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)
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".
- 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.
- 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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