Lash Lightning is a fictional
superhero character who first appeared in ''Sure-Fire Comics'' #1 (June 1940) from
Ace Comics
''Ace Comics'' was a comic book series published by David McKay Publications between 1937 and 1949 — starting just before the Golden Age of Comic Books. The title reprinted syndicated newspaper strips owned by King Features Syndicate, followi ...
,
[Lash Lightning and Lightning Girl]
at InternationalHero.co.uk which was renamed ''Lightning Comics'' with issue #4 to take advantage of the new character's popularity. Originally called Flash Lightning, the character's name was changed to Lash Lightning in issue #7 to avoid confusion with
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with their f ...
'
the Flash
The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover dat ...
.
''Lightning Comics'' ended with issue #13 in June 1942. In this final issue, he was joined by a sidekick, Lightning Girl.
Lash also appeared in issues #1 to 22 (Sept 1941 – March 1946) of the Ace title ''Four Favorites''; about halfway through this run the "Lash" was dropped and he was simply named Lightning.
[ Lightning Girl joined him in issue #6.][
]
Fictional biography
Ace
In 1940, explorer Robert Morgan is delving into an Egyptian pyramid
The Egyptian pyramids are ancient masonry structures located in Egypt. Sources cite at least 118 identified "Egyptian" pyramids. Approximately 80 pyramids were built within the Kingdom of Kush, now located in the modern country of Sudan. Of ...
when he encounters an ancient mystic called The Old Man of the Pyramids. The mystic teaches Morgan ancient secrets, and gives him the Amulet of Annihilation, on the condition that he uses his powers to fight evil.
Morgan's powers include super-strength, super-speed, flight, the ability to generate electricity and radiate "lightning heat" and a measure of invulnerability (e.g., he can contain the explosion of a grenade
A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade g ...
with his bare hands); his powers can be recharged by electricity. Returning to the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
, Morgan dons a costume and changes his name to Lash Lightning (as opposed to maintaining a secret identity). His emblem is a triangle
A triangle is a polygon with three edges and three vertices. It is one of the basic shapes in geometry. A triangle with vertices ''A'', ''B'', and ''C'' is denoted \triangle ABC.
In Euclidean geometry, any three points, when non- colli ...
with a thunderbolt
A thunderbolt or lightning bolt is a symbolic representation of lightning when accompanied by a loud thunderclap. In Indo-European mythology, the thunderbolt was identified with the Proto-Indo-European mythology#Sky Father, 'Sky Father'; this ...
emerging from each of its three sides.[
His early foes include the Mummy, an insane college professor wrapped in bandages infused with radium, and the mad scientist Mastermind. His recurring villains also include a werewolf, the zombie-raising Dr. Diablo, and the Maestro, who wears a bee costume.]
Later, Lash’s friend Isobel Blake gains powers identical to his when he accidentally charges her with thousands of volts of electricity; she dons a costume similar to his and becomes his partner, Lightning Girl. The two of them are able to track each other via their “lightning impulses.”[
]
''Project Superpowers''
At some point after World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, both Lash Lightning and Lightning Girl were imprisoned in the mystical Urn of Pandora, along with many other heroes, by the misguided Fighting Yank
The Fighting Yank is the name of several superheroes, first appearing in ''Startling Comics'' #10 (Sept 1941).
Fall 1941 was a boom period for patriotic superheroes as the country prepared to enter World War II; during this period, comic book ...
; decades later, the Urn was broken and the heroes released. The duo were then recruited, along with six other heroes (including Magno and Davey Captain Courageous, Mr. Raven, Soldier Unknown), and The Sword, to form a team called The Super-Mysterymen; the purpose of this team has not yet been revealed.
''Living Legends''
Lightning Girl is one of the sixteen heroes to have hopped sixty years into the future in the pages of the Metahuman Press
In DC Comics' DC Universe, a metahuman is a human with superpowers. The term is roughly synonymous with both ''mutant'' and ''mutate'' in the Marvel Universe and ''posthuman'' in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. In DC Comics, the term ...
serial ''Living Legends''. She was the only one of the characters to return to college in an attempt to regain a normal life, but the return of a still-young Robert Morgan has complicated matters in the still-ongoing serial.
Revival
In 2008, Lash Lightning and Lightning Girl appeared in flashback in Dynamite Entertainment
Dynamite Entertainment is an American comic book publisher founded by Nick Barrucci in 2004 at Mount Laurel, New Jersey. It is best known as the owners of ''The Boys'' franchise across several IP medias. Dynamite primarily publishes adaptations ...
’s ''Project Superpowers
''Project Superpowers'' is a comic book limited series published by Dynamite Entertainment beginning January 2008. It was co-plotted by Jim Krueger and Alex Ross, with scripts by Jim Krueger, covers by Alex Ross, and interior art by Doug Klauba a ...
'' #0; in the one-shot ''Project Superpowers: Chapter Two Prelude'', they appear in this line as part of a team called The Super-Mysterymen (presumably named after the Ace title ''Super-Mystery Comics'').
References
External links
Lash Lighting / Flash Lightning
at Don Markstein's Toonopedia
Archived
from the original on October 24, 2015.
at MetahumanPress.com
{{GoldenAge
Dynamite Entertainment characters
Golden Age superheroes