# Gamma Radiation versus Cosmic Rays in Marvel Comics

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamma-radiation-versus-cosmic-rays-in-marvel-comics/1027567>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** comic-books-manga\
**Created:** [February 11, 2026, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamma-radiation-versus-cosmic-rays-in-marvel-comics/1027567 "2026-02-11T03:22:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamma-radiation-versus-cosmic-rays-in-marvel-comics/1027567/1 "2026-02-11T03:22:24Z")

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It occurs to me that in Marvel Comics while there are lots of gamma empowered characters, cosmic ray empowered characters seem to be much rarer. The Fantastic Four and their old nemesis the Red Ghost and his three Super Apes are the only ones I can think of. Are there any others? (I’m not sure if “The Power Cosmic” bestowed on the Silver Surfer and other Heralds of Galactus is the same thing).

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamma-radiation-versus-cosmic-rays-in-marvel-comics/1027567/2 "2026-02-11T03:47:20Z")

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> [@Lumpy](#):
>
> The Fantastic Four and their old nemesis the Red Ghost and his three Super Apes are the only ones I can think of. Are there any others? (I’m not sure if “The Power Cosmic” bestowed on the Silver Surfer and other Heralds of Galactus is the same thing).

The [Power Cosmic](https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Power_Cosmic) is something entirely different.

The U-Foes are another cosmic ray empowered villain group, who more-or-less successfully tried to duplicate the Fantastic Four’s empowerment.

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**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gamma-radiation-versus-cosmic-rays-in-marvel-comics/1027567/3 "2026-02-11T03:56:09Z")

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As a little kid, I’d actually look up Comic Book Plot Points like Cosmic Rays and Gamma Particles, and taught myself some science in the process.

And I remember saying “Wow, Bruce Banner should be dead by now!” when I realized that those grown-ups (my up-until-then heroes, the Marvel writers) were playing around with very dangerous forces.