Name: Atom
Universe: Earth-1
Alter Ego: Raymond (Ray) Palmer
Occupation: Physics Professor
Marital Status: Separated
Group Affiliation: Justice League of America
Base of Operations: City of Morlaidh, Amazon Jungle
Known Relatives: Jean (wife)
Height: 6 ft.
Weight: 180 lbs.
Hair Color: Auburn
Eye Color: Brown
First Appearance: Showcase #34

History:
As a graduate student, Ray Palmer was trying to find a way to reduce matter in an effort to aid farmers in increasing their yield. With each attempt, the matter was reduced by a beam but quickly exploded. From the fragment of a white dwarf star, Palmer found the missing properties needed to alter the beam to a reducing lens.

Regardless of the white dwarf matter, objects continued to remain unstable after reduction.

Sometime later, when trapped in a cave-in with a group of youngsters, Palmer tried the lens on himself, risking death to free the others. After Palmer saved the group and did not explode, he investigated further and found that a combination of ultra-violet rays, cave water, and something in his own physiology allowed him to safely reduce his size.

Palmer developed hand controls that permitted him to alter his size and weight at will. Using some of the star matter, he fashioned a costume that appeared only when he was at a size less than his normal six foot height.

Palmer graduated from college and became a physics professor at Ivy University. As the Atom, he battled crime to help his ladylove, Jean Loring, establish herself as a lawyer so she would agree to marry him.

Certain events led to the couple’s separation. After a reconciliation failed, they collaborated with author Norman Brawler to reveal their lives, problems, and adventures. Palmer’s career as the Atom was jeopardized as years of exposure to the white dwarf radiation presented threats to his life.

He has currently chosen to live with an alien culture located somewhere in South America, permanently remaining at his six-inch size.

Powers:
The size and weight controls developed by Palmer allow him to reduce himself to any, even, subatomic, size. When changing size Palmer is also able to change his weight from 180 pounds to virtually nothing, though his average battle size is 6 inches and 6 pounds.

While no expert, Palmer has mastered hand-to-hand combat at a variety of sizes and weights and he has exhibited great adaptability to fighting at any size.

Over time, the Mighty Mite has learned to use his size controls to great advantage, including the ability to travel through phone lines, allowing electronic impulses to move him along, or travel through subatomic particles.