Wonder Woman #275
January 1981 (October 9, 1980) $.50

Cover Art: Rich Bucker (Penciller), Dick Giordano (Inker), signed

“The Thinking Man's Crime” 8 pages

Len Wein (Editor), Paul Levitz (Writer); Joe Staton (Penciller), Steve Mitchell (Inker); Todd Klein (Letterer), Adrienne Roy (Colorist)

FC: The Huntress
GS: Power Girl
SC: Harry Sims
Villain: The Thinker

Synopsis

Though the Gotham police are grateful to the Huntress and Power Girl for their aid in combating the enormous crime wave suddenly plaguing the city, they remain unsure as to the heroines' legal status thanks to district attorney Harry Sims' public waffling. Later, that same topic is being hotly debated by Sims himself and the mastermind behind the crime wave: the sinister Thinker. Using his Thinking Cap to intimidate the DA with a mentally triggered heart attack, the super-villain warns his pawn that defiance of his plans could spell death. Helena Wayne, waiting in the outer office, is alerted by subtle clues to the Thinker's departure despite the invisibility granted him by his helmet. Resuming her Huntress identity, she summons Power Girl and proposes they confront Harry and get the truth out of him. As they approach his office, they see the beleaguered prosecutor leaning out of his office window as though about to jump. Sims resists a passing suicidal urge but falls when a fresh mental assault on his heart causes him to lose his balance. Even as Power Girl stops his fall, Harry turns to the Huntress and gasps “H-h-help me… …Helena!”

DC Comics Presents #30
February 1981 (November 11, 1980) $.50

Cover Art: Rich Buckler (Penciller), Steve Mitchell (Inker), signed

“Whatever Happened to the Golden Age Atom?” 8 pages

Julius Schwartz (Editor), Bob Rozakis (Writer), Alex Saviuk (Penciller), Vince Colletta (Inker), Milt Snapinn (Letterer), Jerry Serpe (Colorist)

FC: The Atom
SC: Mallo, Keeper of the Cosmic Balance
Intro: Mary Pratt (maiden name unknown)

Synopsis

Al and Mary Pratt return home one evening to find their house being burglarized. Quickly switching to his Atom identity, Al surprises the burglars in the act. He catches one of them easily but his apprehension of the other is prevented by a mysterious burst of energy that knocks him out.

Looking on from outside the boundaries of space and time is Mallo, a leisure suit-wearing entity self-described as the “keeper of the cosmic balance.” The dissimilarities in super-powers between the Atoms of Earth-One and Earth-Two — the only such disparity between the various dopplegängers and counterparts inhabiting those two universes — has upset that balance. Only a temporary exchange of their powers can correct this error and “spare parallel universes from a disastrous fate!”

Thus it is that Al Pratt regains consciousness to find himself reduced to six inches in height. The Atom quickly deduces that he has somehow acquired his Justice League counterpart's size-changing abilities. Although he can return to his normal height, his costume disappears just as Ray Palmer's does on Earth-One. Still intent on catching the escaped burglar but unwilling to do so in civilian guise, he shrinks once more. He uses a model airplane from his garage to scout the neighborhood. Spotting his prey, Atom uses his new powers to corral the crook. No sooner has he done so then he spontaneously returns to his true size. The power exchange has accomplished its purpose: the twin universes are safe once more.

Relaxing later, Mary Pratt (an amateur astrologer) tells her skeptical husband that her star charts were inexplicably “out of line” earlier that day but are now correct, as if “the universe tilted off-balance for a while and then straightened out.”

Behind the Scenes

The story in this issue is a continuation of and crossover with the “Atom” story in Action Comics #515, in which the Earth-One Mighty Mite receives his Earth-Two counterpart's powers temporarily. Both stories were produced by the creative team of Rozakis/Saviuk/Colletta.

The character of Mallo is drawn to resemble long-time DC staffer (and former Spectre scripter) Mark Hanerfeld.

Cosmology

This, along with the “Atom” story in Action Comics #515, is the only appearance of Mallo in Silver or Bronze Age continuity. In the latter story, it is revealed that the form Mallo wears is an assumed one “since my true appearance is apt to shock you!”

The Good Guys

The Atom has married since his last appearance as Al Pratt in The Atom #36. The specific identity of his wife is in some dispute. Although her given name is Mary, this may not be Mary James, Al's college girlfriend last seen in the “Atom” story in Flash Comics #104, as there had been no indication in his earlier Silver and Bronze Age appearances that Al and Mary stayed in touch after college. Indeed, Al is shown dating in Atom #36. According to a chart included in the Graffiti Press hardcover edition of the 1996 Kingdom Come limited series, Al's wife is Marion Thayer, the woman he dated in Atom #36 (though as a post-Crisis publication, nothing in Kingdom Come is binding on Earth-Two continuity). Since both candidates are attractive blondes (though Mary James started out as a brunette in the Golden Age, she had gone blonde before the original “Atom” series ended) and since “Mary” could be considered a diminutive form of “Marion,” there is no evidence that definitively precludes either possibility. This guide makes no attempt to argue either case, instead regarding Mary Pratt as an entirely new character.

The Atom of Earth-Two shows no evidence of superhuman strength in this story, even before the power exchange. However, the Atom of Earth-One does exhibit such strength in his solo story in Action Comics #515.

Fashion Watch

The Atom's tunic is depicted with long sleeves throughout this story.

The buckles are missing from the Atom's wristbands throughout this story.

Post Crisis, the answer is both.

Al married Mary James and had a son, who was later named Grant Emerson, AKA Damage. Mary died during childbirth (or was killed, it's sorta vague...) and the child was taken without Al's knowledge, thinking the boy also died.

Later, he is set up with Marion Thayer (Thayer is one of Fox's favorite names for incidental characters) and marries. She dies while he is in Limbo with the JSA, as revealed in the terrific, but short lived Justice Society of America series.


But, as we say in this thread, this has no bearing on Earth-Two history. 

I’d heard a completely different story in regards to the visual basis of this character, unless they are the same person, which I tend to doubt. I seem to remember the name Keith, though more than thirty years later there’s no guarantee of accuracy. Maybe he was combination of the two. Or I could be completely wrong, as I only have word of mouth to go by. Anyway . . .

The man in question owned various comic book stores on Long Island and he and Rozakis were friends. He was known as a con man within the business--close his store when the creditors caught up to him, open another one under a different name, repeat--and several dealers referred to him as such on different occasions in the years to follow. I did meet him in the early eighties. As always, time and distance has taken a toll on my memory. I don’t remember recognizing him when these two back-up stories came out. It was actually the reverse. I remembered the stories when people referenced them in relation to “Keith.” I also remember a Saturday signing at one of his stores to which Rozakis had dragged Alex Saviuk, John Romita Jr, and Marv Wolfman. Wolfman showed up late, Saviuk early, but clearly they were all there only as a favor to Rozakis.

Again, this is all word-of-mouth. From several sources, yes, but that is the nature of rumor. Take it for what it’s worth.

Wonder Woman #276
February 1981 (November 11, 1980) $.50

Cover Art: Ross Andru (Penciller), Dick Giordano (Inker), signed

“A Friend in Need” 8 pages

Len Wein (Editor), Paul Levitz (Writer); Joe Staton (Penciller), Steve Mitchell (Inker); John Costanza (Letterer), Adrienne Roy (Colorist)

FC: The Huntress
GS: Power Girl
SC: Carole Martin, Harry Sims
Villain: The Thinker

Synopsis

Unsure how to react to Harry Sims' revelation that he knows her true identity, the Huntress tranquilizes the Gotham DA until she can decide what to do. Power Girl, meanwhile, attempts to track down whoever forced Sims out his office window.

A short time later, Helena Wayne's secretary, Carole, decides to confide in her boss about her troubles. When she opens the office door and sees Helena tenderly ministering to Harry, she changes her mind. Helena tries to catch up to her but Harry reminds her that the threat of the Thinker must come first.

Power Girl, meanwhile, has fallen under that arch-villain's spell. Before he can make good on his threat to kill the Maid of Might, a well-thrown batarang damages his Thinking Cap. The damage is not enough to prevent the Thinker from ordering PG to kill her teammate. Fortunately for the Huntress, Power Girl is not herself and falls for a judo move that sends her careening into the Thinker. Her invulnerable body shatters the Thinking Cap once and for all and the villain is taken into custody.

Leaving Power Girl to deal with the police and press, the Huntress departs to continue brooding about her dilemma.

DC Comics Presents #31
March 1981 (December 8, 1980) $.50

Cover Art: Ross Andru (Penciller), Dick Giordano (Inker), signed

“Whatever Happened to Robotman?” 8 pages

Julius Schwartz (Editor), Bob Rozakis (Writer), Alex Saviuk (Penciller), Vince Colletta (Inker), Ben Oda (Letterer), Phil Rachelson (Colorist)

FC and Reintro: Robotman (Dr. Robert Crane; also uses the alias Paul Dennis; origin retold; brain transplanted into the body of Chuck Grayson in this story)
Reintro: Chuck Grayson, in flashback only (dies before this story begins)
Intro: Alvin Lashky

Synopsis

On the twentieth anniversary of his death, newscasts recall the story of scientist Chuck Grayson, whose body was cryogenically preserved so it might one day house the human brain of Robotman. The Metal Marvel, alas, disappeared shortly before Grayson's death and has not been heard from since. In a long-collapsed mine outside the city, a gleaming metal figure bursts through the rubble. It is Robotman, awakened after two decades in suspended animation by “an automatic recharging circuit in his special batteries.” Unaware of how much time has passed, he resumes his Paul Dennis and heads into town to track down Alvin Lashky, the gangster responsible for his burial. Despite his confusion over the changes in fashion and technology, it is only when Dennis confronts Lashky — now a respectable businessman in his sixties — that he realizes the truth. Stripping off his plastic disguise, Robotman captures the panicky ganglord and scares him into exposing his criminal operations. His revenge secured, the metallic hero accepts Chuck's bequest. His brain transplanted into his old friend's body, Bob Crane embarks on a new life as an ordinary man.

Cosmology

Originally presented as a story of the Earth-One Robotman (as his comment that “there's a new Robotman [i.e., Cliff Steele of the Doom Patrol] to take over for me” reflects), it was later revealed in America Vs. the Justice Society #2 that a near identical set of events occurred to the Earth-Two Robotman. Thus, despite the minute differences between the versions, this guide will consider this story in continuity.

Although the story is set in Carver City, it is clear from the dialogue that this is not the city out of which Robotman previously operated.

The Good Guys

The origin of Robotman, first presented in Star Spangled Comics #7 (April 1942), is recapped in this story.

Robotman was last seen in his solo series in Detective Comics #202 (December 1953). He should not be confused with his Earth-1 doppelgänger, introduced in flashback in Justice League of America #144 (July 1977), or with the other Earth-1 super-hero of the same name, first seen in the “Doom Patrol” story in My Greatest Adventure #80 (June 1963).

Chuck Grayson was last seen in [insert citation here].

No mention is made in this story of Robby, the sentient robot dog who acted as Robotman's sidekick beginning with [insert citation here]. Because so little is known about the Earth-One Robotman's history, it is possible there is no doppelgänger of Robby. At any rate, no mention of the character is made in Earth-Two continuity.

Lies!  I don't believe there is something you don't know!