Live Wire is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe

Marvel Universe

The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...

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Publication history

Live Wire first appeared in Fantastic Four

Fantastic Four

The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...

 Annual #5 (November 1967), and was created by Stan Lee

Stan Lee

Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....

 and Jack Kirby

Jack Kirby

Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....

.

The character subsequently appears in Marvel Two-in-One #70 (December 1980), and then as a member of the Circus of Crime in Ghost Rider #72-73 (September-October 1982).

Live Wire appeared as part of the "Circus of Crime" entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition

Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe

The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is an encyclopedic guide which details the fictional universe featured in Marvel Comics publications...

#2.

Fictional character biography

Rance Preston was born in Houston, Texas

Houston, Texas

Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...

. His weapon is an electrified lariat of which he is a master. He also has various skills that he learned working on a ranch as a cowboy, such as horseback riding. He was once an agent of the Psycho-Man

Psycho-Man

Psycho-Man is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The character first appears in Fantastic Four Annual #5 Psycho-Man is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The character first...

 Live Wire later teamed up with Shellshock

Shellshock (Marvel Comics)

Shellshock is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Shellshock first appeared in Fantastic Four Annual #5 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....

, another former agent of the Psycho-Man.

Live Wire frees the Circus of Crime

Circus of Crime

The Circus of Crime is a fictional villainous organization in the Marvel Comics universe.-Old West:Oddly, there were two organizations in the Old West who dubbed themselves the Circus of Crime...

 from a prison wagon on its way to the penitentiary, and he then joins the group. The group captures Power Man

Luke Cage

Luke Cage is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist John Romita, Sr., he first appeared in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1...

, but with the help of Black Goliath

Bill Foster (comics)

Dr. Bill Foster, also known as Black Goliath, the second Giant-Man, and the fourth Goliath, is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:...

, Power Man defeats the Circus. Live Wire also fights the original Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)

Ghost Rider is a fictional character, an antihero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the second Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and preceding Daniel Ketch.Johnny Blaze was portrayed both in the 2007 film Ghost Rider and...

as part of the Circus of Crime.

Powers and abilities

Live Wire has an electrified cable that he uses as a lariat. Anyone ensnared by it suffers damage from the electricity. He wears insulated gloves and clothing that protects him from electricity.