The Atom

     Physicist and university professor Dr. Ray Palmer won the Nobel Prize when he discovered a method of compressing the fabric of space, functionally allowing him to shrink himself.. Although this was a major scientific breakthrough that paved the way for many discoveries in the future, there were a number of limitations. Firstly, he could only figure out how to compress or release space, allowing things to shrink or unshrink, but not grow larger than their original size. Second, the shrinking device he created incorporated rare exotic matter–theorized to come from the heart of a white dwarf star–that he discovered while spelunking, and can’t be reproduced until more is unearthed. Third, the device was a shrinking suit, so he couldn’t shrink other objects (maybe something small held in his hands).
     At first, Palmer used his shrink-suit primarily to better examine scientific phenomena up close. One day, however, the Justice League came calling asking for him to use his special skillset to help them defeat a swarm of nanobots or something. From then on, he used his powers to fight supervillains as well (though also still to do science).

---

     There was this episode of Justice League Unlimited that opened with the Atom just like, doing science with his shrinking until the JLU called him in. I really liked that idea, so that's his whole deal in my version (when you invent world-changing technology, your first thought isn't necessarily to punch criminals with it!) I correspondingly gave him a skinnier build and less conventionally ultra-masculine facial features to emphasize that he's a scientist first and foremost.
     I don't need the powered armor of the Arrowverse, but I agree with the artists who want Ray to have a whole high-tech shrinking suit instead of just a shrinking belt over his spandex. Brand-new shrinking technology is probably really involved and complicated, and anyway should probably offer more protection to the guy exploring a whole new frontier. So I looked at suits for hazardous environments like spacesuits, diving suits, and radiation suits. And Evangelion's plugsuits just because. Then I flipped the color scheme because it just looked better this way.
     I have no idea whether "compressing space" avoid and/or explains the million and one physics problems caused by shrinking. It probably doesn't. But at least I tried, dammit!
</span>