Nuklo
Encyclopedia
Nuklo is a fictional character, mutant
in the Marvel Comics
Universe.
, Rich Buckler
and Dan Adkins
.
The character subsequently appeared in The Avengers Annual #6 (1976), Marvel Two-In-One #54-57 (August-November 1979), Dazzler #9 (November 1981), The Vision and the Scarlet Witch #2 (December 1982), Thunderbolts #40-41 (July-August 2000), 49 (April 2001), Citizen V and the V Battalion #1-2 (June-July 2001), and Citizen V and the V-Battalion: The Everlasting #1-4 (March-July 2002).
Nuklo received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition
#9.
and Miss America
. He was born in the fictional town of Mount Athena, New York (where Project Pegasus
is also located). The two retired from their careers as costumed crimefighters several years after the end of World War II, married, revealed their identities to the government, and took jobs at one of the nation’s first nuclear power plants. When a radiation experiment went awry, the Franks rushed into a high radiation area to manually activate the damping rods that were malfunctioning and were exposed to massive amounts of radiation. Madeline Frank was pregnant at the time and when she gave birth eight months later, her son proved to be a mutant who emitted toxic radiation levels. (Apparently, due to their own superhuman powers, the Franks were immune to the deleterious effects of excessive radiation.) The Franks were persuaded by the government to place their infant son in a special capsule which would retard his aging process while draining him of excess radioactivity.
The capsule lay beneath the basement of a government building for several decades, until the building collapsed and the capsule was taken into custody by the Avengers
. By that time, the classified records about the capsule had been misplaced and forgotten. But while Madeline had died shortly after giving birth to a second stillborn son a few years later, the Whizzer was still alive and learned about the capsule’s discovery. He broke into the Avengers’ Mansion
to take custody of the capsule but was prevented from doing so by the Avengers. Shortly thereafter, the Avengers’ probing devices tripped the release mechanism of the capsule and Robert Frank, Jr., was set free. His body, which had only aged approximately twelve years over the decades of containment, was still highly radioactive, and soon exhibited certain superhuman powers. His mind, which was of above average intelligence, was still child-like and he knew absolutely nothing about the outside world and was consequently greatly disoriented. Somehow fissioning into three separate duplicates, Frank Jr., who would soon dub himself Nuklo, ran amok through New York
City. The Avengers subdued the three doppelgangers and brought them together, which merged them into a single being again. Nuklo was rendered unconscious by a hex cast by the mutant Scarlet Witch
, who at that time believed herself to be his sister.
Nuklo was returned to the capsule and placed back in government custody. The government placed him under the care of U. S. Army General Jacob Pollock, who became a renegade and allied himself with the criminal Living Laser
. Nuklo accidentally escaped his containment vessel and wreaked havoc for the Avengers before his father, the Whizzer, was able to get close enough to knock him unconscious.
Nuklo was then taken to the newly opened government energy facility Project: Pegasus for treatment and study. There his radiation level was diminished significantly and his education was started. After a few years, he was placed in the custody of scientists in a special facility at General Hospital in Manhattan
where he was treated by a psychologist named Dr. Linda Hyams and a radiologist named Dr. Ira S. Bishoff, who was secretly the Whizzer’s old nemesis Isbisa
. Over the course of months, Isbisa siphoned Nuklo’s radiation and transferred it to himself, in order to gain sufficient power to exact revenge upon the Whizzer. When Robert Frank finally managed to get a court order turning his son over to his care, Isbisa attacked. At the battle’s end, the Whizzer had died of a heart attack rescuing his son, but Nuklo was permanently cured of his excess radiation.
Nuklo was placed in the custody of Dr. Linda Hyams, his psychologist, who took him to live with her family in a small community in upstate New York. Robert Frank, Jr., has passed high school equivalency tests and got a job at a service station. He was attacked by the super human-hunting TESS-One
robot.
He later became a member of the Penance Council of the V-Battalion
.
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
Universe.
Publication history
Nuklo first appeared in Giant-Size Avengers #1 (August 1974), and was created by Roy ThomasRoy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
, Rich Buckler
Rich Buckler
Rich Buckler is an American comic book artist and penciller, best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Fantastic Four in the mid-1970s and, with writer Doug Moench, co-creating the character Deathlok in Astonishing Tales #25...
and Dan Adkins
Dan Adkins
Dan Adkins is an American illustrator who worked mainly for comic books and science-fiction magazines.-Early life and career:...
.
The character subsequently appeared in The Avengers Annual #6 (1976), Marvel Two-In-One #54-57 (August-November 1979), Dazzler #9 (November 1981), The Vision and the Scarlet Witch #2 (December 1982), Thunderbolts #40-41 (July-August 2000), 49 (April 2001), Citizen V and the V Battalion #1-2 (June-July 2001), and Citizen V and the V-Battalion: The Everlasting #1-4 (March-July 2002).
Nuklo received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is an encyclopedic guide which details the fictional universe featured in Marvel Comics publications...
#9.
Fictional character biography
Nuklo is the son of Robert Frank and Madeline Joyce, also known as the WhizzerWhizzer (Robert Frank)
The Whizzer is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared during the 1930s-1940s period that fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books.-Publication history:...
and Miss America
Miss America (Marvel Comics)
Miss America is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in Marvel Mystery Comics #49 Miss America (Madeline Joyce Frank) is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in Marvel Mystery...
. He was born in the fictional town of Mount Athena, New York (where Project Pegasus
Project Pegasus
Project Pegasus is a fictional scientific base in the Marvel Comics universe which has been the location of a variety of stories for superheroes and supervillains, most notably in the title Marvel Two-in-One...
is also located). The two retired from their careers as costumed crimefighters several years after the end of World War II, married, revealed their identities to the government, and took jobs at one of the nation’s first nuclear power plants. When a radiation experiment went awry, the Franks rushed into a high radiation area to manually activate the damping rods that were malfunctioning and were exposed to massive amounts of radiation. Madeline Frank was pregnant at the time and when she gave birth eight months later, her son proved to be a mutant who emitted toxic radiation levels. (Apparently, due to their own superhuman powers, the Franks were immune to the deleterious effects of excessive radiation.) The Franks were persuaded by the government to place their infant son in a special capsule which would retard his aging process while draining him of excess radioactivity.
The capsule lay beneath the basement of a government building for several decades, until the building collapsed and the capsule was taken into custody by the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
. By that time, the classified records about the capsule had been misplaced and forgotten. But while Madeline had died shortly after giving birth to a second stillborn son a few years later, the Whizzer was still alive and learned about the capsule’s discovery. He broke into the Avengers’ Mansion
Avengers Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, Avengers Mansion has traditionally been the base of the Avengers. The enormous, city block-sized building is located at 890 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York City.-Creative origin:...
to take custody of the capsule but was prevented from doing so by the Avengers. Shortly thereafter, the Avengers’ probing devices tripped the release mechanism of the capsule and Robert Frank, Jr., was set free. His body, which had only aged approximately twelve years over the decades of containment, was still highly radioactive, and soon exhibited certain superhuman powers. His mind, which was of above average intelligence, was still child-like and he knew absolutely nothing about the outside world and was consequently greatly disoriented. Somehow fissioning into three separate duplicates, Frank Jr., who would soon dub himself Nuklo, ran amok through New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
City. The Avengers subdued the three doppelgangers and brought them together, which merged them into a single being again. Nuklo was rendered unconscious by a hex cast by the mutant Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
, who at that time believed herself to be his sister.
Nuklo was returned to the capsule and placed back in government custody. The government placed him under the care of U. S. Army General Jacob Pollock, who became a renegade and allied himself with the criminal Living Laser
Living Laser
The Living Laser is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Avengers #34 and was created by Stan Lee, Artie Simek and Don Heck.-Publication history:...
. Nuklo accidentally escaped his containment vessel and wreaked havoc for the Avengers before his father, the Whizzer, was able to get close enough to knock him unconscious.
Nuklo was then taken to the newly opened government energy facility Project: Pegasus for treatment and study. There his radiation level was diminished significantly and his education was started. After a few years, he was placed in the custody of scientists in a special facility at General Hospital in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
where he was treated by a psychologist named Dr. Linda Hyams and a radiologist named Dr. Ira S. Bishoff, who was secretly the Whizzer’s old nemesis Isbisa
Isbisa
Isbisa is a fictional supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in All Winners Comics vol. 1, #19 , published by Marvel predecessor Timely Comics during the 1940s period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books...
. Over the course of months, Isbisa siphoned Nuklo’s radiation and transferred it to himself, in order to gain sufficient power to exact revenge upon the Whizzer. When Robert Frank finally managed to get a court order turning his son over to his care, Isbisa attacked. At the battle’s end, the Whizzer had died of a heart attack rescuing his son, but Nuklo was permanently cured of his excess radiation.
Nuklo was placed in the custody of Dr. Linda Hyams, his psychologist, who took him to live with her family in a small community in upstate New York. Robert Frank, Jr., has passed high school equivalency tests and got a job at a service station. He was attacked by the super human-hunting TESS-One
TESS-One
TESS-One is a fictional character, a robot in the .-Fictional character biography:Near the end of 1945 the United States government started to foresee the destructive potential of super heroes like Captain America and the Invaders. They grew concerned that after World War II they would not be able...
robot.
He later became a member of the Penance Council of the V-Battalion
V-Battalion
The V-Battalion is the name of two incarnations of a fictional secret organization composed of Golden Age superheroes and their descendents in stories from Marvel Comics...
.