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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhy Doctor Light's date bad? He's a little dim.

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Jacob Finlay)
Doctor Light
The Arthur Light (left) and Kimiyo Hoshi (right) incarnations of the character.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceLight: Justice League of America #12 (June 1962)
Hoshi: Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 (July 1985)
Created byLight: Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky
Hoshi: Marv Wolfman, George Pérez
In-story information
Alter egoArthur Light
Kimiyo Hoshi
SpeciesHuman
Place of originJapan (Hoshi)
Team affiliationsLight:
The Society
Fearsome Five
Suicide Squad
Injustice Gang
Injustice League
Black Lantern Corps
A.R.G.U.S.
Justice League
Hoshi:
Justice League International
Doom Patrol
Kord Enterprises
Birds of Prey
Outsiders
S.T.A.R. Labs
Justice League
Justice League Europe
AbilitiesBoth versions possess a genius-level intelligence and light-based manipulation powers derived from a technological suit.

Doctor Light is the name of two characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original version of the character was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky and first appeared in Justice League of America #12 (1962). Since the original's publication, the character has functioned as a adversary of both the Teen Titans and Justice League. The second version of the character is a superheroine, with both of them sharing the same power set and a history.

The original version is Dr. Arthur Light, a criminal and S.T.A.R Labs physicist who appropriated his colleagues' light-manipulating technology and became an adversary of the Justice League and Teen Titans. His history with the latter was retroactively revealed to be, in part, due to having been lobotomized by Zatanna and the Justice League to weaken him after his sexual assault of Sue Dibny proved him a threat to League members' secret identities in relation to their loved ones, thus diminishing his abilities and intellect. He would regain his memories and intelligence and sought revenge. Eventually, he is killed by the Spectre, who turns him into a candle. Following The New 52, he is alternatively portrayed as a employee of A.R.G.U.S. and the husband of the later version of Doctor Light. His villainous portrayal is restored following DC Rebirth.

The second version of the character is Dr. Kimiyo Hoshi, a Japanese astronomer who followed tradition by marrying young and having children. However, she would defy tradition and divorced her husband, making her a single mother. Hoshi was introduced in the Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline, where she was empowered by the Monitor to combat the Anti-Monitor.[1][2] Becoming a superhero, she would use her abilities as a member of the Justice League while balancing out her life as a hero with her life as a both single mother and a particularly driven woman. She would also cross paths with Arthur Light, whose technology was based upon both her father's and his collaborator, Jacob Finlay. Following The New 52, Hoshi's history with Arthur Light was altered, making him her ex-husband.

The Arthur Light incarnation was ranked in 2009 as IGN's 84th-greatest comic book villain of all time.[3] Conversely, the Kimiyo Hoshi incarnation is regarded as one of the more noteworthy Asian superheroes in DC Comics.[4] Both versions have appeared in media outside comics. In live-action, Arthur Light appeared in Titans, portrayed by Michael Mosley. Additionally, Rodger Bumpass voices Light in the animated series Teen Titans (2003) and Teen Titans Go! (2013). Kimiyo Hoshi appears in the sixth season of the television series The Flash, portrayed by Emmie Nagata.

Publication history

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Arthur Light first appeared in Justice League of America #12 and was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky.[5] 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 appearing in The Flash (vol. 2) #12 (May 1988).[6] The second Doctor Light, Kimiyo Hoshi, would later first debut in Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 and was created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez.[7]

Fictional character biographies

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Arthur Light

[edit]

Arthur Light is the second Doctor Light. His predecessor was his partner at S.T.A.R. Labs, scientist Jacob Finlay. Finlay created a technologically advanced suit to control light allowing him to be a minor superhero, but was accidentally killed by Light, who took the suit and the Doctor Light codename. Light is periodically haunted by Finlay's ghost through the years, but uses the light generated by the suit to drive him off.[8] Through the Silver and Bronze Ages, Doctor Light is a minor but persistent foe for a number of heroes, including the Justice League and the Teen Titans.[9][10] Light founds the supervillain team the Fearsome Five, but they are defeated by the Titans and Light is expelled from the group.[11]

Driven by self-doubt and guilt, thanks in part to Finlay's presence, Light volunteers for the Suicide Squad, a group of incarcerated supervillains who perform dangerous missions for the U.S. government in exchange for clemency. During a mission on Apokolips, Light is killed by Parademons and sent to Hell, where he is reunited with Finlay. Light is resurrected and attempts to rejoin the Suicide Squad, but is rejected by Amanda Waller.[12]

Identity Crisis onwards

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The 2004 miniseries Identity Crisis retroactively reveals that Doctor Light had raped Sue Dibny, wife of the superhero Elongated Man.[8] Later issues reveal that he was a serial rapist. The Justice League resolve to alter his mind with Zatanna'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. Light later recovers his memories and intellect when witnessing a fight between the League members responsible for his mind-wipe and Deathstroke, and vows revenge against the Justice League.[8] To this end, he joins the Secret Society of Super Villains.[13]

The New 52

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In 2011, "The New 52" rebooted the DC universe. Arthur Light is a scientist working with A.R.G.U.S. and the Justice League. As he is studying a communicator used by the Secret Society of Super Villains, Light 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.[14] Light becomes a reluctant member of the new Justice League.[15] Doctor Light later resurfaces, now sporting his classic appearance. He states that his human body is dead and that he now exists as a construct of living light. Having been cut off from his wife and daughters, Light flees to Chetland, where he is given asylum in exchange for his services. After a conversation with Deathstroke, Light contemplates returning to a life of villainy.[16]

Kimiyo Hoshi

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Kimiyo Hoshi is the supervising astronomer at an observatory in Japan during Crisis on Infinite Earths. The Monitor decides that he needs additional forces to turn the war against the Anti-Monitor in his favor. To this end, he sends a devastating beam of energy which strikes Hoshi, leaving massive destruction in its wake. Granted power over light, Hoshi is assigned by the Monitor to guard one of the vibrational forks needed to save Earth. Teen Titans member Starfire and Outsiders member Halo set out to destroy the machine. Since Doctor Light cannot speak to them in English, she resorts to blasting them away from the machine. Superman is the first to communicate with her, given his knowledge of most of Earth's languages.[1] Doctor Light, granted the ability to understand English, accompanies several heroes to the anti-matter universe to confront the Anti-Monitor.

Doctor Light has joined the Justice League a few times over the years, most notably as a member of Justice League Europe during the latter half of its incarnation. She also joins the Doom Patrol for a time and enters a relationship with Global Guardians member Rising Sun.[1] Despite resigning from active duty, Doctor Light appears as one of the numerous heroes assembled at Washington, D.C. to break an energy dome trapping the Justice League and the Crime Syndicate of America within the city.

Powers and abilities

[edit]

The Arthur Light incarnation of 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. The limits of his powers are unclear, but he seems to be able to wrest control of anything that emits light.[8] He also has the ability to create holographic images.

The Kimiyo Hoshi incarnation of Doctor Light can absorb and project energy, allowing her to shoot destructive laser beams and other blasts of energy. Light can transform into light, rendering her invisible to the naked eye. Her abilities also allow her to disperse radiation and holographic illusions, scan and "see" the electromagnetic spectrum, track ionized molecules, and convert her body to near light to minimize her mass and escape gravitational pull. She can sense the light around her, which is described as a "sixth sense".

Other versions

[edit]
  • An unrelated Doctor Light, predating Arthur Light, was an enemy of Doctor Mid-Nite. The unnamed man who would become Doctor Light held a faculty position at Ivy League University until he was fired for conducting dangerous experiments on university grounds. In response, he became Doctor Light, a criminal who wields light-based technology.[17]
  • Jacob Finlay is a scientist and co-worker of Arthur Light who invented the Light Suit consisting of light technology. He became Doctor Light and stopped a spy that was sent by S.T.A.R. Labs. The next day, Finlay is repairing the light rig when Arthur Light accidentally activates it, killing Finlay. Haunted by Finlay's ghost, Light becomes Doctor Light.[8]

In other media

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Television

[edit]
Doctor Light as he appears in Teen Titans.
Doctor Light as he appears in Teen Titans Go!.

Film

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Video games

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Miscellaneous

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 Wallace, Dan (2008). "Doctor Light II". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The DC Comics Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1. OCLC 213309017.
  2. ↑ Rubin, Scott (2020). Naming Your Little Geek: The Complete List of Comic, Game, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Names!. Familius LLC. p. 172. ISBN 9781641702782.
  3. ↑ "Doctor Light is number 84". IGN. Archived from the original on May 9, 2009. Retrieved October 5, 2009.
  4. ↑ Cadorniga, Callie (November 8, 2025). "Asian Superheroes in DC". Dorkaholics. Retrieved September 11, 2026.
  5. ↑ McAvennie, Michael (2010). "1960s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.). DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 105. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. In a tale written by Gardner Fox, with art by Mike Sekowsky, Doctor Light's first [adventure] was almost the JLA's last.
  6. ↑ Greenberger, Robert (April 2014). "New Talent and Bonus Babies". Back Issue! (#71): 73.
  7. ↑ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Wallace, Dan (2008). "Doctor Light I". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The DC Comics Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1. OCLC 213309017.
  9. ↑ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 93. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  10. ↑ Wells, John (2015). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1960-64. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 125. ISBN 978-1605490458.
  11. ↑ Greenberger, Robert (2008), "Fearsome Five", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p. 120, ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1, OCLC 213309017
  12. ↑ Suicide Squad #52 (April 1991)
  13. ↑ Green Arrow (vol. 3) #54 (November 2005)
  14. ↑ Schedeen, Jesse (June 27, 2013). "Justice League of America #5 Review". IGN. Retrieved September 2, 2026. Meanwhile, the material focused on Simon Baz's official induction to the JLA and the creation of Doctor Light feels shoehorned in.
  15. ↑ Justice League (vol. 2) #22 (July 2013)
  16. ↑ Deathstroke (vol. 4) #22 (October 2017)
  17. ↑ All-American Comics #82 (February 1947)
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Doctor Light Voices (Teen Titans)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved July 20, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  19. 1 2 3 4 "Doctor Light Voices (DC Universe)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved March 17, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  20. ↑ "New Justice League Action Characters Officially Revealed". Comicbook.com. June 6, 2016. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  21. ↑ Campbell, Jacob (August 19, 2019). "Ozark Star Michael Mosley Reportedly Playing Dr. Light on Titans Season 2". Full Circle Cinema. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  22. ↑ Martin, Michelle (September 16, 2019). "Easter Eggs You Missed In Titans Season 2". Looper.
  23. ↑ Harvey, James (December 5, 2023). "Justice League: Crisis On Infinite Earths, Part One Arrives January 2024, Press Details". The World's Finest. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  24. ↑ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Teen Titans Go! #43 - The Fearsome Five (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
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