Leslie Willis (New Earth)

Leslie Willis
Mainstream Universe‎, 1986‎-2011‎
Gallery
Real Name	Leslie Willis
Other Aliases	Live Wire
Affiliation	Supermen of America
Base Of Operations	Metropolis
Status
Alignment	Good
Identity	Public Identity
Citizenship	American
Marital Status	Single
Occupation	Reporter
Characteristics
Gender	Female
Hair	Blue
Origin
Universe	New Earth
Creators	Gail Simone · John Byrne
First Appearance	Action Comics #835 (March, 2006)

I always had a thing for electricity. Call it a mutual crush-on. I like it. It likes me. We're stinkbuddies, you know?

— Livewire (Leslie Willis)

History

Leslie Willis was a shock jock. Going by the DJ name Leslie, her show was dedicated to bashing upon Superman every night, claiming that Superman was only saving people in the name of grandstanding and showing off. She also showed a disdain for fellow broadcaster Billy Batson. Her career as a shock jock was cut short when the owner of the station, Miguel, decided to turn the station into a country station. Miguel was also quite pleased that she was fired because his wife was saved by Superman.

She was born with the gift of controlling electricity. Enraged at the loss of her job, she went to the top of the station where she was struck by lightning. However, she absorbed a large amount of energy from the lightning bolt, changing her appearance to a chalk-white skin with blue hair. With that change, she decided that she would now take her revenge out on Superman.

One of Livewire's attempts at controlling the airwaves of Metropolis occurred while Iris and Jai West, children of the Flash, were in town on a scavenger hunt. The twins, with the help of their father and Superman, managed to defeat her.

Shortly thereafter, she attacked Metropolis anew, only to be quickly defeated by a quick-thinking Supergirl. Some time later, an unstable Willis held a group of tourists and others hostage in Las Vegas, Nevada until the intervention of Superman. Willis received a power-regulating containment suit from the Man of Steel. He had previously worn the suit during a period when he possessed electrical powers similar to those wielded by Willis. A copy of the suit had previously been worn by Strange Visitor.

A reformed Willis has recently become a founding member of Superman's new team, the Supermen of America.

From Superman #711. Art by Eddy Barrows and J.P. Mayer.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

• Electrokinesis: Livewire has the ability to absorb, generate and project volumes of electrical energy of an extremely high voltage. She also has the ability to transform into living energy. In that form she can transmit herself through powerlines.
  • Energy Absorption
  • Electro-Blast: Livewire also uses an unusual application of which is the ability to act as a radio antenna as well as fire powerful blasts of electrical energy.
• Electromagnetism: As an application of Electrokinesis, Livewire can also generate an electro-magnetic field.

Weaknesses

Her stored electricity will short circuit and at least partially dissipate if she gets wet. Without the power regulation suit given to her by Superman, absorbing large amounts of electricity made it hard for Leslie to "think straight" and made her actions erratic.

Trivia

• Livewire appeared on Superman: The Animated Series before making the transition to the comic book medium.

Related

• 19 Appearances of Leslie Willis (New Earth)
• 8 Images featuring Leslie Willis (New Earth)
• 3 Quotations by or about Leslie Willis (New Earth)
• Character Gallery: Leslie Willis (New Earth)

Footnotes

Superman Villain(s) This character has been primarily an enemy of Superman in any of his various incarnations, or members of the Superman Family. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Superman Villains category."