Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)

Radioactive Man, within the world of the animated series The Simpsons, is a comic book superhero who acquired his powers after surviving an atomic bomb explosion. He looks and sounds suspiciously like a muscular Homer Simpson. His sidekick is Fallout Boy, and his catchphrase is "Up and atom!"

Profile
Within the Simpsons universe, Radioactive Man has been portrayed in many media since his debut in "Radioactive Man" #1 in 1952. In addition to comic books, he was featured in at least one 1940s or 1950s era black-and-white serial, sponsored by Laramie Cigarettes. Dirk Richter, reportedly born 1922 (he was said to be 73 years old (and dead) in 1995), played Radioactive Man and Buddy Hodges played Fallout Boy. Dirk Richter was apparently shot to death in a bordello sometime in the 1960s (a reference to the mysterious death of George Reeves, the first actor to portray Superman on television). Somewhere in the 80s Troy McClure portrayed Radioactive Man in a Radioactive Man movie trilogy. In Radioactive Man III featured Krusty the Clown as the presumably main villain Krusto the Evil Clown a parody of Joker the Clown Prince Of Crime and featured Buddy Hodges as Fallout Boy's great granfather. The trilogy consisted of:


 * "Radioactive Man"
 * "Radioactive Man II: Bring On The Sequel"
 * "Radioactive Man III: Oh God, Not Again"

In 1995, a Hollywood studio attempted to film a Radioactive Man movie in Springfield. The movie starred Rainier Wolfcastle (Springfield's answer to Arnold Schwarzenegger), as Radioactive Man. The role of Fallout Boy was cast from local children. Bart Simpson, a huge Radioactive Man fan, tried out for the part, but it went to his pal, Milhouse Van Houten due to Bart being an inch too short. The origin of Fallout Boy was changed for the movie: Rod Runtledge acquires superpowers after getting run over by an x-ray truck and blasted in the face by the x-ray machine it was transporting. Still trapped under the truck, he meets Radioactive Man when the superhero arrives on the scene to lift it off him. Krusty the Clown was cast as villains Dr. Clownius and Silly Sailor. Wolfcastle is incapable of saying the "Up and Atom!" catchphrase correctly; it always comes out as "Up and at them!". The movie was never completed due to budget overruns caused by constant price-gouging by Springfield vendors, and Milhouse snapping from the pressure of the role, and refusing to continue to portray Fallout Boy - former child actor Mickey Rooney attempted to take over the role, with predictably miserable results. The unfinished project was presumably shelved. There was also a campy early 1970s TV series suspiciously resembling the Batman TV series, and boasted the appearance of an extremely flamboyant supervillain called "The Scoutmaster", who resembled Paul Lynde.

A knock-off of Radioactive Man exists. This comic book character is known as "Radiation Dude". Instead of using Radioactive Man's common catchphrase "up and atom!" he just says "up and let's go."

The Bongo Comic
Radioactive Man has escaped from the fictional world of Bart Simpson to appear in a real comic book intermittently published by Bongo Comics, which has also published, since 1994, a number of comics featuring Bart Simpson, the Simpson family, and other characters from the television show.

Issue #1 of the Bongo comic differs from RM #1 as seen in Simpsons episode "Three Men and a Comic Book". While featuring a similar scenario and accident (Claude getting his trousers caught on barbed wire just before a mega-bomb explodes), the Bongo series' Claude was not wearing tattered clothes. In the books, Claude's survival is due in part to a large thunderbolt shaped chunk of metal being attached to his head. Throughout the book series the shard of metal was always attempted to be removed, but each attempt has nasty consequences which results in it being put back in his scalp again.

Maintaining the satirical standards of the television show, these comics often parody genre comic books, and the reader can follow the evolution of Radioactive Man from a 1950s irradiated hero through the politically reactionary or radical years of the 1960s and 1970s, and the dark, troubled years of the 1980s and 1990s comic book hero. Indeed, one comic displays a startling similarity to Alan Moore's Watchmen, with Radioactive Man taking the part of state-supported hero Doctor Manhattan. The comics are published as if they were the actual Simpsons universe's Radioactive Man comics; a "1970s"-published comic features a letter written by a ten-year-old Marge Bouvier, for instance.

Within the Bongo Comics, Radioactive Man is secretly Claude Kane III, a trillionaire playboy whose personality was well-intentioned, but bumbling and not overly bright. In addition (which became a recurring storyline element), Claude's personality was permanently stuck in a conservative 1950s outlook on everything, no matter what the time era in question was. His father was a noted scientist and explorer, while his mother was (until a 1995 comic) missing for many years, ultimately to be revealed as having been turned into Radioactive Man's enemy, the robot Pneumatica. The same issue also revealed that Radioactive Man's "1940s" counterpart/predecessor was known as "Radio Man" (who had power over radio waves). Radioactive Man's worst enemy is the mad scientist Dr. Crab (a human who was mutated into a humanoidmuscular half-crab) creature.

Radioactive Man's secret hideout was called the "Containment Dome" (a parody of Superman's Fortress of Solitude), a geodesic dome-like facility that lacked a door (which Radioactive Man constantly kept forgetting to put in).

Radioactive Man lived in the fictional city of Zenith; among his associates includes:
 * Radioactive Boy a parody of Superboy. Comes from an alternate what if styled dimension where Claude Kane III gained his powers when he was 10 years old.
 * Glowy a parody of Superman's Pet Dog Krypto the Superdog. Radioactive Man's super pet dog with all of the powers as him. Glowy began life as a cute little turtle, which Radioactive Man purchased as a birthday gift for Bug Boy. When Bug Boy decided to test his new atomic weapon on the impervious Radioactive Man, he did not realize that the irradiated superhero was holding the turtle in a paper bag. The radiation mutated the turtle into a dog, and since Bug Boy is allergic to canines, Radioactive Man kept him as his superpet -- Glowy, the Radioactive Dog!
 * Radioactive Man 1995 the Radioactive Man of the future of 1995. Gloria Grand met him when she accidentally fast forwarded to the future. He was revealed to be the future Rod Runtledge who was known as Fallout Boy.
 * Gloria Grand: a parody of Lois Lane and Gloria Glad, girlfriend of Richie Rich. Gloria was a reporter for television station WZEN (in the "1950s" and "early 1960s" comics, WZEN was a radio station). Despite Claude's feelings for her, Gloria regarded him as an annoying dunce, and preferred Radioactive Man (parodying the Lois Lane-Superman-Clark Kent "triangle").
 * Rod Runtledge, also known as Fallout Boy: Radioactive Man's sidekick, Rod was an orphan who lived with his Aunt June until Claude took him in as his ward. Early on (as revealed in a flashback in a "1962" comic), Rod gained powers similar to Radioactive Man's, and adopted a crimefighting identity. In the comic he would have gotten spider powers from a radioactive spider, but flicked it off causing it to land on another teenager (Peter Parker) who became Radioactive Spider. Fallout Boy was a parody of Batman's sidekick, Robin.
 * The Superior Squad: A superhero team that Radioactive Man is the leader of. The team's 1940s predecessor was known as the "Superior Squadron." The Superior Squad operated out of the Mando Building. It was an amalgamation of the Justice League and The Avengers, and took its name from Marvel Comics Squadron Supreme. Members of the Superior Squad included:
 * Captain Squid: a parody of Aquaman or Namor the Sub-Mariner. Capt. Squid possessed squidlike tentacles beneath his gloves, and has an unrequited crush on Lure Lass. Radioactiveman's 2nd in command and partner parodying the Batman/Superman partnership.
 * Lure Lass: real name Laura Lasser, a parody of Scarlet Witch who possessed an "alluring power". Has an unrequited crush on Captain Squid.
 * Bug Boy: a buglike mutant but revealed to be the sole survivor of an alien race (which he accidentally wiped out) among whom he was considered stupid because of an I.Q. of 315 (which was considered quite low on his homeworld). Bug Boy was a child genius and the team's scientist. He could also control other insects. As of a "1984" comic, he now goes by his real name, Dr. Bix Bentley, in an attempt to restore some dignity.
 * Weasel Woman: a parody of Wolverine, Weasel Woman possessed razor-sharp nails.
 * Plasmo the Mystic: a mystical sorcerer, similar to Doctor Strange, whose face was hidden under a hooded cloak. Later comics heavily implied that he was a pothead.
 * Bleeding Heart: a parody of Green Arrow and Iron Man. His real name was Miles Mando, who (unknown to the others) was the millionaire financier of the team. In the "1960s" comics, his original name was "Purple Heart", which he later changed to "Bleeding Heart" in "1972" after briefly losing his fortune and adapting a socially conscientious attitude. In "1986," Miles Mando once again changed his name, this time to "Heart of Darkness." In the 1990s, a lawsuit necessitated that he start calling himself "Purple Badge of Courage." He has also called himself "Braveheart" at some point in time. Bleeding Heart was the only team member without any superpowers.

Radioactive Man also encountered a variety of diabolical criminals; among his enemies includes:
 * Dr. Crab: (aka Dr. Krabokov) A Russian evil genius mutated by his constant tinkering with radiation and love of sea food. Over time he changed from human to crab-like in appearance. He has become Radioactive Man's arch-nemesis and is always lurking in the shadows waiting to unhatch yet another scheme of world domination.
 * Brain-O the Magnificent: (aka Brendon O-Bane) A giant brain floating in a bullet proof glass casing that sits atop tank treads armed with various weaponary that suits the needs of any given confrontation scenario. This criminal 'mastermind' is a constant source of villainy and diabolical scheming.
 * Hypno Head: The malevolent master of mind control. He uses the power of hypnosis to achieve his nefarious goals with a hypntic spinal etched into his over sized forhead.
 * Larcey Lass: The captivating kleptomaniac who has tried in vain for years to win the heart of Radioactive Man or steal it from him. She is known for using goons to carry out her bidding whislst she plots how to remove any obstacles for Radioactive Man's affections.
 * Larva Girl: A beautiful green villainess of maggot like dimensions. She is is consumed by the need to gain all the worldly things a woman deserves, from diamonds and luxury to a marrage with a worthy gentleman, ie Radioactive Man. She employs the aid of Maggot Men to perform acts of villainy.
 * The Threatening Threesome: An atypical super villain Team-up using alliteration to describe themselves as a group.
 * Mr. Kidney Punch: A masked villain with a cape and business suit. As the name suggests his power is the ability to accurately punch his opponents in the kidney, beyond this he has no other known powers.
 * The Human Lawn Dart:
 * The Scarlet Floozy:
 * Eczema:
 * Madame Eczema: (aka Ultimate Eczema)
 * Eczematous-Prime:
 * The Bonfire Club: a parody of the Hell Fire Club. A secretive organisation pulling strings behind the scenes to corrupt and manipulate world events. They have adgendas so sinister and miscellanious there is no knowing what they will be conspiring from one day to the next.

As shown in Simpsons Comics and Stories #1, Radioactive Man (within the Simpsons universe) was created by Morty Mann, a fellow resident at Grandpa Simpson's retirement home. Mann had sold the rights to Radioactive Man for a minuscule sum, but thanks to Bart, regained a role in producing a new Radioactive Man comic.

During the final part of the three part story "When Bongos Collide," Bart (as his alter ego Bartman) materialized Radioactive Man into the real world.

Powers and abilities
Throughout most of the Simpsons TV series, very few references to Radioactive Man's actual super powers have been made. As a result, the extent of his powers are not known. It can be inferred that Radioactive Man has some level of superhuman strength and invulnerability. In one Simpson episode, Bart shows Lisa a comic where Radioactive Man is seen throwing a villain into the sun only to state 'Hot enough for you?'. In the planned Radioactive Man movie, a stunt was filmed in which he easily lifts a car off Fallout Boy. The Bongo comics expanded on his powers, giving him several which parodied those of Superman including super speed, flight, and the power to fire beams of "clean, nuclear heat" from his eyes. He is also bulletproof, but unfortunately for him he still feels pain from the bullets impacting on him (something he tries to hide behind a stoic face while cursing inwardly).

Appearances on The Simpsons
The Radioactive Man character has appeared numerous times over the course of the series. Some notable appearances include.
 * "Three Men and a Comic Book" - First appearance. Bart, Millhouse and Martin collaborate and buy a mint Radioactive Man Issue #1, with bad results...
 * "Radioactive Man" - Two Hollywood directors try to film a Radioactive Man movie in Springfield.
 * "Treehouse of Horror III" - Millhouse dresses as Radioactive Man for Halloween.

Comic bibliography
Bongo publishes new issues of Radioactive Man twice a year. A list of the issues published so far, plus all other known appearances of Radioactive Man (organized by order released):

Pre-Bongo
 * Simpsons Comics & Stories #1: Features a page from Radioactive Man #418.

Volume 1 (written by Steve Vance; publishing started 1994)
 * Radioactive Man #1 ("1952"): The first appearance and origin of Radioactive Man; a parody of Golden Age comics.
 * Radioactive Man #88 ("1962"): features a "retelling" of the origin of Fallout Boy; a parody of Silver Age Marvel comics.
 * Radioactive Man #216 ("1972"): a parody of the "relevant" age of 1970s comics, Radioactive Man discovered that Fallout Boy was a hippie spoofing issue #85 of Green Lantern/Green Arrow in which Green Arrow discovered his sidekick Speedy was a heroin addict
 * Radioactive Man #412 ("1980"): a parody of the "Dark Phoenix" storyline in the X-Men comics.
 * Radioactive Man #679 ("1986"): a parody of several 1980s comic storylines, particularly Crisis on Infinite Earths, Watchmen and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.
 * Radioactive Man #1000 ("1995"): a parody of 1990s comics, including Image Comics' Spawn.
 * Radioactive Man 80-Page Colossal: a "reprint" of various "previous" Radioactive Man stories; a parody of various Silver Age DC Comics stories, as well as DC's 80 Page Giants, a series of 80-page-long reprints of previous material that DC published in the 1960s.

Between Volumes
 * Simpsons Comics #36-39 / Radioactive Man #160 ("1968"): the flip-sides from all four issues form a parody of Jim Steranko's Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. comics. Features Purple Haze, a character who parodies Luke Cage's affinity for ebonics.
 * Simpsons Comics #50 / Radioactive Man #99 ("1963"): features a one-page ad parodying the old comic advertisements for Hostess confections; also a backup story, "Planet of the Strange-O's," spoofing Bizarro from Superman's comics.

Volume 2 (written by Batton Lash; publishing started 2001)
 * Radioactive Man #100 ("1963")
 * Radioactive Man #222 ("1973"): a parody of the early 1970s Marvel Comics.
 * Radioactive Man #136 ("1966"): a parody of Archie Comics's Mighty Comics line.
 * Radioactive Man #4 ("1953"): a parody of Marvel Comics science-fiction comics.
 * Radioactive Man #575 ("1984"): a parody of various independent 1980s comics, particularly Howard Chaykin's American Flagg (Chaykin drew the cover for this issue).
 * Radioactive Man #106 ("1963"): a parody of Gold Key Comics
 * Bongo Super-Heroes #7
 * Radioactive Man Movie Special: the "official" comic book adaptation of the Radioactive Man movie (as seen in the Simpsons episode "Radioactive Man")
 * Radioactive Man #197 ("1971"): a parody of the New Gods comics created by Jack Kirby.

Despite winning an Eisner, volume 2 was cancelled, and Batton Lash and Radioactive Man were moved into writing smaller stories alongside Bartman stories and other miscellaneous Simpsons vignettes as part of Simpsons Super Spectacular.

post-Volume 2
 * Simpsons Super Spectacular #1: Flip side of comic has Radioactive Man in a parody of Charlton Comics's Captain Atom. Three stories are all based on early 1960s Captain Atom stories, as is the cover.
 * Simpsons Super Spectacular #2: "Bongos" a parody of Kurt Busiek/Alex Ross's Marvels.
 * Simpsons Super Spectacular #3: Lure Lass and Weasel Woman team-up adventure, battling the Crazy Cat Lady. Radioactive Man makes a short appearance at the end.
 * Simpsons Super Spectacular #4: Radioactive Man battles the Cane Gang. After a run-in with them, he becomes deathly afraid of radioactivity, an obstacle he overcomes by the end of the issue.