Arthur Light (New Earth)

Dr. 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 later defeated by the Titans. 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: Doctor Light has the power and ability to freely control and manipulate light for a variety of purposes. By mentally repulsing photons, Light can create areas of complete darkness. The limits of his powers and abilities are unclear, but he seems to be able to wrest control and manipulation of anything that emits light. Such things have included Green Lantern bright green glowing energy 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).

Invisibility: He can bend the light around him to become invisible.
Energy Projection: He can generate blasts of yellow glowing energy.
Force Field: He can create yellow glowing force fields.
Flight: It is unknown exactly how he uses his light to fly, yet he does and has done so throughout most of his career. Although its possible he attracts himself to certain light.
Energy Absorption: Light can also drain ambient light in any area.

Abilities

Genius Level Intellect: Originally, Arthur Light was brilliant. However, his mind-wipe by the Justice League reduced his intelligence substantially. Light's recent recovery of his memories seems to have brought his brilliance back with them.

Physics

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Light Suit: Originally, Doctor Light derived his powers and abilities from his suit, but over time he has internalized this power and ability, and can use his light-controlling-manipulating powers and abilities without having to use his suit.

Notes

Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-One era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and should be considered apocryphal.
Accounts of Dr Light's origins vary. According to DC Super-Stars Vol 1 14 he accidentally created a portal to other worlds which allowed him to steal advanced light technology from Thanagar, successfully evading capture by Hawkman years before he met the Justice League. A later account, after the Crisis on Infinite Earths, however, tells a different story, stating that Light developed his equipment in partnership with Jacob Finlay. It may be that both stories are true, but that details of Light's past were altered by the Crisis.

Trivia

During the Silver Age, Doctor Light went by a few nicknames such as Lord of Luminescence and Photon Felon.

Secret Society of Super-Villains member
This character is or was a member of the Secret Society of Super-Villains, a cadre of super-villains who band together to accomplish feats no one super-villain can do alone, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Secret Society of Super-Villains members" category.

Suicide Squad member
This character is or was a member of the Suicide Squad, a team of imprisoned super-villains who perform high-risk missions for the U.S. Government in exchange for commuted sentences, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Suicide Squad members" category.

Black Lantern Corps member
This character is or was a member of the Black Lantern Corps. Those who have died may wield the Black Power Ring, symbolizing their lack of both life and emotion.
This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Black Lantern Corps members category."

Arthur Light (New Earth)

Contents

History