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Ayla Ranzz

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Ayla Ranzz
Light Lass, from the "threeboot" continuity. Art by Barry Kitson.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceAdventure Comics #308 (May 1963)
Created byEdmond Hamilton (writer)
John Forte (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoAyla Ranzz
SpeciesWinathian
Place of originWinath
Team affiliationsLegion of Super-Heroes
Notable aliasesLight Lass, Pulse, Gossamer, Spark, Live Wire, Lightning Lass
AbilitiesPowers:
  • Electrokinesis and electrogenesis
  • Energy absorption
  • Gravity manipulation
  • Flight

Abilities:

  • Hand-to-hand combat (basic)

Equipment:

  • Legion Flight Ring

Ayla Ranzz, also known as Lightning Lass, Light Lass, Gossamer, and Spark, is a character appearing in media published by DC Comics. She is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries, as well as the sister of Lightning Lad and Lightning Lord.

There have been three versions of Ayla since her original debut; these versions are separated by the events of both the Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! and Infinite Crisis limited series.

Ayla has made limited appearances in media outside comics, including the animated series Superman: The Animated Series and Legion of Super Heroes and the animated film Justice League vs. the Fatal Five.

Fictional character biography

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First appearance of Lightning Lass from Adventure Comics #308, art by John Forte.

Silver Age

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Main article: Legion of Super-Heroes (1958 team)

Ayla Ranzz first appeared in Adventure Comics #308 (May 1963). She is the younger twin sister of Garth Ranzz (Lightning Lad) and the younger sister of Mekt Ranzz (Lightning Lord).[1] All three gained electric powers after being attacked by Lightning Beasts on the planetoid Korbal.[2]

Ayla originally joins the Legion disguised as Garth after he is killed by the Khund Zaryan.[3] She is exposed as an imposter, but is allowed to join the Legion as Lightning Lass.[4] Ayla gains gravity manipulation powers from Dream Girl, which replace her electric abilities.[5] However, she later regains her original abilities and assumes the alias of Lightning Lass.[6]

During the "Five Year Later" storyline, Ayla is revealed to be in a relationship with Shrinking Violet.[7]

A temporal clone of Ayla from "Batch SW6" appears in the "Five Year Gap" following the Magic Wars.[8]

Post-Zero Hour (Spark)

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Main article: Legion of Super-Heroes (1994 team)
Spark's introduction as Live Wire's replacement in Legionnaires #20 (December 1994); art by Jeff Moy.

Following the Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! event, the Legion's continuity is rebooted. Ayla Ranzz, known as Spark, joins the Legion as a replacement for her twin brother Live Wire.[9] Eventually, the "one member per planet" restriction is lifted and Live Wire rejoins the Legion.[10]

Some time after The Final Night event, Ayla travels into the Source, which replaces her electrical powers with anti-gravity powers.[11]

Threeboot (Light Lass)

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Main article: Legion of Super-Heroes (2004 team)

Following another reboot of Legion continuity, Ayla Ranzz is again called Light Lass, and has gravity nullifying powers. In Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #26, it is revealed that she, like her siblings, had previously gained lightning powers after the accident on Korbal before another unspecified accident gave her gravitational powers.[12]

Post-Infinite Crisis - Return of original Lightning Lass

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The events of the Infinite Crisis miniseries restored an analogue of the pre-Crisis Legion of Super-Heroes to continuity. Ayla Ranzz is reintroduced in "The Lightning Saga" story arc, possessing her original powers as Lightning Lass.[13]

Powers and abilities

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Depending on the continuity, Ayla Ranzz possesses either the ability to manipulate electricity or gravity. As a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, she is provided a Legion Flight Ring, which allows her to fly and protects her from the vacuum of space and other dangerous environments.

Reception

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Ayla Ranzz was ranked 47th in Comics Buyer's Guide's "100 Sexiest Women in Comics" list.[14]

In other media

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Television

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  • Ayla Ranzz as Lightning Lass makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "New Kids In Town".
  • Ayla Ranzz appears in the Legion of Super Heroes episode "Chained Lightning", voiced by Kari Wahlgren.[15] This version was transformed into an incorporeal energy being and presumed dead during the incident that gave her brothers Garth and Mekt their powers. In the present, Imperiex attempts to use Ayla to power a tachyon cannon, but Mekt and Garth work together to restore her.

Film

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Ayla Ranzz as Lightning Lass appears in a photograph in Justice League vs. the Fatal Five.

Video games

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Ayla Ranzz as Lightning Lass appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[16]

Miscellaneous

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References

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  1. ^ Legionnaires #22 (February 1995)
  2. ^ Superman #147 (August 1961)
  3. ^ Wells, John (2015). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1960-64. TwoMorrows Publishing. pp. 120–121. ISBN 978-1605490458.
  4. ^ Adventure Comics #308 (May 1963)
  5. ^ Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010). The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 210–211. ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0.
  6. ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 3) #4 (November 1984)
  7. ^ Cronin, Brian (June 12, 2018). "A History of Shrinking Violet and Lightning Lass' Relationship". CBR. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  8. ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #38 (December 1992)
  9. ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #64 (January 1995)
  10. ^ Legionnaires #37 (June 1996)
  11. ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #97 (October 1997)
  12. ^ Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #26 (March 2007)
  13. ^ Justice League of America (vol. 2) #10 (August 2007)
  14. ^ Frankenhoff, Brent (2011). Comics Buyer's Guide Presents: 100 Sexiest Women in Comics. Krause Publications. p. 35. ISBN 978-1-4402-2988-6.
  15. ^ Dooley, Chris (October 11, 2007). "Legion of Super Heroes Premieres "Chained Lightning"". ComicsAlliance. Retrieved May 25, 2025.
  16. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  17. ^ "Adventures in the DC Universe #10 - The Blobs (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  18. ^ "Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes #1 - Atomic Batteries To Power, Flight Rings To Speed (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
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