Lightning Lad: Bio, Origin & History

Real Name: Garth Ranzz

First Appearance: Adventure Comics #247 (April, 1958)

Powers: Can control lightning.

Affiliation: Legion of Superheroes 

Did You Know? Lightning Lad was a founding member of the Legion of Superheroes

A Little History

Born on the planet Winath, Garth, his twin sister Ayla, and brother Mekt were destined for a life of normalcy.

However, one day, their lives took a drastic turn.

On one outing, the three siblings inadvertently made their way to the world called Korbal. That is, the ship carrying the three lost power and the trio landed on the closest planet, Korbal. The three came to the conclusion that they could use the naturally occurring electrical currents the herd of nearby Lightning Beasts possessed to recharge their ship. This backfired and instead of charging the ship, the current enveloped Garth, Ayla, and Mekt in electrical energy. The result of the charge left each with newfound powers. 

Shortly after they returned to Winath, Mekt disappeared. Garth immediately set out to find his brother. His journey’s took him to board a shuttle headed for Earth. On the shuttle, he befriended two others, Rook Krinn and Imra Ardeen. Garth and Rook hit it off while Imra felt the two boys to be a little too childish for her liking. 

Also aboard the ship was Earth’s well-known billionaire, R.J. Brande.

Brande was different from the other inhabitants on Earth. Unlike most Earth dwellers, Brande was actually a shapeshifter in disguise known as Ren Daggle. As a consequence of a fever known as Yorggian Fever, Daggle was unable to shape back and therefore stuck in human form. 

As the shuttle set foot on Earth, an assassination attempt was made on Brande’s life. Luckily, the three powered teenagers were able to foil the attempt. 

Brande, impressed by the three, offered them the chance of a lifetime. He asked that the United Planets allow him to form a group of superheroes charged with protecting the cosmos. 

And they obliged. 

With the approval of the United Planets, he began funding the teenagers now named the Legion of Superheroes. At first, Garth carried the name Lightning Boy. This, however, did not last and he would change it to Lightning Lad.

Cheers,

Joel