Mad scientist

After reading the graphic novel "The Five Fists of Science," Rob Flickenger set out to create a weapon similar to the Tesla coil-packing gun wielded by grandfather of electricity Nikola Tesla on the book's cover.

Flickenger, an author by day and mad scientist by night, wanted to create a dastardly weapon capable of firing thousands of volts of electricity. He enlisted several crafty (and courageous) people in his hometown of Seattle to assist in the process.

Click through our gallery to see the weapon's innards, and a shot of the sparks in action.