Lash Lightning
Encyclopedia
Lash Lightning is a fictional superhero
character who first appeared in Sure-Fire Comics #1 (June, 1940) from Ace Comics
.
’ Flash. Starting with issue #4, Sure-Fire was renamed Lightning Comics to take advantage of the star character’s popularity. He also appeared in issues 1 to 22 of the Ace title Four Favorites; about halfway through this run the “Lash” was dropped and he was simply named Lightning.
In Lightning Comics vol. 3 no. 1 (1942), Lash was given a sidekick in the form of Lightning Girl. She was seen in issues 6 to 22 of Four Favorites.
In 2008, Lash Lightning and Lightning Girl appeared in flashback in Dynamite Entertainment
’s Project Superpowers
#0; in the one-shot Project Superpowers: Chapter Two Prelude, it’s stated that the two of them will appear in this line as part of a team called The Super-Mysterymen (presumably named after the Ace title Super-Mystery Comics).
when he encountered an ancient mystic called The Old Man of the Pyramids; the mystic gave Morgan superpowers, on the condition that he use them to fight evil. His powers include super-strength, super-speed, flight, the ability to generate electricity and radiate “lightning heat,” and a measure of invulnerability (e.g., he can contain the explosion of a grenade
with his bare hands); his powers can be recharged by electricity. Returning to the United States
, Morgan donned a costume and changed his name to Lash Lightning (as opposed to maintaining a secret identity). His emblem is a triangle
with a thunderbolt
emerging from each of its three sides.
Later, Lash’s friend Isobel Blake gained powers identical to his when he accidentally charged her with thousands of volts of electricity; she donned a costume similar to his and became his partner Lightning Girl. Also, the two of them are now able to track each other via their “lightning impulses.”
, both Lash Lightning and Lightning Girl were imprisoned in the mystical Urn of Pandora, along with many other heroes, by the misguided Fighting Yank
; decades later, the Urn was broken and the heroes released. The duo were then recruited, along with six other heroes (including Captain Courageous
, Mr. Raven
, Soldier Unknown
), and The Sword, to form a team called The Super-Mysterymen; the purpose of this team has not yet been revealed.
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 —...
character who first appeared in Sure-Fire Comics #1 (June, 1940) from Ace Comics
Ace Comics (publishers)
Ace Comics was the banner under which pulp magazine publisher Aaron A. Wyn and his wife Rose Wyn produced comic books between 1940 and the end of 1956. The Wyns had been publishing pulp fiction under the Periodical House and Magazine Publishers names since 1928...
.
Publication history
In his first appearance this character was named Flash Lightning; the name was changed to Lash Lightning by the second issue, to avoid confusion with DC ComicsDC 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...
’ Flash. Starting with issue #4, Sure-Fire was renamed Lightning Comics to take advantage of the star character’s popularity. He also appeared in issues 1 to 22 of the Ace title Four Favorites; about halfway through this run the “Lash” was dropped and he was simply named Lightning.
In Lightning Comics vol. 3 no. 1 (1942), Lash was given a sidekick in the form of Lightning Girl. She was seen in issues 6 to 22 of Four Favorites.
In 2008, Lash Lightning and Lightning Girl appeared in flashback in Dynamite Entertainment
Dynamite Entertainment
Dynamite Entertainment is an American comic book company that primarily publishes licensed franchises of adaptations of other media. These include adaptations of film properties such as Army of Darkness, Terminator and RoboCop, literary properties such as Zorro, Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, Alice in...
’s Project Superpowers
Project Superpowers
Project Superpowers is a comic book limited series published by Dynamite Entertainment beginning January 2008. It was co-plotted by Jim Krueger and Alex Ross, with scripts by Jim Krueger, covers by Alex Ross, and interior art by Doug Klauba and Stephen Sadowski for issue #0, and Carlos Paul for the...
#0; in the one-shot Project Superpowers: Chapter Two Prelude, it’s stated that the two of them will appear in this line as part of a team called The Super-Mysterymen (presumably named after the Ace title Super-Mystery Comics).
Ace
In 1940, explorer Robert Morgan was delving into an Egyptian pyramidEgyptian pyramids
The Egyptian pyramids are ancient pyramid-shaped masonry structures located in Egypt.There are 138 pyramids discovered in Egypt as of 2008. Most were built as tombs for the country's Pharaohs and their consorts during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods.The earliest known Egyptian pyramids are found...
when he encountered an ancient mystic called The Old Man of the Pyramids; the mystic gave Morgan superpowers, on the condition that he use them to fight evil. His powers include super-strength, super-speed, flight, the ability to generate electricity and radiate “lightning heat,” and a measure of invulnerability (e.g., he can contain the explosion of a grenade
Grenade
A grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
with his bare hands); his powers can be recharged by electricity. Returning to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Morgan donned a costume and changed his name to Lash Lightning (as opposed to maintaining a secret identity). His emblem is a triangle
Triangle
A triangle is one of the basic shapes of geometry: a polygon with three corners or vertices and three sides or edges which are line segments. A triangle with vertices A, B, and C is denoted ....
with a thunderbolt
Thunderbolt
A thunderbolt is a discharge of lightning accompanied by a loud thunderclap or its symbolic representation. In its original usage the word may also have been a description of meteors, or, as Plato suggested in Timaeus, of the consequences of a close approach between two planetary cosmic bodies,...
emerging from each of its three sides.
Later, Lash’s friend Isobel Blake gained powers identical to his when he accidentally charged her with thousands of volts of electricity; she donned a costume similar to his and became his partner Lightning Girl. Also, the two of them are now able to track each other via their “lightning impulses.”
Project Superpowers
At some point after World War IIWorld 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...
, both Lash Lightning and Lightning Girl were imprisoned in the mystical Urn of Pandora, along with many other heroes, by the misguided Fighting Yank
Fighting Yank
-Publication history:The initial comic-book character called Fighting Yank first appeared in Nedor Comics' Startling Comics #10 , during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books. He was created by writer Richard E. Hughes and artist Jon L. Blummer...
; decades later, the Urn was broken and the heroes released. The duo were then recruited, along with six other heroes (including Captain Courageous
Captain Courageous (comics)
Captain Courageous is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in Banner Comics #3 from Ace Comics. His name seems to be inspired by the title of the Rudyard Kipling novel Captains Courageous.-Publishing history:...
, Mr. Raven
Raven (Ace Comics)
The Raven is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in the Ace Comics title Sure-Fire Comics; not to be confused with the DC Comics character.-Publication history:...
, Soldier Unknown
Unknown Soldier (Ace Comics)
The Unknown Soldier is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in Our Flag Comics #1 from Ace Comics.-Publishing history:...
), and The Sword, to form a team called The Super-Mysterymen; the purpose of this team has not yet been revealed.