The Atom (Ray Palmer) Appreciation Thread

[thetrellan]

I do think Palmer's long sit on the sidelines is a wrong move. It's too much like his counterpart Hank Pym. You'd think DC would want to distance themselves from such a comparison. Hank has good reasons for staying in the wings. Ray has nothing to be ashamed of, and no reason to closet himself away from the rest of the world. Not after all this time.

I'd like to see him being active as the Atom, with Choi assisting, if only for the sake of science. I'd also like to see Choi help him out of superhero retirement. Ray has no support system since his ex lost her freaking mind. Choi and his family could be the start of a new one.

[Michael Watkins]

First, I don't want anyone to replace Ray Palmer as the Atom.

I'm all for diversity being added into the DCU. Have you seen the Skyrocket Appreciation thread that I keep updating? Also, making sure Black Lightning gets his dues.
That's what I like....diverse characters with identities all their own. Black Lightning, Vixen, Bumblebee, Skyrocket, Striker Z, Vibe, Amazing Man, and Fire. Just don't take away an existing character and replace him/her with an ethnic version because you feel pressure to do so. The ones I mentioned above weren't created to do that as I feel Ryan and Jaime were. I don't have a problem with an ethnic character taking up a legacy mantle when it's done right, which I think was the case with Tarantula (Catalina Flores).

I'm gay and I'm definitely not crazy about The Ray (Ray Terrill) all of a sudden being revealed as gay (or Iceman from Marvel for that matter). They felt forced too IMHO. However, I didn't have a problem with Aqualad coming out (I felt it was faintly hinted at when he was introduced in Brightest Day).

Also, I'm an advocate for diversity when it comes to team books if you notice the characters I choose whenever those "who do you want on such and such team" threads.

I hope I cleared up my stance on diversity /replacement heroes for you...peace.

fair enough. Palmer's the only DC character that I like. I was disappointed that he gave his costumed identity away. but it's not like they were doing a lot with him. his rogues gallery is in shambles. i think the last thing that i read with him in it regulary was the JLA run that included Firestorm, Kyle Raynor, and Faith. I'm not interested in the new guy. but i find his existence unoffensive. it doesn't prevent Ray from doing what he has been doing. and i don't think the new guy is Asian because of diversity pressure.

[Herowatcher]

I'm not crazy how they've portrayed Ray Palmer on the Arrow or Legends of Tomorrow TV series.
I believe Ray is 100 percent confident in his abilities, more so than the route they decided to take him.
However, I could see that type of awkwardness when faced with social gatherings.

[thetrellan]

I'm not crazy how they've portrayed Ray Palmer on the Arrow or Legends of Tomorrow TV series.
I believe Ray is 100 percent confident in his abilities, more so than the route they decided to take him.
However, I could see that type of awkwardness when faced with social gatherings.

No one is born with that kind of confidence. He had to go through the learning curve some time. But I will admit, I'm getting tired of the stereotype of socially awkward yet highly intelligent characters. It's not an either/or deal, where you are either smart or sociable. One can be both.

[Jekyll]

I really like Ray Palmer and was wondering, what would be some good Ray Palmer stories to track down?

[Assam]

I really like Ray Palmer and was wondering, what would be some good Ray Palmer stories to track down?

My top recommendation would be the 24 issue Dan Jurgens run on Teen Titans. Ray had gotten de-aged during the Zero Hour event, and that ultimately lead to him leading the Teen Titans. It's a very underrated book, and my favorite incarnation of Ray.

[Frontier]

I really like Ray Palmer and was wondering, what would be some good Ray Palmer stories to track down?

I'm not sure if "Sword of the Atom" is collected but that's definitely a pretty classic Ray story .

You'd think with how prominent he is on TV and media in general that they'd have more collections of Atom stories or at least Hawkman and The Atom..

[Jekyll]

Thanks guys!

I agree with you frontier. Since he is a prominent member of the CW verse you would think they would make an effort to get him out there. It seems like after Identity Crisis his only role has been to disappear and whatever group of heroes has to find him.

[liwanag]

[Factor]

That's a pretty bad-ass cover. What do you guys think of Ray's return in JLA?

[Assam]

That's a pretty bad-ass cover. What do you guys think of Ray's return in JLA?

Dunno. Don't read JLA. Hope he's not being done dirty.

[Frontier]

Classic suit for the win .

That's a pretty bad-ass cover. What do you guys think of Ray's return in JLA?

I hope he's used well and not put out to pasture by the end of the arc.

I know DC's pushing Ryan, at least in the comics, and I love that but I need my Ray Palmer Atom .

[DJ1107]

Thanks guys!

I agree with you frontier. Since he is a prominent member of the CW verse you would think they would make an effort to get him out there. It seems like after Identity Crisis his only role has been to disappear and whatever group of heroes has to find him.

Nah that's not true. He also became a dick & began using the same tactic his wife used to kill Sue Dibny to torture super-villains & then later tried to solve the murder of Ryan Choi during that crappy Titans for Hire series before resurrecting him with flesh or whatever during convergence.

[Assam]

I know DC's pushing Ryan, at least in the comics, and I love that but I need my Ray Palmer Atom .

Ray's in the same boat for me as Ted Kord (Although to VERY to different extents). They're two of the only examples of the Silver Age incarnation of a legacy hero being my favorite, but still have really, really good characters who also add diversity to the DCU as successors. I don't want Jaime or Ryan losing their mantles any time soon (ESPECIALLY Ryan, since, while I like Jaime more, he also hasn't gotten as screwed over by DC as Ryan), but I would like Ted and Ray to be involved in the hero game full time again. (The former preferably with Booster and the JLI and the latter preferably, either as an adult or a teen, putting his team of Titans back together)

[Frontier]

Ray's in the same boat for me as Ted Kord (Although to VERY to different extents). They're two of the only examples of the Silver Age incarnation of a legacy hero being my favorite, but still have really, really good characters who also add diversity to the DCU as successors. I don't want Jaime or Ryan losing their mantles any time soon (ESPECIALLY Ryan, since, while I like Jaime more, he also hasn't gotten as screwed over by DC as Ryan), but I would like Ted and Ray to be involved in the hero game full time again. (The former preferably with Booster and the JLI and the latter preferably, either as an adult or a teen, putting his team of Titans back together)

I know when Johns was talking about potential or future Rebirth books he said Atom(s) rather then just Atom, so take from that what you will.

I mean, I'm not really worried about Ray since he's still used in most media, but sometimes I can't help but think...