Livewire (DC comics)

Livewire
Cover art of Action Comics #835 Art by Kalman Andrasofszky
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Superman: The Animated Series (September 1997) "Livewire"
First comic appearance	Superman Adventures #5 (March 1997)
Created by	Bruce Timm
In-story information
Alter ego	Leslie Willis
Team affiliations	Superman Revenge Squad Supermen of America Secret Society of Super Villains
Abilities	Electricity and magnetism powers

Livewire (Leslie Willis) is a fictional supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. She first appeared in September 1997 in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Livewire". Her first appearance in the mainstream comic books was in the publication of Action Comics #835 (March 2006).

Leslie Willis was once a popular and controversial Metropolis radio shock jock. No one was immune to her venomous words, not even Superman. She took cynical joy in attacking him during her broadcasts. Among her audience, Lex Luthor enjoyed listening to her.

One evening during a severe thunderstorm, Willis was hosting a rock concert in honor of her third anniversary working at the radio station in Centennial Park in downtown Metropolis. Ignoring her producer's warnings about the storms, the public safety concerns of Metropolis authorities, and the changeable skies, Willis demanded the show go on.

It was at about that time Superman showed up to help the police break up the event. Willis' fans showed support for her by throwing stuff at the Man of Steel, when suddenly, lightning struck the stage, setting it on fire. Superman pushed Willis to safety as a second bolt of lightning electrified the metal tower on the stage; the electricity ran through Superman's body and into a wire on stage which Willis then stepped on, shocking Willis and changing her appearance.

When Willis woke up, she saw that her skin had turned ghostly white and her hair turned blue and stood on end. She watched Superman talking to reporters on live TV about the accident: one reporter insinuated that Superman, fed up with Willis's hateful, bigoted comments, may have pushed her into harm's way to punish her for her arrogance. Willis angrily blamed Superman for the transformation caused by the accident and was about to throw a clock-radio at the TV when the radio suddenly turned on. It was not plugged into the wall, and there were no batteries in it. She discovered she could manipulate electricity.