Countdown #39 "Inside The World of The Magic Atom!" BY STEVE CHUNG Last week in Countdown #39, we saw Donna Troy, Jason Todd, the New Atom, and the Monitor on their way to a sub-atomic universe once visited by Ray Palmer and Zatanna. But what transpired there when the Silver Age Atom aided the Mistress of Magic in her search for her father, Zatara?
For those of you who weren't reading comics in 1965, we've got answers.
It all began when Biff Barker passed through the wall of the National Trust Bank, and set off a series of events which threatened to reveal Ray Palmer's dual identity as the Atom. On this particular adventure, he is also aiding the female magician named Zatanna on a trip to the "World Of The Magic Atom!"
Midnight in Ivy Town finds four hoods passing by the National Trust Bank. When Biff Barker moves his hand towards the bank's marble wall, it continues to pass through. The others watch as Barker walks all the way in. Once inside the building, the mobster calls out to his crooked cronies to follow him in. Unfortunately for them, they are unable to get any further than the bank vault. As he kicks at an area of the vault, Biff manages to kick his way in.
Now inside the vault, the crooks fill up their pockets with the bank's money. The following morning finds Ray Palmer driving to his research laboratory at Ivy Town University. After hearing about the $300,000 robbery at the National Trust Bank, Ray is curious when he hears that the Atom is wanted at police headquarters at once. His plans to work on his weight-and-size control device will have to wait. The Tiny Titan has frequently found it difficult to change his size and weight by reaching down to his belt buckle while in the midst of battle. Once out of sight, those selfsame belt controls are activated, and the research scientist shrinks down.
When a ringing telephone is answered at police headquarters, the Tiny Titan makes a dramatic and unique entrance. With the bank doors and windows locked, plus the time lock showing no sign of tampering, how could the robbers have stolen the money? As the police chief continues to discuss the puzzling case, the Atom suddenly sees in his mind's eye where the thieves must be hiding out. As he leaps from police headquarters, the Mighty Mite alters his weight, and rides the air currents.
After riding the breezes over the rooftops, the Atom drops down towards a back porch. It seems that his lead is based on magic rather than science. Slipping past the vents of a ventilation fan, the unexpected visitor watches as the mobsters are about to divvy up their spoils.
As the Tiny Titan leaps down, he again alters his own weight, and is now able to kick the contents of a steaming coffee pot at the startled hoods.
Using the same momentum, the Atom leaps from the coffee pot, and onto a chair. Once he has a handhold, the Mighty Mite spins his body around, and enables him to strike a startled thug with his entire one hundred and eighty pounds. Three guns are now trained onto the fast-moving figure, and they wait for him to slow down.
The Atom finds some cover in an open slot of a toaster. POW BWEE BLAM VIIP BAM ZIIING The toaster's spring enables the Mighty Mite to spring forward, and use his feet to kick the barrel of the still-smoking gun. Once again, his hands reach for the weight-and-size controls, and the Atom strikes out with the force of a hundred and eighty pound man.
After a barrel roll, the Tiny Titan lands on a faucet handle, and uses the spray nozzle to spray water into the faces of his armed foes. An iron skillet is his chosen weapon for the two damp thugs. CLANG They can't see and they hear the sound signalling the end of this round.
After receiving a phone call, the authorities arrive on the scene, and take the unconscious crooks into custody. Now at his research laboratory, Ray Palmer is ready to work on his size-and-weight controls. By using a microcircuit device in each of his gloves, his fingertips will be able to press in, and slide over the transmitter. Thanks to his new method, the Atom will be able to change his size and weight by activating the devices in his gloves. Just then, the phone rings.
When he answers the phone, Ray is surprised to learn that the caller was the one who told him where to find the bank robbers. The mystery caller is also aware that he is the Atom. It was her magic powers which accidentally enabled the mobsters to rob the bank, and for the Mighty Mite to catch them. Once he agrees to a meeting, a puff of smoke signals the arrival of Zatanna. The daughter of the Great Zatara is known to Ray Palmer, and how Hawkman mentioned the search for her father. Thanks to the Hawks use of the Absorbascon, Zatanna now knows that her father is nowhere on Earth, and no one is aware of his current location.
Hawkman met Zatanna in China, while Hawkgirl met her in Ireland, and both Thanagarians aided her in becoming one person again. While on her stage tour, the girl magician cast a spell to try and make contact with her father. That same spell caused a disturbance in the atoms of a nearby wall and vault at the National Trust Building. Zatanna used her magic to make mental contact with Ray, and alert him to the thieves's location. The researcher is slightly dazed when the lovely magician causes an ancient book of magic to appear. The book belonged to Zatara and the daughter believes that he is inside it within a sub-atomic world. Since she doesn't know the precise spell which will allow her to travel to that world, she asks for the Atom's help in reaching her goal.
Ray can alter himself in size, but anything else would explode once it returned to normal size. He is willing to go on his own and find Zatara. Since she is the only one who knows where to look, Zatanna insists on going, too. Perhaps between his science and her magic, something can be arranged. Once some woven cloth made from white dwarf star matter is laid out, the girl magician makes a costume for herself. The next moment find the Atom and Zatanna taking their places on the book. Both activate their size-control devices and their journey inside the atoms of the magical tome begins.
The duo pass between the molecules of the magical book. Around them, the molecules appear as unreal as the dimension they are travelling through. Zatanna wonders if she'll finally find her father, and the Tiny Titan wonders if Zatara is on that sub-atomic world, why hasn't he ever returned?
Once the world has grown about them, they enter the sub-atomic world, and find it inhabited. Thanks to her magic, Zatanna is able to ask the native about her father. Only one who lives on the red hill of Tara, beyond the great blue forest can answer such a question. As the two mortals continue on their way, the native signals to the Druid that he has done as he was asked. Indeed, he who is master of Catamoore awaits the arrival of the daughter of Zatara and her friend. He recalls how years ago, Zatara had almost succeeded in imprisoning him.
The Druid escaped to the sub-atomic world of Catamoore, but was followed by the Earth magician, and they fought their duel here. It was during that battle that the Druid learned how to turn the inhabitants into energy-beings, and absorb the magic used by his foe. As a result, the Druid grew more powerful, while Zatara grew weaker and weaker. Such was his strength that he banished the Earth magician into an unknown realm. Now atop the castle roof, he waits for the daughter's arrival, and plans to separate her from her ally. One finger points towards the Mighty Mite, while another hand raises up a bowl.
As the Druid works his magic, the Atom sees a painted lizard on a bowl coming to life. Thanks to his new size-and-weight controls, the Tiny Titan is able to change his size, and slips out of the reptilian talons. By using an updraft, the Mighty Mite positions himself, and drops down towards the winged lizard's back. It's a bizarre sight as the sorceress creature strives to throw a determined rider, and the Atom savors every moment of it.
Being magical in nature, the winged lizard continues its struggle, and the Tiny Titan decides to finish their fight. CRASH As the creature makes its way near the hovering bowl, the Mighty Mite alters his weight, and shatters the bowl with one blow. With the threat over, the Atom rides the wind, and heads for Zatanna and the Druid. Elsewhere, she commands the castle to seize its master, and watches as her foe has another trick up his sleeve.
Once freed, the Druid's body glows with the magical energy he is absorbing from his approaching foe. Zatanna unleashes fire and lightning, but her enemy is unfazed by the magical assault. Spell after spell is cast at the Druid, but her every exertion costs the magical maiden dearly.
The Atom drops out of the sky, trying to encourage the girl before him. He sees how the Druid has absorbed her magical power. How can he hope to prevail against such a sinister sorcerer? The situation appears hopeless, for what can Zatanna do without the use of her magic?
As the Druid prepares to send the daughter of Zatara to the same realm as her father, the Atom activates his size-controls, and pulls a disappearing act. The next moment finds him delivering a powerful punch to the Druid's jaw. As he closes in on the dazed conjurer, the Mighty Mite is assaulted by the energy-beings.
As he is carried over the ledge, the Atom increases his own weight, and falls. He regains the ledge, passing through the stones within the chamber, and reappears before the energy-beings can react. The Tiny Titan runs along the crevices and reaches the wall of the conjuring room. Reappearing on a wooden shelf, he hurls an iron tripod, and hopes that it will counteract the magical threat. Indeed, when the iron tripod makes contact with one of the energy-beings, he becomes a human being. Now freed from the Druid's spell, the inhabitant works with the Atom to free the others.
After riding the air currents downwards, the Mighty Mite meets with Zatanna, and instructs her to cast another magical spell. With all of her powers gone, the girl magician doesn't see how. The Druid revives and prepares to banish them into the other realm. When the Atom pleads with her to do a magic trick, Zatanna obliges by doing a bit from her stage act. The playing cards head up towards the Druid, who threatens to absorb this threat, and begins to glow with triumph. Since the cards contained no real magic to be absorbed, the Tiny Titan knows that their foe is in for a big surprise.
To their amazement, the Druid loses his strength, and falls backwards from his perch. By absorbing "false magic", his magical constitution could not withstand it. After their ride on the air currents to the top of the castle, they see that the Druid has been short-circuited, and is now in a state of suspended animation. He won't be able to reveal where Zatara has been sent to. With the defeat of the Druid, the people of Catamoore are free, and back to their normal state of life.
The girl magician has regained all of her magical powers. She is now ready to return to their own world. The Atom is certain than he can, but he's not too sure about the size-controls working for Zatanna. As she activates her controls, he wonders if the girl will be able to regain her normal size. VAROOOM Activating his own size-controls, the Mighty Mite knows that he is responsible for what just happened. He leaves Catamoore and passes through the area between atoms for Earth.
Back in the laboratory at Ivy University, the Atom is in for a surprise when he finds Zatanna is alive. Since her magic may not have been enough to enable her to survive the explosion, the magical maiden used the magic of her father's book to send her from Catamoore to Ray's laboratory. The search for Zatara will continue. She will try to find the place where the Druid sent her father. If necessary, she'll ask help from the Emerald Gladiator, the Scarlet Speedster, and the entire Justice League of America.
This was the first chapter of Zatanna's search for her father from The Atom #19 (June - July, 1965) by the creative team of Gardner Fox, Gil Kane, and Sid Greene.
It was reprinted in Detective Comics #438 (December, 1973/January, 1974) and the entire saga was later collected in TPB form.
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