History Main / GeneticEngineeringIsThenewNuke

* The God Warriors from ''NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind'' are both nuclear powered & genetically engineered, [[NinjaPirateRobotZombie in addition to being cyborgs]]. At least they were honest-to-goodness products of super-science, designed and built from the ground up to be what they were, not mooks with upgrades.

* The 2002-2007 ''Film/{{Spider-Man}}'' movies.

* Much of the conflict in ''Literature/HonorHarrington'' was driven by the, ahem, ''conflicting'' opinions about genetic engineering and its outcomes, including the [[EarthThatUsedToBeBetter Final War on Earth]], and plans [[spoiler:of the [[AncientConspiracy Mesan Alignment's]]]] for the galactic domination. Weber even [[WordOfGod went to record]] stating that the BiggerBad's position on the {{transhumanism}} and genetic engineering is actually ''[[VillainHasAPoint correct]]'', but that they are antagonists because [[TheyCalledMeMad they're dicks about it]].

* The Comicbook/UltimateUniverse takes this trope all the way, with genetic engineering being compared to nuclear weapons in other ways, such as international supersoldier escalation & treaties being proposed to curb it. Several Spider-Man rogues (as well as Spidey himself) were re-imagined to be the subjects of secret, illegal super soldier experiments, and other superheroes and villains were designed by secret government projects for the same end. [[spoiler: ''{{Ultimatum}}'' reveals that [[UltimateXMen this includes mutants]]]]. UltimateMarvel has even applied this trope to people who weren't even ostensibly super to begin with in regular Marvel. Ultimate IronMan's super genius is explained as the result of genetic experiments his parents were involved in (which resulted in his mother's tragic death) that resulted in him being born with braincells throughout his entire body. Unfortunately, due to a defect in the process it also gave him cancer and constant, agonizing pain.

* Taken to pretty literal extremes in ''{{Daredevil}}'', where the government's secret genetic experiment is ''named'' Nuke, to give an indication that, yeah, he ''was'' as deadly as a walking megaton bomb.
* The UltimateUniverse takes this trope all the way, with genetic engineering being compared to nuclear weapons in other ways, such as international supersoldier escalation & treaties being proposed to curb it. Several Spider-Man rogues (as well as Spidey himself) were re-imagined to be the subjects of secret, illegal super soldier experiments, and other superheroes and villains were designed by secret government projects for the same end. [[spoiler: ''{{Ultimatum}}'' reveals that [[UltimateXMen this includes mutants]]]]. UltimateMarvel has even applied this trope to people who weren't even ostensibly super to begin with in regular Marvel. Ultimate IronMan's super genius is explained as the result of genetic experiments his parents were involved in (which resulted in his mother's tragic death) that resulted in him being born with braincells throughout his entire body. Unfortunately, due to a defect in the process it also gave him cancer and constant, agonizing pain.

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* The "Mutation!" table of ''VideoGame/BallsOfSteel'' is about a genetic experiment that has mutated into a deadly green BlobMonster.
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* Similar to the above, Franchise/SpiderMan's origins have moved from being bit by a radioactive spider in the original to being bit by a genetically enhanced "super spider" in [[{{The Spectacular Spider-Man}} Spectacular]], [[Comicbook/UltimateSpiderMan Ultimate]], and both the [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy original movie]] and the [[Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan the reboot]]. 90's [[SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries Spider-Man show]] actually went half way, being bit by a spider that was hit by "neogenic" radiation. The mainstream comics eventually decided to hint that his powers might actually be magic, which to be fair makes more sense than radiation.

* Much of the conflict in {{Honorverse}} was driven by the, ahem, ''conflicting'' opinions about genetic engineering and its outcomes, including the [[EarthThatUsedToBeBetter Final War on Earth]], and recent [[spoiler:[[AncientConspiracy Mesan Alignment's]]]] plans for the galactic domination. Weber even [[WordOfGod went to record]] stating that the [[spoiler:[[EvilutionaryBiologist Alignment]]]]'s position on the {{transhumanism}} and genetic engineering is actually ''[[VillainHasAPoint correct]]'', but that they are antagonists because [[TheyCalledMeMad they're dicks about it]].

* ''{{Gargoyles}}'' has Anton Sevarius, a geneticist working for Xanatos (or whoever else is paying him at the moment), creating a genetics-altering compound that mutates Derek Maza and three other humans into Gargoyle-equivalents. The compound combines bat, big cat, and electric eel DNA, [[LegoGenetics among others]].

* The ''Shaman's Tears'' comic introduced Bar Sinister (who later got their own short-lived series), a group of genetically engineered, super powered human/animal hybrids.

** A lot of improbable origins, including many of the 'radiation is magic' type, have been retconned as Celestial experiments resulting in people who would gain powers from things that would kill most people. Before this, it was often theorized by fans that maybe these people were mutants with a 'get powers instead of cancer from radiation[=/=]toxic waste' power, or latent mutations triggered by the FreakLabAccident; this seems to say SureWhyNot without making ''everybody'' an X-Man. DCComics has a "metagene" explanation that's similar. TheInhumans are a result of Kree experiments exploiting humanities' potential for superhuman abilities.
** ''Comicbook/SilentWar'' revolves around {{SHIELD}} getting a hold of the Terrigen Mist and trying to create its own [[TheInhumans Inhumans]] for military use. [[PowerIncontinence It doesn't work out so well]].
* Similar to the above, [[SpiderMan Spider-Man's]] origins have moved from being bit by a radioactive spider in the original to being bit by a genetically enhanced "super spider" in [[{{The Spectacular Spider-Man}} Spectacular]], [[Comicbook/UltimateSpiderMan Ultimate]], and both the [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy original movie]] and the [[Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan the reboot]]. 90's [[SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries Spider-Man show]] actually went half way, being bit by a spider that was hit by "neogenic" radiation. The mainstream comics eventually decided to hint that his powers might actually be magic, which to be fair makes more sense than radiation.

Genetic Engineering also lends itself to being weaponized to do exactly the same thing as [[NeutronBomb those ultracool nukes that kill people but leave buildings standing]]. Now that nuclear apocalypse is substantially less likely (or at least less likely to [[ApocalypseHow wipe us all out]]), and Chemical/Biological weapons just aren't destructive enough in terms of human life, Genetic Weapons make a nice scary (and vague) alternative.

* Any modern remake of a long-lived superhero is doing this.

* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'' has a literal example of this trope, with the BigBad [[spoiler: Carla Radames]] launching airburst missiles filled with the [[TheVirus C-Virus]] in gas form, which she launches on the city of Tatchi in China to cause an instant ZombieApocalypse.

** Almost invoked the trope by name when the man scientist claimed that metal was the past, the material for the future being human flesh.

* ''Gargoyles'' has Anton Sevarius, a geneticist working for Xanatos (or whoever else is paying him at the moment), creating a genetics-altering compound that mutates Derek Maza and three other humans into Gargoyle-equivalents. The compound combines bat, big cat, and electric eel DNA, [[LegoGenetics among others]].

* During his FreakLabAccident, ''DannyPhantom'' had his genetic makeup modified with with ectoplasm, thus making him half-ghost.

Genetic Engineering also lends itself to being weaponized to do exactly the same thing as those ultracool nukes that kill people but leave buildings standing. Now that nuclear apocalypse is substantially less likely (or at least less likely to [[ApocalypseHow wipe us all out]]), and Chemical/Biological weapons just aren't destructive enough in terms of human life, Genetic Weapons make a nice scary (and vague) alternative.

* ''GundamSEED''

-->-- '''Introduction to''' ''Main/JurassicPark''

* In the ''Compilation of FinalFantasyVII'', genetic engineering in the form of the Jenova Project and its side-projects is responsible for producing Sephiroth, Genesis, Angeal, the Tsviets, and most of the series' other SuperSoldiers.

* The ''ShamansTears'' comic introduced Bar Sinister (who later got their own short-lived series), a group of genetically engineered, super powered human/animal hybrids.

* Much of the conflict in {{Honorverse}} was driven by the, ahem, ''conflicting'' opinions about genetic engineering and its outcomes, including the [[EarthThatUsedToBeBetter Final War on Earth]], and recent [[spoiler:[[AncientConspiracy Mesan Alignment's]]]] plans for the galactic domination. Weber even [[WordOfGod went to record]] stating that the [[spoiler:[[EvilutionaryBiologist Alignment]]]]'s position on the {{transhumanism}} and genetic engineering is actually ''[[StrawmanHasAPoint correct]]'', but that they are antagonists because [[TheyCalledMeMad they're dicks about it]].