New Genesis
Solis is a native of New Genesis, the planet of light that balances dark Apokolips. Even among the people of that bright world, Solis was a beacon of happiness and light. Growing up he befriended Orion, the scion of Darkseid. Solis’s happy, peaceful nature was a counter-balance to Orion’s innate anger. While exploring on New Genesis, the pair encountered soldiers from Apokolips preparing for battle. These soldiers had been turned into living light. They spotted Solis and attacked him with their light weapons. Solis was rescued by Metron, but was already in a coma. When Metron finally revived him, Solis had absorbed the light energy and gained new powers. He eventually mastered these new abilities and became Lightray.
Justice League of America
For the most part, Lightray was content to live his life on New Genesis. However, he has come into contact with the heroes of Earth, most notably Superman. He is fascinated by Earth and it’s people and briefly helped to defend it as part of the Justice League Of America, notably during the Panic In The Sky! incident, when Brainiac threatened to take over Earth.
Recently in Countdown to Final Crisis Lightray crashed to Earth and was found dead, what this means is currently unknown. The death has really affected Jimmy Olsen who was the first person to meet Lightray and a good friend on top of that.
Post-Flashpoint/N52
Godhead:
Highfather discovered that the Life Equation is compose of the different lights of the Emotional Spectrum and can be manipulated by Lantern Ring. Highfather ordered the Council of Eight to recover a lantern ring of each Emotional Spectrum. Lightray proceed to steel a lantern ring from the Star Sapphire Corps. After Highfather gain possession of the Life Equation, Lightray and his fellow New Gods prepared to invade Earth and use it as a battle ground against Darkseid however their plans were stop by a lantern coalition.
Sometime following Godhead Yuga Khan’s Eschaton Soldiers awakened and began following their programming of finding and eliminating his heirs. In order to protect Highfather from the Golems Omega Beams Lightray took Highfather an attempted to outrace it through space. Eventually Lightray got fatigue and needed to pass on the burden of transporting Highfather to Hal Jordan.
Lightray Transporting Highfather
Characteristics
Height: 6′
Weight: 181 lbs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Strawberry blonde/Red
Powers and Abilities
Like all the New Gods, Lightray is stronger, more agile and more durable than humans are and is able to fly. Lightray’s powers also enable him to harness various frequencies of light and use it’s radiation to blind opponents or as damaging blasts. Is capable of manipulating light to turn invisible or caste illusions. He can also move at the speed of light, possibly greater. His vision can process the entire electro magnetic spectrum. He has been shown to use jewel-like meteoroids to increase his blasts in fantastic proportions, described as a fiery holocaust. He also has been shown to explode matter and create a sun. He is so powerful he can even create a nova burst, or rearrange atoms. As well as offensive capabilities, Lightray also has an immunity to any types of disease, due to him being a New God. While a good natured god, he can be quite a foe.
In Other Media
Superman: The Animated Series
Lightray makes his animation debut in non-speaking roles in the two-part episode ‘Apokolips…Now!‘ Lightray is firstly seen during Mother Box’s summary of the events involving New Genesis and Apokolips. Lightray can be seen flying around both planets, and whilst on Apokolips appears to eliminate several parademons by blasting them. Lightray is also later seen as part of Orion’s army sent to defend Earth against Darkseid’s forces.
Justice League
Lightray makes his first speaking appearance in the episode ‘Twilight’, assisting Batman and Wonder Woman in their quest to find Orion on New Genesis. Lightray is voiced by Rob Paulsen.