10 Superheroes You DON'T Want Saving You

7. Radioactive Man

Starfox Marvel
Marvel Comics

After a Chinese nuclear physicist called Chen Lu was overexposed to radiation, he gained the power to emit and manipulate radioactive materials. Using his newfound power, he became a supervillain called Radioactive Man and joined Baron Zemo's team, The Masters of Evil.

After being defeated by the Avengers a number of times, Lu learned the error of his ways. He allied with the Chinese version of the Avengers, The People's Defense Force, and dedicated his life to protect his people.

Although Lu is now on the right side of the law, he's still highly radioactive. He can kill anyone in his proximity just by... em... being in their proximity.

He is capable of lowering the radiation levels in his body but he can't keep it up for long. To prevent him from killing anyone he walks by, he usually has to wear a containment suit.

That isn't to say Lu isn't useless. Since he can control the radiation in others, he can hypothetically depower irradiated people like the Hulk or Spider-Man. Lu is also handy at purifying radioactive areas or absorbing the blast of an explosive. But because of the nature of his powers, physically saving civilians isn't his forte.

Contributor

James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows