Doctor Light (Arthur Light)
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Doctor Light is a bipartite character comprising
supervillain A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero. Supervillains are oft ...
Arthur Light and
superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
Jacob Finlay, appearing in
comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
s published by
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
. His stint as Doctor Light is concurrent with that of a superheroine using the same name and a nearly identical costume,
Kimiyo Hoshi Doctor Light is a superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Kimiyo Hoshi is a distinct character from the Doctor Light (Arthur Light), villain of the same name. She has, however, crossed paths with the villainous Doctor Light on s ...
. In 2009, Doctor Light was ranked as
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
's 84th-greatest comic book villain of all time. He made his live-adaptation debut in one episode of the series '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'', played by David Bowe. He also appeared in the second season of the
DC Universe The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
series ''
Titans In Greek mythology, the Titans ( grc, οἱ Τῑτᾶνες, ''hoi Tītânes'', , ''ho Tītân'') were the pre-Olympian gods. According to the ''Theogony'' of Hesiod, they were the twelve children of the primordial parents Uranus (Sky) and Ga ...
'', played by Michael Mosley.


Publication history

Doctor Light first appeared in ''
Justice League The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...
of America'' #12 and was created by
Gardner Fox Gardner Francis Cooper Fox (May 20, 1911 – December 24, 1986) was an American writer known best for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. He is estimated to have written more than 4,000 comics stories, including 1,500 for DC ...
and
Mike Sekowsky Michael Sekowsky (; November 19, 1923 – March 30, 1989) was an American comics artist known as the penciler for DC Comics' ''Justice League of America'' during most of the 1960s, and as the regular writer and artist on ''Wonder Woman'' during t ...
. During the 1980s Doctor Light was transitioned from a serious menace to a comedic villain, a transformation which culminated in the
DC Comics Bonus Book DC Comics Bonus Books were 16-page comic book stories inserted into issues of existing DC Comics series to showcase new writers and artists. Running from April 1988 to February 1989, they consisted of a front cover, 14 pages of story, and a back c ...
appearing in ''The Flash'' (vol. 2) #12 (May 1988).


Fictional character biography


Origin

Criminal physicist Doctor Arthur Light captures the League with light rays after first drawing them in by capturing
Aquaman Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). The character is a pastiche of Namor. Initially ...
, then sending the League to different planets based on their weaknesses. He then orders
Snapper Carr Lucas "Snapper" Carr is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Gardner Fox (writer) and Mike Sekowsky (penciller), and made his first appearance in ''The Brave and the Bold'' in ...
to write this down, before imprisoning him in a light field. He has not realized
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
and
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
impersonated each other, allowing Superman to escape the world he was sent to and rescue the other members. Light fools the League with three duplicates of himself that are apparently committing robberies of light-associated objects, though they are actually placing devices around the world.
Green Lantern Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
realizes this trick and fakes his death to track Doctor Light, finally stopping him before he pulls the lever that would have set off the light impulses allowing him to take over the world. A
retcon Retroactive continuity, or retcon for short, is a literary device in which established diegetic facts in the plot of a fictional work (those established through the narrative itself) are adjusted, ignored, supplemented, or contradicted by a subse ...
introduced in '' Secret Origins'' #37 reveals that this character is actually the second Doctor Light. According to the retcon, his predecessor was his partner at
S.T.A.R. Labs Scientific and Technological Advanced Research Laboratories (S.T.A.R. Labs) is a fictional scientific research facility and organization appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. It first appeared in ''Superman'' #246 (December 1 ...
, a scientist named Jacob Finlay. Finlay created a technologically advanced suit to control light allowing him to be a minor superhero, but was accidentally killed by Arthur Light (though Finlay's death may have been caused by hiding his costume in a computer console, causing it to malfunction). Light took the suit and the "Doctor Light" codename. He is periodically haunted by Finlay's ghost through the years, but can use the light generated by the suit to drive off this spirit. Through the Silver and Bronze Ages, Doctor Light is a minor but persistent foe for a number of heroes. He fights the Justice League's former sidekicks, the
Teen Titans The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to DC ...
. In ''Justice League of America'' #136, he is one of
King Kull Kull of Atlantis or Kull the Conqueror is a fictional character created by writer Robert E. Howard. The character was more introspective than Howard's subsequent creation, Conan the Barbarian, whose first appearance was in a re-write of a rejec ...
's agents with which the Beast-Man hopes to wipe out humanity on all three Earths, helping in the attack on Earth-S by creating perpetual light and darkness on each side of the Earth, and teaming up with the Shade, Joker of Earth-Two, and Weeper II of Earth-S. He is turned to stone by King Kull's satellites, but restored when they are destroyed. Doctor Light is beaten by Hal Jordan not long after his defeat by the JLA. He then founds the supervillain team the
Fearsome Five The Fearsome Five is a group of supervillains from DC Comics who serve as enemies of the Teen Titans. Publication history They were created by George Pérez and Marv Wolfman, and first appeared in '' The New Teen Titans'' #3 (January 1981), going ...
, but they are also defeated by the Titans, and Light is violently expelled from the Five by his teammates. Each criminal caper leads to Light's defeat, but these defeats were used later as the basis of his humiliation that culminated in the ''
Identity Crisis In psychology, identity crisis is a stage theory of identity development where it involves resolution of a conflict over the 8 stages of the lifespan.(Schultz, 216) The term was coined by German psychologist Erik Erikson. The stage of psychosoci ...
'' storyline. Dr. Light was once defeated by Little Boy Blue and his Blue Boys—a group of non-superpowered children.


Suicide Squad

Driven by self-doubt and guilt, thanks in part to Finlay's ghostly presence, he volunteers for the
Suicide Squad The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
, a group of incarcerated supervillains who perform dangerous missions for the US government in exchange for clemency. On a mission against the patriotism-themed super-team called the "
Force of July The Outsiders are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As their name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who do not fit the norms of the "mainstream" superhero community, i.e. the Justice League. The ...
", he encounters
Sparkler A sparkler is a type of hand-held firework that burns slowly while emitting bright, intense colored flames, sparks, and other effects. Sparklers are particularly popular with children. In the United Kingdom, a sparkler is often used by chil ...
, the Force's youngest member. The presence of a super-powered child reminds him of past defeats and he lashes out, killing Sparkler with a blast through the chest. During his time with the Squad, Light demonstrates a simple desire to be liked by the other members. He sees his chance when a mysterious pie-armed attacker is on the loose but after faking a hit nobody actually believes Light has been pied. Finally, Finlay's ghost convinces Light to attempt a heroic turn during a mission where multiple members of the team, some unwillingly, have traveled to
Apokolips Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is co ...
. Light is swiftly shot dead by
Parademon Apokolips is a fictional planet that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The planet is ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series, and is integral to many stories in the DC Universe. Apokolips is co ...
s. Light is sent to Hell, where he is physically reunited with Finlay. Under the watch of a lesser demon and its annoying assistant, both men are released from Hell in turns and returned to life. Both only soon die again: Arthur Light suffocates while still inside his grave, while the desiccated Finlay claws his way out of his own grave but is killed by a family of religious vigilantes. Arthur Light is again returned to life, and barely survives a fall that his demonic tormentors may have intended to be fatal. Arthur also possesses the body of the female Doctor Light, Kimiyo Hoshi. With the aide of her teacher, Kimiyo rejects Arthur's presence. Doctor Light, freed of his ex-partner's hauntings, attempts to rejoin the Suicide Squad, but his appeal is summarily rejected by
Amanda Waller Amanda Blake Waller (née White), also known as "the Wall", is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''Legends'' #1 in 1986 and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and ...
. He later becomes trapped in a Green Lantern power battery which would eventually come under the possession of
Kyle Rayner Kyle Rayner (), one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character is depicted as being associated with the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial police force of ...
, and as a consequence is temporarily transformed into living light. He later joins a short-lived incarnation of the Injustice Gang, in which he assists
Lex Luthor Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Lex Luthor originally appeared in ''Action Comics'' #23 (cover dated: Apr ...
in building holographic duplicates of the JLA.


Identity Crisis onwards

The 2004 miniseries ''
Identity Crisis In psychology, identity crisis is a stage theory of identity development where it involves resolution of a conflict over the 8 stages of the lifespan.(Schultz, 216) The term was coined by German psychologist Erik Erikson. The stage of psychosoci ...
'' retroactively reveals that Doctor Light had raped
Sue Dibny Susan Dibny (née Dearbon) is a fictional character from DC Comics associated with the Elongated Man. Created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, the character first appeared in ''Flash'' vol. 1 #119 (March 1961). In 2004, she became a flashp ...
, wife of the superhero Elongated Man, on the JLA Satellite. Later issues reveal that he was a serial rapist. The Justice League resolve to alter his mind with
Zatanna Zatanna Zatara () is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson, and first appeared in ''Hawkman (comic book), Hawkman'' #4 (November 1964). Zatanna is a st ...
's magic so that he will no longer pose a threat. In the process, they accidentally give him a partial lobotomy, thus explaining how he fell from a plausible foe of the Justice League to a punching bag for the Teen Titans or Little Boy Blue. He later recovers his memories and intellect when witnessing a fight between the League members responsible for his mind-wipe and Deathstroke, and vowed revenge against the Justice League. Doctor Light captures
Green Arrow Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
, using him as bait so he could get revenge on the Teen Titans. The entire Teen Titans roster, former and current, responds to the call, but he brutally defeats them. After a mass battle against the Titans wears him down,
Cyborg A cyborg ()—a portmanteau of ''cybernetic'' and ''organism''—is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.
uses a device to drain the light out of the area, rendering Light powerless. Batman and
Batgirl Batgirl is the name of several superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts and allies to the superhero Batman. Although the character Betty Kane was introduced into publication in ...
appear to take him to prison, but reveal themselves to be Deathstroke and Ravager in disguise, and offer Light a place in the new Secret Society of Super Villains. Doctor Light, hungry for vengeance and power, readily accepts. As a member of
Alexander Luthor Jr. Alexander Luthor Jr. is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Publication history Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, the character made his first appearance in ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #1 (April 198 ...
's Secret Society of Super Villains, he aids Merlyn and Deathstroke in defeating Green Arrow in Star City. Doctor Light then attacks and absorbs a great deal of power from Kimiyo Hoshi. He later participates in the Battle of
Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big c ...
in ''
Infinite Crisis "Infinite Crisis" is a 2005–2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, a ...
'' #7, where he is defeated by the combined efforts of the Ray,
Black Canary The Black Canary is the name of two superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics: Dinah Drake and her daughter Dinah Laurel Lance. The original version was created by the writer-artist team of Robert Kanigher and ...
,
Martian Manhunter The Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and designed by artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in the story "The Manhunter from Mars" ...
, and Kimiyo. In the ''Justice League of America Wedding Special'', Light is a member of the
Injustice League The following is a list of fictional criminal and terrorist organizations that have been published by DC Comics and their imprints. 0-9 100 Originally based in Metropolis, the 100 kept a firm grip on the city's criminal underworld for years, ind ...
Unlimited. During a battle with the Justice League, fellow Injustice Leaguer
Cheetah The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...
betrays him and slashes him in the back because of her hatred of rapists. The entire Injustice League is captured and deported to an alien world by the Suicide Squad; Doctor Light is consequently one of the villains featured in ''
Salvation Run ''Salvation Run'' is a seven-issue 2007-2008 DC Comics limited series which was designed to tie into the company's major event series ''Final Crisis'' in 2008. Premise The premise of the series, which is based on a pitch by George R. R. Martin, ...
''. After returning to Earth, in ''DC Universe'' #0, Doctor Light is a member of
Libra Libra generally refers to: * Libra (constellation), a constellation * Libra (astrology), an astrological sign based on the star constellation Libra may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Libra'' (novel), a 1988 novel by Don DeLillo Musi ...
's Secret Society of Super Villains. In '' Final Crisis'' #1, he and
Mirror Master Mirror Master is the name of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is a recurring foe of the Flash (comics), Flash with considerable technical expertise and skills involving the use of mirrors. Three ...
are sent by Libra to recover Metron's chair. They are briefly challenged by Empress, Sparx, and
Más y Menos Más y Menos are fictional superhero twins, around the age of 12, from the ''Teen Titans'' animated television series, affiliated with the Titans East team. They are among the few heroes on the series not to have originated in the comic book. T ...
, but defeat them by combining Light's beams with Mirror Master's mirrors. Light also aids the
Human Flame The Human Flame is a supervillain in DC Comics' main shared universe. He is mostly known as an enemy of Martian Manhunter. Publication history He first appeared in '' Detective Comics'' #274 (December 1959), and was created by Jack Miller and Joe ...
and Libra in the murder of the
Martian Manhunter The Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and designed by artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in the story "The Manhunter from Mars" ...
. In '' Final Crisis: Revelations'' #1, the
Spectre Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to: Religion and spirituality * Vision (spirituality) * Apparitional experience * Ghost Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and writ ...
delivers final judgment on Doctor Light (who is discovered in the middle of a mock superhero rape orgy with various women dressed as
Teen Titans The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to DC ...
), and burns him to death by turning him into a candle, using his head as the wick. The
Milestone Comics Milestone Media is a company best known for creating Milestone Comics, which were published and distributed by DC Comics and the ''Static Shock'' animated series. It was founded in 1993 by a coalition of African-American artists and writers, con ...
group known as the Shadow Cabinet attempt to steal the remains of Light, still in the form of a candle. In actuality, Superman and
Icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
set this scenario up to familiarize the Shadow Cabinet with the JLA. The candle is, however, used by Hardware to restore to Kimiyo Hoshi the remaining powers Arthur stole from her. During the "
Blackest Night "Blackest Night" is a 2009–10 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous central miniseries, written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Ivan Reis, along with a number of tie-in issues. ''Blackest Nig ...
" storyline, Doctor Light is entombed below the Hall of Justice. His corpse is revived as a
Black Lantern The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of corporeal revenants (resembling intelligent zombies or jiangshi) appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, related to the emotional spectrum. The group is composed of deceased fiction ...
. He devours the remains of
Gehenna The Valley of Hinnom ( he, , lit=Valley of the son of Hinnom, translit=Gēʾ ḇen-Hīnnōm) is a historic valley surrounding Ancient Jerusalem, Ancient Jerusalem from the west and southwest. The valley is also known by the name Gehinnom ( ...
's corpse, and attacks Kimiyo Hoshi. Arthur employs psychology to make Kimiyo doubt herself. Just as he is on the verge of victory, he threatens Kimiyo's children, enraging her to the point where she produces a light which incinerates Arthur and his ring.


The New 52

In 2011, "
The New 52 The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new serie ...
" rebooted the DC universe. Arthur Light is a scientist working with
A.R.G.U.S. A.R.G.U.S. is a government organization in DC Comics. A.R.G.U.S. first appeared in ''Justice League'' vol. 2 #7 and was created by Geoff Johns and Gene Ha. Headed by Amanda Waller, A.R.G.U.S. is typically depicted as a parent organization for the ...
and the Justice League of America. As he is studying a communicator used by the Secret Society of Super Villains, he receives a "nasty call" and is engulfed in an explosion of light leaving his body glowing on the floor. Director Amanda Waller finds him transformed. During the "
Trinity War "Trinity War" is an 11-issue comic book story arc first published in 2013 by DC Comics, featuring the fictional superhero teams the Justice League, Justice League of America, and Justice League Dark. The arc spans several titles, including ...
" storyline, Doctor Light is a reluctant member of the new Justice League of America, and expresses disgust over being made to harm Ronnie Raymond and Jason Rusch. During his first mission with the team, he is seemingly killed by Superman. The
Phantom Stranger The Phantom Stranger is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, of unspecified paranormal origins, who battles mysterious and occult forces, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint. The character first appeared in an ...
takes Batman,
Katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the '' tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge f ...
, and
Deadman Deadman or Deadman's may refer to: * "Deadman" or "dead man", are alternative terms for a dead man's switch * "Deadman's foot" is another name for a Salamander in metallurgy * "Deadman anchor" is a buried object (log, concrete, block, etc.) used ...
to the afterlife to locate Doctor Light, but he doesn't remember anything about his death. The Phantom Stranger tells Doctor Light that he will try to free him from the afterlife, so he can be with his family. Doctor Light gives a piece of his soul to the Phantom Stranger in hopes that he can give it to his family as a final gift if he doesn't get out. It is later revealed that Atomica, who is from the alternate universe of
Earth-3 Earth-Three, or simply Earth-3 or Earth 3, is a “partially-reversed” Earth, where supervillainous counterparts of the mainstream DC superheroes reside. It first appeared in ''Justice League of America'' #29 (1964), and the concept has been r ...
, is responsible for Doctor Light's death. During the "
Forever Evil "Forever Evil" is a 2013–2014 crossover comic book storyline published by DC Comics that began in September 2013 and ended in May 2014, consisting of an eponymous, central miniseries written by Geoff Johns and art by David Finch. It is the fir ...
" storyline, Doctor Light's body unleashes energy that destroys Washington, D.C.'s A.R.G.U.S. headquarters and exposes the A.R.G.U.S. Agents to it.
Etta Candy Etta Candy is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics publications and related media, commonly as the best friend of the superhero Wonder Woman. Spirited and vivacious, with a devil-may-care attitude, Etta debuted as a young white woman with ...
is approached by an energy manifestation of Dr. Light. Doctor Light appears in Los Angeles and is found by the Crimson Men. The Crimson Men take Dr. Light to their secret location, and promise to make him human again in exchange for information on Steve Trevor. Dr. Light heads to Steve Trevor's location and states he must kill him for him to live. Killer Frost faces off against Doctor Light. Doctor Light hurls her into Steve's ice-block, freeing him. While Killer Frost holds Light back, Steve sneaks up behind him and wraps the Lasso of Truth around him. Compelled by its power, Doctor Light explains that he died and woke up confused. He was told what to do and where Steve would be. The Crimson Men had told him the truth that Arthur Light is dead. Horrified by his own self-realization, Doctor Light disappears in a blast of light energy. Doctor Light later resurfaces, now sporting his classic appearance. He states that his human body is still dead, and that he now merely exists as a construct of living light energy. It is also implied that he used to be a villain prior to his brief stint as a member of the Justice League, indicating his backstory has been retconned to some degree. Having been cut off from his wife and daughters, Arthur has fled to the country of Chetland where he is given asylum in exchange for his services. After a conversation with Deathstroke, Arthur contemplates the possibility of returning to a life of villainy.


Powers and abilities

Doctor Light can 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. ''Teen Titans'' #23 implied that Light could "power up" by draining the ambient light in the 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 Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
constructs,
Superboy Superboy is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comicbooks published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to ''Adventure Comics'' and other series featuring ...
's heat vision, and magic lightning from
Wonder Girl Wonder Girl is the alias of multiple superheroines featured in comic books published by DC Comics. Donna Troy, the original Wonder Girl, was created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani and first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #60 (June/July ...
's lasso. He is also able to take the "internal" light away from light powered characters, the heroic Doctor Light and the Ray, leaving them temporarily powerless. He also has the ability to create holographic images. Despite his frequent defeats, he is quite powerful. Originally, Doctor Light derives his powers from his suit, but over time he internalizes this ability, and could use his powers without having to use his costume. Arthur Light is mentally brilliant, a genius in the field of physics. However, his mind-wipe by the Justice League reduces his intelligence substantially, along with his skills for creative use of his powers. Light's recovery of his memories seems to have brought his intellect back with them and also his paraphilia. As a result, he becomes a much deadlier opponent.


Other versions


All-American Comics

A character named Doctor Light appears in '' All-American'' #82 (February 1947). This version is an enemy of
Doctor Mid-Nite Doctor Mid-Nite or Doctor Midnight is the name of multiple fictional superheroes in DC Comics. The figure has been represented in the comics by three different individuals, Charles McNider, Beth Chapel, and Pieter Anton Cross. Dr. Mid-Nite was o ...
.


''JLA/Avengers''

In ''
JLA/Avengers ''JLA/Avengers'' (issues #2 and 4 are titled ''Avengers/JLA'') is a comic book limited series and crossover published in prestige format by DC Comics and Marvel Comics from September 2003 to March 2004. The series was written by Kurt Busiek, w ...
'', Doctor Light is among the mind-controlled villains who attack the heroes as they assault Krona's Stronghold in issue #4. He is shown blasting Doorman.


DC Animated Universe Comics

Doctor Light appears in '' Adventures in the DC Universe'' #1, ''
Justice League Adventures While Batman and Superman had their own animated series and comic book follow-ups, the rest of the characters in the would appear in the following comics often. ''The Batman Adventures'' ''The Batman Adventures'' was created as a comic book t ...
'' #6, #13 and ''DC Comics Presents: Wonder Woman Adventures'' #1.


''Tiny Titans''

Doctor Light appears in '' Tiny Titans''. This version was the science teacher of Sidekick City Elementary School.


Tangent Comics

In the 1997
Tangent Comics Tangent Comics is a DC Comics imprint created in 1997, developed from ideas by Dan Jurgens. The line, formed from various one-shots, focused on creating all-new characters using established DC names, such as the Joker, Superman, and the Flash. ...
(
Earth-9 DC Comics has published a number of other imprints and lines of comics over the years. History In the Golden Age of Comic Books publishing, DC Comics was also an imprint of Detective Comics and its affiliated companies, All-American Publicatio ...
) one-shot ''
Metal Men The Metal Men are a group of superheroes that appear in DC Comics. The characters first appeared in ''Showcase'' #37 (March–April 1962) and were created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Ross Andru. Debuting in the Silver Age of Comic Boo ...
'', Doctor Light lends his name to the brand of cigarettes smoked by president Sam Schwartz—"Doctor Lite".


''DC: The New Frontier''

Doctor Light has a cameo appearance in '' DC: The New Frontier'' (Earth-21). He is seen during the famous speech by
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
.


Nightwing: The New Order

Doctor Light was a superhuman living in
Gotham City Gotham City ( ), or simply Gotham, is a fictional city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his List of Batman supporting characters#Bat-Family, allies and List of Batman fa ...
in the year 2040 when having active superpowers was banned. After being reportedly off of his power-dampening medicine for too long, Light was hunted down by
Dick Grayson Richard John "Dick" Grayson is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman and Teen Titans. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, he first appeared in ''Detective Comics ...
's Crusaders and arrested.


In other media


Television

* A variation of Doctor Light appeared in the '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'' episode "The Eyes Have It", portrayed by David Bowe. This version is Dr. Harry Leit, a scientist who stole an ultraviolet light beam and used it to blind
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
. * Doctor Light appears in ''
Teen Titans The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to DC ...
'', voiced by
Rodger Bumpass Rodger Bumpass (born November 20, 1951) is an American actor. He is known for his long-running role as Squidward Tentacles on the American animated television series ''SpongeBob SquarePants''. He voices several other characters on the show as ...
. This version is an incompetent yet formidable enemy of the
Teen Titans The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to DC ...
, who see him as a nuisance and easily defeat him across most of his appearances. * Doctor Light appears in ''
Teen Titans Go! ''Teen Titans Go!'' is an American animated television series developed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic for Cartoon Network. It premiered on April 23, 2013 and is based on the DC Comics fictional superhero team. The series was announce ...
'', voiced again by Rodger Bumpass. * Dr. Arthur Light appears in the second season of the
DC Universe The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
series ''
Titans In Greek mythology, the Titans ( grc, οἱ Τῑτᾶνες, ''hoi Tītânes'', , ''ho Tītân'') were the pre-Olympian gods. According to the ''Theogony'' of Hesiod, they were the twelve children of the primordial parents Uranus (Sky) and Ga ...
'', portrayed by Michael Mosley. A former
physicist A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate caus ...
at the
California Institute of Technology The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech or CIT)The university itself only spells its short form as "Caltech"; the institution considers other spellings such a"Cal Tech" and "CalTech" incorrect. The institute is also occasional ...
, this version acquired metahuman powers during a failed experiment involving light manipulation, became a criminal, and fought the Titans before he is incarcerated in
San Quentin State Prison San Quentin State Prison (SQ) is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men, located north of San Francisco in the unincorporated place of San Quentin in Marin County. Opened in July 1852, San Quentin is the ...
. Four years later, Light escapes from prison and joins forces with Deathstroke to defeat the Titans, only to mistakenly believe their plan went awry and leave to fulfill it himself, leading to Deathstroke killing him.


Film

* Doctor Light makes a cameo appearance in '' Justice League: The New Frontier''. * Doctor Light makes a cameo appearance in the opening scene of '' Superman vs. The Elite''. * Doctor Light makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in ''
Teen Titans Go! To the Movies ''Teen Titans Go! To the Movies'' is a 2018 American animated superhero comedy film based on the television series ''Teen Titans Go!'', which is based on the DC Comics superhero team of the same name. This film is directed by Peter Rida Mi ...
''.


Video games

* Doctor Light appears as an
unlockable character A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not contr ...
in the "Master of Games" mode of ''
Teen Titans The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to DC ...
''. * Doctor Light appears as a non-player character in ''
DC Universe Online ''DC Universe Online'' (''DCUO'') is a free-to-play action combat massively multiplayer online game set in the fictional universe of DC Comics. Developed by Dimensional Ink Games and co-published by Daybreak Game Company and WB Games, the game w ...
'' as part of the "Sons of Trigon" DLC. * Doctor Light appears as a playable character in ''
Lego DC Super-Villains ''Lego DC Super-Villains'' is a Lego-themed action-adventure platform video game developed by Traveller's Tales. The fourth installment in the '' Lego Batman'' series of games, it is a spin-off that focuses entirely on villains of the DC Univers ...
'', voiced again by
Rodger Bumpass Rodger Bumpass (born November 20, 1951) is an American actor. He is known for his long-running role as Squidward Tentacles on the American animated television series ''SpongeBob SquarePants''. He voices several other characters on the show as ...
.


Miscellaneous

The ''Teen Titans'' animated series incarnation of Doctor Light appears in ''
Teen Titans Go! ''Teen Titans Go!'' is an American animated television series developed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic for Cartoon Network. It premiered on April 23, 2013 and is based on the DC Comics fictional superhero team. The series was announce ...
''. Following a minor appearance in issue #30, he founds the
Fearsome Five The Fearsome Five is a group of supervillains from DC Comics who serve as enemies of the Teen Titans. Publication history They were created by George Pérez and Marv Wolfman, and first appeared in '' The New Teen Titans'' #3 (January 1981), going ...
in issue #43, only to be scared into surrendering by Raven amidst an attack on Titans Tower.


References


External links


Doctor Light
at Comic Vine

{{DEFAULTSORT:Light, Doctor Characters created by Gardner Fox Characters created by Mike Sekowsky Comics characters introduced in 1962 DC Comics male supervillains DC Comics metahumans DC Comics scientists Fictional characters who can manipulate light Fictional characters who can turn invisible Fictional characters with absorption or parasitic abilities Fictional characters with anti-magic or power negation abilities Fictional characters with energy-manipulation abilities Fictional murderers Fictional physicists Fictional rapists