Comic Title: DC Universe:Secret Origins HC
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 2012
On Sale Date: February 22, 2012 Direct Market Date February 22, 2012
Source: ComicList, New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Direct Market Date February 22, 2012
Source: Previews, #277

Cover Price: $39.99
Page Count: 320

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "Birth of the Atom"
Pages: 10

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

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

Reprinted From:
Showcase #34 (1961)

Feature Character(s)

• Atom (Ray Palmer, nuclear physicist; origin revealed; next appearance in Showcase #34)

Supporting Character(s)

• Jean Loring (defense attorney; next appearance in Showcase #34)

Other Character(s)

• Members of a nature club (next appearance in Atom #30)

Comments:
This is the first appearance and origin of the Earth-1 Atom. The history of his Earth-2 counterpart, Al Pratt, is recapped in the text feature in this issue.

The Atom does not appear in costume in this story, nor does he use the name, Atom.

Synopsis:
Using a white dwarf star fragment, physicist, Ray Palmer, has developed a lens which will shrink inanimate objects when ultra-violet light is sent through the lens. However, Ray has been unable to perfect the process because the shrunken objects always explode withing minutes.

Visiting an underground cavern on a nature hike with his girlfriend Jean Loring and a nature club, Ray becomes trapped inside with the group during a cave-in. Exploring the cave, Ray locates only one tiny opening. He uses the sunlight, beamed through the lens to shrink himself to tiny size. Then using the diamond from his ring, enlarges the opening until people can safely pass through.

Worried that he might explode, Ray hurrys back to the lens and enlarges himself back to normal. He is surprised that he did not explode and hypothesizes the cave water may have altered the properties of the lens. When he returns to his lab, objects still explode when shrunk, leaving Ray to conclude that his own body possesses a mysterious force, enabling him to survive the shrinking process.