#lash lightning

Sidekick Gals 12

Lightning Girl is the sidekick of Lash Lightning a hero endowed with the speed, strength and power of lightning itself by the “Old Man of the Pyramids” in order for him to go forth and fight evil. In his vehicle title, Lightning Comics, Lash operates alone for most of the series, but this changes in the final issue when Lightning Girl is introduced (Lightning Comics Vol 3 #1, June 1942). Daily Ledger reporter Isobel Blake is suspected by Lash, and the authorities, of being a spy for the Axis but she is actually trying to prove the innocence of her accused navy captain father and uncle and eventually dramatically demonstrates that she is in fact a loyal American. The impressed Lash then persuades Isobelto help him break up the “Alaskan fifth column” that framed her father. When Lightning finds himself incapacitated by the traitors, he transfers his lightning powers to Isobel who is thus transformed into the formidable Lightning Girl, and she goes on to use her new abilities to help save the day. Her career as Lightning’s sidekick then continues in Four Favorites Comics, appearing for the first time with Lash in Four Favorites #8 (December 1942) and she appears to be equal to Lash in terms of power, if not experience. She is certainly as tough as her senior partner and seems to enjoy slugging the often super-powered villains and villainesses she comes up against and making them look stupid.

In the page featured, Lightning Girl takes the place of a woman being terrorised by a blackmailer. When the hood arrives on the doorstep and demands the “five hundred smackers” he is trying to extort, Isobel proceeds to pay up by delivering the first “smacker” direct to the gangster’s jaw. Promising to let him have the full 500, she actually only gets to pummel the unfortunate criminal another nineteen times before Lightning arrives and tells his enthusiastic female protégée the bad guy has probably had enough. This story was actually the final appearance of the pair in Four Colors, after which the title veered off into a more “funnies” direction.

For sheer toughness, it is hard to think of a Golden Age heroine the equal of Lightning Girl, let alone a sidekick gal. In fact Isobel was later given equal billing with Lash in the series’ title, which was only fitting.

The page featured is from the Lash Lightning with Lightning Girl adventure, The Riddle of the 13 Red Points, published in Four Favorites Comics #21 (January 1946).

X-O Manowar, Aric of Dacia || Valiant Comics

Donatello, Donnie || Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Hawks, Keigo Takami || My Hero Academia

Number Five, 00.05 || Umbrella Academy

Robot, Rudolph "Rudy" Conners || Invincible

Guyver, Shō Fukamachi || Bio-Booster Armor Guyver

Atom-Eve, Samantha Eve Wilkins || Invincible

Thinkwell, Poul Indersun || Hypernaturals

War Nurse, Pat Parker || Speed Comics, Harvey Publications

Deku, Izuku Midoriya || My Hero Academia

Lash Lightning, Robert Morgan || Sure-Fire Comics, Ace Periodicals

Caped Baldy, Saitama || One-Punch Man

Clone 45, Hatch Groman || Hypernaturals

Mirko, Rumi Usagiyama || My Hero Academia

The Phantom, Jen Harris || Kings Quest, Dynamite Entertainment, King Features Syndicate

Sword, Arthur Lake || Captain Courageous Comics, Ace Periodicals

Kosity the Deathless || Divinity III: Stalinverse, Valiant Comics

Unknown Soldier || Our Flag Comics, Ace Periodicals

Rai X || Rai, Valiant Comics

pdsh.fandom.com/wiki/Lightning_(Ace)

Creator(s): Bob Turner, Jim Mooney

Alias(es): Robert Morgan

1st Issue w/Uniform: Sure-Fire Comics #1

Year/Month of Publication: 1940/06

Lightning Comics (vol. 3) #1 (June, 1942).

Despite appearances, there was no team-up/crossover between Lightning and the Sword. Instead, this issue featured the origin and first appearance of Lightning's new sidekick, Lightning Girl.

Lightning's full superhero sobriquet is "Lash" Lightning, although he is only referred to as such on the title page; he goes by Lightning the rest of the time. And that's just his superhero name. His civilian identity is Robert Morgan, but that's never mentioned in this story.

The character's original name was "Flash" Lightning, but that didn't last long. Ace Periodicals, the publisher of Lightning Comics, was sued by All-American Publications, owner and publisher of the Flash, for copyright infringement. The lawsuit was settled, and Ace changed "Flash" to "Lash," though, as I mentioned above, it didn't really matter because no one ever called him that.

The Sword was some kid named Arthur Lake. He and his wealthy dad just happened to have the sword Excalibur, shoved into a large boulder, on display in their home. In times of trouble, Arthur could draw Excalibur from the stone and be transformed into the adult superhero, the Sword!

On top of having a magical sword that can cut anything, the Sword is blessed with super-strength and a measure of invulnerability. He doesn't feel a wooden chair broken over his head, a knife thrust at his chest breaks on contact, and he survives a horrific plane crash. Yet, he is somehow affected by and terrified of flame. I mean, even the Martian Manhunter handles fire better than this guy.

HOUSE OF MAGIC

GREEN LAMA

Created By: Kendell Chossen & Mac Raboy

1st Appearance: Prize #7 - December, 1940 Publisher: Prize Comics Actor: Tyrone Power (1914 - 1958)

pdsh.fandom.com/wiki/Lightning_(Ace)

Creator(s): Jim Mooney

Alias(es): Robert Morgan

1st Issue w/Uniform: Lightning Comics, Vol 2 #2

Year/Month of Publication: 1941/08

pdsh.fandom.com/wiki/Lightning_(Ace)

Creator(s): Bob Turner, Jim Mooney

Alias(es): Robert Morgan

1st Issue w/Uniform: Sure-Fire Comics #2

Year/Month of Publication: 1940/08