RADIUM
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Human mutate (Russian)
Occupation: None
Group Membership: Elements
of Doom (Carbon, Chlorine, Cobalt,
Phosphorus,
Vanadium)
Affiliations: Elements
of Doom;
formerly Dr.
Vasily Khandruvitch
Enemies: Avengers
(Beast/Hank McCoy, Captain America/Steve
Rogers, Falcon/Sam Wilson, Ms. Marvel/Carol Danvers, Scarlet
Witch/Wanda Maximoff, Wasp/Janet Van Dyne, Wonder Man/Simon Williams)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: An unidentified nuclear power plant in Russia
First Appearance: Avengers I#188 (October, 1979)
Powers/Abilities: Radium was composed of pure
radium and he could project radioactive blasts from his hands.
He also seemed to be able to emit
radiation at will, occasionally glowing when emitting radiation and
ceasing when willing himself not to emit radiation.
Height: Various
Weight: Various
Eyes: Yellow (no visible irises)
Hair: None
History:
(Avengers I#188 (fb) - BTS / Thunderbolts I#7 (fb) -
BTS) - At some point, an unidentified human was transformed into pure
elemental Radium by Dr. Vasily Khandruvitch in an effort to create
Super-Soldiers to serve the state. Rebelling and joining other
transformed humans as the Elements of Doom, Radium aided in taking
over a Russian nuclear power plant for use in creating more Elements of
Doom.
(Avengers I#188) - When the Avengers were drawn to the Russian
nuclear plant on their way home from the Inhumans' Great Refuge, they
investigated the plant and, after defeating the Element of Doom
Vanadium, they discovered the Elements of Doom's large transformation
machine. The Elements of Doom deduced that the Avengers must have
destroyed Vanadium and Chlorine asked Radium if Vanadium could be
created. Radium replied that Vanadium could be restored if necessary
but they still had over a hundred elements to create first.
(Captain America XII#750) - The Avengers attacked, with Radium
attempting to blast the flying Falcon.
(Avengers I#188) - The Avengers
were eventually forced to retreat but the Falcon flew back to rescue
the Wasp and was captured by a reformed Vanadium. After the Falcon was
brought to the other Elements of Doom, Radium attempted to force the
Falcon into their transformation machine but the Avengers rallied and
returned, using a laser to pierce the plant's fusion reactor. The
reactor's molten core then enveloped the Elements of Doom, breaking
down their atomic structure and effectively destroying Radium, Chlorine
and Vanadium.
Comments: Created by Jim Shooter, Bill Mantlo, John Byrne, Dan Green and Frank Springer.
Radium sure didn't do much in his
only real appearance. We didn't see him attack any of the Avengers
until a flashback to that issue some 40+ years later. In Avengers
I#188, he mostly just stood around and operated the transformation
machine.
Profile by Proto-Man.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Radium should be distinguished from:
Appearances:
Avengers I#188 (October, 1979) - Jim Shooter (plot, editor), Bill
Mantlo (script), John Byrne, Dan Green, Frank Springer (art)
Thunderbolts I#7 (October, 1997) - Kurt Busiek
(co-plot,
script), Roger Stern (co-plot), Jeff Johnson (pencils), Will Blyberg,
Eric Cannon, Larry Mahlstadt, Greg Adams, Keith Williams (inks), Tom
Brevoort (editor)
Captain America XII#750 (September, 2023) - "Reflections" story -
Stephanie Williams (writer), Rachael Scott (art), Alanna Smith (editor)
First posted: 11/09/2025
Last updated: 11/09/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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