Superheroes and Comic Book Club discussion
Looking for a Book!!!
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Are you sure it is not Negative Man, of the Doom Patrol? A DC team from the 70s, but often rebooted. He had been exposed to something or other and used bandages, like a mummy, to keep himself together. But then a radiation-self could leave his body and zip off to do super-powered things.The other core (as it were) radiation hero is Dr. Manhattan, of the Watchmen, again from DC. The radiation killed him outright, but he got better and then was super-powered, but gradually became removed from humanity.
No I don't think it was Negative Man.I don't think he was a pilot, thinking he was a lowly reporter. Memory is vague though.
In the book the "super" being/hero wasn't the norm and if I remember they was only one other man who had similar powers (enhanced strength and agility). He gained them through the same accident as the hero. I think he didn't need a suit because his exposure wasn't as much.
The suit kept the radiation from becoming unstable and killing him.
At the end he took off his suit and died.
Sounds to me like you're describing Captain Atom and Major Force.
While there are some similarities with some comic heroes, I don't remember it being comic related per se.The nature of the radiation that he was exposed to didn't cause him to lose his form, it would just kill him, if not for the suit, which just kept the radiation inert.
Well, I'm stumped. You can't remember anything about the cover?
I think the cover was just a solid yellowish maybe beige color with a silhouette of the suit in black.From the description of the containment suit itself, I kind of pictured something like the spacesuit from the movie "The Vindicator" 1986.
Ok that looks like Wildfire from Legion of Superheroes. But has never carried a series but has been spotlighted in issues over the years.
This might be what the cover/jacket looked like.
I even went to the library where I got the book and it has long since been reorganized, otherwise I could've probably went right to the shelf where it was.Don't believe it was a series or comic of any kind, it was just a novel w/no pictures save for what few graphics that were on the jacket. I do remember thinking this would make an awesome graphic novel!
Timothy,Can you give any more details about the plot? Or the nature of the powers that the radiation gave the main character?
Fritz.
It's been so long since I've read it, but I think it was the standard supervillain trying to taking over the world and kidnapping the hero's girl scenario.I think the nature of the accident was a failed government experiment.
His powers were enhanced strength, durability, agility and I think ESP. ..but nothing on the scale as Superman, Hulk etc. His weakness was the durability of the containment suit.
Of course it was back in '97, my memory could be suspect, so I could be wrong on any information.
I really appreciate the help and feedback! Thanks!
Timothy,Okay, I think I found it:
Fritz.
Timothy,By the way, I found it using this search (it took me a few tries to refine it down to this):
1997 "superhero novel" atomic radiation suit
Then looked at the image results. The cover popped out as similar to your description. I checked goodreads and read the description and it sounded like what you described. The image linked to this url, which has some interesting reading recommendations for superhero novels:
http://goodcomics.comicbookresources....
Fritz.
Sounds close, but I don't think this ones it. I like Martin Caidin and will be reading that one also! Thanks!
I read it in the late 90's, it's about a man who is exposed to radiation and has to wear a containment suit to stave-off the negative effects of the radiation to keep him alive, but he has superpowers because of the exposure.
I don't remember it being DC, Marvel or comic related and was almost kind of a dark satire. Don't remember much of anything else, but I looking for the book.
Anybody ever read it, know the title or just remember it? This is really bugging me!