Garth Ranzz
Garth Ranzz is a male comic superhero who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Pre-Crisis
Garth Ranzz
On their space-flyer, their vessel was forced to land on the wild planet of Korbal. Stranded, Garth came up with the idea of using the native lightning monsters to recharge the ship's batteries. Exposure to the creatures attacks the three siblings became charged with lightning and developed electricity-based powers. Using their new abilities, they chased off the lightning monsters and returned to their home though Mekt later came to disappear. (Superboy v1 #147)
He then decided to go out and look for Mekt where Garth send goodbye to his parents and sister on Winath as he took a ship for Earth in order to consult the Science Police. During the journey, he came to meet a fellow passenger named Rokk Krinn who was going to Earth in search for work using his magnetic abilities. On the transport, they came to learn that another passenger was R. J. Brande who was regarded as the richest man in the universe. Arriving at Metropolis Spaceport, a pair of gunmen attempted to kill Brande with Garth and Rokk intervening in the incident. They were aided by a telepath named Imra Ardeen who determined that the gunmen had been hired by Brande's cousin Doyle with him taking part in the act to settle a gambling debt to a syndicate. In gratitude, Brande requested the three youths meet him at his office where he was impressed at their actions and wanted to help turn the teenagers into superheroes. At first, Garth was not convinced but Brande looked to the exploits of Superman and Supergirl who similarly started being heroes as young teenagers. The three ultimately came to accept the proposal with Garth reasoning that this could give him the resources to find his brother. Given the superhero name Lightning Lad, Garth was provided a costume and alongside Rokk as well as Imra they founded the Legion of Super-Heroes. (Superboy v1 #147)
The Legion were set to have their annual vote to elect a new leader, and Saturn Girl was the first to arrive at the Clubhouse. A crystal capsule sent from the Trylop Council of Mernl dropped from the sky warning that their computers predicted a Legionnaire would die using their powers during an upcoming invasion of Earth by Zaryan the Conqueror, and Saturn Girl resolved to sacrifice herself to protect her fellow Legionnaires. She used her thought control to nudge the Legion into electing her leader, then used a rainbow bar from their treasury to make medallions with her face printed on them, and demanded every Legionnaire wear one. She demanded the Legionnaires demonstrate effective use of their powers, and was able to temporarily duplicate each member of the Legion’s powers using the medallions they wore, and proceeded to forbid them for using their powers or going on missions during a probation period because she declared they were not using their powers properly. When Zaryan began his invasion of Earth she responded, and warned the other Legionnaires not to follow her because they were on probation. The Legion thought she’d gone mad with power, but Mon-El had observed her actions from the Phantom Zone, and knew her motivations. Sunspots interfered with him communicating with the Legion, but when they lifted he filled in Lightning Lad on the situation, and he flew into space, determined to keep Saturn Girl from sacrificing herself. He blew up Zaryan’s ship with his powers, but was fatally shot with a freeze-ray. The Legion honored him by placing him in a glass coffin with lightning generated over it by a perpetual motion device, and his funeral was attended by Superboy, Supergirl and Lori Lemaris. The Legion placed a statue of Lightning Lad in their Clubhouse as a tribute to the first Legionnaire killed in action. (Adventure Comics v1 #304) The Legion still mourned Lightning Lad, but had to fill the spot his passing left on the roster. Brainiac 5 finally found a way to cure Mon-El of lead poisoning, enabling him to live outside the Phantom Zone, and he was chosen as the latest Legionnaire. Mon-El was thankful for being cured, but his spirit was dampened remembering poor Lightning Lad, and he vowed to find a way to revive him using the super-science of his native Daxam. (Adventure Comics v1 #305)
Later on, he came to pick up a distress signal from ships that were being preyed upon a gigantic space beast. At first, Lightning Lad did not believe the claims about the creatures size but notified the Space Guard and investigated the matter. He then encountered the monster that was consuming metal produced from a small mine with Garth looking to stun it with his super-lightning. However, it came to be reflected back at him and his right arm came to be infected with a green poison from the beast. This left him in agonising pain but Lightning Ladd managed to return to his ship where he set the autopilot to take him back to the Legion Clubhouse. Whilst there, a surgeon named Dr. Lanphier began to treat him but was ultimately forced to remove Garth's right arm and replace it with a robotic limb. After regaining consciousness, he came to be angered at losing his arm and vowed to get his revenge against the space beast by killing it. (Adventure Comics v1 #332)
A group of criminals hired to target Legionnaire Timber Wolf got his attention by hijacking an armored car using a grav truck. Timer Wolf fought them, and after a rayblast wounded his arm he fought like a cornered animal, overwhelming them. This confrontation drew a number of onlookers, and one of them, claiming to be a doctor, bandaged Wolf’s arm and gave him something to drink that he assured him would make him feel better. Timber Wolf returned to the Legion clubhouse and snapped at his girlfriend Light Lass. He apologized, saying he did not know what came over him, and she chalked it up to Timber Wolf being used to being a loner. Timber Wolf grew more and more agitated, filled with an intense appetite for something, but he did not know what. Wandering throughout Metropolis he was met by the ‘doctor’ who was actually a drug dealer who told Wolf he’d laced his drink with the lotus of Oomar. Timber Wolf wanted to bring him to the authorities, but he found his will had been sapped and he could not resist when the dealer handed him two lotus fruits, telling him to give one to one of his fellow Legionnaires. Lightning Lad visited Light Lass, and she confessed that she had been distracted by how strangely Timber Wolf had been acting. Lightning Lad was still impressed that she was able to get Timber Wolf to open up to her. Timber Wolf offered Light Lass the lotus fruit and she threw it at him, saying she did not want gifts, she wanted him to stop shutting her out. She shadowed Timber Wolf when he left the clubhouse, and watched him hallucinate and fall into a daze after consuming the lotus. She followed him to an alley where he met his dealer, who gave him a basket of lotus fruit in exchange for the promise that he had gottn the entire Legion hooked. Light Lass rigged the basket to a blast grenade in her belt, telling Lone Wolf that if he disturbed the fruit he would be killing her. Lone Wolf fought his addiction and turned on the drug dealer, attacking him. Light Lass said she knew his love for her was stronger than his addiction. (Action Comics v1 #378)
With Ultra Boy absent on a mission Mon-El called a meeting of the Legion consisting of Dream Girl, Shadow Lass, Element Lad and Lightning Lad. The Legion computer alerted the team that one of them was an impostor, but before it could reveal who it was blown up through sabotage. Before the team could determine who the impostor was an alert went out that the criminal Sunburst was robbing the Metropolis Mint. When confronted Sunburst blasted the team with solar energy, knocking Mon-El for a loop. Lightning Lad and Element Lad both targeted the criminal with their powers, but missed, striking the mint and cracking it open. Shadow Lass blinded Sunburst with her shadow casting, allowing the revived Mon-El to knock out the criminal with one punch. The team started arguing about who was the imposter, with Mon-El being suspected because Sunburst’s powers had harmed him, but he replied that he hadn’t taken his daily serum that gave him immunity to lead and red solar energy. Accusals fell on Element Lad and Lightning lad for striking the mint instead of Sunburst, but Mon-El told the team to stop arguing and pulled off ‘Shadow Lass’ mask, revealing her as the criminal Uli Algor. Mon-El said Sunburst’s powers would have made the real Shadow Lass powerless, and Uliu confessed, saying she had taken Shadow Lass place and conspired with Sunburst, hoping that by defeating him she had proven herself as a genuine Legionnaire. She then intended to steal all of the Legion’s secrets and help her partner in crime escape prison. Uli led the Legion to Shadow Lass, who was momentarily jealous that Mon-El could have mistaken someone else for her, but he immediately reassured her that the imposter did not hold a candle to her. (Action Comics v1 #378)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
Threeboot
Post-Infinite Crisis
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
Overview
Personality and attributes
Originally, it was said that the name Lightning Lad was given to Garth by R.J. Brande when he sponsored Ranzz to be a superhero. (Superboy v1 #147)
In his adulthood, he was thankful to Superman for teaching him right from wrong in their youth with Garth considering Kal-El more of an elder brother than his actual brother Mekt. (Action Comics v1 #864)
Powers and abilities
Originally, Garth lacked any powers until he and his siblings were exposed to an attack by the Lightning Beast of Korbal. This led to him gaining the power to generate and manipulate electricity. (Superboy v1 #147)
With his powers, he was able to shoot out a blast of lightning which could stun a person or disarm them. (Superboy v1 #147) He was able to stun his targets by firing his super-lightning with reduced force. (Adventure Comics v1 #332)
His hands thus operated like the negative and positive poles of a battery that meant that meant he could release super-lightning from his body such as when he clapped his hands together. He could use these for a variety of effects such as creating special lightning-flashes that did not fade away for 10 seconds allowing him to write words in space. (Adventure Comics v1 #247)
One incarnation of him came to lose his right arm to a giant space beast's poison with it being amputated. This saw it being replaced by a robot arm that he came to learn to control. (Adventure Comics v1 #332)
Notes
- Garth Ranzz was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino where he made his first appearance in Adventure Comics v1 #247 (April, 1958).
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
- In the DC Animated Universe, Lightning Lad made several appearances in the shared continuity setting.
- In Superman: The Animated Series, Lightning Lad appeared in the animated television series episode "New Kids In Town". It featured him as one of several Legionnaires back in the 30th century.
- In Justice League Unlimited, Lightning Lad appeared in a non-voiced role in the animated television series in the episode "Far From Home."
- In Legion of Super-Heroes, Lightning Lad appeared as a main cast member in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Andy Milder. This version is brash, hot-headed, and sports glowing blue eyes and a lightning-shaped scar over his right eye, both of which he obtained during the incident that gave him his powers. Garth Ranzz was born on the planet Winath with his twin, Ayla Ranzz. Although he was introverted, Ranzz excelled in sports and was hailed as the Ranzz' prodigal son. This often brought out jealousy in his older brother, Mekt Ranzz. While the three children were out in space on a joyride, they were forced to land. Mekt Ranzz chose Korbal in order to use the local wildlife to recharge their ship. The Lightning Beasts surrounded them and attacked. While Mekt and Garth survived with electrical super powers, Ayla was phased into a state of pure energy. Garth also received a scar on his face that charges when he activates his ability. Ranzz travelled to Earth in search of his brother and met Rokk Krinn and Imra Ardeen on the way. Together, they saved the life of R.J. Brande. The four founded the Legion of Superheroes. Ranzz took the codename, Lightning Lad. During this time, he suffered a reoccurring nightmare about Ayla's disappearance. Lightning Lad always proved to be a source of contention among the Legion. He frequently clashed with Cosmic Boy over decisions. As a Legionnaire, Garth faced some of the toughest criminals in the galaxy such as the Fatal Five. With a compliment of Legionnaires, Garth and the others were able to defeat the Fatal Five, but they soon escaped from their prison on Takron-Galtos and came to Earth looking for revenge. The Legion's resident genius Brainiac 5 theorized that the only way to save their future was by looking to the past. Three Legionnaires traveled back in time to the 21st century to enlist the aid of famed hero Superman at a point in time when he had only recently developed his super-abilities. When they brought Superman back to the 31st century, Garth was the first to voice his disapproval, believing Clark Kent to be nothing more than a 'nerd' and a 'geek'. With proper coaching from Lightning Lad however, young Superman proved to be a valuable asset to the team and they were able to successfully defeat the Fatal Five.
- In Smallville, Lightning Lad appeared in the live-action television series in the episode "Legion" where he was portrayed by actor Calum Worthy.
- In The Flash, Lightning Lad was referenced by name in the live-action television series set in the Arrowverse in the episode "Nora". XS commented to the Flash that his emblem was cooler than Lightning Lad's.
Films
- In Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Cosmic Clash, Lightning Lad appeared in the setting of the animated film where he was voiced again by actor Andy Milder.
Video games
- In Injustice 2, Lightning Lad was referenced in dialogue between characters in the setting of the fighting video game.
Appearances
- Adventure Comics v1: (1958)
- Superboy v1:
- Legion of Super-Heroes:
- Action Comics v1:
External Links
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