Lightning Lord

A member of the Legion of Super-Villains, an organization of super-criminals from the twenty-first century A.D. (later specified as the 30th century). A native, like his brother Garth (Lightning Lad), of the planet Amarta (also referred to as the planet Winath), Lightning Lord wears a red, white, and green costume with a pair of white lightning bolts emblazoned on his chest. Both brothers possess the “power of super-electricity,” the ability to discharge controlled bolts of “super-lightning” from their bodies. Lightning Lord's real name is Mekt Ranzz.

According to Superman No. 147/3, Lightning Lord and his brother acquired their awesome powers when, as youngsters exploring a wooded area on the planet Korbal, they were attacked by a fearsome “lightning monster” which had “the frightful ability to transfer some of its lighting power to its victims ... like an infectious disease!” Lightning Lad vowed to devote his newly acquired powers to helping others and joined the Legion of Super-Heroes, while Lightning Lord decided to use his powers for crime and ultimately joined the Legion of Super-Villains.

In August 1961, the Legion of Super-Villains forms an alliance with Lex Luthor in an elaborate scheme to annihilate Superman (S No. 147/3: “The Legion of Super-Villains!”).

In March 1962, while in the grip of a nightmare induced by exposure to Red Kryptonite, Superman dreams that Lightning Lord and other villains lure him into a trap, put him on “trial” for his alleged “crimes” against them, and sentence him to battle Supergirl to the death in a gigantic arena or else stand by helplessly while they blow up the Earth. These events, however, are all only part of a nightmare, and no actual confrontation with Lightning Lord and his cohorts ever takes place (Act No. 286: “The Jury of Super-Enemies!”) (TGSB).

Most later chronicles document that Lightning Lad's fraternal twin Ayala (Lightning Lass) was also present on Korbal and that a group of "lightning beasts" attacked the siblings. Ayala joined the Legion of Super-Heroes at a later date (first as Lightning Lass and later becoming Light Lass).