The Human Bomb

Roy Lincoln was a chemist who accidentally absorbed the experimental explosive compound 27-QRX, leaving his bare touch capable of triggering powerful explosions. To protect those around him, he wore a special asbestos suit and gloves at all times.

Few characters carry a name as boldly declarative as The Human Bomb, who burst onto the scene in Police Comics #1 in 1941 — one of the most storied debut issues in Golden Age history — courtesy of creator Vern Henkel and the fertile imagination of Quality Comics. That landmark first appearance has earned its place as a collector-recognized key issue, and it's easy to see why: Police Comics #1 is a who's who of comics royalty, with the likes of Plastic Man and Manhunter sharing its pages. Across more than eight decades of publication, The Human Bomb has endured through All-Star Squadron and DCU: Legacies, keeping company with icons like Green Lantern along the way — a testament to the lasting grip this Golden Age original holds on the imagination of comics history enthusiasts. If you love the raw, pulpy energy of wartime comics and the characters who helped build the entire superhero genre from the ground up, this is one explosive figure worth tracking down.