Lightray (character)

{{Short description|DC Comics hero}} {{Infobox comics character  | character_name = Lightray | image = Lightray.png | imagesize = | converted = y | caption = Lightray as depicted in ''New Gods'' #2 (April 1971). Art by Jack Kirby | publisher = DC Comics | debut = ''New Gods'' #1 (February 1971) | creators = Jack Kirby (writer/artist) | real_name = Solis | species = New God | homeworld = New Genesis | alliances = New Gods<br/>Justice League<br/>Justice League International | aliases =  | supports =  | powers = * Immortality * Invulnerability * Superhuman physical attributes * Light-speed flight * Solar manipulation * Solar generation * Sun Creation * Carries a Mother Box | altcat = New Gods of New Genesis | hero = | villain = | sortkey = Lightray }}

'''Lightray''' ('''Solis''') is a DC Comics superhero. Created by Jack Kirby for the ''Jack Kirby's Fourth World'' meta-series, he first appeared in ''New Gods'' #1 (February 1971).<ref name=Guide>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=180}}</ref> Lightray was a major character in ''New Gods'' volume 1 (1971–1978),<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sacks |first1=Jason |last2=Dallas |first2=Keith |title=American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s |date=2014 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |isbn=978-1605490564 |page=39}}</ref> 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'' (1997–1998) and ''Orion'' (2000–2002).

Seven years after the character's creation, Lightray's origin story was revealed in ''DC Special Series'' #10, a ''Secret Origins of Super-Heroes'' issue published in January 1978.<ref name="BI-104">{{cite journal |last1=Martin |first1=Brian |date=June 2018 |title=The Return of the New Gods |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b4VXDwAAQBAJ&q=lightray%20 |journal=Back Issue |issue=#104 |pages=5, 13, 23 |access-date=March 27, 2020}}</ref>

The version of the character in current DC continuity was introduced in ''Green Lantern/New Gods: Godhead'' #1 (December 2014).<ref name=Guide/>

==Characterization== For the fourth volume of ''New Gods'' created in 1995, Rachel Pollack and Tom Peyer discussed with ''Back Issue!'' magazine how Lightray changed after Orion kills Darkseid in issue #2:

{{quote|The most telling effect of this event is that it drives many of the residents of New Genesis slightly insane, none more so than Lightray, who becomes extremely violent and seems to enjoy cruelty. In their first issue, the writing duo had emphasized Lightray's... lightness, if you will, making him a very jovial, happy character. As it turns out, this was not an accident. "To me, Lightray is not so much childish as innocent. He sees only the light", Pollack tells ''Back Issue''. "That's why he was so easily corrupted". Tom Peyer agrees, feeling: "I think the main purpose Kirby gave Lightray was to make Orion seem grim and dark by comparison. So we probably played Lightray's notes loudly to make the contrast obvious".<ref name=BI-104/>}}

''Orion'' writer Walt Simonson said 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".<ref name=BI-104/>

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".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Tondro |first1=Jason |title=Superheroes of the Round Table: Comics Connections to Medieval and Renaissance Literature |date=2011 |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=978-0786460687 |page=77}}</ref>

== Fictional character biography == [[File:Countdown48.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Cover art for ''Countdown'' #48, art by Andy Kubert.]]Lightray is the shining star of New Genesis 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 joins the Justice League with Orion when a membership drive fails to find other new recruits.<ref>{{cite comic |date=September 1990 |title=Justice League America |story=Solicitations |issue=42 |volume=1 |publisher=DC Comics |writer=Giffen, Keith; DeMatteis, J. M. |artist= |penciller=McKone, Mike |inker=Patterson, Bruce |colorist=D'Angelo, Gene |id=}}</ref> In ''JLA'' (1999), Superman disbands the Justice League, thus ending Lightray's membership.<ref>{{cite comic |date=March 1999 |title=JLA |story=The Bigger They Come... |issue=27 |volume=1 |publisher=DC Comics |writer=Millar, Mark |artist= |penciller=Pajarillo, Mark |inker=Wong, Walden; Alquiza, Marlo |colorist=Garrahy, Pat |id=}}</ref>

In ''Countdown'' #48, Lightray falls to Earth after a fight with an unknown entity, who is later revealed to be Infinity-Man. He dies holding Jimmy Olsen's hand, repeating the word "infinite" and glowing brighter.<ref>{{cite comic |date=May 2007 |title=Countdown to Final Crisis |story=Death from Above |issue=48 |volume=1 |publisher=DC Comics |writer=Dini, Paul; Beechen, Adam |artist= |penciller=López, David |inker=Hillsman, Don; Lopez, Alvaro |colorist=Chu, Tom S. |id=}}</ref> In ''Final Crisis'' #7, Lightray is resurrected after New Genesis is restored.<ref>{{cite comic |date=March 2009 |title=Final Crisis |story=New Heaven, New Earth |issue=7 |volume=1 |publisher=DC Comics |writer=Morrison, Grant |artist= |penciller=Mahnke, Doug |inker=Mahnke, Doug; Nguyen, Tom; Geraci, Drew; Alamy, Christian; Rapmund, Norm; Ramos, Rodney; Wong, Walden |colorist=Sinclair, Alex; Aviña, Tony; Pantazis, Pete |id=}}</ref>

In post-''Rebirth'' continuity, Solis was assumed to have been born without powers. Highfather encouraged him and Orion to become friends, ensuring that Orion would have somebody who saw him for who he was rather than as a god or demon. One day, Orion and Solis encountered a group of warriors from Apokolips who had infiltrated New Genesis. Solis was gravely wounded in the ensuing battle, but refused to die and healed himself through his will to live.<ref>{{cite comic |date=July 2025 |title=The New Gods |story=Don't Fear the Racer |issue=6 |volume=5 |publisher=DC Comics |writer=V, Ram |artist= |penciller=Cagle, Evan; Andrade, Filipe |inker=Cagle, Evan; Andrade, Filipe |colorist=Segala, Francesco; Andrade, Filipe |id=}}</ref>

In ''New Gods'' (vol. 5), Lightray is killed by Karok Ator, a claimant to the throne of Apokolips following Darkseid's death. The Black Racer takes his spirit into the Source.<ref>{{cite comic |date=June 2025 |title=The New Gods |story=The Weight of Dreams, Part 2 |issue=5 |volume=5 |publisher=DC Comics |writer=V, Ram |artist= |penciller=Cagle, Evan; MacLean, Andrew |inker=Cagle, Evan; MacLean, Andrew |colorist=Segala, Francesco |id=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kendrick |first=Ted |date=May 3, 2025 |title=The New Gods #5 Review: Lightray Attempts To Outrun Death |url=https://www.cbr.com/the-new-gods-5-review/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250504022833/https://www.cbr.com/the-new-gods-5-review/ |archive-date=May 4, 2025 |access-date=June 19, 2025 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref>

==Powers and abilities== As a New God, Lightray is nigh-immortal and possesses superhuman physical abilities. He possesses the ability to fly at light speed and generate bursts of solar energy.

==Other versions==

* '''Lightstray''', an alternate universe funny animal version of Lightray, appears in ''Captain Carrot and the Final Ark''. * An alternate universe version of Lightray makes a cameo appearance in ''JLA: The Nail''. * '''Bald'r''', a fusion of Lightray and Marvel Comics character Balder, appears in the Amalgam Comics one-shot ''Thorion of the New Asgods''.

==Influence== Jack Kirby's 1971 design for Lightray's costume influenced artist Al Milgrom's creation of Firestorm in 1978. In a 2019 interview, Milgrom admitted: "The facemask on Firestorm, the way it comes around the chin, was probably inspired by Lightray more than anything... I liked the [Lightray] head-covering thing; I said, "I'm stealin' it!"<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Disharoon |first1=Cecil |date=May 2019 |title=The Firestorm Interviews |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FqGWDwAAQBAJ&dq=lightray+dc+comics&pg=PA8 |journal=Back Issue |issue=#112 |page=8 |access-date=March 27, 2020}}</ref>

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".<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Alaniz |editor1-first=José |editor2-last=Smith |editor2-first=Scott T. |title=Uncanny Bodies: Superhero Comics and Disability |date=2019 |publisher=Penn State University Press |isbn=978-0271084756 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T-bEDwAAQBAJ&q=lightray |access-date=27 March 2020 |chapter=Introduction}}</ref>

==In other media== ===Television=== * Lightray appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU): ** Lightray makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the ''Superman: The Animated Series'' episode "Legacy". ** Lightray appears in the ''Justice League'' episode "Twilight", voiced by Rob Paulsen.<ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=Lightray Voices (Superman) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Superman/Lightray/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205181721/https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Superman/Lightray/ |archive-date=December 5, 2023 |access-date=December 5, 2023 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref> ** Lightray makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the ''Justice League Unlimited'' episode "Destroyer". * Lightray was originally planned to appear in the ''Harley Quinn'' episode "Inner (Para) Demons", where Darkseid would have killed him for his incompetence, but DC Comics objected and his cameo was replaced by Forager.<ref>(2020). "Harley Quinn EPS Talk the Evolution of Harlivy and Plans for Season 3". SYFY. Retrieved 27 June 2020</ref> * Lightray appears in ''Young Justice'', voiced by Nolan North.<ref name="btva" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Matadeen |first=Renaldo |date=April 16, 2022 |title=Young Justice: Phantoms Revealed Orion's Cosmic Hulk Problem |url=https://www.cbr.com/young-justice-phantoms-orion-cosmic-hulk/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416120707/https://www.cbr.com/young-justice-phantoms-orion-cosmic-hulk/ |archive-date=April 16, 2022 |access-date=July 30, 2024 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref>

===Film=== An alternate universe version of Lightray appears in ''Justice League: Gods and Monsters''.<ref name="btva" />

=== Video games === Lightray appears as a character summon in ''Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=October 2, 2013 |title=DC Characters and Objects - ''Scribblenauts Unmasked'' Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011130702/https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |archive-date=October 11, 2013 |access-date=July 30, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{New Gods}} {{Justice League characters}} {{Jack Kirby}} Category:Characters created by Jack Kirby Category:Comics characters introduced in 1971 Category:DC Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability Category:DC Comics characters with superhuman strength Category:DC Comics deities Category:DC Comics male superheroes Category:Fictional characters who can manipulate light Category:Fourth World (comics) Category:Justice League characters

Lightray (character)

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