| Atom Smasher | |
|---|---|
 Albert Rothstein as Atom Smasher Art by Alan Davis |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | As Nuklon: All-Star Squadron #25 (September, 1983) As Atom Smasher: JSA Secret Files and Origins #1 (August 1999) |
| Created by | Roy Thomas Jerry Ordway Mike Machlan |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Albert Julian Rothstein |
| Team affiliations | Suicide Squad Justice Society of America Justice League The Conglomerate Infinity, Inc. |
| Notable aliases | Nuklon |
| Abilities | Growth, increased strength, stamina, speed and durability. Formerly density control. |
Albert Rothstein (known by the aliases Nuklon and Atom Smasher -- sometimes spelled "Atom-Smasher") is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. Atom Smasher is known for his power of growth and super strength.[1] Created by Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway, he first appeared in All-Star Squadron #25 (September 1983). Thomas chose his name as a tribute to his friend and fellow comic book fan Alan Rothstein.[2]
Contents |
Fictional character biography
Origin
The godson of Al Pratt, the Golden Age Atom, Albert Rothstein acquired his metahuman powers of super strength and control over his molecular structure (allowing him to alter the size and density of his body) from his grandfather, a reluctant supervillain known as Cyclotron, allowing him to fight crime first as Nuklon, and then, later, as Atom Smasher. As Nuklon, Albert was a charter member of Infinity, Inc. and subsequently served in the Justice League. During his time with the League, he dated Fire.[1]
He took the Atom Smasher identity shortly before the founding of the current Justice Society of America, of which he is a charter member. He views Pratt's son, Damage, as a brother, and acted as an older brother figure to Stargirl. While Stargirl has shown some romantic feelings for Atom Smasher in the past, he had not yet openly reciprocated until JSA #25, where he refers to Billy "Captain Marvel" Batson as deserving her far more than he (Al) ever could, in a regretful tone. His teammates later pick up on their mutual attraction, and while Power Girl is supportive, the elder members force Al to turn Courtney down due to the age difference.
The Justice Society
For years, Atom Smasher cherishes his role in upholding Pratt's legacy and constantly seeks to prove himself worthy to his Golden Age idols – especially when many of them became his teammates in the JSA. This changes when Albert's mother is murdered in a plane crash engineered by the terrorist Kobra. Albert becomes consumed by vengeance. Not long after the fatal crash, Albert – with the aid of Metron of the New Gods – goes back in time and replaces his mother with the weakened villain Extant. This ends up saving her life but makes Albert a murderer.
Black Adam
When Captain Marvel's longtime adversary Black Adam reforms and joins the JSA, he and Rothstein develop a kinship; indeed, Black Adam once comments that he thinks of Atom Smasher as the brother he never had. Encouraged by Adam, Atom Smasher grows frustrated with the JSA's moral boundaries, especially when Kobra blackmails authorities into granting his release. Albert and Adam promptly quit the JSA after Kobra's escape.
Shortly thereafter, the unlikely duo settle each other's personal scores. Adam kills Kobra, while Rothstein kills the dictatorial president of Khandaq, Adam's home country. Atom Smasher helps lead a team of rogue metahumans (including former Infinity Inc. teammates Brainwave and Northwind) in an invasion of Khandaq and overthrow its oppressive regime. Atom Smasher initially fights against his JSA teammates in Khandaq before deciding instead to help forge an uneasy truce -- Black Adam and his compatriots can remain in power so long as they never leave the country.
Atom Smasher remains in the Middle Eastern nation for a time, although he eventually begins to question Adam's motives. Rothstein perishes in JSA #75 while fighting against the Spectre, but is revived by Black Adam's lightning, and carried back to JSA headquarters.
He is later put on trial for his actions in Khandaq and pleads guilty to all charges. Whilst in jail, he is approached by the founder of the Suicide Squad, Amanda Waller. In 52, he is seen assembling a new Suicide Squad under Waller's orders, instructed to fight Black Adam, and, unbeknownst to Atom Smasher himself, push his family to overreact. They succeed, and Osiris is disgraced and exposed for having killed a Squad member, leading to the downfall of the whole Black Marvel Family, and a murderous rampage of Black Adam, dubbed World War III.
He then sides with the Justice Society, trying to apprehend Black Adam, but refuses to condemn him in any way, not even believing him guilty of the genocide in Bialya. When Adam is robbed of his powers by Captain Marvel, and is about to plunge to his death, it is Atom Smasher who saves him.[1]
One Year Later
Atom Smasher is not seen during the One Year Later storylines published in 2006. However, in Manhunter #22, a character named Al who fits the description of Atom Smasher is visiting Obsidian in Los Angeles off-panel, suggesting that Atom Smasher may be alive and no longer incarcerated. Atom Smasher is also shown fighting alongside the JSA in Countdown #38 (2007), although it has been speculated that this is a mistake and that Damage should have been shown, given that Atom Smasher does not currently serve on that team. In the actual Justice Society of America title, Damage has effectively taken his place. In the Black Adam: The Dark Age series, Albert is shown searching for his former friend, who is intent upon resurrecting his dead wife Isis. In Black Adam #5, Albert brings Adam a bone from Isis' remains which Adam dropped in battle, and unsuccessfully tries to persuade his friend to go into hiding.
In the Justice Society of America: The Kingdom special, published in late 2008, Stargirl recruits Atom Smasher to literally knock some sense into Damage, who had become an evangelist of sorts for the Third World god Gog after the cosmic being (temporarily) healed Damage's scarred face.
Atom Smasher returns to the JSA during the "Black Adam and Isis" arc printed in Justice Society of America #23-25. Asking the team for a second chance at honoring the memory of Al Pratt, Atom Smasher joins the Justice Society in battling Black Adam and Isis, who have robbed Captain Marvel of his powers and his throne at the Rock of Eternity. At the conclusion of the story, despite Wildcat's distrust, Atom Smasher is readmitted into the JSA as a full member [3].
Powers and abilities
Already super strong at his normal size — 7 ft 6 in, or 2.3 m — (though recently he has been depicted as being of a more normal height when not using his powers), Atom Smasher's strength and density increase proportionately to whatever size he chooses (it was enumerated in JSA #75 that his muscles and bones actually break and reform as they grow in order to achieve these great heights).
The upper limits of Rothstein's growth spurts are unclear, but heights above 50 feet are believed to tax his molecular structure and could cause permanent cell damage; however, in the DC Encyclopedia, it stated that he could grow up to 60 feet without problems. Whether there is a limit to the heights he can grow to is unknown. During his time as Nuklon, Albert was able to phase through walls; he has either lost this power in recent years, or it has been retconned away. Rothstein is also a skilled pilot and mechanic. In the first few years of JSA, he could be seen piloting the JSA's jet, the Steel Eagle, as well as the Star Rocket Racer in JSA: Our Worlds at War, and earlier being Infinity, Inc.'s primary pilot.
Other versions
Atom Smasher was part of Superman's Justice League in Mark Waid and Alex Ross' Kingdom Come.
Appearances in other media
Atom Smasher appeared in animated form as a recurring character in the television series Justice League Unlimited as a member of the expanded, post-Thanagarian invasion Justice League of the DC animated universe. While Rothstein doesn't have a line of dialogue in the series' original run, he is a featured character in many episodes.
His most notable appearance was in "Task Force X." As Rick Flag and Captain Boomerang are entering a code to get into a room, he walks by. Captain Boomerang and Rick Flag immediately hide, after he's gone, they come out and Captain Boomerang says, "Atom Smasher? No one said nothing about that bruiser, now did they?" Later, as Task Force X is trying to leave after they just stole the Annihilator, he, Vigilante and Shining Knight stop them and begin to fight them. Vigilante and Shining Knight go after the members of Task Force X while Atom Smasher fights the Annihilator. He struggles with it; having a hard time just to land a punch on it. As the Annihilator prepares to crush Shining Knight, Atom Smasher saves him by grabbing its foot and throwing it across the room. Later he is thrown through a door by the Annihilator, knocked out. The team and the Annihilator plan to leave but Martian Manhunter interrupts and begins to fight them. He is forced to stop as Plastique threatens to put a bomb in Atom Smasher's mouth. The team gets ready to leave and as they do Plastique sets the bomb for thirty seconds and gets ready to put it in his mouth, but Captain Atom appears behind her and stops her. Immediately Deadshot, betraying Plastique, shoots the bomb with his gun, setting it off. The team leaves without Plastique. It is shown that Captain Atom hovered over Plastique but it is not known if she was alive or dead; it is also unknown whether if Atom Smasher was injured but it was obvious he survived as he appears in future episodes.
He appears in the JLU comic issue #16, where he confirms that he is Jewish in the animated continuity and that he has a beloved, late uncle. He was also rendered as an action figure for Mattel's popular "Justice League Unlimited" line in the summer of 2005. He has been confirmed as the Collect-and-Connect figure for Wave 7 of the DC Universe action figure line.
Notes
- ^ a b c Jimenez, Phil (2008), "Atom-Smasher", in Dougall, Alastair, The DC Comics Encyclopedia, London: Dorling Kindersley, pp. 31, ISBN 0-7566-4119-5
- ^ Thomas, Roy; Jerry Ordway (Spring 1999). ""Two Co-Creators Reveal--The Secret Origins of Infinity, Inc."". Alter Ego (Two Morrows Publishing) 3 (1). http://twomorrows.com/alterego/articles/01infinity.html. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
- ^ Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #23-25 (January-April 2009)
External links
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