Character History
Along with Ted Grand and Tim Moore, Nat Tyron made up one of the TNT trio which worked for Luthor. While carrying out a job for him which involved wrecking a nuclear reactor, Nat was caught under some lead shielding and nearly crushed. Superman saved the reactor from meltdown and arrested Grant and Moore; but they insisted they were alone, and as Superman could not see through the lead, he missed Tyron.
Nat managed to free himself and get to Luthor’s Lair #16, where the arch-villain himself found that Tyron was afflicted with radioactive poisoning. Luthor placed him under a special ray he claimed would cure him. In fact he planned to change and use Tyron.
Soon, Luthor was captured by Superman and as a result, Tyron remained under the ray for a year. It was Superman’s battle with the Mole that caused the vibrations which eventually freed Tyron, who awoke to find himself a walking human bomb – and fast turning into pure energy. Calling himself Neutron, he set out to wreak vengeance on the three men he blamed for his plight; Grand, Moore and Superman. Grand was killed, but Superman thwarted Neutron’s other plans and sent him to a special prison.
Before long a sharp lawyer had convinced a parole board to free Tyron. This was orchestrated by Vandal Savage in order to make Superman look bad. Neutron was spotted wrecking a building. Although Tyron struck the first blow in the ensuing fight, Superman was blamed. Neutron was able to claim he was wrecking the building for its owner – Savage – legally and above board.
However, Neutron’s radiation remained a threat to Metropolis, so in time he was placed in suspended animation in a mechanised life-supporting coffin designed by STAR labs. Later, Psimon forced Doctor Janet Klyburn to free Neutron and made him a member of the Fearsome Five. His freedom was short lived though as the five met defeat at the hands of the New Teen Titans.
Neutron, Reactron, Geiger, Professor Radium, Miser Nitro, and Nuclear were dispatched by Luthor’s Society to find the chemical leak when it was being taken over by the government team SHADE. Geiger did not survive the battle. They called themselves the Nuclear Legion.
Later, Neutron was one of the villains sent to planet Salvation. He was one of the villains used to power the escape portal, and is assumed dead.
Other media
Smallville (TV Series)
In Smallville Neutron had a small appearance in the eight season episode “Injustice” played by Jae Lee. He was a Meteor Freak and a member of Tess Mercer‘s Injustice League alongside Parasite, Livewire and Plastique, sent to find Doomsday. Unfortunately he was killed in their first conflict, forcing his teammates to flee. He was portrayed by Asian American actor Jae Lee, despite being Caucasian in the comic books.
Young Justice: Invasion
Neutron appeared for the first time in “Bloodlines,” the sixth episode of the second season. In a markedly different interpretation from the comics, Neutron was portrayed as an innocent young man who was transformed into a killing machine after being kidnapped and experimented on by aliens. Nathaniel was brainwashed and tasked with killing Barry Allen, but was freed and stripped of his unwanted abilities by Impulse. He was voiced by James Arnold Taylor.