Nuclear Man

Nuclear Man is a movie villain who features in DC Comics.

Biography

The Nuclear Man was a evil, blonde clone of Superman, created by Lex Luthor from a strand of Superman's hair stolen from a museum exhibit and stowed away aboard a nuclear missile along with some chemicals. were placed into a small box along with a computer and some material which would be made into clothing. Following assembly, Lex Luthor put the case onto the side of a nuclear missile when Superman threw the missile into the sun to get rid of it, Nuclear Man was created. Slightly more powerful than Superman, Nuclear Man spoke with Lex Luthor's voice and considered Luthor his "father," sharing Luthor's desire to see Superman destroyed. The second Nuclear Man was born. Immediately, the Nuclear Man made his way to Lex Luthor's building, where he showed that he had the power to generate heat and electricity by touch, had heat vision hotter than Superman's, could levitate objects using hand beams, could shoot fire and heat flares, and had even greater super strength than Superman. His only weakness was that he had to remain in direct sunlight to function. His appearance is that of a 6-ft-3 muscleman, who wears black gauntlets, a sleeveless black costume with yellow-goldish-orange stripes, a "N" for nuclear logo on the back of his long black cape, long silver nails/talons, and long, blonde, mullet-like hair.

Superman and this Nuclear Man fought in various locations around the world. Nuclear Man destroyed a portion of the Great Wall of China which Superman quickly rebuilt. Then Nuclear Man activated a nuclear missile in Moscow which Superman disarmed. In Kansas, Nuclear Man created a tornado which picked up a young girl, who Superman managed to save. In Italy, Nuclear Man activated a volcano, forcing Superman to plug it with the top of a nearby mountain. Nuclear Man and Superman returned to Metropolis, where Nuclear Man dropped the Statue of Liberty toward a crowded street below. While Superman flew the Statue back to its original position, Nuclear Man dug his claws into Superman's neck, poisoning him with radiation. Before Superman could fall to his death, Nuclear Man kicked the Man of Steel into the air, and his cape luckily caught on Lady Liberty's flame. This is one of the very few Superman villains to successfully defeat Superman.

The following day, Luthor unveiled Nuclear Man to the nuclear arms dealers who were working with him. Nuclear Man demonstrated his power to them, and, scared for their lives, they left Luthor's building, leaving all of their nuclear arms profits in Luthor's possession. Afterwards, Nuclear Man saw a picture of Lacy Warfield on the front page of the Daily Planet and developed a crush on her. He flew to Metropolis square where he started attacking people and vehicles until Superman would take him to "the woman". However, Nuclear Man's aggression got the better of him and he was tricked into entering an elevator which Superman took to the moon. The sun eventually shone onto the elevator room, and Superman and Nuclear Man had another battle. Nuclear Man fought, threw, zapped, jumped on, and threw rocks at Superman until he finally got Superman where he wanted him: hammered into the moon's surface. Nuclear Man flew back to the Daily Planet newsroom, where he abducted Lacy Warfield and took her into space with him. Superman, recovered from his fight on the moon, pushes the moon in front of the sun, causing a solar eclipse and robbing Nuclear Man of his powers. Superman saves Lacy and drops the Nuclear Man into a nuclear reactor where he is destroyed.

Background

Powers and abilities

While most of his superpowers were similar to Superman's, he also had the ability to to shoot fire from his hands and eyes, levitate people and objects, and make his fingernails grow longer to become claws, which he used to pierce Superman's skin in their first fight, infecting him with radiation sickness.

Nuclear Man's sole weakness is that without exposure to direct sunlight or a sufficiently bright indoor light, he goes into a weakened, inert state, during which time he is vulnerable.

Notes

• In Superman v5 #2 (2018), a version of the Nuclear Man appeared in the DC Comics universe where he was shown to be wearing the symbol of the House of El and was a discarded creation of the family that was banished into the Phantom Zone. He was seemingly killed by Rogol Zaar when the villain was banished into the Zone by Supergirl.

Appearances

• Superman IV: Quest for Peace:

This article is a stub. You can help Multiversal Omnipedia by expanding it.