Garth Ranzz
Encyclopedia
Lightning Lad also known as Live Wire, is a fictional character
, a comic book
superhero
in the DC Comics
universe
. He has the superhuman
ability to generate electricity
, usually in the form of lightning
bolts. He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes
in the 30th and 31st centuries. He first appeared in Adventure Comics
#247 (April 1958) under his original codename Lightning Boy.
Lightning Lad is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes
along with Saturn Girl
and Cosmic Boy
. Born on the planet Winath
, he is the twin brother of fellow Legionnaire Ayla Ranzz (Lightning Lass), the younger brother of the supervillain
Mekt Ranzz (Lightning Lord
), and the father of two sets of twins; Sons Garridan (Validus
) and Graym Ranzz and daughters Dacey and Dorrit Ranzz.
Early in the Legion's history, he sacrificed himself battling Zaryan the Conqueror, but was later resurrected by the sacrifice of Proty
, Chameleon Boy
's shapeshifting pet. However, a later retcon
revealed that Proty's mind had actually taken over Lightning Lad's form.
An incident against a monster dubbed the "Super Moby Dick of space" resulted in the loss of Lightning Lad's right arm, which was replaced with a bionic appendage. He eventually had his arm regrown, but in the interim a criminal scientist used the situation to hypnotize Lightning Lad into acting as the super criminal Starfinger
who used the bionic arm as a weapon. After the Great Darkness Saga, his son was abducted by Darkseid
and he was subsequently transformed into the monster Validus
.
During the "Five Year Gap" following the Magic Wars, Earth fell under the covert control of the Dominators
, and withdrew from the United Planets
. A few years later, the members of the Dominators' highly classified "Batch SW6" escaped captivity. Originally, Batch SW6 appeared to be a group of teenage Legionnaire clones, created from samples apparently taken just prior to Ferro Lad
's death at the hands of the Sun-Eater
. Later, they were revealed to be time-paradox duplicates, every bit as legitimate as their older counterparts. After Earth was destroyed in a disaster reminiscent of the destruction of Krypton
over a millennium earlier, a few dozen surviving cities and their inhabitants reconstituted their world as New Earth. The SW6 Legionnaires remained, and their version of Lightning Lad assumed the code name Live Wire. Unlike the adult Garth, he did not possess Proty's mind or personality. Thus, the teenage Live Wire was far more reckless and rebellious than any previous depiction of Garth.
ned into being part of a "pocket universe", a solution which caused several continuity errors. After the Zero Hour
miniseries, Legion history was completely rebooted. Garth's new history started when the twins went with Mekt on a trip in their parents' new space cruiser and became stranded on the barren planet Korbal after the cruiser's power cells drained. Ayla suggested that they use the "Lightning Beasts" (the only living things on the planet) in an attempt to recharge their cruiser. The only result of this, however, was that all three were found in coma
s the following day as a result of massive electrocution
.
Months later, Garth and Ayla awoke simultaneously to find that Mekt had awoken around a week earlier, displayed electrical powers like the Beasts, threatened the staff, and vanished. After hearing this, they kept the fact that they had developed similar powers from their parents before Garth, thinking that the lightning had corrupted Mekt somehow and would soon corrupt them and refusing to believe that Mekt had developed into a sociopath
just because he had been a "solo" on a world of twins, ran away from home to find Mekt (telling his parents he was going to visit his Aunt Ryth), despite Ayla's attempts to dissuade him.
there. The two hit it off immediately, but although he developed a crush on her at first sight, Imra Ardeen
gave him a frosty reception. Nonetheless, when she shouted that four "maintenance men" were actually assassins after R.J. Brande, the three worked together to stop them. This gave Brande an idea.
Shortly after, a bar-room brawl caused Garth to be arrested, but just as his cellmates were about to beat him up, Triad-Orange came and posted his bail - Brande wanted a word. There, he found the other two Luornus had fetched Imra and Rokk. Brande, a follower of the 21st Century "Heroic Age", proceeded to talk the three of them into founding "a Legion of Heroes. Super-Heroes," with Garth taking the codename Live Wire.
Despite early tension between him and Saturn Girl, Garth's initial period with the Legion passed with little trouble, until his sister showed up. At this point, they were only permitted to have one Legionnaire per world and Garth, classed as a runaway, was not who Winath wanted to represent them. Ayla, codenamed Spark, was apologetic, but neither of them had much choice in the matter and after he nearly leveled Legion Plaza in his fight with Ultra Boy
(after UB had threatened Ayla), he quit rather than embarrass Rokk or Imra any more by letting them plead to let him stay.
Workforce
to try and get the money to follow Mekt again, but only stayed with them a short time before McCauley's complete lack of morals became too much and he quit. Shortly afterward, he went to ask Brande if he could borrow a ship to find his brother. Since several stargates (the standard means of traveling faster than light, which Brande manufactured) had recently been destroyed and Brande didn't want to take any chances, he turned him down, but told him to go and visit Saturn Girl, who was in the hospital, having been mentally regressed to childhood by the strain from shutting down the Composite Man's mind. Upon seeing her have a toddler-style temper tantrum, though, he couldn't bring himself to go in.
Shortly after, several Daxamites attacked Earth, and when Garth visited Legion HQ to see if he could help, he was given a flight ring by Rokk and ordered to go and see Imra (who he'd seen pleading for Garth earlier). When she saw him, she threw her arms around him, and, by telling her that the Legion needed her - and that HE needed her - he talked her back to sanity.
At the end, the three founders stood on Legion HQ as Saturn Girl called the Daxamites there, just in time for Element Lad
and Brainiac 5
to send them to a planet where they would be powerless, ending the threat.
in his search, he found himself on the planet Bisbe, having been robbed of his last 512 credits. When trying to get his money back, he was arrested for murder under Mekt's name. Rather than protesting that he wasn't Mekt, he stayed silent, and just as the truth was discovered, Mekt broke through the wall and killed the police officer who was trying to dissuade Garth from taking Mekt's fall. When Garth saw just how insane Mekt had become, he tried to blast him, but was knocked out by his brother. Meanwhile, Ayla was told of Garth's arrest and the cop's electrocution, and she rushed straight to Bisbe.
Garth awoke just as they were entering Korbal's orbit, where Mekt started killing more beasts to increase his own power, so he would be the only one with lightning powers, a plan that did not involve Garth or Ayla. As Garth realized this, several Science Police
cruisers flew overhead announcing that he was under arrest for the murder of a policeman. Mekt immediately began to down the cruisers, while Garth pleaded with Mekt to stop. Finally, when Ayla showed up, a ranting Mekt attacked her. Garth was finally forced to face the truth about Mekt, but Mekt, now more powerful than both of the twins together, retaliated by vaporizing Garth's right arm. Ayla grabbed Mekt's laser pistol and shot him in the leg, delaying him while she saw that Garth's wound had cauterized itself. Finally, as Mekt prepared to finish them off, Garth prompted Ayla to hold his remaining hand and let their powers run together freely. The resulting blast was enough to not only knock Mekt off his feet, but completely discharge him (not to mention turn his hair white). Mekt was finally arrested by the S.P., and (after a short stay in hospital) Garth was cleared of all charges.
While he was recovering from the ordeal, and getting used to his artificial arm, he was contacted by Cosmic Boy, who knew that President Chu was up to something, but he didn't know what and thus had to play along with her wishes (which included keeping Live Wire off the team). Rokk thus had Live Wire put together a secret "Rescue Squad." After recruiting Ultra Boy
, Element Lad
, Andromeda, Valor
and XS
, they saved the Legion from the Fatal Five
. Both teams then divided into three, and all the heroes combined to have Chu impeached and arrested, and to prevent her (with the Fatal Five's help) from reviving the Braal
-Titan
War.
R.J. Brande was then (very reluctantly) drafted as the new U.P. president, and his first act was to abolish the U.P.-installed membership restrictions on the team, allowing Garth to rejoin.
Garth was killed during the "Legion Lost" storyline, sacrificing himself in battle with the Progenitor (actually an insane Element Lad
). A few crystals were left from the destruction of the Progenitor, which Kid Quantum took with her upon the Lost Legion's return to the "first" galaxy; she left the crystals on Shanghalla (the heroes' graveyard). It turned out Garth's essence survived in the crystals and Jan's body regrew but with Garth's mind. He was apparently able to use both the Element Lad and Lightning Lad powers in the new crystalline body. His relationship with other Legionnaires, including Saturn Girl, was strained due to his outward resemblance to the Progenitor.
In the Final Crisis
: Legion of 3 Worlds miniseries, the post-Zero Hour Legion is brought to the pre-crisis Legion's timeline, to help battle Superboy Prime and the Legion of Super-Villains
. During this time, the pre-crisis Brainiac 5
uses a specially charged lightning rod to increase the transmutation ability of Element Lad's body, allowing Garth to mutate the body itself into a match for his own.
for his treatment of Ayla. One of the Legion's fiercest fighters, he almost single-handedly routed the terrorist group Terra Firma in their first skirmish with the Legion. Made acting leader in the wake of the Lemnos crisis, it was Lightning Lad who signed the accord which officially named the Legion as an arm of the United Planets and saved hundreds of Legionnaires from being brutally deported by the Science Police. He is the Legion member who has logged the least time on Earth, tending to prefer exploring space, as if searching for something, revealed to be his older brother, Mekt, who ultimately came to Earth, himself, leading his own super team known as "The Wanderers." This fact, and his almost total dedication to the Legion's cause puts a serious strain on his relationship with Saturn Girl, eventually putting her in Ultra Boy's
arms.
miniseries have restored a close analogue of the Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths
Legion to continuity, as seen in "The Lightning Saga
" story arc in Justice League of America and Justice Society of America
, and in the "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" story arc in Action Comics
. Lightning Lad is included in their number, and is still married to Saturn Girl.
Garth later escorts Superman back to the present, where the two take to the time to reminisce on certain teenage misadventures in the Fortress of Solitude
. The two are then joined by Batman
, who reveals that the bodies of Karate Kid
and Una
were found in Gotham City
. Garth and Batman react very hostile towards one another, given Batman's distrust of time travelers. Garth leaves back to the 31st Century with Karate Kid and Una's bodies, but not before giving Superman a new flight ring and giving Batman a veiled warning about upcoming struggles
.
In the 2009 revival of Adventure Comics, Garth is sent by an imprisoned Mekt to uncover the truth about whether Mekt was in fact a single birth, or whether his suspicions are correct that he does have a twin and that his parents have covered this up. It remains to be seen whether he is telling the truth, is lying, or has deluded himself into believing this. If it is true, this revelation would be a significant alteration to the characters' backstory.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
in the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. He has the superhuman
Superhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
ability to generate electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
, usually in the form of lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
bolts. He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
in the 30th and 31st centuries. He first appeared in Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
#247 (April 1958) under his original codename Lightning Boy.
Fictional character biography
Silver Age
Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 30th and 31st centuries of the . The team first appears in Adventure Comics #247 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
along with Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl is a fictional character appearing in DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
and Cosmic Boy
Cosmic Boy
Cosmic Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 . He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and was the original leader in all incarnations of the Legion...
. Born on the planet Winath
Winath
Winath is a fictional planet in the 30th century .Winath is a primarily agrarian planet, settled by humans sometime between the 20th and 30th centuries...
, he is the twin brother of fellow Legionnaire Ayla Ranzz (Lightning Lass), the younger brother of the supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
Mekt Ranzz (Lightning Lord
Lightning Lord
Lightning Lord is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. The older brother of Lightning Lad and Lightning Lass of the Legion of Super-Heroes, he first appeared in Superman #147 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Curt Swan....
), and the father of two sets of twins; Sons Garridan (Validus
Validus
Validus is a fictional DC Comics supervillain, an enemy of the Legion of Super-Heroes and a member of the Fatal Five.-Fictional character biography:...
) and Graym Ranzz and daughters Dacey and Dorrit Ranzz.
Early in the Legion's history, he sacrificed himself battling Zaryan the Conqueror, but was later resurrected by the sacrifice of Proty
Proty
Proty is the name of two fictional extraterrestrials in the DC Comics universe. The original Proty first appeared in Adventure Comics #308 , while the second Proty debuted in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #72 ....
, Chameleon Boy
Chameleon Boy
Chameleon Boy , also known as Chameleon, is a DC Comics superhero, a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. He first appeared in Action Comics #267 .-Silver Age:...
's shapeshifting pet. However, a later retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
revealed that Proty's mind had actually taken over Lightning Lad's form.
An incident against a monster dubbed the "Super Moby Dick of space" resulted in the loss of Lightning Lad's right arm, which was replaced with a bionic appendage. He eventually had his arm regrown, but in the interim a criminal scientist used the situation to hypnotize Lightning Lad into acting as the super criminal Starfinger
Starfinger
Starfinger is a fictional DC Comics supervillain. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #335 and was an enemy of the Legion of Super-Heroes.-Lars Hanscom:...
who used the bionic arm as a weapon. After the Great Darkness Saga, his son was abducted by Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
and he was subsequently transformed into the monster Validus
Validus
Validus is a fictional DC Comics supervillain, an enemy of the Legion of Super-Heroes and a member of the Fatal Five.-Fictional character biography:...
.
During the "Five Year Gap" following the Magic Wars, Earth fell under the covert control of the Dominators
Dominators
The Dominators, collectively known as the Dominion, are a fictional alien race from the outer cosmos of the DC Universe. They are highly technologically advanced, and live in a rigid hierarchical society, in which one's caste is determined by the size of a red circle on one's forehead...
, and withdrew from the United Planets
United Planets
In the , the United Planets is a fictional governing body, traditionally depicted as active in the 30th and 31st century.-History of the published versions of the United Planets:...
. A few years later, the members of the Dominators' highly classified "Batch SW6" escaped captivity. Originally, Batch SW6 appeared to be a group of teenage Legionnaire clones, created from samples apparently taken just prior to Ferro Lad
Ferro Lad
Ferro Lad is a fictional character, a comic book superhero and member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th century of the . He is Andrew Nolan of Earth...
's death at the hands of the Sun-Eater
Sun-Eater
A Sun-Eater is a fictional, artificially created living weapon in the DC Comics universe. It has played an important role in various storylines.-History:...
. Later, they were revealed to be time-paradox duplicates, every bit as legitimate as their older counterparts. After Earth was destroyed in a disaster reminiscent of the destruction of Krypton
Krypton (comics)
Krypton is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe, and the native world of the super-heroes Superman and, in some tellings, Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog. Krypton has been portrayed consistently as having been destroyed just after Superman's flight from the planet, with exact details of...
over a millennium earlier, a few dozen surviving cities and their inhabitants reconstituted their world as New Earth. The SW6 Legionnaires remained, and their version of Lightning Lad assumed the code name Live Wire. Unlike the adult Garth, he did not possess Proty's mind or personality. Thus, the teenage Live Wire was far more reckless and rebellious than any previous depiction of Garth.
Zero Hour - Reboot
In the aftermath of Crisis on Infinite Earths Superman's origin was revamped and Superboy was erased from Superman's past. Unfortunately, the Legion's history greatly revolved around Superboy, and that version of the character was retconRetcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
ned into being part of a "pocket universe", a solution which caused several continuity errors. After the Zero Hour
Zero Hour (comics)
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time is a five-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by DC Comics in 1994. In it, the former hero Hal Jordan, who had until then been a member of the intergalactic police force known as the Green Lantern Corps, mad with grief after the destruction of...
miniseries, Legion history was completely rebooted. Garth's new history started when the twins went with Mekt on a trip in their parents' new space cruiser and became stranded on the barren planet Korbal after the cruiser's power cells drained. Ayla suggested that they use the "Lightning Beasts" (the only living things on the planet) in an attempt to recharge their cruiser. The only result of this, however, was that all three were found in coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
s the following day as a result of massive electrocution
Electric shock
Electric Shock of a body with any source of electricity that causes a sufficient current through the skin, muscles or hair. Typically, the expression is used to denote an unwanted exposure to electricity, hence the effects are considered undesirable....
.
Months later, Garth and Ayla awoke simultaneously to find that Mekt had awoken around a week earlier, displayed electrical powers like the Beasts, threatened the staff, and vanished. After hearing this, they kept the fact that they had developed similar powers from their parents before Garth, thinking that the lightning had corrupted Mekt somehow and would soon corrupt them and refusing to believe that Mekt had developed into a sociopath
Psychopathy
Psychopathy is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, and are very disproportionately responsible for violent crime...
just because he had been a "solo" on a world of twins, ran away from home to find Mekt (telling his parents he was going to visit his Aunt Ryth), despite Ayla's attempts to dissuade him.
Legion
Hearing that Mekt might be on Earth, he got on a shuttle bound for Earth via Titan, and met Rokk KrinnCosmic Boy
Cosmic Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 . He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and was the original leader in all incarnations of the Legion...
there. The two hit it off immediately, but although he developed a crush on her at first sight, Imra Ardeen
Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl is a fictional character appearing in DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
gave him a frosty reception. Nonetheless, when she shouted that four "maintenance men" were actually assassins after R.J. Brande, the three worked together to stop them. This gave Brande an idea.
Shortly after, a bar-room brawl caused Garth to be arrested, but just as his cellmates were about to beat him up, Triad-Orange came and posted his bail - Brande wanted a word. There, he found the other two Luornus had fetched Imra and Rokk. Brande, a follower of the 21st Century "Heroic Age", proceeded to talk the three of them into founding "a Legion of Heroes. Super-Heroes," with Garth taking the codename Live Wire.
Despite early tension between him and Saturn Girl, Garth's initial period with the Legion passed with little trouble, until his sister showed up. At this point, they were only permitted to have one Legionnaire per world and Garth, classed as a runaway, was not who Winath wanted to represent them. Ayla, codenamed Spark, was apologetic, but neither of them had much choice in the matter and after he nearly leveled Legion Plaza in his fight with Ultra Boy
Ultra Boy
Ultra Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in DC Comics. He is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. Ultra Boy gained these powers when the space-speedster he was flying was swallowed by an ultra-energy beast , exposing him to...
(after UB had threatened Ayla), he quit rather than embarrass Rokk or Imra any more by letting them plead to let him stay.
Solo
After this, he joined Leland McCauley'sLeland McCauley
Leland McCauley are fictional characters in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. They have been frequent antagonists of the Legion of Super-Heroes.-Leland McCauley III:...
Workforce
Workforce (comics)
The Workforce is a semi-heroic super-team in DC Comics' post-Zero Hour Legion of Super-Heroes continuity. It was introduced in Legion of Super-Heroes #64 .-Fictional history:...
to try and get the money to follow Mekt again, but only stayed with them a short time before McCauley's complete lack of morals became too much and he quit. Shortly afterward, he went to ask Brande if he could borrow a ship to find his brother. Since several stargates (the standard means of traveling faster than light, which Brande manufactured) had recently been destroyed and Brande didn't want to take any chances, he turned him down, but told him to go and visit Saturn Girl, who was in the hospital, having been mentally regressed to childhood by the strain from shutting down the Composite Man's mind. Upon seeing her have a toddler-style temper tantrum, though, he couldn't bring himself to go in.
Shortly after, several Daxamites attacked Earth, and when Garth visited Legion HQ to see if he could help, he was given a flight ring by Rokk and ordered to go and see Imra (who he'd seen pleading for Garth earlier). When she saw him, she threw her arms around him, and, by telling her that the Legion needed her - and that HE needed her - he talked her back to sanity.
At the end, the three founders stood on Legion HQ as Saturn Girl called the Daxamites there, just in time for Element Lad
Element Lad
Element Lad is a fictional character in the 30th and 31st centuries of the , a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. A native of the planet Trom, he has the power to transmute chemical elements.-Pre-Zero Hour:...
and Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5 is a fictional character who exists in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. He is a long standing member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5 is from the planet Colu...
to send them to a planet where they would be powerless, ending the threat.
Mekt
In the aftermath, however, he was once more forced off the team --and stung by Ayla's charge that he talked a good game on finding Mekt, but never actually did anything about it—- he went on his travels again to try once more to find his wayward brother. After spending 27060 creditsCredit (finance)
Credit is the trust which allows one party to provide resources to another party where that second party does not reimburse the first party immediately , but instead arranges either to repay or return those resources at a later date. The resources provided may be financial Credit is the trust...
in his search, he found himself on the planet Bisbe, having been robbed of his last 512 credits. When trying to get his money back, he was arrested for murder under Mekt's name. Rather than protesting that he wasn't Mekt, he stayed silent, and just as the truth was discovered, Mekt broke through the wall and killed the police officer who was trying to dissuade Garth from taking Mekt's fall. When Garth saw just how insane Mekt had become, he tried to blast him, but was knocked out by his brother. Meanwhile, Ayla was told of Garth's arrest and the cop's electrocution, and she rushed straight to Bisbe.
Garth awoke just as they were entering Korbal's orbit, where Mekt started killing more beasts to increase his own power, so he would be the only one with lightning powers, a plan that did not involve Garth or Ayla. As Garth realized this, several Science Police
Science Police
Science Police is a fictional law enforcement agency in the . They were referred to as "World-Wide Police" in their first appearance in the 30th century. They were featured in a four issue limited series titled Legion Science Police. In the 30th and 31st centuries, the Science Police serves the...
cruisers flew overhead announcing that he was under arrest for the murder of a policeman. Mekt immediately began to down the cruisers, while Garth pleaded with Mekt to stop. Finally, when Ayla showed up, a ranting Mekt attacked her. Garth was finally forced to face the truth about Mekt, but Mekt, now more powerful than both of the twins together, retaliated by vaporizing Garth's right arm. Ayla grabbed Mekt's laser pistol and shot him in the leg, delaying him while she saw that Garth's wound had cauterized itself. Finally, as Mekt prepared to finish them off, Garth prompted Ayla to hold his remaining hand and let their powers run together freely. The resulting blast was enough to not only knock Mekt off his feet, but completely discharge him (not to mention turn his hair white). Mekt was finally arrested by the S.P., and (after a short stay in hospital) Garth was cleared of all charges.
While he was recovering from the ordeal, and getting used to his artificial arm, he was contacted by Cosmic Boy, who knew that President Chu was up to something, but he didn't know what and thus had to play along with her wishes (which included keeping Live Wire off the team). Rokk thus had Live Wire put together a secret "Rescue Squad." After recruiting Ultra Boy
Ultra Boy
Ultra Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in DC Comics. He is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. Ultra Boy gained these powers when the space-speedster he was flying was swallowed by an ultra-energy beast , exposing him to...
, Element Lad
Element Lad
Element Lad is a fictional character in the 30th and 31st centuries of the , a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. A native of the planet Trom, he has the power to transmute chemical elements.-Pre-Zero Hour:...
, Andromeda, Valor
Lar Gand
Lar Gand, known primarily as Mon-El , is a fictional character in DC Comics' universe who is associated with the Legion of Super-Heroes, Superboy, and Superman...
and XS
XS (comics)
XS is a fictional character, a superheroine in the future of the DC Comics universe. A member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, she is the granddaughter of Barry Allen , and first cousin of Bart Allen .-Fictional character biography:Despite being the granddaughter of Barry Allen and the daughter of...
, they saved the Legion from the Fatal Five
Fatal Five
The Fatal Five are fictional characters, a supervillain team of the 30th century in the DC Comics universe. They were created by Jim Shooter and first appeared in Adventure Comics #352 as enemies of the Legion of Super-Heroes....
. Both teams then divided into three, and all the heroes combined to have Chu impeached and arrested, and to prevent her (with the Fatal Five's help) from reviving the Braal
Braal (planet)
Braal is a fictional planet in the DC Comics universe. It is the homeworld of a race of magnetism manipulators. Its most famous resident is Cosmic Boy, a DC Comics' superhero and founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
-Titan
Titan (moon)
Titan , or Saturn VI, is the largest moon of Saturn, the only natural satellite known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only object other than Earth for which clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found....
War.
R.J. Brande was then (very reluctantly) drafted as the new U.P. president, and his first act was to abolish the U.P.-installed membership restrictions on the team, allowing Garth to rejoin.
Garth was killed during the "Legion Lost" storyline, sacrificing himself in battle with the Progenitor (actually an insane Element Lad
Element Lad
Element Lad is a fictional character in the 30th and 31st centuries of the , a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. A native of the planet Trom, he has the power to transmute chemical elements.-Pre-Zero Hour:...
). A few crystals were left from the destruction of the Progenitor, which Kid Quantum took with her upon the Lost Legion's return to the "first" galaxy; she left the crystals on Shanghalla (the heroes' graveyard). It turned out Garth's essence survived in the crystals and Jan's body regrew but with Garth's mind. He was apparently able to use both the Element Lad and Lightning Lad powers in the new crystalline body. His relationship with other Legionnaires, including Saturn Girl, was strained due to his outward resemblance to the Progenitor.
In the Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
: Legion of 3 Worlds miniseries, the post-Zero Hour Legion is brought to the pre-crisis Legion's timeline, to help battle Superboy Prime and the Legion of Super-Villains
Legion of Super-Villains
The Legion of Super-Villains is a team of fictional supervillains that appear in comic books published by DC Comics. They are adversaries of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the future...
. During this time, the pre-crisis Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5
Brainiac 5 is a fictional character who exists in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. He is a long standing member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5 is from the planet Colu...
uses a specially charged lightning rod to increase the transmutation ability of Element Lad's body, allowing Garth to mutate the body itself into a match for his own.
Threeboot
In the 2005 Waid/Kitson revamp, Garth Ranzz (again as Lightning Lad) remains a charter member of the galactic youth movement the Legion has become. (It is revealed that he coined the first Legion motto—"Eat it, Grandpa!") He and Saturn Girl share an intimate connection, and Garth notes that one has to be "way honest" to date a telepath. He is protective of his twin, Light Lass, and bears a slight grudge against Brin LondoTimber Wolf (comics)
Timber Wolf is a fictional character, a superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the and member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He comes from the planet Zoon . His powers are enhanced strength, speed and agility...
for his treatment of Ayla. One of the Legion's fiercest fighters, he almost single-handedly routed the terrorist group Terra Firma in their first skirmish with the Legion. Made acting leader in the wake of the Lemnos crisis, it was Lightning Lad who signed the accord which officially named the Legion as an arm of the United Planets and saved hundreds of Legionnaires from being brutally deported by the Science Police. He is the Legion member who has logged the least time on Earth, tending to prefer exploring space, as if searching for something, revealed to be his older brother, Mekt, who ultimately came to Earth, himself, leading his own super team known as "The Wanderers." This fact, and his almost total dedication to the Legion's cause puts a serious strain on his relationship with Saturn Girl, eventually putting her in Ultra Boy's
Ultra Boy
Ultra Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in DC Comics. He is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Universe. Ultra Boy gained these powers when the space-speedster he was flying was swallowed by an ultra-energy beast , exposing him to...
arms.
Post-Infinite Crisis
The events of the Infinite CrisisInfinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
miniseries have restored a close analogue of the Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
Legion to continuity, as seen in "The Lightning Saga
The Lightning Saga
"The Lightning Saga" is a comic book crossover story arc that took place in DC Comics' two flagship team books: Justice League of America and Justice Society of America. It was written by Brad Meltzer and Geoff Johns, and illustrated by Ed Benes, Dale Eaglesham, and Shane Davis...
" story arc in Justice League of America and Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
, and in the "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes" story arc in Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
. Lightning Lad is included in their number, and is still married to Saturn Girl.
Garth later escorts Superman back to the present, where the two take to the time to reminisce on certain teenage misadventures in the Fortress of Solitude
Fortress of Solitude
The Fortress of Solitude is the occasional headquarters of Superman in DC Comics. Its predecessor, Superman's "Secret Citadel", first appeared in Superman #17, where it was said to be built into a mountain on the outskirts of Metropolis...
. The two are then joined by Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, who reveals that the bodies of Karate Kid
Karate Kid (comics)
Karate Kid is a fictional character, a superhero in the future of the DC Comics universe, and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. He is a master of every form of martial arts to have been developed by the 31st century...
and Una
Triplicate Girl
Triplicate Girl is a fictional character, a superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. She has also used the aliases Duo Damsel, Triad, Una and Duplicate Damsel....
were found in Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
. Garth and Batman react very hostile towards one another, given Batman's distrust of time travelers. Garth leaves back to the 31st Century with Karate Kid and Una's bodies, but not before giving Superman a new flight ring and giving Batman a veiled warning about upcoming struggles
Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P. is a comic book story arc published in Batman #676-681 by DC Comics. Written by Grant Morrison, penciled by Tony Daniel, and with covers by Alex Ross, the story pits the superhero Batman against the Black Glove organization as they attempt to destroy everything for which he stands...
.
In the 2009 revival of Adventure Comics, Garth is sent by an imprisoned Mekt to uncover the truth about whether Mekt was in fact a single birth, or whether his suspicions are correct that he does have a twin and that his parents have covered this up. It remains to be seen whether he is telling the truth, is lying, or has deluded himself into believing this. If it is true, this revelation would be a significant alteration to the characters' backstory.
Powers and abilities
Lightning Lad has the ability to generate electricity within his own body without harming himself. This electricity he is able to discharge in the form of potent "lightning bolts" (in some undisclosed way his power prevents these bolts from taking the path of least resistance to Earth, such that he is able to target objects with great accuracy). He can also create flashing lettering which can been seen from great distances. He has occasionally displayed a limited control of weather. In more recent versions of the character, Garth is also able to direct his electric powers internally so as to move at superhuman speed, with his top speed being approximately one-third the speed of light. Lightning Lad is immune to the harmful effects of electric currents, not only those currents which he himself generates.In other media
- In Superman: The Animated SeriesSuperman: The Animated SeriesSuperman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
, Lightning Lad made a cameo background appearance in the episode "New Kids In Town". He later reappeared in an episode of Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
titled "Far From Home".
- He is part of the core Legion team in the Legion of Super-HeroesLegion of Super Heroes (TV series)Legion of Super Heroes is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that debuted on September 23, 2006, based on characters appearing in the DC Comics comic book series. The series centers on the young Superman's adventures in the 31st century, fighting alongside a...
series, voiced by Andy MilderAndy MilderAndy Milder is an American actor and voice actor. He has appeared in such films as Apollo 13, Armageddon, Rumor Has It…, Frost/Nixon, Transformers and Domino...
. Lightning Lad is the Legion's field leader in this version of the story. Physically he looks almost identical to his earlier comic book counterparts, except for a lightning boltThunderboltA thunderbolt is a discharge of lightning accompanied by a loud thunderclap or its symbolic representation. In its original usage the word may also have been a description of meteors, or, as Plato suggested in Timaeus, of the consequences of a close approach between two planetary cosmic bodies,...
-shaped scar over his right eye which glows when his powers are activated. He is also portrayed as brash and hot-headed with a somewhat competitive attitude towards Superman, though they seem to develop a closer relationship later on. The episode "Champions" shows him to be a top "dodecathleteDecathlonThe decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word decathlon is of Greek origin . Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. Performance is judged on a points system in each event, not...
" in the Intergalactic Games, a sort of future OlympicsOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. After Saturn Girl is left in a coma in season 2, he swears revenge on the people who did it to her. In the episode "Chained Lightning," it was revealed that he and his brother Mekt had received their powers during an attack by Lightning Beasts, during which their sister was presumed to have died. Later in that episode, Garth loses his right arm during a battle with his brother when ImperiexImperiexImperiex is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Superman #153 , and was created by Jeph Loeb and Ian Churchill...
attacked, and gained a new arm called the Cybernetic 4000. It is revealed to the Legion that Ayla had not perished during the Lightning Beast attack as they originally thought, but was instead shifted to another state of being, becoming an energy vortex that Imperiex attempted to tap into in order to power a new weapon. With Mekt's help, Garth was able to restore Ayla back to the way she was before the incident.
- Lightning Lad, along with Cosmic BoyCosmic BoyCosmic Boy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries of the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 . He is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and was the original leader in all incarnations of the Legion...
and Saturn GirlSaturn GirlSaturn Girl is a fictional character appearing in DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...
, appeared in live-action for the first time in the eleventh episode of season 8 of the CWThe CW Television NetworkThe CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
series SmallvilleSmallvilleSmallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
, entitled LegionSmallville (season 8)Season eight of Smallville, an American television series, began airing on September 18, 2008. The series recounts the early adventures of Kryptonian Clark Kent as he adjusts to life in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas, during the years before he becomes Superman...
airing January 15, 2009 portrayed by actor Calum Worthy. In the episode, Garth is generally portrayed as the overzealous fan of Superman, a talker who tends to say more than he should. He is the only Legion member to be referred to by his full codename. At the end of the episode, Garth is given an autographed baseball by Clark, which he attempted to play off as a gift for his sister. Garth mentions the ball is the only piece of memoribilia not in the History museum.