Lightray (Solis) is a
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 thei ...
superhero
A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
. Created by
Jack Kirby for the ''
Jack Kirby's Fourth World
"Fourth World" is a storyline told through a metaseries of connected comic book titles written and drawn by Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics from 1970 to 1973. Although they were not marketed under this title until the August–September 1971 ...
'' meta-series, he first appeared in ''
New Gods
The New Gods are a fictional extraterrestrial race appearing in the eponymous comic book series published by DC Comics, as well as selected other DC titles. Created and designed by Jack Kirby, they first appeared in February 1971 in ''New Gods'' ...
'' #1 (February 1971).
Lightray was a major character in ''New Gods'' volume 1 (1971–1978), as well as volume 2 (1984), volume 3 (1989–1991) and volume 4 (1995–1997). He has also appeared with
Orion in the ''
Cosmic Odyssey'' limited series (1988–1989), ''
Jack Kirby's Fourth World
"Fourth World" is a storyline told through a metaseries of connected comic book titles written and drawn by Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics from 1970 to 1973. Although they were not marketed under this title until the August–September 1971 ...
'' (1997–1998) and ''Orion'' (2000–2002).
Seven years after the character's creation, Lightray's origin story was revealed in ''
DC Special Series
''DC Special Series'' was an umbrella title for one-shots and special issues published by DC Comics between 1977 and 1981. Each issue featured a different character and was often in a different format than the issue before it. ''DC Special Serie ...
'' #10, a ''Secret Origins of Super-Heroes'' issue that was published in January 1978.
The version of the character in current
DC continuity was introduced in ''
Green Lantern/New Gods: Godhead'' #1 in December 2014.
[
]
Characterization
For the fourth volume of ''New Gods'' created by in 1995, Rachel Pollack and Tom Peyer
Tom Peyer (born February 23, 1954) is an American comic book creator and editor. He is known for his 1999 revisioning of Golden Age super-hero Hourman, as well as his work on the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 1990s. An editor at DC Comics/Vertigo ...
discussed with ''Back Issue'' magazine how Lightray changed after Darkseid
Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
is killed by Orion in issue #2:
Walt Simonson, who wrote the ''Orion'' series starting in 2000, says that his conception of Lightray and Orion was based on the relationship that Kirby established in ''New Gods'' volume 1. In 2018, Simonson said: "I saw Lightray as a strategist, whereas Orion is more a tactician. Jack actually had Orion refer to Lightray as a planner at the climax of the Deep Six story, "The Glory Boat!" (''New Gods'' #6, Jan. 1972). I tried basing my notions of Lightray primarily on that story".[
In ''Superheroes of the Round Table'', Jason Tondro characterizes Lightray's place in Kirby's ''New Gods'' work: "We have characters like... the amazing Lightray, a denizen of New Genesis who embodies light with all of its creativity, bright humor, and intelligence... Lightray embodies illumination". Tondro says Lightray "and other characters, both good and evil, hint at the full dimensions of Kirby's epic pantheon".
]
Fictional character biography
Lightray is the shining star of New Genesis
New Genesis is a fictional planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, the planet is home to the heroic New Gods led by the sage Highfather. New Genesis is the positive counterpart ...
and a high-spirited New God. Unlike his grim friend Orion, Lightray is cheerful and optimistic and prefers to solve problems through compromise rather than combat. He uses the speed of light to his advantage in eluding foes.
Lightray has served one stint as a member of the Justice League. He joined the international branch along with Orion on the same night as a membership drive failed to find other new recruits. The difference between the two was illustrated in battle. While Lightray desires a minimum of fuss in battle by dispatching his foe Crowbar
A crowbar, also called a wrecking bar, pry bar or prybar, pinch-bar, or occasionally a prise bar or prisebar, colloquially, in Britain and Australia sometimes called a jemmy or jimmy (also called jemmy bar), gooseneck, or pig foot, is a tool ...
with a simple expenditure of energy to the man's face, Orion preferred to destroy the pavement around Blackrock, only to then be angered when his opponent surrendered instead of fighting to the death.
In this same issue, Lightray demonstrates his knowledge of chess. Lightray's long hair causes him to be mistaken for a girl by the old-fashioned General Glory. They stay with the team until just after the battle with General Glory's old foe the Evil Eye.
As Solis his idea of fun is protecting New Genesis from Apokolips
Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is co ...
, Darkseid
Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
, and his minions. He resides on New Genesis and is active in adventuring. He returns to Earth briefly in ''JLA'' #27 (March 1999), as part of an emergency expansion of the Justice League. The team battles the android Amazo in the Florida Everglades. Most of them are subdued and their powers copied, Lightray included. Amazo loses his powers when Superman, as the chairman, officially disbands the League, thus ending Lightray's membership.
He would appear again to aid the League alongside Orion and Big Barda when the planet Qward
Qward is a fictional world existing within an anti-matter universe that is part of the . It was first mentioned in ''Green Lantern'' (vol. 2) #2 (October 1960).
Fictional history
Krona, an Oan scientist from the planet Maltus, performed a fo ...
attacked Earth with a giant ship.
In ''Countdown
A countdown is a sequence of backward counting to indicate the time remaining before an event is scheduled to occur. NASA commonly employs the terms "L-minus" and "T-minus" during the preparation for and anticipation of a rocket launch, and eve ...
'' #48, Lightray falls to Earth after an off stage fight with the New Gods Killer (later revealed to be Infinity-Man). He dies holding Jimmy Olsen's hand, repeating the word "infinite" and glowing brighter.
In ''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 b ...
'' #7, Lightray is depicted standing alongside Barda
Barda or BARDA may refer to:
Geography
*Barda District, a district in Azerbaijan
*Barda, Azerbaijan, a town in Azerbaijan
*Bârda, a village in Malovăț Commune, Mehedinți County, Romania
*Barda, Russia, several rural localities in Russia
*Bar ...
and Mister Miracle following the reincarnation of New Genesis
New Genesis is a fictional planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A part of Jack Kirby's Fourth World mythos, the planet is home to the heroic New Gods led by the sage Highfather. New Genesis is the positive counterpart ...
on the ruins of Apokolips.
Powers and abilities
Like all the New Gods, Lightray is functionally immortal and possesses great superhuman strength, endurance and reflexes. Lightray is able to lift several tons with ease. His reflexes and durability are also more than amazing and he has a limited degree of invulnerability. Lightray flies at the speed of light or even faster, and can generate and project solar energy. Thus, he can create brilliant light and extraordinarily high levels of heat. He can focus his solar energy into beams of laser-like intensity. Lightray can also use his powers of light to create life-like illusions.
Using his power to the maximum, he can generate a huge sun or a nova explosion. Although Lightray has a pacifist
Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...
personality and isn't a highly experienced warrior, he is well trained in hand-to-hand combat, but he prefers to use his solar powers in battle. In his headgear Lightray carries one of the powerful "living computers" called Mother Box.
Alternate versions
Seven Soldiers of Victory
Lightray makes several brief, non-speaking appearances in Grant Morrison's ''Seven Soldiers of Victory'' series, where his human form is a frail man on crutches.
Captain Carrot
In the miniseries ''Captain Carrot and the Final Ark'', Lightray's counterpart in the "New Dogs" is an anthropomorphic dog named Lightstray.
JLA: The Nail
In the 1998 Elseworlds
''Elseworlds'' was the publication imprint (trade name), imprint for American comic books produced by DC Comics for stories that took place outside the DC Universe Canon (fictional), canon. Elseworlds publications are set in alternate realitie ...
'' JLA: The Nail'', Lightray is depicted fighting in a war between New Genesis and Apokolips.
Influence
Jack Kirby's 1971 design for Lightray's costume influenced the look of artist Al Milgrom's creation of Firestorm in 1978. In an interview from 2019, Milgrom admitted: "The facemask on Firestorm, the way it comes around the chin, was probably inspired by Lightray more than anything... I liked the ightrayhead-covering thing; I said, "I'm stealin' it!"
A July 1971 ''New Gods'' story featuring Lightray has been noted as an example of racial bias in 1970s superhero storytelling. In "Death and the Black Racer" (''New Gods'' #3), Lightray — a blond white man — is running desperately to escape the Black Racer, portrayed as a person of color. José Alaniz and Scott T. Smith noted in ''Uncanny Bodies: Superhero Comics and Disability'' that the story "suggests a racial dichotomy... in which blackness presents as a threatening force".
In other media
Television
* Lightray appears in the shows set in DC Animated Universe:
** Lightray appears in the '' Superman: The Animated Series'' episode "Legacy" Pt. 2, in a non-speaking role.
** Lightray appears in the two-part '' Justice League'' episode "Twilight", voiced by Rob Paulsen
Robert Frederick Paulsen III (born March 11, 1956) is an American voice actor, known for his roles in numerous animated television series and films. He received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program and three Anni ...
. When Batman and Wonder Woman arrive on New Genesis to look for Orion, Lightray taunts them, giving Wonder Woman a playful slap on the behind, prompting her to declare "He's worse than the Flash!". This leads to a chase around New Genesis as Batman manages to trap Lightray as Orion arrives. Lightray is later seen with Batman, Wonder Woman, and Orion when they meet with Highfather.
** Lightray returns in a non-speaking role in the ''Justice League Unlimited
''Justice League Unlimited'' (''JLU'') is a 2004–2006 American superhero 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 ...
'' episode "Destroyer". He encounters Lex Luthor, Sinestro
Thaal Sinestro () (or simply Sinestro) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, particularly those featuring Green Lantern. Sinestro is a former Green Lantern Corps member who was dishonorably discharged for abu ...
and the Secret Society near New Genesis after they have accidentally resurrected Darkseid, who destroyed their base, only to be attacked by Evil Star
Evil Star is the name of two supervillains appearing in DC Comics publications.
Publication history
The Guy Pompton version of Evil Star debuted in ''All Star Comics'' #44 and was created by John Broome and Irwin Hasen.
The alien version of Evil ...
and have his Mother Box
Mother Boxes are fictional devices in Jack Kirby's '' Fourth World'' setting in the DC Universe.
The Mother Boxes appeared in the feature films ''Justice League'' and ''Zack Snyder's Justice League'' of the DC Extended Universe.
History
Created ...
stolen by Luthor, which the villains use to return to Earth. His fate afterwards is unknown.
* Lightray was originally planned to appear in the '' Harley Quinn'' episode "Inner (Para) Demons" where Darkseid would've killed him for his incompetence, but 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 thei ...
objected to the death and Lightray's cameo was replaced by Forager
A forager is a person who collects edible plants or fungi for consumption. Urban foragers may collect in city parks, private lands, and sidewalks. Urban foraging has gained in popularity in the 21st century, as people share their knowledge, experi ...
.[(2020). "Harley Quinn EPS Talk the Evolution of Harlivy and Plans for Season 3". SYFY. Retrieved 27 June 2020]
* Lightray appears in '' Young Justice: Phantoms'', voiced by Nolan North.
Film
* An alternate universe version of Lightray appears in '' Justice League: Gods and Monsters'', voiced by Trevor Devall
Trevor Devall (born November 10, 1972) is a Canadian-American voice actor and podcaster. He worked for various other studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for years, before he relocated to Los Angeles, California, US in 2013.
Early life ...
. He partakes in the betrayal of Darkseid and is murdered by Bekka when he attacks her.
References
{{Jack Kirby
DC Comics characters with superhuman strength
DC Comics deities
DC Comics superheroes
Comics characters introduced in 1971
DC Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds
Fictional characters who can manipulate light
Characters created by Jack Kirby
Fourth World (comics)