Neutron (DC Comics)

Neutron (Nathaniel Tryon) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of Superman.^[1]

Neutron
Neutron's first appearance in Action Comics #525 (November 1981); art by Ross Andru.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Action Comics #525 (November 1981)
Created by	Marv Wolfman (writer) Joe Staton (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Nathaniel Tryon
Species	Metahuman
Team affiliations	TNT Trio Fearsome Five Intergang Secret Society of Super Villains Nuclear Legion
Abilities	Super strength Durability Nuclear blasts Flight Radiation absorption

Publication history

Neutron first appeared in Action Comics #525 (November 1981), and was created by Marv Wolfman and Joe Staton.^[2] Wolfman commented about the character's creation, stating: "...With Neutron it was a matter of coming up with someone potentially more powerful and deadly than Superman had ever faced."^[3]

Fictional character biography

Nathaniel Tryon was a petty thug who teamed up with two others as the TNT Trio. While on a caper at a nuclear power plant at which he worked as a security guard, Tryon was caught in the meltdown of a nuclear reactor, turning his body into sentient nuclear energy that could only be contained in a special containment suit. After learning how to control his energy, and learning that the accident was allegedly caused and covered up by the U.S. government, Tryon killed those responsible for the accident and took up a criminal career as Neutron. Eventually, he battled Superman, and was defeated and imprisoned. He was later released by the manipulations of Abraxas Industries as part of an apparent work release program, when actually it was part of a propaganda campaign against Superman led by Vandal Savage. Neutron's part was to engage in seemingly random acts of destruction, when actually he had hired himself out as a deconstruction engineer, a fact which of course did not come out until after Superman had fought and arrested him. Vandal's schemes would later be revealed to the public, and Neutron was apparently arrested and re-imprisoned for his part in them. He is next seen held at the research facility, S.T.A.R. Labs. He was eventually freed when S.T.A.R. Labs was attacked by mercenaries hired by the Fearsome Five. They took him and Jinx, whom they freed from Tri-State prison, into their ranks. Neutron subsequently left the group.^[4]

Neutron eventually joined Warp and Plasmus on a mission from Conduit to assassinate Jonathan and Martha Kent, the adoptive parents of Superman. Superman intervened and the clash ended with Plasmus and Neutron colliding in a blast that obliterated them both. Both later turned up alive, and Neutron was next seen in Slabside Island prison (aka "The Slab"), from which he was freed during the Joker’s "Last Laugh" riots. Neutron and several other villains were manipulated by Manchester Black into threatening Clark Kent's loved ones, but as had happened before, the ensuing confrontation with Superman ended with Neutron disappearing in an atomic blast.

Neutron, from Superman #654 (September 2006). Art by Carlos Pacheco.

"One Year Later"

Main article: One Year Later

After the 2006 crossover miniseries Infinite Crisis, Neutron is working as a villain for hire. He and another radiation-powered villain, Radion, were hired by Intergang to kill Clark Kent. After Kent was hit by a commuter train, Neutron and Radion left, thinking him dead, though the accident actually caused Kent to regain his powers.

Neutron is also a member of the Nuclear Legion alongside Professor Radium, Geiger, Nuclear, Mister Nitro and Reactron. The Nuclear Legion was hired by the Secret Society of Super Villains to invade Blüdhaven and assist the Nuclear Family in recovering the source of a radiation leak. While there, the group fought the new Atomic Knights. Now sporting a new containment suit, Neutron was also seen fighting Superman in the pages of Superman #654, during a storyline in which Superman discovered that Intergang was planting mysterious energy spheres, about the size of softballs, in various locations in Metropolis. Although Superman has not yet determined the nature or purpose of the spheres, he discovered that they were connected to his adversary Bruno Mannheim, as well to other mysterious allies of Manheim who have yet to be revealed.

In The New 52 reboot, Neutron is a mercenary sent to kill Lex Luthor. However, he accidentally releases Luthor's Amazo virus on Metropolis and is infected, disabling his abilities and afflicting him with cancer.^[5]

Powers and abilities

Neutron's body is composed of nuclear energy that grants him superhuman physical abilities and the ability to manipulate nuclear energy. However, he is forced to wear a special suit to maintain a physical form and prevent his radiation from harming others.

In other media

Television

• Neutron makes non-speaking appearances in Justice League Unlimited as a member of Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society before being killed by Darkseid.
• Neutron appears in the Smallville episode "Injustice", portrayed by Jae Lee. He joins Parasite, Livewire, and Plastique in forming a group to search for Davis Bloome before being killed by him.^[6]
• Neutron appears in Young Justice, voiced by James Arnold Taylor.^[7] This version gained his abilities through experimentation from the Reach, who activated his latent metagene. By 2056, he becomes an acquaintance of Bart Allen and helps him travel back in time to save the Flash, de-power the present-day Neutron, and change the timeline. While Bart succeeds in doing so, the future Neutron is horrified to discover that this did not change the future. In the third season, the present-day Neutron becomes a counselor at the Metahuman Youth Center after receiving therapy from Black Canary.

Video games

Neutron appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.^[8]

Miscellaneous

Neutron appears in the audio drama Superman & The Neutron Nightmare.