Air Wave
Encyclopedia
Air Wave is the name of three fictional superheroes in the DC Comics
universe
. The first two were active in the Golden Age of Comic Books
(albeit the second Air Wave had one appearance). The third appears in comics as of the 21st century.
. He was created in Detective Comics #60 (Dec. 1942) by artist Harris Levey
, who signed his work under the pen name
"Lee Harris", and a writer tentatively identified as either Mort Weisinger
or Murray Boltinoff. Levey/Harris drew the character's seven- to eight-page adventures from Detective Comics #60 to at least #74 (April 1943), and then following World War II
in Detective Comics #114-137 (Aug. 1946 - July 1948).
Lawrence "Larry" Jordan had recently graduated from law school
and was an intern
at the Brooklyn
District Attorney
office. Noticing the rise of crime
, Jordan decided to become a costumed crimefighter using technology, and used his interests in radio
and electronics
to create his equipment, including a cowl radio system that allowed him to listen in on police reports and special skates that enabled him to travel along telephone lines. He was accompanied by an outspoken parrot
named Static, who occasionally aided him in battle (and, for narrative purposes, gave him someone with whom he could converse in order to provide extrapolation to the reader). His superhero activities were noticeable enough for a fictionalized President Franklin Roosevelt to request his participation in the All-Star Squadron
.
Larry Jordan retired from his career as Air Wave in 1948 and married Helen soon afterward. Their son, Harold (Hal), was born as Jordan continued his research into radio wave
conversion.
In DC Comics Presents #40, it was revealed that Larry was killed by a man he had once prosecuted as a district attorney. Joe Parsons was an escaped convict who took revenge by breaking into Jordan's home. Larry's costume malfunctioned as he tried to protect his family and he died from a shotgun wound to the chest.
When her son Harold entered high school
, Helen sent the boy to live with his cousins in Dallas as she slowly succumbed to mental illness
.
At a young age, Harold was found to exhibit the power to transmute into energy. Just as his father had modified his helmet and was preparing to train him to use his powers, Larry was killed. Eventually, Harold decided to follow in the footsteps of his father's career and took up the mantle of Air Wave. When his character was introduced, it was also revealed that he was a cousin of the Green Lantern
Hal Jordan
, with whom he shares the name. Air Wave continued as a supporting character, though not in every issue, of Green Lantern and his co-stars of the time, Green Arrow
and Black Canary
, showing young Harold how to be a superhero. (Green Lantern vol. 2 #100) Starting in Action Comics
#488, Hal was featured in adventures of his own. For the next couple of years, he appeared in the secondary stories of Action Comics
(the cover story almost always starred Superman
), often alternating with the Atom
. At some point, he became able to control his transmutation to energy without relying upon his father's equipment.
When Air Wave was recruited by the Institute for Metahuman Studies to join a group of highly capitalist superheroes called the Captains of Industry
(Firestorm
#88), he used the code name Maser after undergoing extreme gene-modification at the hands of Doctor Moon
. This group was relatively short-lived and he soon resumed using Air Wave as his moniker. His next major appearance was in the JSA
story arc (JSA #11-12) involving super-villain Kobra
's plot to seize control of the world's media resources. When freed by the JSA, the seriously weakened hero destroyed Kobra's satellites, which were targeted to annihilate many of Earth's cities.
Later, Air Wave joined the JSA reserve in battle during the Imperiex
War (JSA: Our Worlds at War #1), as well as against the triumvirate of Mordru
, Obsidian
, and Eclipso
.
During the Infinite Crisis
. Air Wave joins a team of superheros, including Animal Man
, Cyborg
and others, that travel into space to help investigate a destructive spatial warp. Air Wave almost instantly detects the cries for help coming from the ships being affected. In Infinite Crisis #4, these cries overwhelm him, and he splits into millions of radio waves that fly off in different directions.
. He is one of the billions of Black Lanterns transported by the Black Lantern planet Xanshi to Earth for the final battle. He uses his powers to redirect all of John Stewart
's distress calls to the radio of an old lady in Omaha
. Air Wave is then destroyed by the combined efforts of the various Lanterns corps, who had just arrived to battle the Black Lanterns.
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. The first two were active in the Golden Age of Comic Books
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
(albeit the second Air Wave had one appearance). The third appears in comics as of the 21st century.
Publication history
The original Air Wave (Larry Jordan) debuted during the 1930s to 1940s period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic BooksGolden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
. He was created in Detective Comics #60 (Dec. 1942) by artist Harris Levey
Harris Levey
Harris Levey , whose pseudonyms included Lee Harris, Leland Harris, and Harris Levy, was a comic book artist for DC Comics primarily in the 1940s...
, who signed his work under the pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
"Lee Harris", and a writer tentatively identified as either Mort Weisinger
Mort Weisinger
Mortimer Weisinger was an American magazine and comic book editor best known for editing DC Comics' Superman during the mid-1950s to 1960s, in the Silver Age of comic books...
or Murray Boltinoff. Levey/Harris drew the character's seven- to eight-page adventures from Detective Comics #60 to at least #74 (April 1943), and then following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Detective Comics #114-137 (Aug. 1946 - July 1948).
Larry Jordan
Law clerkLaw clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
Lawrence "Larry" Jordan had recently graduated from law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
and was an intern
Intern
Internship is a system of onthejob training for white-collar jobs, similar to an apprenticeship. Interns are usually college or university students, but they can also be high school students or post graduate adults seeking skills for a new career. They may also be as young as middle school or in...
at the Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
office. Noticing the rise of crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
, Jordan decided to become a costumed crimefighter using technology, and used his interests in radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
to create his equipment, including a cowl radio system that allowed him to listen in on police reports and special skates that enabled him to travel along telephone lines. He was accompanied by an outspoken parrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
named Static, who occasionally aided him in battle (and, for narrative purposes, gave him someone with whom he could converse in order to provide extrapolation to the reader). His superhero activities were noticeable enough for a fictionalized President Franklin Roosevelt to request his participation in the All-Star Squadron
All-Star Squadron
The All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics superhero team that debuted in a special insert in Justice League of America #193 . Created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.-The concept:...
.
Larry Jordan retired from his career as Air Wave in 1948 and married Helen soon afterward. Their son, Harold (Hal), was born as Jordan continued his research into radio wave
Radio Wave
Radio Wave may refer to:*Radio frequency*Radio Wave 96.5, a radio station in Blackpool, UK...
conversion.
In DC Comics Presents #40, it was revealed that Larry was killed by a man he had once prosecuted as a district attorney. Joe Parsons was an escaped convict who took revenge by breaking into Jordan's home. Larry's costume malfunctioned as he tried to protect his family and he died from a shotgun wound to the chest.
Helen Jordan
Helen Jordan was the wife of Larry Jordan, the original Air Wave. After Larry's death, Helen donned the Air Wave costume and brought the killer, Joe Parsons, to justice, but never wore the suit again.When her son Harold entered high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, Helen sent the boy to live with his cousins in Dallas as she slowly succumbed to mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
.
Harold Jordan
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
Hal Jordan
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker...
, with whom he shares the name. Air Wave continued as a supporting character, though not in every issue, of Green Lantern and his co-stars of the time, Green Arrow
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
and Black Canary
Black Canary
Black Canary is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics superheroines created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. The first Black Canary debuted appeared in Flash Comics #86 . The first Black Canary was the alter-ego of Dinah Drake, who took part in Golden Age adventures...
, showing young Harold how to be a superhero. (Green Lantern vol. 2 #100) Starting in Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
#488, Hal was featured in adventures of his own. For the next couple of years, he appeared in the secondary stories of Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
(the cover story almost always starred Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
), often alternating with the Atom
Atom (comics)
The Atom is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe.There have been five characters who have shared the Atom codename. The original Golden Age Atom, Al Pratt, was created by Ben Flinton and Bill O'Connor and first appeared in All-American Publications'...
. At some point, he became able to control his transmutation to energy without relying upon his father's equipment.
When Air Wave was recruited by the Institute for Metahuman Studies to join a group of highly capitalist superheroes called the Captains of Industry
Captains of Industry (comics)
The Captains of Industry were a fictional DC Comics superteam introduced in 1988's Firestorm the Nuclear Man issue #88.-History:The Captains of Industry were originally formed as a small investigative task force for the IMHS funded by a consortium of corporate interests...
(Firestorm
Firestorm (comics)
Firestorm is the name of several comic book superheroes published by DC Comics. Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein, the first Firestorm, debuted in Firestorm, the Nuclear Man #1 , and was created by Gerry Conway and Al Milgrom. Martin Stein, by himself as Firestorm, debuted in Firestorm the Nuclear...
#88), he used the code name Maser after undergoing extreme gene-modification at the hands of Doctor Moon
Doctor Moon
Doctor Moon is a fictional villain in the DC Universe. He first appeared in Batman #240 .-Fictional character biography:...
. This group was relatively short-lived and he soon resumed using Air Wave as his moniker. His next major appearance was in the JSA
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
story arc (JSA #11-12) involving super-villain Kobra
Kobra (comics)
Kobra is the name used by two fictional supervillains published by DC Comics. The Jeffrey Burr Kobra first appeared in Kobra #1 , and was created by Martin Pasko, Steve Sherman, Jack Kirby, and Pablo Marcos...
's plot to seize control of the world's media resources. When freed by the JSA, the seriously weakened hero destroyed Kobra's satellites, which were targeted to annihilate many of Earth's cities.
Later, Air Wave joined the JSA reserve in battle during the Imperiex
Imperiex
Imperiex is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Superman #153 , and was created by Jeph Loeb and Ian Churchill...
War (JSA: Our Worlds at War #1), as well as against the triumvirate of Mordru
Mordru
Mordru is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics' main shared universe.Mordru is the most prominent Lord of Chaos who is fated to survive even after the end of the universe, although he is usually shown as a powerful wizard...
, Obsidian
Obsidian (comics)
Obsidian is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in All-Star Squadron #25 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway. According to an Infinity, Inc...
, and Eclipso
Eclipso
Eclipso is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. The character is the incarnation of the Wrath of God and the Angel of Vengeance that turned evil and was replaced by the Spectre...
.
During the Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
. Air Wave joins a team of superheros, including Animal Man
Animal Man
Animal Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily “borrow” the abilities of animals...
, Cyborg
Cyborg (comics)
Cyborg is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26...
and others, that travel into space to help investigate a destructive spatial warp. Air Wave almost instantly detects the cries for help coming from the ships being affected. In Infinite Crisis #4, these cries overwhelm him, and he splits into millions of radio waves that fly off in different directions.
Blackest Night
During the event known as the Blackest Night, the Harold Jordan Air Wave is reanimated as a member of the Black Lantern CorpsBlack Lantern Corps
The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of revenants appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The group is composed of deceased fictional characters that seek to eliminate all life from the DC Universe.-Publication history:...
. He is one of the billions of Black Lanterns transported by the Black Lantern planet Xanshi to Earth for the final battle. He uses his powers to redirect all of John Stewart
John Stewart (comics)
John Stewart is a fictional character, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 2, #87 , and was created by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams.-Publication history:...
's distress calls to the radio of an old lady in Omaha
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
. Air Wave is then destroyed by the combined efforts of the various Lanterns corps, who had just arrived to battle the Black Lanterns.
Powers and abilities
- Larry - Antennae in helmet and circuitry in belt allowed him to eavesdrop on police band frequencies or intercept telephone calls; travelled at the speed of electricity along telephone lines on collapsible skates built into boots; magnetic energies enabled him to climb walls or relieve criminals of their guns.
- Helen - Helmet allows her to change her molecular structure; can transform into energy and travel along television airwaves; can also fly at superspeed.
- Harold - Able to ride and transmute into energy, and fly at superspeed; inherited and initially used his father's suit and helmet to better control his abilities