funky, the women are babes and the bad guys look thoroughly evil.
Great stuff.
May 1, 2017
Smooth and beautiful art by Gil Kane and Murphy Anderson and equally fun stories by the legendary Gardner Fox make this a must read! And Ray Palmer is still the best Atom.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews