Origin The godson of Al Pratt, the
Golden Age Atom, Albert Rothstein acquired his
metahuman powers of super strength and control over his molecular structure, allowing him to alter the size and density of his body, from his grandfather, a reluctant
supervillain known as
Cyclotron. This allowed him to fight crime first as Nuklon, and then, later, as Atom Smasher. As Nuklon, Albert was a charter member of
Infinity, Inc. and subsequently served in the
Justice League. He was considered a dependable, but rather insecure and indecisive superhero while in Infinity, Inc. During this time he had a
mohawk haircut. While in the JLA, he forged a strong friendship with fellow former Infinity Inc. teammate
Obsidian.
The Justice Society Albert finally gets his dream and is invited to join the reunited JSA under his new name and identity, Atom Smasher. For years, Atom Smasher cherishes his role in upholding Pratt's legacy and constantly seeks to prove himself worthy to his Golden Age idols – especially when many of them became his teammates in the JSA. He looks up to the elder JSA members, but is himself looked up to by young rookie member
Stargirl. When Albert's mother is murdered in a plane crash engineered by the terrorist
Kobra, he becomes consumed by vengeance, nearly crushing Kobra in his hands before he is talked down by his teammate
Jack Knight, who convinces him that he should not taint the memory of his mother by associating it with Kobra's murder. Not long after the crash, Albert and
Metron travel back in time and force the weakened villain
Extant into a position where he takes the place of Albert's mother.
Black Adam When
Black Adam reforms and joins the JSA, he and Rothstein develop a rivalry at first as Al refuses to believe Adam has reformed. This soon turns to kinship after Adam justifies Al's murderous actions towards Extant. Indeed, Adam comments that he thinks of Atom Smasher as the brother he never had. Encouraged by Adam, Atom Smasher grows frustrated with the JSA's moral boundaries, especially when Kobra blackmails authorities into granting his release. Albert and Adam quit the JSA after Kobra's escape. Shortly thereafter, the unlikely duo settle each other's personal scores. Adam kills Kobra, while Rothstein kills the dictatorial president of
Kahndaq, Adam's home country. Atom Smasher helps lead a team of rogue metahumans (including former Infinity Inc. teammates
Brainwave and
Northwind) in an invasion of Kahndaq and overthrow its oppressive regime. Atom Smasher initially fights against his JSA teammates in Kahndaq before deciding instead to help forge an uneasy truce—Adam and his compatriots can remain in power so long as they never leave the country. Atom Smasher remains in Kahndaq for a time, although he eventually begins to question Adam's motives. Rothstein perishes in
JSA #75 while fighting against the
Spectre, but is revived by Adam's lightning and carried back to JSA headquarters. He is later put on trial for his actions in Kahndaq and pleads guilty to all charges. Teammate Stargirl promises to "be there for him" when he gets out. Whilst in jail, he is approached by the founder of the
Suicide Squad,
Amanda Waller. In
52, he is seen assembling a new Suicide Squad under Waller's orders, instructed to fight Adam, and, unbeknownst to Atom Smasher himself, push his family to overreact. They succeed, and
Osiris is disgraced and exposed for having killed a Squad member, as Amanda Waller was filming the events, leading to the downfall of the whole Black Marvel Family, and a murderous rampage of Adam, dubbed
World War III. He then sides with the
Justice Society, trying to apprehend Adam, but refuses to condemn him in any way, not even believing him guilty of the genocide in
Bialya. When Adam is robbed of his powers by
Captain Marvel, and is about to plunge to his death, it is Atom Smasher who saves him, though no character ever sees this, and Al keeps it hidden. along with all the other members of the team who had acted poorly in recent issues. He vanishes for several issues, but he reappears in the
JSA All-Stars book as a victim of kidnapping. In
Doomsday Clock, Atom Smasher and the Justice Society are revealed to have been erased from existence by
Doctor Manhattan, who altered the timeline to prevent the Justice Society from forming. They are resurrected when
Superman convinces Manhattan to undo his actions. ==Powers and abilities==