LIGHTNING LAD

Real Name: Garth Ranzz

Class: Extraterrestrial (Winarth)

Occupation: Legionnaire

Group Affiliation: Legion of Super-Heroes

Known Relatives: Garridan (Validus, son), Ayla Ranzz (Lightning Lass, sister), Dacey Ranzz (daughter), Dorrit Ranzz (daughter), Grayn Ranzz (son), Mekt Ranzz (Lightning Lord, brother)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Metropolis, Earth, 30th Century

First Appearance: Adventure Comics I #247 (April, 1958)

Powers: Lightning Lad could generate electricity and project lightning bolts.

History:  (Adventure Comics I #308 (fb)) - Twins Ayla and Garth Ranzz and their brother Mekt were enjoying a ride in space when their space-flier’s energy-cells stalled out. They landed on the planet Korbal, and Garth tried to lure the Lightning Beasts that were native to the planet into firing electric blasts at the flier so its’ energy-cells would get powered. The Beasts hit the Ranzz family with electricity, but instead of killing them the Ranzz family found they’d all gained the power to generate lightning. Garth took the superhero identity of Lightning Lad and decided to try out for the Legion of Super-Heroes. He was accepted, and made Ayla promise to keep her power secret, fearing space criminals might find out about her abilities and force her to use them for nefarious ends.

(Adventure Comics I #304) - 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 I #305) - 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 I #308) - Ayla Ranzz decided to honor her brother by continuing his heroic legacy. She shaved her hair to match his, dressed herself in a replica of Lightning Lad’s superhero costume, and took his place in the crypt. When the Legion went to place a Legion flag over Lightning Lad’s coffin Ayla started twitching, and they freed her from the coffin. Trying to pass as Lightning Lad she claimed to have been revived by the constantly firing electrical bolts above “his”coffin, but claimed to be suffering from some memory loss. The Legion suspected that Lightning Lad’s powers might have worn off while he was dead, and agreed to secretly test his powers. Sun Boy had already figured out “Lightning Lad” was an imposter, and correctly guessed that the imposter was his twin sister since “Lightning Lad” had no Adam's apple, so he used his heat powers to help “Lightning Lad” pass the tests, not realizing Ayla had powers of her own. When Ayla was found out the Legion agreed to induct her as Lightning Lass, but still hoped the day would come when they could revive Lightning Lad for real.

(Action Comics I #378) - 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 didn’t 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 didn’t 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 couldn’t 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’d 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 didn’t 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’d get 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’d 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 I #378) - With Ultra Boy absent on a mission Mon-El called a meeting of the LSH 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’d taken Shadow Lass’ place and conspired with Sunburst, hoping that by defeating him she’d prove 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 LSH 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 didn’t hold a candle to her.

(Action Comics I #381) - The Legion closed shop for the night, with Brainiac 5 staying behind for night duty. Karate Kid walked home, Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad went to catch a 3-D movie and Chemical King offered to give Phantom Girl, Ultra Boy and Matter-Eater Lad a ride home so he could show off his new air-car. Matter-Eater Lad had him drop him off a while away from home because he didn’t want his fellow Legionnaires, who lived in expensive upper level units to see that he lived in the lower level slum with his parents. Matter-Eater Lad got into an argument with his parents because his father Rall spent his entire pension and most of Matter-Eater Lad’s Legion check on his gambling habit, and decided to leave home. After spending some time with Shrinking Violet he was convinced he had to face his problems head-on and agreed to return home after his father promised to give up gambling.

(Superboy I #172) - When Mekt, now calling himself Lightning Lord, robbed the Inter-Planetary bank, Legionnaires Lightning Lad, Light Lass, and Timber Wolf were put on the case. They found Lightning Lord hiding out on an asteroid, and although the Ranzz  were not eager to fight their brother they hoped he d be reformed in jail. After Light Lass and Timber Wolf were downed in combat Lightning Lad defeated his brother in a lightning duel, causing Lightning Lord s hair to turn bright white.

(Superboy I #188) - Chameleon Boy and Ultra Boy manned the Legion space exploratory station when they discovered magical blood-crystals floating in space, and brought them in to examine them. They crystals were created by Mordru, and they instilled their possessor with an intense hatred of Superboy. Chameleon Boy handled the crystals, knocked out Ultra Boy and traveled back to the 20th Century to kill Superboy. Ultra Boy alerted Lightning Lad and the Legion, and they went after him, but he fooled them by shapeshifting to pose as Superboy. Chameleon Boy tried to kill Superboy with kryptonite, but Superboy restrained him and buried him underground, because this negated Mordru's magic. He dug up Chameleon Boy and returned him to the future with a story to share with his teammates.

(Superboy I #190) - Lightning Lad and the Legion prepared to vote on their new leader, with their revised bylaws allowing them to choose between re-electing Mon-El or placing Saturn Girl in charge. As the Legionnaires voted Mon-El confessed to Saturn Girl that he d decline leadership if re-elected, he d lost faith in his nerves and leadership qualities. Tharok used a teleport beam to spirit Mon-El and Saturn Girl to a remote planetoid. He planned to eliminate the Legion by having Validus kill their leaders. Mon-El was overmatched by Validus, so he pretended to go over to Tharok's side and convinced him to take leadership of the Legion. Once Tharok accepted Validus continued his programming to destroy the Legion leader and friend Tharok s computerized side with his mental lightning. Mon-El and Saturn Girl returned to Legion hq, with Mon-Elonce again feeling fully confident in himself.

(DC Comics Presents #13) - Superman disabled an alien probe that put two astronauts into suspended animation, and followed the probe back into deep space. He discovered the Nyrvnians, a race that had spent the past millennia attacking other civilizations and kidnapping warriors from across the universe to serve their cause. He was prepared to disable the Nyrvnian fleet in the process of attacking another world when Lightning Lad and the Legion of Super-Heroes appeared from the 30th century to stop him. They explained that the utopia of the 30th century depended on the Nyrvnians allying themselves with Earth s star fleets in the future to repulse a common foe. Superman begrudgingly accepted that he couldn't change the Legion s past, and returned to Earth. Pete Ross was waiting for Clark at Galaxy Broadcasting, and told him a spacecraft had kidnapped his son. Clark was shocked to see Pete s sketch of the alien craft, clearly Nyrvnian technology. Superman flew back to Nyrvn, but was intercepted by Dawnstar of the Legion. She told him that Jon Ross would grow to be the Nyrvnians greatest soldier and lead them to victory in the war that would bring 30th Century peace. Superman was unconvinced, so she added her speed to his own so they could travel to the time period of the war. Superman attacked the enemies fleet, but their advanced weaponry brought him low. Back in the present day Superman capitulated to the Legion s policy of non-interference, but had an idea about saving the universe from the Nyrvnians. They assembled United Planets advanced weaponry and created an artificial planet and star fleet commanded by Superman Robots to engage the Nyrvnians. The Robots were programmed to preserve life, so their attack on the Nyrvnians constituted a war game, one that would last a thousand years until the Nyrvnians were needed to help Earth repel an invasion.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #2) - Lightning Lord formed a new Legion of Super-Villains, with each of them swearing a blood oath to kill at least one Legionnaire. Lightning Lord swore on his oath to kill his brother Lightning Lad, which he said had been his destiny since he was born. Light Lass awoke in chains in a cell, and Lightning Lord promised her he wanted to help her, not hurt her. He said he loved her, and all the proof she needed was that she was still alive. He asked her to join the Legion of Super-Villains and help him kill Lightning Lad, saying he’d been talking to the storm, and the storm had assured him she’d come to him. Light Lass turned him down, saying he was more insane than ever. Element Lad tracked the resurgence of the Legion of Super-Villains across several planets, brief his team, and realized he was in for a major test of his leadership. The League of Super-Assassins joined with the Legion of Super-Villains, and Lightning Lord sent them and Magno Lad to M-17W, a manufacturing center in the galactic core, to steal the plant’s fusion powerspheres. Shvaugn Erin alerted the Legion, and Dawnstar and Wildfire responded first, but Lazon gave Dawnstar radiation sickness with his light powers, and Magno Lad ripped Wildfire’s containment suit apart. Shadow Lass, Mon-El, Ultra Boy, Chameleon Boy and Timber Wolf arrived as support, but the villains escaped using a dimensional rift opened by Zymyr. Shadow Lass treated Dawnstar, while Chameleon Boy brought Wildfire a new containment suit. They pursued the villains, but were ambushed by Terrus, who attacked their spaceship with a meteor shower. Cosmic Boy checked in with the Legion Academy, and alerted Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl about the danger. They were on Medicus One, with Saturn Girl receiving prenatal treatment and her delivery date fast approaching. Lightning Lad worried about the safety of his sister, not knowing she was already in captivity. Zymyr opened a spacewarp that stole the polymer screen around Earth that served environmental functions and controlled space traffic. Element Lad, Lightning Lad, and despite everyone else’s objections, Saturn Girl, responded. Saturn Girl went into labor, and Tyr was disappointed to be fighting a pregnant woman, but contented himself with the fact that she’d be easy to kill. Zymyr ended the confrontation, warping his teammates away, and Element Lad and Lightning Lad rushed Saturn Girl to the Medicus One Maternity Ward. Dr. Gym’ll told Lightning Lad he’d been paging him, and that if he wasn’t planning on pulling any more moronic stunts it was time to get in the delivery room. Element Lad, who’d been pacing back and forth in worry, fainted. Queen Projects and Karate Kid flew back to Orando after their honeymoon, but the Legion of Super-Villains were waiting for them, and Magno Lad, Hunter and Mist Master brought their spaceship down. They took the heroes legion rings and sent out the alarm signal, saying the Legion would come running to their own doom.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #3) - On Earth Cosmic Boy agreed to keep watch on the planet while Element Lad assembled the rest of the Legion to fly a ship to Orando, which the Legion of Super-Villains had taken over. Cosmic Boy was worried about Element Lad devoting all their resources to Orando, but trusted his judgment. Cosmic Boy sent a video message to Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl, who were spending time with their newborn Graym. Cosmic Boy assured his old friends that the rest of the Legion had the Legion of Super-Villains situation under control, and said their role in that case was over. Cosmic boy was glad there was so much new blood in the Legion, but Lightning Lad said that as founding members they’d never stop being Legionnaires.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #10) - Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl took Graym to the resort planet of Rojavis for a family vacation. They decided that it would be a challenge to be parents and Legionnaires at the same time, but decided it was worth it and planned to travel to Earth to rejoin their comrades.