I Love Nuclear Power: Difference between revisions

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See also [[Phlebotinum Du Jour]] (for more unlikely things that promote superpowers) and [[Deus Ex Nukina]] (for more things that nuclear power can arbitrarily solve).
See also [[Phlebotinum Du Jour]] (for more unlikely things that promote superpowers) and [[Deus Ex Nukina]] (for more things that nuclear power can arbitrarily solve).


A [[Super Trope]] to [[Nuclear Nasty]], which specifically talks about ''monsters'' created by radiation. The predecessors to this trope are [[Lightning Can Do Anything]] and [[Chemistry Can Do Anything]]; before the discovery of nuclear power, electricity and chemicals were the go-to source for magical do-anything phlebotinum.
A [[Super-Trope]] to [[Nuclear Nasty]], which specifically talks about ''monsters'' created by radiation. The predecessors to this trope are [[Lightning Can Do Anything]] and [[Chemistry Can Do Anything]]; before the discovery of nuclear power, electricity and chemicals were the go-to source for magical do-anything phlebotinum.


Not to be confused with [[Deus Ex Nukina]] or [[Atomic Hate]]. This trope is why ''[[Phlebotinum Muncher|you should never]]'' [[Nuke'Em]].
Not to be confused with [[Deus Ex Nukina]] or [[Atomic Hate]]. This trope is why ''[[Phlebotinum Muncher|you should never]]'' [[Nuke'Em]].
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** In fact, Jay Garrick, the [[The Golden Age of Comic Books|Golden Age]] Flash, gained his powers when he accidentally inhaled fumes of ''heavy water'', a rare non-radiation based version of [[I Love Nuclear Power]].
** In fact, Jay Garrick, the [[The Golden Age of Comic Books|Golden Age]] Flash, gained his powers when he accidentally inhaled fumes of ''heavy water'', a rare non-radiation based version of [[I Love Nuclear Power]].
* The [[The Golden Age of Comic Books|Golden Age]] Atom from the [[Justice Society of America]] was originally just a short guy who worked out a lot, but when he came out of retirement in [[The Silver Age of Comic Books]] he had super-strength because the writer who brought him back [[Did Not Do the Research]]. It was later [[Retcon|Retconned]] that he absorbed energy from a nuclear-powered supervillain, which somehow allowed him to survive an atomic bomb blast, after which he gained his powers.
* The [[The Golden Age of Comic Books|Golden Age]] Atom from the [[Justice Society of America]] was originally just a short guy who worked out a lot, but when he came out of retirement in [[The Silver Age of Comic Books]] he had super-strength because the writer who brought him back [[Did Not Do the Research]]. It was later [[Retcon|Retconned]] that he absorbed energy from a nuclear-powered supervillain, which somehow allowed him to survive an atomic bomb blast, after which he gained his powers.
* Turns out that irradiating the beehive you were studying will mutate the insects and cause them to [[Family-Unfriendly Death|eat you alive]]! Don't worry, though, you'll live on in their new-formed [[Hive Mind]], your new body [[Body Horror|composed of bones and bees]]! Now you pretty much have to go into supervillainy with [[Bee Bee Gun|this new power]]! At least, if you happen to be a Nazi scientist in the [[Marvel Universe]].
* Turns out that irradiating the beehive you were studying will mutate the insects and cause them to [[Family-Unfriendly Death|eat you alive]]! Don't worry, though, you'll live on in their new-formed [[Hive Mind]], your new body [[Body Horror|composed of bones and bees]]! Now you pretty much have to go into supervillainy with [[Bee-Bee Gun|this new power]]! At least, if you happen to be a Nazi scientist in the [[Marvel Universe]].
** One would assume he [[Eddie Izzard|likes his women like he likes his coffee. Covered in bees!]]
** One would assume he [[Eddie Izzard|likes his women like he likes his coffee. Covered in bees!]]
* Chen Lu was turned into the Radioactive Man in a Chinese attempt to create a human weapon. Pity they didn't check if he had plans for world domination first...
* Chen Lu was turned into the Radioactive Man in a Chinese attempt to create a human weapon. Pity they didn't check if he had plans for world domination first...
* Hilariously parodied in a ''[[Dilbert]]'' strip sequence, in which Dilbert decides to make himself a superhero costume and stand outside the local nuclear plant, in the hope that an accident will occur and give him superpowers. When he gets there, he finds a dozen other guys, all in various designs of spandex, who apparently all had the same idea.
* Hilariously parodied in a ''[[Dilbert]]'' strip sequence, in which Dilbert decides to make himself a superhero costume and stand outside the local nuclear plant, in the hope that an accident will occur and give him superpowers. When he gets there, he finds a dozen other guys, all in various designs of spandex, who apparently all had the same idea.
* Johnny Alpha in ''[[Strontium Dog]]'' gained the ability to [[Telepathy|read minds]], [[X Ray Vision|see through solid objects]], and emit alpha rays from his eyes following strontium-90 fallout during a nuclear war. However, most other mutants in the series are merely disfigured.
* Johnny Alpha in ''[[Strontium Dog]]'' gained the ability to [[Telepathy|read minds]], [[X-Ray Vision|see through solid objects]], and emit alpha rays from his eyes following strontium-90 fallout during a nuclear war. However, most other mutants in the series are merely disfigured.
* Taken to its uttermost extreme in ''[[Captain Atom]]'' - the titular character, rather than merely being irradiated, was actually vaporized by being at ground zero of a thermonuclear explosion. His mind or soul was somehow able to form a new body for itself, one with superpowers. In the [[Post-Crisis]] remake of the character, the writers explained this as an effect of the [[Applied Phlebotinum|extra-dimensional substance]] in which he was encased at the time of the blast.
* Taken to its uttermost extreme in ''[[Captain Atom]]'' - the titular character, rather than merely being irradiated, was actually vaporized by being at ground zero of a thermonuclear explosion. His mind or soul was somehow able to form a new body for itself, one with superpowers. In the [[Post-Crisis]] remake of the character, the writers explained this as an effect of the [[Applied Phlebotinum|extra-dimensional substance]] in which he was encased at the time of the blast.
* [[DC Comics]]' other nuclear man, [[Firestorm]], also counts, since his origin involves terrorists leaving Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein to die when they blow up the latter's nuclear plant. The explosion ends up fusing them into a superpowered being instead. Later averted when Stein is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor as a result of being one half of the nuclear man midway through the second series.
* [[DC Comics]]' other nuclear man, [[Firestorm]], also counts, since his origin involves terrorists leaving Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein to die when they blow up the latter's nuclear plant. The explosion ends up fusing them into a superpowered being instead. Later averted when Stein is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor as a result of being one half of the nuclear man midway through the second series.
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== Western Animation ==
== Western Animation ==
* Parodied in the ''[[Earthworm Jim (Animation)|Earthworm Jim]]'' cartoon for one episode where Jim, attempting to get superpowers to replace the weak super suit copy he was stuck with, used comic book methods. His efforts include getting trapped in a nuclear reactor, which gives him a glow-in-the-dark rash, and being bitten by a radioactive flea, which causes him to gain out-of-control leaping powers and grow flea legs from his head.
* Parodied in the ''[[Earthworm Jim (Animation)|Earthworm Jim]]'' cartoon for one episode where Jim, attempting to get superpowers to replace the weak super suit copy he was stuck with, used comic book methods. His efforts include getting trapped in a nuclear reactor, which gives him a glow-in-the-dark rash, and being bitten by a radioactive flea, which causes him to gain out-of-control leaping powers and grow flea legs from his head.
* Played straight and parodied in the ''[[Family Guy (Animation)|Family Guy]]'' episode "Family Guy Viewer Mail #1". The Griffins are exposed to radioactive waste, and each gain separate powers (Stewie got telekinesis, Brian got superspeed, Chris got pyrokinesis, Peter got shapeshifting, Lois got super strength, and Meg could...[[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart Anyway|extend and retract her fingernails]]). They proceed to wreak havoc in Quahog, and in an attempt to gain superpowers to stop them, Mayor [[Adam West]] rolls around in radioactive waste:
* Played straight and parodied in the ''[[Family Guy (Animation)|Family Guy]]'' episode "Family Guy Viewer Mail #1". The Griffins are exposed to radioactive waste, and each gain separate powers (Stewie got telekinesis, Brian got superspeed, Chris got pyrokinesis, Peter got shapeshifting, Lois got super strength, and Meg could...[[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?|extend and retract her fingernails]]). They proceed to wreak havoc in Quahog, and in an attempt to gain superpowers to stop them, Mayor [[Adam West]] rolls around in radioactive waste:
{{quote| '''Doctor:''' Mayor West, you have lymphoma.<br />
{{quote| '''Doctor:''' Mayor West, you have lymphoma.<br />
'''Adam West:''' Oh my.<br />
'''Adam West:''' Oh my.<br />
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** In the episode where the family became farmers, Homer iradiates the crops with plutonium borrowed from the nuclear plant in the hope that they grow bigger, like in the movies. Instead, he ends up with normal-sized tomatoes, only they have combined with tobacco to form "tomacco".
** In the episode where the family became farmers, Homer iradiates the crops with plutonium borrowed from the nuclear plant in the hope that they grow bigger, like in the movies. Instead, he ends up with normal-sized tomatoes, only they have combined with tobacco to form "tomacco".
* ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants (Animation)|SpongeBob SquarePants]]'' has The Atomic Flounder, a retired villain originally for a one-off gag. He later appeared in a [[Show Within a Show]] episode during his prime. His first appearance followed the more common use of the trope, with atomic breath, however the second also brought some [[Body Horror]] into the mix.
* ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants (Animation)|SpongeBob SquarePants]]'' has The Atomic Flounder, a retired villain originally for a one-off gag. He later appeared in a [[Show Within a Show]] episode during his prime. His first appearance followed the more common use of the trope, with atomic breath, however the second also brought some [[Body Horror]] into the mix.
* On ''[[Batman the Brave And The Bold]],'' [[Mix and Match Critters|B'wana Beast]] gets his powers from drinking water contaminated with nuclear waste. (In this comics it comes from a special elixir and helmet.)
* On ''[[Batman the Brave And The Bold]],'' [[Mix-and-Match Critters|B'wana Beast]] gets his powers from drinking water contaminated with nuclear waste. (In this comics it comes from a special elixir and helmet.)




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* Parodied by [http://wearscience.com/design/cheers/ this shirt].
* Parodied by [http://wearscience.com/design/cheers/ this shirt].
** And [http://wearscience.com/design/hugger/ this one.]
** And [http://wearscience.com/design/hugger/ this one.]
* [[Gaias Vengeance|Gaia]] loves to subvert that trope: Chernobyl has become [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4923342.stm a wildlife haven]
* [[Gaia's Vengeance|Gaia]] loves to subvert that trope: Chernobyl has become [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4923342.stm a wildlife haven]
** On the other hand, the (perception of the) level of radiation released in the mind of the public is very different than the reality and the animals aren't necessarily going to worry about the level of radiation anyway.
** On the other hand, the (perception of the) level of radiation released in the mind of the public is very different than the reality and the animals aren't necessarily going to worry about the level of radiation anyway.
** Bear in mind, it was only after the first few weeks after the disaster that wildlife began to thrive in Chernobyl, after the radiation levels dropped. After that, the radiation was still dangerous for humans, but not for animals- most animals have much shorter lifespans (about ten years or so), and thus do not have enough time for the radiation they've absorbed to turn into cancer. You still can't eat any animals there of course.
** Bear in mind, it was only after the first few weeks after the disaster that wildlife began to thrive in Chernobyl, after the radiation levels dropped. After that, the radiation was still dangerous for humans, but not for animals- most animals have much shorter lifespans (about ten years or so), and thus do not have enough time for the radiation they've absorbed to turn into cancer. You still can't eat any animals there of course.
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*** [http://periodictable.com/Samples/090.8/s13.JPG Radithor], mineral water mixed with radium.
*** [http://periodictable.com/Samples/090.8/s13.JPG Radithor], mineral water mixed with radium.
*** [http://www.orau.org/ptp/collection/quackcures/toothpaste.htm Doramad Radioactive Toothpaste], which contained thorium, though its actual radiation level was rather low.
*** [http://www.orau.org/ptp/collection/quackcures/toothpaste.htm Doramad Radioactive Toothpaste], which contained thorium, though its actual radiation level was rather low.
*** [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium_Ore_Revigator The Revigator], a ceramic crock for irradiating water. Though it too had rather low radiation levels, the water would often be contaminated by lead.
*** [[wikipedia:Radium Ore Revigator|The Revigator]], a ceramic crock for irradiating water. Though it too had rather low radiation levels, the water would often be contaminated by lead.
* [Shoe-fitting_fluoroscope The Pedoscope]], a gimmicky device once found in shoe stores that would x-ray your feet to find the perfect fit. Featured once on the show ''[[Pawn Stars]]'', disassembling it found that the x-ray tube inside gave off ''ten times'' more radiation then conventional x-ray machines.
* [Shoe-fitting_fluoroscope The Pedoscope]], a gimmicky device once found in shoe stores that would x-ray your feet to find the perfect fit. Featured once on the show ''[[Pawn Stars]]'', disassembling it found that the x-ray tube inside gave off ''ten times'' more radiation then conventional x-ray machines.
* This is the theme of one 1959 DC PSA, [http://www.politedissent.com/archives/4611 "The Atomic: Servant of Man"].
* This is the theme of one 1959 DC PSA, [http://www.politedissent.com/archives/4611 "The Atomic: Servant of Man"].
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deinococcus_radiodurans These] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermococcus_gammatolerans bacteria] are [[Made of Iron|immune to radiation]]. And [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiotrophic_fungus certain species of fungi] actually ''eat'' radiation via the same chemical that gives you a tan! [[Reality Is Unrealistic|Nature is]] ''[[Reality Is Unrealistic|weird]]''.
* [[wikipedia:Deinococcus radiodurans|These]] [[wikipedia:Thermococcus gammatolerans|bacteria]] are [[Made of Iron|immune to radiation]]. And [[wikipedia:Radiotrophic fungus|certain species of fungi]] actually ''eat'' radiation via the same chemical that gives you a tan! [[Reality Is Unrealistic|Nature is]] ''[[Reality Is Unrealistic|weird]]''.


{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
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[[Category:The Fifties]]
[[Category:The Fifties]]
[[Category:I Love Nuclear Power]]
[[Category:I Love Nuclear Power]]
[[Category:Trope]]
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/I_Love_Nuclear_Power"