I think we're on an electron. 
- — The Atom
Power of the Atom #12 is an issue of the series Power of the Atom (Volume 1) with a cover date of May, 1989.
Synopsis for "Shrinking into the Fire!"
In a local prison, Strobe has a nightmare. His cell-mate Marco wakes him and finds out that Strobe was briefly a supervilliain, which makes Marco brag about his own hidden hardware. Strobe remembers this, and when released from prison he heads to Marco's place and steals a Sonic Blaster as well as armor, critically injuring Marco's girlfriend.
Jean Loring calls Ray Palmer at breakfast to warn him that Paul is getting more unstable. Ray should leave town. Unfortunately Paul is listening, and the disgruntled lawyer goes to his briefcase not to retrive documents, but an automatic pistol.
Both revenge-motivated men find Ray at his office, but before Paul can make his move, Edg the Destroyer attacks them both. Paul is forced to save Ray's life when Edg has him down, and fires at Edg -- but misses all six times. Now the focus of Edg's rage, Paul is also knocked out.
Ray and Paul wake up tied to a chair with a detonating gas bomb. While the Atom could shrink from his bonds, Paul is stuck fast until Ray uses his White Dwarf Star Lens to reduce him -- but the emergency reduction didn't stop. They shrink through the shag carpet, the fibres, and the concrete slab underneath. They run a microscopic gamut until they see the underlying molecules.
Paul sees this microscopic calamity as a further plot against him by the Atom, and they battle briefly until Ray realizes that they are standing on an electron that seems the size of a planet. The strangeness of the situation forces them into a long silence. Ray uses the analogy of his temporary alliance with Chronos[1] to demonstrate that sometimes you just have to get along.
Edg the Destroyer/ Strobe had gone to local Television Station WIVY to brag that he had killed the Atom; but by this time Ray and Paul have returned to full size. Ray disables Edg's Sonic Blaster and he gives Paul the chance to be a winner by beating down Edg. On television.
Appearing in "Shrinking into the Fire!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Strobe (First appearance as Edg the Destroyer)
- Chronos (Mentioned only)
Other Characters:
- Marco
- Friend of Marco (First appearance; unnamed)
- WIVY Staff (Single appearance)
- News Anchorman (Unnamed) (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Prison (Unnamed)
- Connecticut
- Ivy Town
- Hyatt's Residence
- Hyatt's Laboratory
- WIVY Studios
- Hyatt's Residence
- Ivy Town
- State (Unnamed)
- Calvin City
- Hobens' Residence
- Calvin City
Items:
- Sonic Blaster
- Gas Bomb
- Lens Projector
- White Dwarf Star (Mentioned only)
Notes
- "With thanks to Nadine Messner-Loebs."
- Strobe becomes Edg the Destroyer.