Captain Planet’s Most Confusing Enemy Gets a Revamp

The name Duke Nukem usually inspires visions of a blond crewcut-sporting super-soldier with big guns and sunglasses. However, before the name became synonymous with long-delayed video games, it was first used by a Captain Planet villain. The original Duke has now returned with a new look and new attitude in the Dynamite Entertainment comic devoted to Earth’s Greatest Champion and the Planeteers.

Written by David Pepose with art by Eman Casallos, Captain Planet #3 finds the captain and Planeteers under fire. Their first meeting is a difficult one, with the minions of Lucian Plunder determined to capture the team and steal their rings. However, unbeknownst to the heroes, Plunder is already seeking Duke Nukem’s help to finish the job.

The first five pages of Captain Planet #3 may be viewed below.

How Captain Planet comic revamps Duke Nukem

First appearing in the episode “Deadly Ransom,” in 1990, Dr. Duke Nukem is the most visually distinctive of Captain Planet’s many enemies. With golden rocky skin, he bore a slight resemblance to The Thing from Fantastic Four. Duke was a mutant who absorbed, generated, and controlled radiation. Just how he developed his powers was never explained. However, his condition left him needing intense ambient radiation to feed. This accordingly pushed him to pursue evil schemes that would destroy Earth’s ozone layer, ensuring a steady supply of radiation.

The revamped Duke Nukem appears distinctly human while still sporting a red mohawk. Rather than being a mutant, his radiation powers come from a pair of gauntlets provided by Lucian Plunder. Ironically, the new Duke Nukem appears to a soldier cut from the same cloth as the video game hero that shares his name, rather than a scientist. It seems likely, however, that his gauntlets will transform him into his familiar form as the Captain Planet comic continues.

Captain Planet #3 arrives in comic shops everywhere on August 13, 2025.