The Ray by JamaSuru on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

Name: Raymond Terrill
Group: Freedom Fighters, Justice League of America
First Appearance: The Ray #1
(February, 1992)

Raymond Terrill is the second Ray, the son of the original. He has light powers like his father and, after stints as a reserve for other teams, joined the Freedom Fighters.

Ray Terrill was told he was hypersensitive to light and exposure to sunlight would kill him. Privately tutored in his window-darkened home, Ray's most earnest wish was for normalcy. The media called him Night Boy. His only friend during his formative years was his neighbor, Jennifer Jurden. At eighteen, by his supposed father's deathbed, Ray learned his life was a lie. He was not allergic to light, nor did he have to live in darkness. Most disturbing of all, he discovered his true father was the 40s war-time super-hero, the Golden Age Ray.

At his "father's" funeral, Ray met his cousin, Hank Terrill, who helped him first face sunlight and his resulting powers. Hank urged Ray to become a super-hero, but Ray refused. It was then that the first Ray reappeared, pressuring his son to take up the heroic role while revealing his true origin and the secret of RONOL. Learning of Thomas' death years later, "Happy" secretly reactivated his governmental status. Employing agents and people close to his son, the elder Terrill concocted an elaborate scheme forcing young Ray into facing responsibility and utilizing his new-found powers. Confronting the Light Entity in a realm only he could reach, young Ray successfully dissuaded its return, saving the Earth.

Ray's adventures continued, bringing him to battle with the likes of Brimstone, Lobo, Dr. Polaris, Neron, and Vandal Savage. Ray had even worked for Vandal Savage's computer business for a short period of time. Following the death of Superman, Ray was recruited into the Justice League America for roughly a year of service. During this time in the JLA, Ray had a brief romance with Black Canary. Ray was then asked to join the ranks of the Justice League Task Force led by the Martian Manhunter. The JLTFs purpose was to train the next wave of leaguers, and while mildly successful, the death of a team member led to their downfall. After the unfortunate disbanding of the JLTF to make way for the newly formed JLA, Ray has kept a Justice League reserve-member status. Ray had also joined another team of heroes, the Forgotten Heroes, led by the Resurrection Man. They were brought together to take down Vandal Savage and his empire. While a mild success, the team disbanded and Ray continued a solo hero career.

Things seemed to be going fine for Ray Terrill, but a crisis of incredible proportions took shape and Ray was caught in the middle of it. A young man named Jakeem Thunder had inherited the mystical Thunderbolt from Golden Age JSA member Johnny Thunder. Another thunderbolt fell into the hands of failed JLA/JLTF member Triumph. Triumph used its power to bring down the JLA, return his magnetic powers, and to control the minds of Ray and Gypsy. Ray being used as a pawn, was defeated easily by Batman and returned to normal. Even after this embarrassing situation, Ray was allowed to keep his JLA reserve status.