Jakeem Thunder
Encyclopedia
Jakeem Thunder initially called J.J. Thunder, is a fictional character
in the DC Comics
Universe
, a member of the superhero
team the Justice Society of America
. Jakeem first appeared in Flash
(vol. 2) #134 (February 1998), and was created by Grant Morrison
, Mark Millar
and Paul Ryan
.
-- home of Jay Garrick (the original Flash
) and Wally West
(one of his Garrick's successors). Jakeem's mother left his father while she was still pregnant with the boy and he was orphaned when his mother died of cancer. His aunt Lashawn was then granted custody and his father, Phil, never knew (and still does not know) about his birth. Jakeem became a self-reliant latchkey kid
who grew up on the streets and adopted a tough, foul-mouthed attitude in order to survive.
When Johnny Thunder
began to lose control over his "genie
" Thunderbolt, because of his declining mental health, he put the genie inside an ink pen. Without knowing its danger, Jay Garrick gave the pen to Jakeem.
Soon thereafter, the world was threatened by Lkz, a blue genie similar to the Thunderbolt but evil in nature. The Justice League of America
and Justice Society of America
united to fight the being, whereupon Jakeem discovered that the Thunderbolt actually came from the Fifth Dimension and is controlled by speaking its name (Yz) backwards ("Say You"). Jakeem worked with a small group of JSA members, as they attempted to stay alive while Yz and Lkz battled throughout space. Jakeem even tried to punch out Qwsp, a third genie that came to threaten the group.
Qwsp is arrested by Fifth Dimension police. With the assistance of Captain Marvel
, Jakeem was able to merge Yz with Lkz, who was controlled by speaking the phrase So Cûl . The pink-hued Yz and the blue-hued Lkz formed a new purple genie named Ylzkz, with this new genie also being controlled by the phrase "so cool."
), who becomes a friend, and positive influence on him. He also benefits from the guidance of Johnny Thunder himself. He and Hourman Rick Tyler
also build a brotherly friendship. Like Johnny before him, he often causes trouble by wishing for things without meaning to, due to poorly-worded commands.
During the "Last Laugh" story arc where certain villains in the DC universe have been affected by the Joker
's laughing gas, a Jokerized Solomon Grundy
attacks the JSA headquarters. His initial attack involves dropping the head of the Statue of Liberty
outside the doors of the JSA and knocking out the then-caretaker of the museum Alexander Montez
. Jakeem and Courtney are the only two at the headquarters at the time. Their fight against Grundy goes badly, as he steals Jakeem's pen and retreats to the sewers. Jakeem tells Courtney he wants to get the pen back not because he sees the Thunderbolt as his power, but because the Thunderbolt is his friend.
During the fight with Grundy, Jakeem is nearly knocked out by the behemoth. He realizes Courtney is in grave peril and in desperation, stretches to reach his pen, just out of reach. A purplish-pink wave of energy appears in his eyes and around the pen, which levitates into his grasp. Jakeem briefly wonders how this has happened, but decides to figure it out later. The fight serves as a bonding experience between the two young heroes. Jakeem has the Thunderbolt fix the statue.
. Unfortunately, Johnny immediately falls prey to the Ultra-Humanite
, who takes over Johnny's body in order to command the Thunderbolt's powers. In the "Stealing Thunder" storyline, Jakeem is one of several heroes left free from Ultra's control. Eventually Jakeem wrests control of the Thunderbolt back from Ultra, but Johnny Thunder loses his life. Jakeem then wishes that the Thunderbolt could save Johnny somehow, so the genie chooses to merge with Johnny, creating a new being with the memories of both. He later assumes the name Johnny Thunderbolt. Johnny Thunderbolt bears Johnny's likeness, though it is not clear how the personalities of Johnny and the two genies interact, and whether any one personality is dominant. Johnny's family is informed of his death and a funeral is held at Valhalla, a cemetery for superheroes. The family does not know that he lives on as the Thunderbolt. The Thunderbolt eventually stops displaying Johnny's likeness while still speaking as him.
battling with Nabu
. Jakeem jumps the gun and takes action against the evil wizard (who had previously slit Jakeem's throat). Jakeem returns the favor by stabbing Mordru in the throat with his pen, then summons the Thunderbolt, electrocuting Mordru. Jakeem then asks the Thunderbolt to send Mordru "somewhere none of us will ever have to see him again," (followed for the first time by a "please").
, for whom he immediately fell, though she never returned the feeling. Soon after, in a Thy Kingdom Come story arc, when William Matthews, otherwise known as Gog, attacked the Brownstone, Jakeem quickly tried to make Thunderbolt attack him, but was instantly knocked out by Gog. Later, when the true Gog appeared, Jakeem took a small part in the ensuing battle, mostly staying in the background. Jakeem was last seen at Stargirl's birthday party, when he gave her a picture of him and other new recruits to the team, thanking her for being a teacher to them.
In Blackest Night: JSA, Mr. Terrific creates a "Black Lantern bomb". He mentions that Jakeem was the first person to be taken out by Black Lantern Terry Sloane, as Jakeem has the Thunderbolt's power. Mr. Terrific used Green Lantern
, Dr. Fate, Lightning and Stargirl to create the successful bomb that had mimicked Thunderbolt's powers. As soon as it was complete, Mr. Terrific set the bomb off, taking out all the Black Lanterns in New York City.
Jakeem was not seen with the JSA or the newly-formed JSA All-Stars following Blackest Night, but did make a cameo as one of the mourners at Damage
's funeral.
in the form of "Johnny Thunderbolt". The genie can fulfill any wish made by Jakeem, though he occasionally follows Jakeem's wishes too literally. The Thunderbolt's abilities have become limited due to certain limitations according to the new rules of the Tenth Age of Magic. Hourman stated that Thunderbolt can follow the commands from the recordings of Jakeem's voice that were recorded on Mr. Terrific
's T-Spheres, although this was never seen in action.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the DC Comics
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...
, a member of the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
team the Justice Society of America
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 ....
. Jakeem first appeared in Flash
Flash (comics)
The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
(vol. 2) #134 (February 1998), and was created by Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
, Mark Millar
Mark Millar
Mark Millar is a Scottish comic book writer, known for his work on books such as The Authority, The Ultimates, Marvel Knights Spider-Man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Civil War, Wanted, and Kick-Ass, the latter two of which have been adapted into feature films...
and Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan (comics)
Paul Ryan Paul Ryan Paul Ryan ((born 23 September 1949 in Massachusetts) is an American comic book and comic strip artist. Ryan has worked extensively for Marvel Comics and DC Comics on a number of super-hero comics. He currently pencils and inks the daily and Sunday comic strip The Phantom for...
.
Fictional character biography
Jakeem Johnny Williams is a precocious teenager from Keystone CityKeystone City
Keystone City is a fictional city in the . Specifically, it is the home of both the original Flash, Jay Garrick, and the third Flash, Wally West...
-- home of Jay Garrick (the original Flash
Flash (comics)
The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
) and Wally West
Wally West
The Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
(one of his Garrick's successors). Jakeem's mother left his father while she was still pregnant with the boy and he was orphaned when his mother died of cancer. His aunt Lashawn was then granted custody and his father, Phil, never knew (and still does not know) about his birth. Jakeem became a self-reliant latchkey kid
Latchkey kid
A latchkey kid or latchkey child is a child who returns from school to an empty home because his or her parent or parents are away at work, or a child who is often left at home with little or no parental supervision.- History of the term :...
who grew up on the streets and adopted a tough, foul-mouthed attitude in order to survive.
When Johnny Thunder
Johnny Thunder
Johnny Thunder is the name of three fictional characters in comics published by DC Comics. A fourth character has the variant name Jonni Thunder.It is also the name of an unrelated Lego character.-Fictional character biography:...
began to lose control over his "genie
Genie
Jinn or genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings that occupy a parallel world to that of mankind. Together, jinn, humans and angels make up the three sentient creations of Allah. Religious sources say barely anything about them; however, the Qur'an mentions that...
" Thunderbolt, because of his declining mental health, he put the genie inside an ink pen. Without knowing its danger, Jay Garrick gave the pen to Jakeem.
Soon thereafter, the world was threatened by Lkz, a blue genie similar to the Thunderbolt but evil in nature. The Justice League of America
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
and Justice Society of America
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 ....
united to fight the being, whereupon Jakeem discovered that the Thunderbolt actually came from the Fifth Dimension and is controlled by speaking its name (Yz) backwards ("Say You"). Jakeem worked with a small group of JSA members, as they attempted to stay alive while Yz and Lkz battled throughout space. Jakeem even tried to punch out Qwsp, a third genie that came to threaten the group.
Qwsp is arrested by Fifth Dimension police. With the assistance of Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
, Jakeem was able to merge Yz with Lkz, who was controlled by speaking the phrase So Cûl . The pink-hued Yz and the blue-hued Lkz formed a new purple genie named Ylzkz, with this new genie also being controlled by the phrase "so cool."
Justice Society of America
Jakeem somewhat reluctantly joins the Justice Society as a part-time member. Jakeem is welcomed by the fellow young hero Courtney Whitmore (the Star-Spangled Kid, who later changes her codename to StargirlStargirl
Courtney Whitmore is a superheroine known as Stargirl in the DC Comics Universe. Originally known as the second Star-Spangled Kid, she began using the name "Stargirl" after she was presented with the Cosmic Staff by Jack Knight...
), who becomes a friend, and positive influence on him. He also benefits from the guidance of Johnny Thunder himself. He and Hourman Rick Tyler
Hourman
Hourman is the name of three different fictional DC Comics superheroes, the first of whom was created by Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily in Adventure Comics #48 , during the Golden Age of Comic Books.-Rex Tyler:Scientist Rex Tyler, raised in upstate...
also build a brotherly friendship. Like Johnny before him, he often causes trouble by wishing for things without meaning to, due to poorly-worded commands.
During the "Last Laugh" story arc where certain villains in the DC universe have been affected by the Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
's laughing gas, a Jokerized Solomon Grundy
Solomon Grundy (comics)
Solomon Grundy is a fictional character, a zombie supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Named after the 19th century children's nursery rhyme, Grundy was introduced as an enemy of the Golden Age Green Lantern , but has since become a prominent enemy for a number of superheroes, such as Batman and...
attacks the JSA headquarters. His initial attack involves dropping the head of the Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
outside the doors of the JSA and knocking out the then-caretaker of the museum Alexander Montez
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...
. Jakeem and Courtney are the only two at the headquarters at the time. Their fight against Grundy goes badly, as he steals Jakeem's pen and retreats to the sewers. Jakeem tells Courtney he wants to get the pen back not because he sees the Thunderbolt as his power, but because the Thunderbolt is his friend.
During the fight with Grundy, Jakeem is nearly knocked out by the behemoth. He realizes Courtney is in grave peril and in desperation, stretches to reach his pen, just out of reach. A purplish-pink wave of energy appears in his eyes and around the pen, which levitates into his grasp. Jakeem briefly wonders how this has happened, but decides to figure it out later. The fight serves as a bonding experience between the two young heroes. Jakeem has the Thunderbolt fix the statue.
Johnny Thunderbolt
Also in the course of the battle with Grundy, Jakeem unwittingly cures his predecessor, Johnny Thunder, of his Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. Unfortunately, Johnny immediately falls prey to the Ultra-Humanite
Ultra-Humanite
The Ultra-Humanite is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #13 , and was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster...
, who takes over Johnny's body in order to command the Thunderbolt's powers. In the "Stealing Thunder" storyline, Jakeem is one of several heroes left free from Ultra's control. Eventually Jakeem wrests control of the Thunderbolt back from Ultra, but Johnny Thunder loses his life. Jakeem then wishes that the Thunderbolt could save Johnny somehow, so the genie chooses to merge with Johnny, creating a new being with the memories of both. He later assumes the name Johnny Thunderbolt. Johnny Thunderbolt bears Johnny's likeness, though it is not clear how the personalities of Johnny and the two genies interact, and whether any one personality is dominant. Johnny's family is informed of his death and a funeral is held at Valhalla, a cemetery for superheroes. The family does not know that he lives on as the Thunderbolt. The Thunderbolt eventually stops displaying Johnny's likeness while still speaking as him.
Father issues
With Johnny's help, Jakeem meets his biological father, Phil, who is now an engineering student. Jakeem does not reveal his true identity, but he also meets Phil's wife, Jennifer, and his younger half-brother. He is torn by his longing to reconnect with his biological father, but fears he will upset Phil's life.Infinite Crisis
At the dawn of the Infinite Crisis, the Spectre shunts Jakeem through his pen into the Fifth Dimension, where he succumbs to the machinations of Qwsp and becomes a mad tyrant. The Thunderbolt amasses an army to fight him, including the Thunderbolt's son, Shocko and Shocko's wife Peachy Pet. With the help of the JSA, Jakeem is freed of Qwsp's evil influence. Among Qwsp's prisoners is Johnny Thunder, apparently separated from the Thunderbolt and living in the Fifth Dimension. Upon the JSA's return from the Fifth Dimension, they find the villain MordruMordru
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...
battling with Nabu
Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
. Jakeem jumps the gun and takes action against the evil wizard (who had previously slit Jakeem's throat). Jakeem returns the favor by stabbing Mordru in the throat with his pen, then summons the Thunderbolt, electrocuting Mordru. Jakeem then asks the Thunderbolt to send Mordru "somewhere none of us will ever have to see him again," (followed for the first time by a "please").
Return
When Jakeem and Thunderbolt returned to the JSA, Jakeem was introduced to the new members of the team that had joined during his absence. However, he turned angry when he found out there were no rooms for him to stay in, due to the big roster of the team. He soon met up with the newest recruit, LightningLightning (DC Comics)
Lightning is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. A member of the Justice Society of America, she is the youngest daughter of Black Lightning and sister of the heroine Thunder. The current version of Lightning debuted in Justice Society of America vol...
, for whom he immediately fell, though she never returned the feeling. Soon after, in a Thy Kingdom Come story arc, when William Matthews, otherwise known as Gog, attacked the Brownstone, Jakeem quickly tried to make Thunderbolt attack him, but was instantly knocked out by Gog. Later, when the true Gog appeared, Jakeem took a small part in the ensuing battle, mostly staying in the background. Jakeem was last seen at Stargirl's birthday party, when he gave her a picture of him and other new recruits to the team, thanking her for being a teacher to them.
In Blackest Night: JSA, Mr. Terrific creates a "Black Lantern bomb". He mentions that Jakeem was the first person to be taken out by Black Lantern Terry Sloane, as Jakeem has the Thunderbolt's power. Mr. Terrific used Green Lantern
Alan Scott
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
, Dr. Fate, Lightning and Stargirl to create the successful bomb that had mimicked Thunderbolt's powers. As soon as it was complete, Mr. Terrific set the bomb off, taking out all the Black Lanterns in New York City.
Jakeem was not seen with the JSA or the newly-formed JSA All-Stars following Blackest Night, but did make a cameo as one of the mourners at Damage
Damage (comics)
Damage is a DC Comics superhero who first appeared in a comic book of the same name during the Zero Hour crisis. He is the son of the original Atom Al Pratt. He has been a member of the Titans, the Freedom Fighters, and Justice Society of America....
's funeral.
Powers and abilities
Jakeem has the ability to summon and control a powerful genieGenie
Jinn or genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings that occupy a parallel world to that of mankind. Together, jinn, humans and angels make up the three sentient creations of Allah. Religious sources say barely anything about them; however, the Qur'an mentions that...
in the form of "Johnny Thunderbolt". The genie can fulfill any wish made by Jakeem, though he occasionally follows Jakeem's wishes too literally. The Thunderbolt's abilities have become limited due to certain limitations according to the new rules of the Tenth Age of Magic. Hourman stated that Thunderbolt can follow the commands from the recordings of Jakeem's voice that were recorded on Mr. Terrific
Mister Terrific (Michael Holt)
Michael Holt is a fictional character, a comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics. First appearing in Spectre #54 , he is the second character to take up the Mister Terrific mantle....
's T-Spheres, although this was never seen in action.