Continuing to pick the bones of this final issue of FLASH COMICS, the long-running series that had introduced the Flash, Hawkman and Johnny Thunder to the world, this time we’re looking at the final published adventure of the Mighty Mite, the Atom. Like his fellow Justice Society members, the Atom’s last published solo adventure of the Golden Age was in FLASH COMICS #104–and as far as anybody knew, that was the last time that anybody would ever do a story featuring the character again (except for ALL-STAR COMICS, where the Atom continued to appear alongside his JSA teammates until #57 a year or so later.)
The atom got a bit of a lucky break thanks to history. When he was introduced, he was just another pretty pedestrian back-page filler in ALL-AMERICAN COMICS. His biggest claim to fame was that he was one of the founders of the Justice Society of America in ALL-STAR COMICS #3. But his adventures weren’t really exciting anybody, and his strip was momentarily discontinued. And then, the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan. In the aftermath, suddenly everybody knew what an atom was and was interested in it, so teh character was brought back and shortly thereafter received a makeover that gave him genuine super-strength rather than him just being a tough little buy.
This final solo Atom adventure was written by Arthur Adler, about whom I know little, and penciled and inked by Paul Reinman, who would later ink Jack Kirby on a number of early Marvel super hero stories and then go on to be the main artist of Archie/MLJ/Radio Comics’ Marvel-inspired Mighty Comics line. As with the Flash, editor Julie Schwartz was working well ahead, and there were a number of other Atom stories completed and in the can when FLASH COMICS was dropped. Some of these say print decades later in assorted DC reprint comics.
The Tom Brevoort Experience 
Actually, another Atom story somehow ended up in Sensation Comics #86, which apparently went on sale the following week…
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I’m pretty sure I was first introduced to the golden age Atom via the Famous First Edition of All-Star #3. I loved his funky costume with the full head mask and leather pants…. Al had a lot of confidence.
Just like Hawkman’s second costume with the standard cowl… the Atom’s new costume is far less weird… and a lot less interesting.
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I liked the revamped costume!
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It ain’t bad, and it’s way more practical than his previous bare arms, chest, and legs number. .. it’s just sort of standard looking. My biggest gripe(s) might be that his chest emblem is rendered as a red glob in the smaller panels so it becomes somewhat ambiguous….plus the loss of the full face mask…. which was distinctive if nothing else.
I love the weird pulpy baroqueness of the GA DC heroes compared to the sleek silver age versions (which I also love). Though I guess Hawkman breaks the mold a bit.
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I have to say that Paul Reinman drew prettier women in the Atlas Age stories I have seen ( His work then was better overall ). I like the golden age Atom.
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I don’t know if it was in the letter page of All-Star Squadron, but I believe it was in All-Star Comics#41 ( June-July 1948 ) page 19 panel 6 that the golden age Atom first demonstrated super-strength when he punched a circus truck hurling it back ( I’m looking at the page now ).
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Atom’s strength in this story seems somewhat variable.
Shouldn’t he be able to burst mere ropes on his ankles just by flexing his legs?
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Especially when the golden age Atom is seen using an excursion streamer’s anchor to right itself after over-turning ( passengers all moved to one side to see a rowing race between to colleges ) straining every muscle to do so [ All-Star Comics#48 ( August-September 1949 ) page 16 panels 2-3 ]. They did it to the Sub-Mariner in the golden age a number of times ( Either forgetting he is bullet proof or ignoring he just left the water but some how seconds to minutes later he lost all his strength and can’t break ropes or chains or gets knocked out by blow to the head – [ Blonde Phantom#14 ( Summer 1947 ) Sub-Mariner story “The Brain Strikes Back!” – Namora vs. The Brain ( bald big head ), The Knife — page 3 The Brain threatens Namora with a gun if Namor doesn’t give up. Pages 3-4 the both of them are tied up with ropes ( They are in a building right next to the sea which they left after racing each other ) — in her story in this issue Miss America gets knocked out by a blow to the head ( But Marvel Mystery Comics#50 ( December 1943 ) her second appearance on page 1 panel says she has the strength of a thousand men ( Namor/Blue Blaze’s strength level ) — Modern Writers should go with than like they do with Namor/Namora and not I get knocked out by a blow to the head by a normal human or can’t break free from ropes or chains ( Seconds/minutes after I just left the water — Namor/Namora ) ]. I wonder, with her strength level did the golden age Wonder Women get knocked out by a blow to the head from a normal human?
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