DOCTOR RADIATION

PERSONAL DATA

HISTORY

Heinrich Glasser was a German scientist during World War II. Initially involved in research into atomic weaponry, Glasser's work was cancelled by his Nazi superiors because of its use of theoretical physics that had been developed by Einstein and other "Jewish scientists". Glasser was transferred to the military rocketry program and as a result after the war he was smuggled to the United States to prevent he and his knowledge from falling into the hands of the Soviets.

Glasser, now using the name Henry Glass, became heavily involved in the nuclear weapons program in the United States and in the 1950s had developed a new prototype device. Glass and his colleague Harold Banks had designed the prototype bomb to produce a new exotic form of radiation and were eager to test the device. On the day of the test fire in the South Pacific an environmental activist managed to sneak past the naval cordon and reach the atoll where the weapon was to be detonated. Glass had a pilot fly him over personally to deal with the activist.

Unable to find the woman, Glass and the pilot were flying back to the observation ship to get more troops to help in the search when the bomb went off. Tired of being in Glass' shadow, Banks had ordered the test to proceed, claiming that the activist was aboard the plane with Dr. Glass and that they would be safely outside the area of effect of the weapon. The blast destroyed the plane (undoubtedly as Banks had hoped) but both Glass and the pilot were able to parachute to safety, though Glass fell into a coma.

Glass spent several months in the coma, giving Banks plenty of time to fabricate evidence blaming Glass for the "unintended" effects of the detonation. As a result Glass found himself fired and blacklisted, forced to take a job teaching physics at a community college. Though embittered by the turn of events, Glass quickly discovered that the unusual radiation from the bomb had in fact given him super powers. (He was not the only one, the activist had been transformed into the being that now calls herself Coral, and though the pilot himself did not develop powers he would pass on his mutated genes and his grandson would eventually gain powers that he uses as the hero Surge).

For the next few years Glass studied and perfected his powers until he was ready to reveal himself to the world and take what he believed he was owed. His first act was to take revenge on his traitorous co-worker Harold Banks. Using his powers to fly to California where Banks was now a professor at Stanford University, Glass confronted his former partner and, after thanking him for detonating the bomb, disintegrated the frightened and bewildered scientist with a blast of radiation. With that done Glass set to his next goal – world domination (feeling that by canceling his weapons research during the war Germany had blown its chance and he would prove it by succeeding where the Nazis failed).

Now calling himself Doctor Radiation, Glass became a full-fledged super villain. His efforts varied from threats against the world powers, efforts to blackmail the United Nations and individual countries, and his ongoing research into creating new weapons of mass destruction. At each turn Doctor Radiation found his plans thwarted; at first by government-backed organizations like Task Force X and the original Suicide Squad, and later by a new generation of super heroes that emerged in the latter half of the Twentieth Century like the Crusaders.

Near the end of the Cold War the international pressure to stop Doctor Radiation began to grow, and he eventually found himself charged with war crimes in The Hague. Seeking a refuge Doctor Radiation turned to a military junta in the Central American nation of San Marco. In exchange for his services in helping the junta stay in power Doctor Radiation was allowed to use the nation as a base of operations.

In the nearly two decades since settling in San Marco the good doctor has curtailed his world domination schemes and has focused more on his research. Undisturbed by the government, Doctor Radiation has been free to pursue all avenues of unlawful and unethical scientific research. He has been content to remain where he is, safe within the borders of San Marco. His only known recent activity was when the Mageddon crisis brought San Marco close to war with its neighbor. During this incident Doctor Radiation encountered the hero Surge, actually helping the hero deal with problems he was having with his powers. This also led Doctor Radiation to discover the connection between Surge and the Doctor's own origin, information he shared with the hero.

POWERS & WEAPONS

The radiation Henry Glass was exposed to gave him powerful energy-based powers. Doctor Radiation can fly, absorb large amounts of radiation, project destructive beams of radiation, and surround himself with a nearly impenetrable force field. He has honed his radiation powers to the point where he can affect the very building blocks of matter, powers that Doctor Radiation can use to disintegrate solid objects or change its atomic or molecular composition (he funds his research by using this power to change base materials like lead into gold and other rare metals).

The accident also affected Doctor Radiation's mind and body. His already impressive intelligence was increased and he developed a photographic memory and a resistance to psychic attacks. The radiation also seems to have slowed or stopped the aging process as well as giving Doctor Radiation the ability to rapidly heal any non-fatal injury.

Doctor Radiation is also a world class scientist. Originally an expert in nuclear physics, over the years he has expanded his knowledge into the other sciences. He has also become an expert in advanced technology, knowledge he perfected while working on his numerous Doomsday Weapons.

Warp Zone | DC Heroes | Villains | Doctor Radiation