Live Wire (DC Comics)

Garth Ranzz
Garth as Lightning Lad. Art by Barry Kitson.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Adventure Comics #247 (April 1958)
Created by	Otto Binder Al Plastino
In-story information
Alter ego	Garth Ranzz
Species	Winathian
Place of origin	Winath
Team affiliations	Legion of Super-Heroes Workforce Legion Rescue Squad
Notable aliases	Lightning Boy, Live Wire
Abilities	Electricity generation and manipulation Limited weather control Ability to move at superhuman speed by channeling electricity internally

Garth Ranzz, also known as Live Wire and Lightning Lad is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually those featuring the Legion of Superheroes, a 30th and 31st century group of which he is a founding member. He has the superhuman ability to generate electricity, usually in the form of lightning bolts. Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, he first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 (April 1958) under his original codename Lightning Boy.

Lightning Lad is a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes along with Saturn Girl and Cosmic Boy. Born on the planet Winath, he is the twin brother of fellow Legionnaire Ayla Ranzz (Lightning Lass), the younger brother of the supervillain Mekt Ranzz (Lightning Lord), and the father of two sets of twins; Sons Garridan (Validus) and Graym Ranzz and daughters Dacey and Dorrit Ranzz.

Early in the Legion's history, he sacrificed himself battling Zaryan the Conqueror, but was later resurrected by the sacrifice of Proty, Chameleon Boy's shapeshifting pet. However, a later retcon revealed that Proty's mind had actually taken over Lightning Lad's form.

An incident against a monster dubbed the "Super Moby Dick of space" resulted in the loss of Lightning Lad's right arm, which was replaced with a bionic appendage. He eventually had his arm regrown, but in the interim a criminal scientist used the situation to hypnotize Lightning Lad into acting as the super criminal Starfinger who used the bionic arm as a weapon. After the Great Darkness Saga, his son was abducted by Darkseid and he was subsequently transformed into the monster Validus.