Lightning Lass

LIGHTNING LASS

Real Name: Ayla Ranzz

Class: Extraterrestrial (Winarth)

Occupation: Legionnaire

Group Affiliation: Legion of Super-Heroes

Known Relatives: Imra Ardeen-Ranzz (Saturn Girl, sister-in-law), Dacey Ranzz (niece), Doritt Ranzz (niece), Garridan Ranzz (nephew), Garth Ranzz (Lightning Lad, brother), Graym Ranzz (nephew), Luc Ranzz (father, deceased), Mekt Ranzz (Lightning Lord, brother), Perla Ranzz (mother, deceased)

Aliases: Light Lass

Base of Operations: Earth, 30th Century

First Appearance: Adventure Comics I #308 (May, 1963)

Powers: Lightning Lass could generate electricity and project lightning bolts. As Light Lass she had powers of gravity manipulation. She possessed a Legion flight ring and was a skilled combatant.

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 #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. The commissioner of the Science Police learned that the rumored Thieves’ Planet where crooks from around the universe hid out was a reality, and although he didn’t know the exact location he knew which space sector it was in. The Legion flew to an asteroid in the sector, waiting for any criminal ships to pass by. When they spotted one Cosmic boy, still unsure of Lightning Lad’s powers, ordered the legionnaire to take it down with a lightning bolt. Sub Boy reflected a burst of heat and light off a cliff behind Lightning Lad, which struck the criminal ship, bringing it down. The criminals were from the Hydra World, and had stolen a group of rare animals from an intergalactic zoo. The Legion placed the animals safely onboard their own ship, but Chameleon Boy took a liking to Proty, a Protean that could shapeshift just like him, and decided to keep him as a pet. Thieves’ World was hidden from the world by an invisibility shield, but the Legion located it using the coordinates set in the Hydra World criminal’s spaceship. The Legion tried to pass themselves off as criminals, but the master of Thieves’ World was a telepathic sentient ball of electricity and soon found them out. He had his Atom Guard robots apprehend them and throw them in his jewel jail, but Chameleon Boy had his new pet transform into a gun, allowing the Legion to bluff their way out of prison when a guard came to feed them. The Legion tore through Thieves’ World, apprehending a number of criminals, and Lightning Lad used his powers to short-circuit the master. The Legion were all surprised to see Lightning Lad unequivocally demonstrate his powers, but sun Boy was especially shocked because he knew “Lightning Lad” was an imposter. Ayla revealed herself, and the Legion let her join the team as Lightning Lass, but they 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 #382) - Ultra Boy went shopping for a birthday present for Phantom Girl when he was ambushed by a Protector robot, who challenged him to combat. Ultra Boy was caught unaware, and after being slammed into a wall was hospitalized. Cosvarr, manufacturer of the Protectors, gave a speech at the UP’s interworld security council, calling the Legion of Super-Heroes outdated as guardians of the UP, and showed them a tape of his Protector injuring Ultra Boy to prove it. Cosvarr then visited the Legion Clubhouse, delivered the same tape and pitch to Karate Kid and Shrinking Violet to gloat. Karate Kid worried that the UP would start buying Protectors, and any planet without them would feel endangered, sparking an arms race. Karate Kid sent out an emergency signal, and Light Lass and Timber Wolf responded. They arrived on Jupiter to visit Cosvarr’s Protector production plant, with Light Lass posing as heiress Carina Walter, who was interested in purchasing Protectors. Cosvarr was immediately interested in seducing her, much to the annoyance of his partner Zorla, who said he chased after every woman he met. “Carina” questioned him about the source of the Protector’s powers, and Cosvarr showed her the unconscious Superboy and Mon-El, who he’d captured during a Legion mission with super-hypnosis and studied until he’d figured out how to duplicate their solar based powers in creating his Protectors. Cosvarr then veered off topic, talking about his unhappy childhood and his need to make his mark in life before sending Zorla off and offering “Carina” a drink. Timber Wolf, Violet and Karate Kid infiltrated the plant, but were caught by Zorla, who realized “Carina” must also be a Legionnaire. She presented her captives to Cosvarr, who was trying to force himself on Light Lass, and Zorla was furious. She’d had enough, and allowed the Legionnaires to rescue Mon-El and Superboy and leave the plant before pressing a destruct button that atomized the plant, destroying the Protectors and killing herself and Cosvarr in the process.

(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.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #1) - 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, happy to retire as a Legionnaire and let her brother play hero, joined her friend Sarah’s commune on Winarth. Light Lass said she was sick of adventure, and much happier farming and looking after children. Unbeknownst to her she was being tracked and observed by M. Wayne, a private investigator hired by timer Wolf. Radiation Roy ambushed her, and after knocking he rout with a blast of radiation, a dimensional portal opened up, taking them both back to the Legion of Super-Villains.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #2) - 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 Annual I #3) -

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #3) - Dawnstar, Wildfire, Mon-El, Ultra Boy, Chameleon Boy, Timber Wolf, Phantom Girl, Shadow Lass and White Witch set course for Orando, but were being followed by Terrus and Zymyr. Zymyr opened a spacewarp that warped in most of the Legion of Super-Villains to ambush the Legionnaires. On Earth Cosmic Boy agreed to keep watch on the planet while Element Lad assembled the rest of thew Legion to fly a ship to Orando. Cosmic Boy was worried about Element Lad devoting all their resources to Orando, but trusted his judgment. He was thankful when Night Girl sent a video message offering the help of the Legion of Substitute Heroes. Projecta and Karate Kid were chained in a cell next to Light Lass, and Lightning Lord visited her to again plead with her to join him, saying she’d join his Legion in a passage to a new world where they would rule. She made it clear she’d rather die, and he called her a traitor to her own blood, grabbing her and shocking her before walking off disgusted, saying he no longer had a sister. Dream Girl woke in her crashed ship on Orando, finding Star Boy and Shrinking Violet still unconscious. She recognized Projecta’s castle from her vision where a Legionnaire was die, and she was ambushed by Hunter and Silver Slasher. Dawnstar and her teammates were in danger of being overwhelmed by the Legion of Super-Villains until element Lad and his reinforcements arrived. Nemesis Kid, Cosmic King, Neutrax and Ron-Karr placed the polymer screen around Orando, and hooked it up to their stolen powerspheres. They planned to warp Orando away to another world where there was no Legion of super-Heroes. Nemesis Kid had always been drawn to the powerful, and couldn’t wait to arrive in a new world where he’d be the supreme power, planning on declaring himself the emperor of a universe. Zymyr was prepared to warp the planet, but Nemesis Kid wanted to give his Legion a little more time battling the Legion of Super-Heroes to see if they could kill any of them before they left. The Legionnaires were winning, so Nemesis Kid gave the order to warp away the Legion of Super-Villains, inadvertently taking some of the Legionnaires with them, and warped Orando to a space between dimensions.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #4) - Tyr was furious that Nemesis Kid had kept him away from battle, and reminded him of the blood oath they’d sworn to kill the Legion. Nemesis Kid reminded him that Zymyr’s warp had captured Ultra Boy, Phantom Girl, Element Lad, Chameleon Kid and Shrinking Violet, who sat in prison cells alongside Projecta, Karate Kid and Light Lass. Nemesis Kid said that finding and conquering new worlds was their priority, but Tyr demanded satisfaction. Nemesis Kid said he could take one of their spaceships and Zymyr would warp it back to the space where Orando once orbited so he could continue to fight. Tyr asked who’d join him, and Terrus, Titania, Silver Slasher and Hunter followed him. Silver Slasher and Titania claimed Blok for themselves, still bitter that he’d betrayed their League of Super-Assassins. In the space around Orando Brainiac 5 worked out how the LSV stole the planet and told his fellow Legionnaires his conclusions about their methods and motives. The disruptors Light Lass was manacled in exploded, and she could once again use her powers. She woke Karate Kid, who freed himself from his disruptors through sheer force of will, and he freed his wife and the other captive Legionnaires. Light Lass snuck aboard Tyr’s ship, and found that either the destruction of her disruptor manacles, the shock she’d received from Lightning Lord, or both, had restored her powers. She unleashed a massive lightning blast on Tyr and his allies, shocking them unconscious, and took control of the ship. Dream Girl, acting as deputy leader with Element Lad on Orando, called Cosmic Boy to check in on Earth. Cosmic Boy now had the back-up of reservists Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel, the Legion of Substitute Heroes and the Legion Academy. On Orando the freed Legionnaires tried to destroy the powerspheres on the polymer screen around Orando, hoping that would return the planet to its’ proper spacetime, but they were overwhelmed by the LSV guarding the screen. Projecta pleaded with Karate Kid to save her planet, and he confronted Nemesis Kid in one-on-one combat. Nemesis Kid said he knew they’d end up fighting to the death from the day they’d first both joined the Legion of Super-Heroes. Nemesis Kid adapted Karate Kid’s skills and mercilessly battered him, but Karate kid refused to give up. Nemesis Kid demanded he lay down and die, but every time he knocked Karate kid down, the hero got back up. He’d sustained life threatening injuries, but Karate Kid managed to wrest his flight ring back from Nemesis Kid, told Queen Projecta he’d always wanted to die in battle, and flew into one of the powerspheres, causing it to explode and killing himself in the process.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #5) - The Legionnaires waiting in the space where Orando once was were met by Gigi Cusimano, who recalled them to Earth by orders of the Science Police, and Brainiac 5 protested that the order was irrational. Gigi flirted with Sun Boy, and negotiated with Dream Girl, who convinced her to allow Brainiac 5, Sun Boy, Shadow Lass and Mon-El to stay put should Orando return. Queen Projecta cradled Karate Kid’s charred corpse as the Legion of Sup-Villains surrounded her. Projecta raged at the villains, saying they’d ravaged her planet and killed her husband, and demanded they leave Orando. Nemesis Kid told his teammates to stay back, saying he wanted to be the one to kill her. Light Lass observed the events from Orando from her ship, and, unwilling to see another teammate die, changed course back to the planet. Light Lass charged into battle against the Legion of Super-Villains, but Lightning Lord demanded they leave her be, because she was his sister, and because she’d betrayed him he had the right to kill her. Light Lass almost pitied her insane brother, but after a fierce battle she soundly beat him. The rest of the LSV prepared to attack her when her teammates stranded on Orando came to the rescue, with Element Lad disabling several of the LSV by changing the air around them to helium, causing them to lose consciousness Nemesis Kid told Zymyr to call in the rest of their team as backup, and Projecta assured him she was going to kill him. Element Lad disabled Ol-Vir by turning his clothes to lead, poisonous to Daxamites. The rest of the LSV were soon overwhelmed, and Mist Master, Ron-Karr and Radiation Roy decided the fight was already lost, and boarded Zymyr’s ship, warping themselves back to the space around Orando. Zymyr decided that their dream of finding new worlds to conquer was never to be, and said he would no longer be burdened by humans, and prepared to warp away. His spacewarp accidentally took Light Lass and Lightning Lord with him back to his homeworld Gil’Dishpan. Projecta created illusions of Hell, telling Nemesis Kid that was where he belonged. His power dispelled her illusions, but she Projecta didn’t back down, saying she was the descendant of wizards and kings, and needed only her own strength to finish him. Projecta snapped his neck, and told her stunned former teammates that as queen it was her right to execute a condemned man. The villains aboard Zymyr’s ship crashed and were easily captured by the Legion, and Brainiac 5 hoped to repair the ship to brink back their stranded teammates, but Gil’Dishpan technology defied all known physics and his own super-genius. Projecta held a funeral for Karate Kid, and told her subjects she blamed herself for allowing such evil on her world. The remaining members of the Legion of Super-Villains were contained in one of Zymyr’s spheres, and she instructed the Legionnaires to enter the remaining sphere. Projecta said Orando was ill-suited for modern times and contact with other planets, so she’d use Zymyr’s machine to find new worlds where Orando and her citizens could be left in peace, and told the Legion to never seek her out. Orando warped away, and the Legionnaires hoped their teammates would capture Zymyr and rescue them. Esper Lass sent a telepathic message to the Legionnaires, mocking them. She’d penetrated Zymyr’s mind, and knew how to use his spheres, allowing her to warp herself and her teammates away while the Legionnaires were stranded in their sphere between dimensions.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #6) - Zymyr was frustrated that he’d taken Lightning Lord and Lightning Lass back to his home and ordered his cyborgs to bring them to his lab and hook them up to his machines so he could at least get some use out of them. Zymyr probed their minds, learning their life’s story from childhood to present. Lightning Lass asked why he was so interested in them, and Zymyr responded that learning new things pleased him, and they were making themselves useful by powering his machines. When Zymyr left his lab Lightning Lass and Lightning Lord begrudgingly combined their powers to break free. They escaped the lab, but were attacked by sea monsters in the waters outside the lab, and were recaptured by Zymyr’s cyborgs. Zymyr was getting increasingly frustrated with their presence, and when they broke free again and attacked his alien menagerie, that was the final straw. He warped them back to their homeworld Winarth, saying he never wanted to see them again. On Winarth Lightning Lass told Lightning Lord it was time for him to go so she could continue her peaceful life at the commune. Lightning Lord demanded she obey him as his little sister, and attacked several commune members, including a child. Lightning Lass was infuriated, and attacked him, overpowering Lightning Lord. Lightning Lass told her friend Sarah she’d loved her time back on Winarth, but her brother reminded her of why she was a Legionnaire, to fight against pure evil that threatened the innocent. She left Winarth to rejoin the Legion.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #7, 8) - Lightning Lass demanded Dream Girl and the Legion readmit her to the team despite their rule against duplicate powers, and she said she didn’t want Dream Girl to change her powers again. Dream Girl responded that she wouldn’t think of tampering with her powers again, as she knew better, and told Lightning Lass she was not up on current events, because her brother was on leave taking care of his newborn son. Lightning Lass was in shock, but overjoyed that she was an aunt. Cosmic Boy mused that Lightning Lass replacing her brother on the team fell right in with his plans, and he told Wildfire he had some ideas to discuss with him. Colossal Boy helped his mother pack up her belongings so she could return home. He said he was just getting used to the idea of her as President, and she responded that she felt the same way, which was part of the reason she resigned. Chief Zendak sent out an alert asking for Legion assistance. The remaining members of the Legion of Super-Villains were approaching Earth, and he wanted them arrested before landing. Colossal Boy was quick to respond. The rest of the Legion met with Shvaugn Erin and prepared for takeoff in their hangar. Timber Wolf confronted Lightning Lass about ghosting him since she left the Legion. She said she’d cut ties with him because he’d decided the Legion was more important than their relationship. He pointed out that she just rejoined the Legion, and she replied that she came to that decision after soul-searching and a journey of self-discovery that he chose not to join her in, and made it clear she had no more romantic feelings for him. Cosmic Boy tried to figure out a way to make his plan to shake up the Legion work. Night Girl visited him, asking him to take a trip with her to Kathoon. Cosmic Boy said that if the Substitute Heroes could survive without Night Girl the Legion could survive without him once they found their missing teammates. He told Night Girl he was considering going off active-duty permanently, saying his exit might be the perfect catalyst to move the Legion forward. The Legion and Gigi Cusimano and Shvaugn Erin in their new Science Police battle armor, cornered the remaining members of the Legion of Super-Villains on the planet S’cardas IV. The Science Police attached an intensifier to Sun Emperor, giving him feedback from his own power, and blasted Spider Girl unconscious. Wildfire defeated Cosmic King while Blok took out his former teammate Neutrax, saying he was more confused than dangerous. White Witch used a dispersal spell to reveal Chameleon Chief, who was trying to hide by disguising himself as a rock, and Lightning Lass accidentally stepped on Micro Lad, putting an end to the evil team. The Science Police loaded the LSV on a ship to Takron-Galtos, and Erin asked Wildfire if he’d like to join them and say hello to all the criminals they’d put away. Wildfire said he’d seen quite enough of Takron-Galtos lately and told Erin to make sure the Science Police started doing a better job keeping their prisoners locked up. Erin shed a tear, asking Wildfire to find Element Lad and the other missing Legionnaires and promising to personally throw away the keys to the prison planet.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #9) - Dream Girl chaired a meeting of the Legion, and Cosmic Boy was concerned that they’d been operating at half-strength for so long and suggested a membership drive. Before Dream Girl could plan a drive the Legion were reunited with their teammates Element Lad, Shrinking Violet, Phantom Girl, Chameleon Boy and Ultra Boy, just back from Limbo. After a joyous reunion the Legion decided to throw a party. Element Lad skipped the party to surprise Shvaugn Erin, and she burst into tears at seeing him again. She took him back to her apartment, and said she felt they’d been getting really close right before he disappeared. Element Lad said he didn’t want to keep anything from her, and had some secrets to get off his chest, but was embarrassed. Shvaughn said he could tell her all about it after they had some intimate time together. They were interrupted by a holo-call from Kimball Zendak, who told Shvaughn there was trouble in Hong Kong and the Legion would have to be sent in. Element Lad apologized for having to leave, and arranged with Dream Girl to have Chameleon Boy, Invisible Kid, Lightning Lass and Shrinking Violet meet him there. Someone had set a fire at Hong Kong Interstellar Traders’ Mall, and was holding off the Science Police with blasters. The Legionnaires forced their way in, and Invisible Kid spotted the fleeing intruders, identifying them as Sklarian Raiders. Slar had signed a peace treaty with the U.P. so the Legion weren’t eager to storm the Sklarian embassy, so Chameleon Boy disguised himself as a Skalrian, while Shrinking Violet shrunk down and Invisible Kid turned invisible to sneak in. They discovered the Sklarians were illegally shipping frozen organs to their home planet and shut them down. Element Lad rushed back to Shvaugn’s apartment, delighting his friend and they spend the night together.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #10) - The Worldcomp computer chose the candidates for the next President of the Earth, and the Khunds assembled a terror team to assassinate the candidates. Chief Zendak learned of their plot, and fearing it was a diversion to pave the way for a Khund invasion of Earth he had the majority of the Legion of Super-Heroes fly a spaceship into Earth’s orbit to keep watch alongside Science Police crafts. The rest of the Legion were assigned to protect the candidates, with Sun Boy foiling a Khund assassination attempt on Candidate Lopyt of Acapulco and Invisible Kid saving Candidate Leung of Yangtzopolis. Invisible Kid accidentally opened a spacewarp during the fight, and he and the Khund ended up in Earth’s orbit. Invisible Kid’s Legion transuit protected him, but the Khund died, leaving Invisible Kid in a state of shock. Element Lad brought the Kid back to the Legion spaceship and told him to get some rest before they decided if he violated the Legion code. Wildfire guarded Candidate Mojai Desai of India, who bragged that his family had been leaders for generations, and he’d be sure to be elected. A Khund assassin burst into Desai’s flying mansion, and during his fight with Wildfire he brought the mansion down on his own head. Wildfire flew Desai to safety, and his family safely escaped in lifeships. Cosmic Boy announced to his teammates that he was taking an extended leave of absence to spent time with Night Girl. He went on to say he was making several changes in his life, but refused to elaborate. Colossal Boy, Yera and his parents celebrated Marte’s last day as President. She said she looked forward to going back to teaching at university. The Khunds tried a last ditch effort to spark a war with Earth, and sent an assassin to kill Marte. Colossal Kid fought him off, saving his mother’s life, but was wounded by a laserblast to his arm.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #11) - The entire Legion of Super-Heroes held a quorum to deal with Legion business that’d been kicked down the road for months. Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl rejoined the team, and after the meeting they met with Cosmic Boy to reflect on their past. Cosmic Boy said they provided a sense of continuity since they were the original Legionnaires, and they all started to feel a little bit old. Lightning Lass was pleased to see they’d brought her nephew Graym with them, and the little tyke started amusing himself by tweaking people’s noses.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #14) - The Legion interviewed applicants during their membership drive and had them demonstrate their powers. The Legion Academy all tried out, with Bouncing Boy on hand to cheer them on. Mentalla applied for membership, saying she’d be a valuable addition because her powers were similar to Saturn Girl, although her telepathy was used to control minds instead of reading them. Comet Queen, Magnetic Kid and Tellus all made it to the second round, and were given a trial by fire, joining the Legion on a mission to find out why the bridges and drainage systems of the California Coastal District were breaking down. Brainiac 5 led the mission, and had Mon-El team up with Magnetic Kid to use their powers to raise the newly sunken sections of California. Comet Queen rescued civilians in danger of drowning and Tellus picked up the thought-patterns of someone with sabotage on their mind. At Legion hq Energy Boy demonstrated he ability to create nuclo-globes when Polar Boy interrupted him by freezing his nuclo-globe and hands to show the Legion that he’d gotten much better at controlling his powers. He told the Legion he’d dissolved the Subs, and asked that they waive their old rule that new applicants had to be under 18 to consider him. Tellus led his teammates to the northern cost, where he sensed the thought-patterns coming from. The coast buckled and Mon-El went to investigate, finding Dev-Em on the scene. Dev-Em was now working for the U.P.’s Counter-Intelligence Corps and was also investigating the damage being done to California. Dev-Em made it very clear he was not impressed with the new would-be Legionnaires, and said the Legion would be better off if they offered him membership again. Dev-Em said the Corps had learned that the Dark Circle left behind a few stragglers on Earth to commit acts of sabotage, and Tellus tracked down the saboteur, an Ontiir clone. The clone sat in a weapon-chair and was set off another destructive device that caused a tidal wave. Mon-El used his heat vision to evaporate the tidal wave while his teammates tried to pierce the clone’s forcefield. Quislet, an adventurer from a microscopic dimension flying in a miniatures Trans-D Vessel, joined the fray in an attempt to impress the Legion. Quislet could animate inanimate matter, and took control of the clone’s weapon-chair, using it to defeat him. Quislet returned to his Vessel, and the weapon-chair crumbled to dust, as was usually the case for any matter Quislet possessed. The Legion inducted Magnetic Kid, Polar Boy, Quislet and Tellus as new members. Saturn Girl said she had a recruit with an excellent reason to join the team, Sensor Girl. She wouldn’t reveal anything about Sensor Girl, but asked the Legion to trust her, much like they trusted her telepathy when she recommended Element Lad as a member, and the Legion welcomed Sensor Girl to their ranks.

(Legion of Super-Heroes III #15) - Wildfire took the new Legion recruits on a training course aboard a Legion cruiser, but a solar flare hit their vessel. Wildfire’s containment suit was destroyed, and he had to return to a Legion storage tesseract to get a new suit, grumbling that Brainiac 5 was unable to mass produce suits that gave him consistent powers. The beacon that lured spacefaring dragons away from Imsk while migrating malfunctioned, and Colossal Boy, Sun Boy, Shrinking Violet, Shadow Lass and Mon-El went to deal with the situation. Sun Boy used his solar powers to keep the dragons away from Imsk until the beacon was repaired. Element Lad contacted them via holo-screen and told them the new recruits were missing, and sent them to investigate. He assembled Blok, Dawnstar, Lightning Lass, White Witch and Ultra Boy to act as backup if needed. Dream Girl questioned his leadership abilities, asking why he was spreading the Legion so thin without going on the mission himself, and Star Boy told him to ignore her. The Legion went to the quadrant where the rookies were last seen and came across a star that shot solar flares at them, dragging them to a nearby asteroid. The Legion realized that a beam from the asteroid was guiding the solar flares. Dr. Regulus was behind the attacks and revealed his captives. He was being aided by the burning ones, flame creatures that lived on the asteroid, and promised to free his hostages if Sun Boy fought him in one-on-one combat. Regulus’ quest for vengeance had driven him near madness, and he still blamed Sun Boy for costing him his job. The Legionnaires left Sun Boy to his confrontation with his nemesis, and although Regulus had the upper hand with the Burning Ones at his side Sun Boy slipped his Legion flight ring on Regulus, causing him to fly upward and knock himself out against a cavern wall.

Comments: Created by Edmond Hamilton & John Forte.

Lightning Lass received a profile in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #13. Ayla Ranzz received a profile in Who’s Who in the DC Universe #6. She received a profile in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #13 under the Legion of Super-Heroes entry.

Lightning Lass had a cameo in Legion of Super-Heroes III #13, Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes #338.

Light Lass' appearances in Adventure Comics I #308 was reprinted in Adventure Comics I #403, 500, Legion of Super-Heroes III #1-11, 14, 15 was reprinted in Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes #326-336, 339, 340.