Comic books are full to the brim with electricity-powered superheroes. From storm gods to scientific experiments gone wrong, characters who use lightning as their main attack have been a mainstay of comic books for nearly a century. While many of these lightning-wielders are villains, just as many use their shocking powers in the fight for good.
In addition to characters whose whole power set revolves around lightning, a lot of heroes with totally different ability sets get in on the electricity extravaganza. Even iconic characters like Superman and Spider-Man have had incarnations with the ability to conjure lightning in their campaign against evil.
Updated on May 17th, 2024 by Mayra Garcia: Like other elements such as fire and water, electricity allows for very interesting power sets, but electricity-based superheroes tend to be widely ignored. This list has been updated to add even more information about the best electrically powered superheroes.
15 Lightning Lad Is The Original Electricity Powered Hero
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First Appearance: |
Adventure Comics (Vol. 1) #247 |
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Creative Team: |
Otto Binder, Al Plastino |
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Impressive Feats: |
Destroyed A Giant Space Whale |
Along with being one of the founding members of the Legion of Super-Heroes, Lightning Lad is also one of the oldest and best-known lightning-based heroes. The second of three children - and the older twin with his sister Ayla - Garth Ranzz and his siblings all gained electrical powers when they were attacked by Lightning Beasts from the planet Korbal.
Lightning Lad has been rebooted and recreated numerous times on some of the best and worst Legion line-ups. However, one look at any of his costumes, and readers can instantly discern his electrical abilities. His sister has also been a Legionnaire, but their older brother Lightning Lord tends to be more on the evil side.
14 One of Aqualad's Abilities Emulates Electric Eels
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First Appearance: |
Brightest Day (Vol. 1) #4 |
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Creative Team: |
Geogg Johns, Peter Tomasi, Ivan Reis, Ardian Syaf, Scott Clark, Oclair Albert |
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Impressive Feats: |
Defeated Black Manta |
When mentioning Aqualad, most fans will immediately think of water-based abilities. However, Kaldur'ahm's power range is beyond the oceans. In the comics, thanks to his Xebellian physiology, he can also generate electricity with his own body and manipulate it. This ability, obviously inspired by electric eels, gives him an edge against other maritime superheroes.
When Aqualad uses his electrokinetic abilities, his skin transforms and a series of electric, neon-blue tattoos appear on it. Not only he looks way cooler than other electricity-based superheroes, but these tattoos radiate electricity that can damage Aqualad's foes.
13 Crystal Has Mastered Electricity Along With All Other Elements
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First Appearance: |
Fantastic Four (Vol. 1) #45 |
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Creative Team: |
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott, Artie Simek |
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Impressive Feats: |
Destroyed An Iron Man Armor With Her Energy |
One of the Inhumans, Crystal is the younger sister of Medusa and part of the Royal Family of Attilan. She has also been a member of the Fantastic Four and the Avengers over the years. She was in a romantic relationship with the Human Torch but left the literal hothead for the figurative hothead Quicksilver.
Crystal is a powerful elemental with a unique connection to the planet. Among her long list of powers, Crystal has both electrogenesis and electrokinesis. Electrogenesis is the ability to affect elements on an atomic level to give them an electrical charge. Electrokinesis, on the other hand is the ability to take the elements she just electrified and blast them out as electric bolts.
12 Animal Man Can Draw On The Power Of Creatures Who Generate Electricity
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First Appearance: |
Strange Adventures (Vol. 1) #180 |
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Creative Team: |
Dave Wood, Carmine Infantino, George Roussos, Stan Starkman |
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Impressive Feat: |
Can Create Shocks Generating Hundreds Of Volts |
10 Best Justice Leaguers With The Weirdest Powers, Ranked
From the power to speak with fish to being able to transform into a literal rocket, the Justice League's greatest heroes have some strange abilities.
There are a few comic book characters who aren't exclusively powered by electricity but can still tap into that power set when needed. Buddy Baker is DC's Animal Man, who has a deep connection to the Red. This allows him to tap into the abilities of all living creatures and replicate them, which makes him a surprisingly powerful hero.
Animal Man can tap into the strength of a gorilla or fly like a bird. He can even replicate the abilities of an electric eel to deliver a powerful blast of electrical energy. Animal Man's abilities even allow him to tap into the talents of alien animals when in proximity, meaning he could find an even stronger electrical shock if the right animal was nearby.