Arthur Light (New Earth)

Arthur Light accidentally killed his partner Jacob Finlay. Light then took the suit and the "Doctor Light" codename, using them for selfish, criminal means. He was periodically haunted by Finlay's ghost through the years, but could use the light generated by the suit to drive off this spirit.

Creators

Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky

First appearance

Last appearance

Justice League of America #12 (June 1962)

Final Crisis: Revelations #1 (August 2008)

History

Doctor Arthur Light was a minor but persistent foe of a number of heroes. He first fought the Justice League and, when he failed to defeat that group, he fought their sidekicks and former sidekicks, the Teen Titans. He then founded the Fearsome Five, but they were defeated by the Titans, and Light was violently expelled from the Five by his teammates. Each criminal caper led to Light's defeat, often humiliating him in the process. Light's most ignominious defeat was likely his defeat by Little Boy Blue and his Blue Boys.

Driven by self-doubt and guilt, thanks in part to Finlay's ghostly presence, he volunteered for the Suicide Squad. As a Squad member, he was less than successful in exonerating himself morally. On a mission against the Force of July, he killed Sparkler, the Force's youngest member and only a child.

Finally, Finlay's ghost convinced Light to attempt a heroic turn, and was consequently killed by Parademons on Apokolips. Light was thus sent to Hell, where he was physically reunited with Finlay. Both men were released from Hell and returned to life, only to soon die again: Arthur Light suffocated while still inside his grave, while the desiccated Finlay clawed his way out of his own grave but was killed by a family of religious vigilantes. Arthur Light was again returned to life, and barely survived a great fall that his demonic tormentors may have intended to be fatal.

Dr. Light, freed of his ex-partner's hauntings, attempted to rejoin the Suicide Squad, but his appeal was summarily rejected by Amanda Waller. He was briefly trapped in the Green Lantern's power battery, and as a consequence was temporarily transformed into living light. He later joined a short-lived incarnation of the Injustice Gang, in which he assisted Lex Luthor in building holographic duplicates of the JLA.

It was revealed that Doctor Light was a serial rapist. After he attacked Sue Dibny the League resolved to alter his mind through the use of Zatanna's magic so that Light would no longer pose a threat to their loved ones. In the process, they accidentally gave him a partial lobotomy (thus explaining how he fell from being a plausible foe of the Justice League to a punching bag for the Teen Titans). He later recovered his memories and intellect, and vowed revenge against the Justice League.

First he kidnapped Green Arrow, using him as bait so he could initiate his revenge on the Teen Titans. When the Titans responded to his call and landed at Light's position, he attacked savagely and nearly killed them all. However, when every available hero who had ever been a Titan appeared, he suffered another defeat, however narrow. Batman and Batgirl appeared to take him to prison, but revealed themselves to be Deathstroke and Ravager, who offered him a place in the new Secret Society of Super Villains, a large villainous organization headed by Lex Luthor. Dr. Light, hungry for vengeance and power, readily accepted.

As a Society member, he was able to help Merlyn and Deathstroke defeat Green Arrow in Star City. Dr. Light then attacked and absorbed a great deal of the other Doctor Light's power, later referring to his treatment of her as raping her. However, she eventually regained the powers he drained from her. He hired Killer Frost and Mirror Master to distract Green Arrow and Black Lightning while he attacked Green Arrow's family, Speedy and his son Connor Hawke, killing a large number of students at Mia's high school in the process. When Black Lightning and Green Arrow caught up to Dr. Light, he trapped Black Lightning, Speedy and Conner inside their new apartment building after Deathstroke blew up the last one (in Green Arrow #50). Dr Light then led Green Arrow on a chase through Star City until they both ended up in the park and Green Arrow faced off against Merlyn in a duel with bows and arrows .

One Year Later

Light was a member of Luthor, Joker and Cheetah's Injustice League. During a battle with the Justice League, Cheetah betrays him and slashes him in the back because of her hatred of rapists. Shortly after, the Injustice League are captured and deported to an alien world by the Suicide Squad.

Final Crisis

Having returned to Earth, he can seen as a member of Libra's Secret Society of Super Villains. He and Mirror Master are sent by Libra to recover Metron's chair. They are briefly challenged by Empress, Sparx and Mas Y Menos, but defeat them easily by combining Light's beams with Mirror Master's mirrors. He later participates in the murder of the Martian Manhunter, assisting the Human Flame and Libra. Later however, The Spectre judges Dr Light (who is in the middle of a mock superhero rape orgy with various women dressed as Teen Titans), and burns him to death by turning him into a candle and using his head for the wick. The Spectre, in his characteristically ironic fashion, chose this punishment because of Light's abuse of his ability to manipulate light.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Photokinesis: ability to control light for a variety of purposes. He can bend the light around him to become invisible, generate blasts of energy, create force fields and fly. By mentally repulsing photons, Light can create areas of complete darkness. Light can also drain ambient light in an area. The limits of his powers are unclear, but he seems to be able to wrest control of anything that emits light. Such things have included Green Lantern constructs, Superboy's heat vision, and magic lightning from Wonder Girl's lasso. He was also able to take the "internal" light away from Doctor Light (Kimiyo Hoshi) and Ray (Ray Terrill).

Originally, Doctor Light derived his powers from his suit, but over time he has internalized this ability, and can use his powers without having to use his costume.

Abilities

Scientific Genius-level Intellect: Originally, Arthur Light was brilliant, a genius in the field of physics. However, his mindwipe by the Justice League reduced his intelligence substantially. Light's recent recovery of his memories seems to have brought his brilliance back with them.

Paraphernalia

Equipment: Light Suit (formerly)

Notes

No special notes.

Trivia

No trivia.

Links and References

Doctor Light at Wikipedia.org
None.

Footnotes

Titans Villain(s)

This character is or was primarily an enemy of the Teen Titans, the Titans, or any of the other various Titans incarnations.
This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Titans Villains."