Livewire (DC Comics) explained

Character Name:	Livewire
Real Name:	Leslie Willis
Publisher:	DC Comics
First Episode:	Livewire
First Comic:	Action Comics #835 (March 2006) Superman Adventures #5 (1997)
Creators:	Evan Dorkin Sarah Dyer Bruce Timm
Species:	Metahuman
Affiliations:	Superman Revenge Squad Supermen of America Legion of Doom Secret Society of Super Villains
Powers:	Electric and magnetism manipulation Superhuman strength (when fully charged) Radio broadcasting skills

Livewire (Leslie Willis) is a supervillain appearing in multimedia produced by DC Entertainment, and American comic books published by DC Comics. Created for , the character appeared in March 1997 in Superman Adventures #5 (based on the animated series). Her first mainstream comic book appearance was in DC Comics' Action Comics #835 (March 2006).^[1]

In animation, the character was voiced by Lori Petty in and The New Batman Adventures, and by Maria Canals-Barrera in Justice League.^[2] In live-action, she has been portrayed by Anna Mae Routledge in Smallville and Brit Morgan in the Arrowverse series Supergirl.

Fictional character biography

DC Animated Universe

Introduced in a self-titled episode of Superman: The Animated Series, Leslie Willis is a popular, yet controversial Metropolis radio shock jock who takes cynical joy in attacking Superman during her broadcasts.^[3] On the third anniversary of her career, she hosts a rock concert to celebrate despite a concurrent thunderstorm and public safety concerns. After lightning strikes the stage, Willis is transformed into an electrokinetic metahuman.

Following this, Willis forms a short-lived alliance with Parasite in the episode "Double Dose" and a separate alliance with Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy in The New Batman Adventures episode "Girls' Night Out", only to be defeated by Superman in the former episode and by Supergirl and Batgirl in the latter.

In the Justice League episode "Hereafter", Livewire (voiced by an uncredited Maria Canals-Barrera) joins the Superman Revenge Squad to fulfill their eponymous goal, only to be defeated by the Justice League. In Justice League Unlimited, she joins Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society.

Livewire also appears in the Superman Adventures tie-in comic, where she works with Professor Hamilton to stop Brainiac and eventually reforms.

Comics

Livewire is incorporated into the main comics continuity in Action Comics #835 (March 2006), written by Gail Simone and John Byrne. This version was born with her abilities, but did not gain her signature appearance until being struck by lightning.^{[4] [5] [6] [7]}

In , Livewire attacks Jimmy Olsen and takes hostages in Las Vegas to get the attention of Superman. After being defeated, Livewire reforms and joins the 'Supermen of America' group.^{[8] [9]}

The New 52

In The New 52 continuity reboot, Livewire joins the Secret Society of Super Villains, and her origin is revised to be similar to her DCAU counterpart.^{[10] [11] [12]}

Powers and abilities

Livewire is a being of pure electricity able to absorb vast quantities from external sources. She can also manipulate electricity and generate lightning blasts of various intensities, with her strongest being able to weaken or stun Superman. She can also transform into living electricity to travel through anything capable of conducting an electric current, possess/control electronic devices such as computers, telecommunications networks, and an entire electrical grid. In the comics, as stated by Superman in Action Comics #843, Livewire has the ability to broadcast the energy she has stored in the form of a coherent signal without directing the energy at a target.

Due to her powers, her primary weakness is water, as even a small amount will cause her stored energy to go haywire unless she has stored up enough power. At this or any stage, Livewire would have to be completely drenched in water to be fully depowered. Additionally, silicon dust can also render her powerless due to its electrical resistance.^[13] When drained of her electricity, she reverts to her solid form and cannot use most of her abilities until she absorbs enough energy.

In other media

Television

Animation

• Livewire makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Teen Titans Go! episode "Black Friday".
• A teenage Livewire appears in Young Justice, voiced by Britt Baron. This version is a member of the Outsiders.
• Livewire appears in DC Super Hero Girls, voiced by Mallory Low. This version is a teenage bully, internet troll, and member of the Super Villain Girls.
• Livewire appears in Harley Quinn, voiced by Aline Elasmar. This version is a member of the Legion of Doom.
• Livewire appears in My Adventures with Superman, voiced by Zehra Fazal.^[14] This version is a thief whose powers are initially derived from a special harness powered by an alien crystal before she later develops natural electrokinesis. Additionally, as of the episode "Olsen's Eleven", she has entered a relationship with Heat Wave.

Live-action

• Livewire appears in the Smallville episode "Injustice", portrayed by an uncredited Anna Mae Routledge. This version is a small-time crook who, after being incarcerated, is recruited by Tess Mercer and tasked with searching for Davis Bloome alongside Parasite, Neutron, Plastique, and Mercer's assistant Eva Greer. Livewire is later killed by an explosive implanted in her head off-screen.^[15]
• Livewire appears in Supergirl, portrayed by Brit Morgan. This version is a confident yet abrasive CatCo shock jock who acquires her powers after Supergirl is struck by lightning while rescuing her from a potential helicopter crash.^{[16] [17]} Introduced in her self-titled episode, Livewire attempts to seek revenge on Cat Grant for demoting her, only to be defeated by Supergirl and turned over to the Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO)'s custody. In the episode "Worlds Finest", Silver Banshee breaks Livewire out of the DEO to help her kill Grant, Supergirl, and Kara Danvers. However, the pair are foiled by Supergirl and a group of firefighters and incarcerated at National City's newly developed metahuman prison. In "We Can Be Heroes", scientist Dr. Hampton kidnaps Livewire in an attempt to steal her powers and create an army of electricity-powered super-soldiers, but she escapes with Supergirl's help and they form a truce.^[18] In "Fort Rozz", Livewire agrees to help Supergirl and Psi on a mission to the titular prison to gather information on Reign and later dies saving Supergirl.

Film

• An alternate reality incarnation of Livewire appears in , voiced by Kari Wahlgren. This version is a human terrorist who wields an electric beam gun.
• Livewire makes a non-speaking appearance in as a member of the Legion of Doom.

Video games

• Livewire appears as a boss in , voiced again by Lori Petty.
• Livewire appears as a boss in .
• Livewire appears in DC Universe Online.
• Livewire appears as a character summon in .^[19]
• Livewire appears as a playable character in DC Legends.
• Livewire appears in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced by Cree Summer.^[20]
• Livewire appears as a boss in DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power, voiced again by Mallory Low.

Miscellaneous

• Livewire appears in #9 as an associate of Brainiac.^[21]
• Livewire appears in the Injustice: Gods Among Us prequel comic.
• Livewire appears in the Harley Quinn animated series spin-off comic series Harley Quinn: The Animated Series: The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour and Harley Quinn: The Animated Series: Legion of Bats.

See also

• List of Superman enemies
• DC Animated Universe

Notes and References

1. Book: Cowsill . Alan . Irvine . Alex . Korte . Steve . Manning . Matt . Wiacek . Win . Wilson . Sven . The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe . 2016 . DK Publishing . 978-1-4654-5357-0 . 182.
2. Web site: Livewire Voices (Superman) . October 10, 2024 . Behind The Voice Actors. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
3. Book: Greenberger . Robert . Pasko . Martin . The Essential Superman Encyclopedia . 2010 . Del Rey . 978-0-345-50108-0 . 213.
4. Action Comics #842 (October 2006). DC Comics.
5. Action Comics #843 (November 2006). DC Comics.
6. Batgirl vol. 2 #4 (January 2010). DC Comics.
7. Justice Society of America vol. 3 #41
8. Superman #711. DC Comics.
9. Superman #714 (October 2011). DC Comics.
10. Justice League (vol. 2) #30. DC Comics.
11. Batgirl (vol. 4) #41. DC Comics.
12. Batgirl (vol. 4) #42. DC Comics.
13. Batman: The Animated Series episode "Girls' Night Out"
14. Web site: Fazal . Zehra . July 6, 2023 . Zehra Fazal on Instagram: "TONIGHT!!! My Adventures with Superman premieres tonight, midnight on @adultswim, next day on @streamonmax Super-charged to announce I play Leslie Willis aka LIVEWIRE. ⚡️⚡️⚡️ . July 7, 2023 . Instagram.
15. Injustice. Smallville. Al Septien, Turi Meyer (writers) & Tom Welling (director). The CW. 2009-05-07. 8. 21.
16. Web site: Newsarama | GamesRadar+. Newsarama.
17. Web site: 'Supergirl' Casts 'True Blood' Alum as DC Comics Villain Livewire (Exclusive). Variety. Prudom. Laura. August 12, 2015.
18. Web site: Supergirl - Episode 2.10 - We Can Be Heroes - Press Release . SpoilerTV . 2020-06-11.
19. Web site: Eisen . Andrew . October 2, 2013 . DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide . October 10, 2024 . IGN . en.
20. Web site: Lego DC Super-Villains Screens Reveal New Details. GAMING.
21. DC Universe Online: Legends #9 (August 2001)