I admit that Lightray always seemed a bit of pest in his early appearances in the New Gods. I was so enamored with the dour and blunt style of Orion that the sunnier and more pleasant Lightray fell flat for me.
That the two were bosom friends is shown in this delightful image from New Gods #1. Lightray cares about Orion and it's clear that Lightray's opinion is one of the few that Orion might value, even if he'd likely never admit it.
The duality of the team becomes much evident in the later issues of the New Gods run when it is the clever strategy by Lightray which allows for some of their more important victories in the war against Apokolips. Despite his happy expression, Lightray's steel as a warrior is allowed to shine through.
Rip Off
I'm re-reading the Fourth World. (I recently read all but Jimmy Olsen for the first time in the old black and white trades and am now reading the four-volume omnibus that came out a few years ago.) Last night, I was reading this very sequence in the New Gods #1, and I couldn't help but really dig Lightray because of that jovial kindness. He's the perfect foil for Orion, and some of the most moving scenes in the New Gods is when Lightray exhibits kindness and real comradary with Orion. I'm thinking of the aftermath of the big battle with Kalibak in Metropolis where Orion's face slips into its natural mode. That rooftop scene was so powerful, I couldn't believe the levels of subtlety Jack Kirby reached, especially since subtlety was not one of Jack's strong points. There's also the great Deep Six scene where they take out the surviving four members with the huge contraption they concocted from the mother box. The dialogue with the human family was riveting!
ReplyDeleteYou say it very well. I agree with your assessment. The shadowy Orion and the shining Lightray are a duo for the ages.
DeleteRip Off