Radioactive Man (comics)
| Radioactive Man | |
|---|---|
| File:Radioactiveman.png The Radioactive Man in Thunderbolts vol. 1, #110. Art by Mike Deodato. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Journey Into Mystery vol. 1, #93, (June 1963) |
| Created by | Stan Lee, Jack Kirby |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Chen Lu |
| Team affiliations | Thunderbolts Masters of Evil Titanic Three ally of Mandarin |
| Abilities | Radiation manipulation |
The Radioactive Man is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. The character was a supervillain who has since reformed to become a superhero and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The Radioactive Man first appeared in Journey Into Mystery vol. 1, #93.
Fictional character biography
Chen Lu was born in Lanzhou, People's Republic of China. As an adult, Dr. Lu is a nuclear physicist in the People's Republic of China who is ordered to find a way to defeat the Thunder God Thor after the hero thwarts the Red Army's invasion of India. Hiding away in a laboratory, Lu exposes himself to small doses of radiation until he is able to withstand a massive barrage. Becoming a living "Radioactive Man," Lu displays his new found powers to his superiors and travels to New York City to battle Thor. While the newly-named Radioactive Man is able to initially match Thor, the Thunder God creates a vortex to transport Lu back to China, where he apparently self-detonates.[1]
The Radioactive Man survives and is coerced by Baron Heinrich Zemo to join the original Masters of Evil in a what becomes a failed bid to destroy the Avengers.[2] Years later, Lu joins another version of the group formed by killer robot Ultron, which is also defeated.[3] Sometime later the Radioactive Man escapes confinement and travels to Vietnam, where he joins Soviet villains the Titanium Man and Crimson Dynamo and forms a team called the Titanic Three. Acting as free-agent crime fighters in Vietnam, the trio are duped by a con man and petty thief called the Slasher and battle the Avengers until the deception is revealed and the battle ends.[4] After a humiliating defeat by Kang, the group finally disbands when the Crimson Dynamo decides to leave to fight Iron Man.[5] Lu joins another incarnation of the Masters of Evil, this time led by Egghead, but is defeated by Henry Pym and deported back to China.[6] Whilst in China, the Radioactive Man is employed by master villain the Mandarin to kill Iron Man but is ultimately unsuccessful.[7]
Tired of the constant defeats, Lu attempts to reform and joins the Thunderbolts, a team comprised almost entirely of reformed supervillains.[8] The Commission on Superhuman Activities notes Lu's efforts to reform and allows him to assist Mr. Fantastic and Yellowjacket in building a holding prison for dissenting super-powered beings during the Civil War.[9]
During a recent battle with the New Thunderbolts against the cosmic entity the Grandmaster, the Radioactive Man absorbs an excessive amount of radiation and is forced to wear a radiation suit at all times. [10] The radiation evenutally subsides, but industrialistNorman Osborn convinces the Radioactive Man to retain the suit to distract the American public from his clearly Asian features.[11]
Powers and abilities
The Radioactive Man can control radiation along the entire spectrum, and can emit potentially lethal amounts in concentrated blasts or across a wide area. Lu can also absorb and convert radiation to physical strength to the point whereby he is capable of holding his own against beings such as the Sub-Mariner when fully energized. Lu can also form force-fields that are powerful enough to deflect Thor's hammer, Mjolnir. Lu is also exceptionally intelligent and a brilliant scientist.
Appearances in other media
Television
- The Radioactive Man appeared in the The Marvel Superheroes Show as a member of Baron Heinrich Zemo's Masters of Evil.
Video games
- The Radioactive Man appears as a villain in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance.
Trivia
- There is also a comic book character from the Simpsons animated sitcom, Radioactive Man, unrelated to the Marvel character.
References
- ^ Journey Into Mystery vol. 1, #93
- ^ Avengers vol. 1, #6
- ^ Avengers vol. 1, 54 - 55 + 83
- ^ Avengers vol. 1, # 130
- ^ Giant Size Avengers vol. 1, #4
- ^ Avengers vol. 1, 228 - 230
- ^ Iron Man vol. 1, #179 - 181
- ^ New Thunderbolts vol. 2, #1 - present
- ^ Civil War #1 - 7 (2006 - 2007)
- ^ New Thunderbolts vol. 2, #106
- ^ New Thunderbolts vol. 2, #112