Comic Title: Atom #3
Publisher: DC (National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 575 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: Oct/Nov 1962
On Sale Date: August 21, 1962 Copyright Date August 21, 1962
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1962

Frequency: Bi-monthly
Cover Price: $0.12
Page Count: 32
Editor: Julius Schwartz

Title: "The Secret of 'Al Atom's' Lamp"
Pages: 10

Feature(s):
Atom (Ray Palmer of Earth-1)

Writer: Gardner F. Fox
Penciller: Gil Kane
Inker: Murphy Anderson

Reprinted In:
Atom Archives Vol. 1 HC (2001)
Showcase Presents:The Atom Vol. 1 TPB (2007)

Feature Character(s)

• Atom (last appearance in Atom #3; next appearance in Justice League of America #15)

Supporting Character(s)

• Alpheus V. Hyatt (inventor of the time pool; next appearance in Atom #6)

Villain(s)

• Abdul and a confederate (thieves; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Hassan (a young arab boy; no further appearances)

Comments:
This is the first Time Pool story. The Time Pool, invented by Professor Hyatt, is a tiny hole of white light into which small objects can placed to travel backwards in time. The Time Pool becomes a regular method for the Atom to time travel and have adventures in the past.

Synopsis:
Ray Palmer visits another scientist, Professor Alpheus V. Hyatt, at his lab. Hyatt has developed the Time Pool, a hole in time-space created by light. The professor is able to send objects into the hole and bring them back, much like fishing. The hole is too small for people to travel in however.

Atom is able to fit into the Time Pool, so he rides the professor’s fishing line into the past. Disoriented by the experience, Atom takes a nap inside a lamp. The lamp belongs to an arab boy, Hassan. Atom emerges and is thought to be a genie. He helps the boy locate a family treasure and protects it from thieves. Then Atom makes a return trip through the Time Pool, bringing a gold dinar with him as proof of his trip into the past.