Atom's Most Ambitious Redesign Finally Made Him a Superman-Level Hero

Summary Earth-9's Atom finally gets the respect he deserves, becoming a hero as powerful as Superman in Tangent Comics: Atom #1.

The Tangent Universe redefines iconic DC Comics characters in unexpected ways, offering a fresh take on the Atom's legacy.

While Superman may be the premier hero, in the Tangent Universe, it's the Atom who truly shines, becoming a Superman-level hero.

The iconic Justice League hero, the Atom, doesn't always get a chance to shine, but on one Earth in the multiverse, he's his world's Superman. Whether it's Ray Palmer or Ryan Choi, the Atom legacy doesn't always get the respect it deserves. But on Earth-9, the Atom finally gets his due by becoming a hero as powerful as the Man of Steel.

Tangent Comics: Atom #1 by Dan Jurgens introduces a radically different Atom to readers. The Tangent Universe's version of the Atom is the third hero to bear this moniker and the grandson of Earth-9's first superhero. This hero uses his ability to alter the molecular density of objects, making Atom one of the world's strongest superhumans.

The world fawns over the Atom, ecstatic to see him carry on the legacy set by his father and grandfather. However, while pursuing an escaped villain, Atom discovers dark secrets about his family that make him question the legacy he's carrying.

Atom is Literally Another Earth's Version of Superman

The Earth-9 was the subject of DC Comics' Tangent Comics imprint. While the Earth is indeed one of the DCU's many alternate worlds, it hardly resembles any other world in the multiverse. The Tangent Earth only keeps the names of its heroes, villains, and organizations and completely overhauls them. Earth-9's Green Lantern is a mystical hero who can revive people with a magic lantern. The Joker is a free-wheeling freedom fighter. And Superman is a powerful psychic who eventually took control of his world. Though Tangent Comics was brief, it radically redefined iconic DC Comics characters in unexpected ways.

Nearly every world in the DC multiverse has a Superman looking after it. But while Earth-9's premier hero may favor the Man of Steel, it gives the Atom mantle a chance to shine. Of course, Earth-9's Atom and the standard Atom are quite different (especially their powers). However, the Tangent Comics version of Atom focuses on legacy which doesn't fit Superman as much as it does Atom. It would have been easy to reinvent Superman on Earth-9 so that another DC world is still protected by its trademark hero. But the Superman-inspired Atom helped lift a seriously underutilized character.

The Atom Got to Be a Superman-Level Hero

DC Comics has a lot of amazing heroes, but more often than not, it's always the top dogs that get to shine. But Tangent Comics stripped away everything and started fresh and gave more opportunities to other heroes. Granted, one could argue that the Earth-9 version of Atom is more of a Superman than he is an Atom, but it's the closest Atom's come to being the biggest hero on any other Earth. Superman might be the premier Justice League hero, but in the Tangent Universe, it's the Atom who truly shines.