Gamma Ray (Fantastic Four)

The Gamma Ray is a male supervillain who appears in Marvel Comics.

Biography
The being that would become the Gamma Ray was originally a scientist called Professor Gamma who became a criminal and formed an international criminal organization that was based on the small land mass known as Island X. There, he began arming his men with various weapons of war and stockpilled warheads for his plan to take over the planet. His infamy made him a dangerous threat that attracted the attentions of Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four who came to put a stop to his plans. However, at the time, he was away from the island in his submarine leaving his men to fend off against the Superhero team but they were defeated swiftly.

While inspecting the island, Gamma contacted his men on the base only to discover Reed Richards there who told him that his band of criminals were defeated and that his weapons were going to be destroyed. Angered, Gamma vowed to destroy the Fantastic Four and stated he would return to his base. By the time he returned in his submarine, all he found was a few rocks in the ocean - the result of the Fantastic Four detonating the island and the nuclear warhead on it. At the time, his submarine struck rock and became stuck which forced the Professor to abandon it in a diving suit. Greatly angered, he swam into the remains of his island at the bottom of the sea only to encounter a part that was radioactive from the remains of the warhead. Sensing his life was in danger, he attempted to flee from that part but was affected by the radiation.

Slowly, his body began to change into a more aquatic form and he disposed of his breathing tank as he mutated into a creature that thrived in water without equipment. Surfacing, he said that Professor Gamma was no more and vowed to destroy the Fantastic Four as the Gamma Ray. With his new gamma powers, he began attacking various ships at sea which attracted the attention of Johnny Storm. The two battled but the Gamma Ray was defeated and fell to the bottom of the sea once more where he attempted to recover his power. Whilst there, he encountered a massive sea monster that slumbered. Seeing a new tool to use in his conquest for revenge, he believed it to be his destiny to awaken the beast. Using his gamma powers, he woke it and made it his "pet"; calling it Giganto. The creature arose from the waters and began attacking everything in its path as it headed towards the mainland.

Eventually, it came into conflict with the Fantastic Four and was halted in its destruction. However, the Gamma Ray would not accept defeat and sent a powerful gamma ray burst at Giganto causing it to collapse into the city as it temporarily was made unconscious. This allowed Ben Grimm to enter the creatures mouth and activate a bomb which destroyed Giganto. His plan thwarted, the Gamma Ray attacked the Fantastic Four once more but Sue Storm managed to create a shield to protec them temporarily though it was only a matter of time before the Gamma Ray broke through it. Whilst being distracted with destroying the Fantastic Four, he did not notice that Johnny Storm created a tornado in the sea which surrounded Gamma Ray sending him into the sky and crashing back into the sea. Defeated, he sank to the bottom of the ocean once more - beaten but not broken. He vowed to return and have his revenge against the Fantastic Four.

Personality and attributes
Gamma was a brilliant scientist who wanted to conquer the world and was intelligent enough to create a primitive atomic warhead on his island. He was a capable leader as he managed to form a criminal organization consisting of men wanted in various countries.

When he was mutated, he believed that his old existence was no more and that he was reborn as the Gamma Ray. He had a great deal of hatred towards the Fantastic Four and worked at their destruction. As the Gamma Ray, he demonstrated the ability to use tactics and his environment to his advantage. An example of this was seen when he battled the Human Torch where he would submerge underwater to avoid Johnny Storm's flame attacks. However, he was known to suffer from overconfidence as he underestimated the power of the Torch's abilities. Gamma also believed in the concept of destiny as he believed that fate meant for him to awaken the beast Giganto who he came to consider a pet.

Powers and Abilities
As the Gamma Ray, the former Professor was mutated into a large purple skinned aquatic creature with a fin stretching from his head. He was capable of surviving underwater without oxygen and similarly able to operate in the depths of the ocean without any harm. Though aquatic, he was not confined to watery environments as he was equably capable of moving onto land with ease. In addition to this, he had gamma powers from the radiation that mutated him which allowed him to discharge energy blasts from his hands. He claimed that he had more power than a stingray as a result of this change. Such attacks were powerful enough to destroy small masses of lands in the ocean. Though these blasts were powerful, they seemed unable to overcome the power of either the Human Torch's flame powers or Susan Storm's force fields. However, he did use these abilities to tame the mighty beast known as Giganto.

Though powerful, the greatest danger posed by the Gamma Ray was his brief control over Giganto the massive sea monster able to sink entire ships with ease as well as pose a threat to cities.

Appearances

 * Fantastic Four: "Demon In The Deep" (1967)