When a group of four NASA astronauts who were making experiments with aanomalousradiation (kryptonite) for Lexcorp were returning from space when they encountered a freak radiation storm. The radiation affected the machinery of the vessel and the shuttle crash landed somewhere far away from its intended target. When the four explorers had freed themselves from the wreckage, Hank Henshaw, the scientist leader, discovered that his friends Steve and Jim had been horribly transformed. Steve had become living radiation and Jim's body had been destroyed and reformed out of debris from the ship and the surrounding area. Hank's wife Terri seemed to be fine, but Hank himself could feel radiation sickness beginning to eat away at him.

The group went to Metropolis in search of a LexCorp facility that they could use to fix their mutations, but ran into Superman and were subsequently involved in a time-consuming fight. Things were worked out but by then the radiation's effects on Hank had begun to show. His flesh was falling off his bones, and he was obviously close to death. Terri also started exhibiting symptoms, beginning to fade from existence. Hank tried his hardest to work on a cure for her, but he was going fast. While he worked, Steve flew into the sun and Jim killed himself. Hank came up with a plan to fix Terri, but died before he could use it. Thankfully, Superman was still there and he was able to save Terri before she completely disappeared, being apparentelly the only one to survive.