The Ray
Happy Terrill created by Lou Fine & Will Eisner
Ray Terrill by Jack C. Harris and Joe Quesada
Stan Silver created by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray
+ History
In 1940, a secret government agency named RONOL (Research on the Nature of Light) tricked reporter “Happy” Terrill into covering the ascent of Professor Styne’s “strato-balloon” into the upper atmosphere. When the balloon was in the upper stratosphere, RONOL released a light bomb that manifested as a strange and powerful cosmic storm. Happy was bombarded with large amounts of electric energy, and found he could transform his body into a shaft of light. This new persona was called the Ray. Styne's mission also uncovered a powerful new gas, which was targeted by the criminal, Anton Rox. After his transformation, Happy insisted that his old self was "dead." (Smash Comics #14)
His first freakish foe was Cadava, the once handsome man turned bitter from society's scorn. Cadava unleashed a destructive ray on the city, but died in their struggle. To help reconstruct the city, the Ray created a giant form of himself to lift large building materials into place. (#15)
Bela Jat, Hindu mystic who transfer himself via "ecto-fluid." (#16) resumed his reporting career on the trail of old Vaudeville freaks—seven dwarves in alliance with one Miss White. (#18)
During WWII Ray served with the All-Star Squadron, and at the wars’ end he joined the Freedom Fighters. Happy exposure to the light bomb. Many years later, this resulted in a mutation for Happy's son, Raymond. Happy told his wife that their son had died during childbirth but actually gave Raymond to his brother Thomas to raise. Thomas raised the boy as his own, but kept the boy inside the house until he was eighteen under the pretense that exposure to sunlight would kill him. In truth he didn't want Raymond to learn about his mutant powers.
Legacy
On his deathbed Thomas told Raymond about his superpowered heritage and the identity of his actual father. Happy later used his government contacts to manipulate his son into succeeding him as the second Ray. Happy knew that his son, being partially composed of light energy, was the only living being who could communicate with the Light Entity, a creature that threatened the Earth. Indeed, the new Ray talked to the Light Entity and convinced it to steer clear of Earth.
Raymond later met his true father, but the two have not formed the warmest bond. He later joined the Justice League when it was re-assembled by Wonder Woman just after Superman's death (Justice League America #71) Though his confidence grew, the Martian Manhunter moved him onto his restructured Justice League Task Force, which was considered a "training team." (JLTF #0) Ray remained with the JLA until all Leagues were disbanded by the UN after a scandal involving Captain Atom's team.
At some point thereafter, he teamed with the loose-knit Forgotten Heroes (Resurrection Man #24) and later, Young Justice. (Young Justice #41) During the Imperiex War Ray was called in as a JSA reservist on a mission to disrupt Imperiex’s link to his ship’s power supply. (JSA: Our Worlds at War #1) After this adventure, Ray joined with other heroes whose legacies were tied to the Freedom Fighters. This new team, like its predecessor, works under Uncle Sam for the U.S. government. (JSA #49, 73) Happy is still at large. Perhaps he is involved behind the scenes with the new Freedom Fighters.
Spitfire
The Terrill's have another relative, Joshua Terrill. Joshua was born in the 1950s and inherited his father's powers. Happy kept Joshua as a kid sidekick until an unfortunate accident involving Spitfire left his mother dead. Joshua was cryogenically frozen and freed only recently. Joshua is essentially a 50-year-old man with the mind and body of an eight year old. (The Ray #28)
Happy Terrill as the new Neon.
From Uncle Sam & the
Freedom Fighters v.2 #6 (2008). Art by Renato Arlem,
The Ray III and Neon II
Ray III with the Human Bomb, Doll Man and Phantom Lady.
From Uncle Sam & the F. F. v.1 #2 (2006).
Art by Daniel Acuña.
When Uncle Sam tried to recruit more help, he sent Happy Terrill to find another lost ally: Neon the Unknown. (Uncle Sam & the Freedom Fighters v.2 #5) Neon declined Sam's request. So instead, Terrill decided to drink from the same mystic waters as Corbet once had. It worked, and Terrill became the new Neon. After helping to save the Freedom Fighters, (#6) Happy also made peace with his son, Ray. (#8)
Notes
The Ray's debut was promoted in Hit Comics #3 (Sept. 1940). In his first adventure only, his legs were colored bare.
Happy's son, Spitfire, is a recreation of the Quality Comics hero of the same name (a non-costumed hero). The original character was a man named Tex Adams, a U.S. Air Force soldier during World War II. He first appeared in Crack Comics #15 (August 1941).
In pre-Crisis continuity the first Ray lived on Earth-2. In this continuity, after his service in the All-Star Squadron he joined the Freedom Fighters and travelled to Earth-X, a world without superheroes where the Third Reich was in power and WWII raged for over 30 years. The war finally came to an end through the combined efforts of the Freedom Fighters, Justice League and Justice Society.
The original Ray's first name was only revealed in Canceled Comics Cavalcade #1, which printed a doomed story from Secret Society of Super-Villains #16.
In the DC/Marvel Amalgam universe cross-over (1996), Ray Summers was called Apollo.
+ Powers
The Ray can absorb light, heat and electromagnetic energies from outside sources, discharge these energies from his body, and modulate their intensities. The beams can be as harmless as regular light, or used as destructive laser blasts. In the presence of light Ray can fly at tremendous speeds. Created a giant form for himself to aid in construction
Ray was partially composed of light energy, and could absorb and store solar energy. He used this energy to fly, shoot bursts of energy or create objects made of solid light. melt walls as he passed through them, emerge from a light sourc. also a strong hand-to-hand combatant.
Appearances + References
Happy:
Raymond:
|
 |
|
|
|
