Comic Title: Atom #23
Publisher: DC (National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 575 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: Feb/Mar 1966
On Sale Date: December 2, 1965 Copyright Date December 2, 1965
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1965

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

Title: "Riddle of the Far-Out Robbery"
Pages: 13

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

Writer: Gardner F. Fox
Penciller: Gil Kane
Inker: Sid Greene

Reprinted In:
Showcase Presents:The Atom Vol. 2 TPB (2008)

Feature Character(s)

• Atom (last appearance in Justice League of America #41; next appearance in Atom #23)

Supporting Character(s)

• Enrichetta Negrini (last appearance in Atom #15; next appearance in Justice League of America #46)

Villain(s)

• Krommer Pav and his followers (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Oban Thokol (an alien champion; no further appearances)
• Dr. Barnes and Inspector Bill Ames (director of a nuclear facility and a police detective; no further appearances)

Comments:
Parts of this story did not actually take place as described. Atom admits to making up the story about Oban Thokol and Krommer Pav.

Synopsis:
When a radion ball msyteriously disappears from a nuclear facility authorities decide to call upon the Atom for help. Before their call can even be made, the Atom arrives to tell them that the case is solved. He then explains that he witnessed an alien named Oban Thokol steal the radion ball. Atom followed the alien back to his homeworld where he learned that Oban was a champion seeking to save his people. The radion helped power his ship in order to return home in time to deal with the threat. Atom then helps Oban halt the threat and defeat terrorist Krommer Pav.

When the Atom finishes his explanation, the authorities stand in disbelief. Atom then admits that he fabricated the entire story because he needed excitement. He then offers another explanation in which an experiment by Ray Palmer's lab assistant Enrichetta Negrini yanked the ball into hyper-space. In any case the ball has reappeared in the nuclear facility. Authorities are left to debate which explanation was truthful.