| Looking for a different version of this character? |
|---|
| As a result of the New 52 in 2011, the entire line of DC characters was relaunched, incorporating properties belonging to the company's imprints: Wildstorm, Milestone, and Vertigo. As such, elements of this character's history have been altered in some way from the previous incarnation. For a complete list of all versions of this character, see our disambiguation page. |
History
Dr. Arthur Light lived a surprisingly bland life as an A.R.G.U.S. scientist, until the day he was called in at midnight to investigate a communications device recovered from a secret. Exposed to strange radiation due to the villain who was communicating with him, he gained energy draining powers.
Discovering that he would drain energy from nearby artificial sources, he was locked in a small room in case this spread to humans. In this state of extremes, he was approached by Amanda Waller, who offered him a deal, remain in the cell for the rest of his natural life, or agree to join her super hero team and begin work on a cure.
While on the team, he was placed in close proximity to Superman, which given the tense situation and a super-villain plot, led to Arthur involuntarily triggering Superman's heat vision and dying.
His corpse was examined by A.R.G.U.S., then used as an explosive device by the Secret Society, demolishing a large part of A.R.GU.S. main facility.
However, not even death could give Light peace, and he was recruited by the Crimson Men, who claimed they could make him human again, and sent him out to kill Steve Trevor. However, Trevor made him realise that he was still dead, and he vanished, much as the Crimson Men had assumed he would.
Later on, when Defiance is attacked by light-based constructs called 'Radiant Men' in the Chetlan United Atlantic Islands, it is revealed that Doctor Light himself is behind their presence, who is now living in asylum on a remote island to himself in exchange for providing the dictator of Chetland Uai the Radiant Men's protection.
Deathstroke confronts Light, but instead of fighting, the two have coffee. It's revealed then that Doctor Light was once a villain before working with A.R.G.U.S, and had worked with Deathstroke at one point, and soon, also revealed that he was still dead, no longer human, but rather a reconstructed being of pure light. Slade tries to ask for a favor from Arthur, hoping that he'd be able to help him after getting sent for by The Society. Light is unable to help, and once Terra arrives to help Defiance, Deathstroke leaves, but not without convincing Arthur to go back to his evil ways after his initial denial.
When Deathstroke is later killed, Light is the host of his funeral. When Jericho arrives to try and wreck the ceremony and capture the villains present, he tries to plead with Superman to help, who was watching from the skies, only for it to be revealed that he was only a construct of Light's, used to ensure that things would go peacefully.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
Notes
- Doctor Light was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky, first appearing in Justice League of America #12. However, in the Prime Earth continuity Doctor Light first appeared as part of the New 52 DC Universe in Justice League of America (Volume 3) #4 by Geoff Johns and Brett Booth.
Related
- 18 Appearances of Arthur Light (Prime Earth)
- 5 Images featuring Arthur Light (Prime Earth)
- Quotations by or about Arthur Light (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: Arthur Light (Prime Earth)
Footnotes
  This character is or was a member of the Justice League of America, or the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from both interstellar and domestic threats. |
 A.R.G.U.S. member |
