Al Pratt

First appearing in All-American Comics #19, Al Pratt self-trained at boxing and bodybuilding to overcome poor health during childhood.  As a sophomore at Calvin Collage in 1940, he was picked on by bullies who called him “Atom Al” because he was so short (only 5’1”).

He was rejected by Mary James (a wealthy girl he liked) after he failed to protect her from a couple of muggers who beat him up.  Upset and desperate for someone to talk to, Al offered a free meal to a starving bum, that bum turned out to be ex-boxer Joe Morgan (who trained Guardian and Wildcat).  After hearing Al’s story, Joe agreed to train him in exchange for room and board.  Al took him to a place his uncle left him in the country where they trained at night and on weekends.  After a year, even Joe was shocked by how strong Al was.

When Mary James is put in danger time after time, Al dons a mask and embraces the name Atom so he can protect her without her knowing its him because he wants her to love him for who his is.  She eventually does and they where married.

He was a founding member of both the J.S.A. and the All-Star Squadron and served as a U.S. army tank corpsmen in World War 2. In 1942, Al fought a reluctant supervillain named Cyclotron.  During the fight, he was exposed to "thorium radiation" and, as a latent effect of that battle, he gained super strength in 1948.  Al was one of many heroes who retired, including virtually all members of the Justice Society, when a special Senate investigation panel moved to obtain the identities of all active superheroes.

Al and the rest of the J.S.A. returned in 1963 (Flash Vol. 1 #137)and was a reserve member until after the formation of Infinity, Inc. in September 1983 (All-Star Squadron #25).

After Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Last Days of the Justice Society Special (1986) told how the J.S.A. had trapped themselves in a magical limbo to prevent a doomsday triggered by Hitler on April 12, 1945.

When the J.S.A. apparently escaped and returned to the post crisis world in 1992, Al was depicted as a short balding man in his 60s with radioactive, super-powered hands who was more interested in training the next generation of heroes than being one himself.

During 1994's Zero Hour miniseries, the temporal villain Extant murdered Al by ageing him until he died.

In Starman vol. 2 #37, Al became friends with Starman VI (David Knight) in the afterlife and Al was in attendance (along with several other deceased mystery men) when David brought Starman VIII to a banquet in Limbo.