Thunder and Lightning (comics)

Not to be confused with Thunder (DC Comics) or Lightning (DC Comics).

Thunder and Lightning are a duo of superpowered brothers appearing in media published by DC Comics, primarily in association with the Teen Titans.

Thunder and Lightning
Thunder (left) and Lightning (right) as depicted in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #23 (January 1987).
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	New Teen Titans #32 (1983)
Created by	Marv Wolfman George Pérez
In-story information
Alter ego	Gan and Tavis Williams
Team affiliations	Teen Titans
Abilities	Electrokinesis Psychic link

The two have made limited appearances in media outside comics, with S. Scott Bullock and Quinton Flynn voicing the characters in Teen Titans (2003).

Publication history

Thunder and Lightning first appeared in New Teen Titans #32 and was created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez.^[1]

Fictional character biography

Gan and Tavis Williams are twin brothers and the sons of an unnamed Vietnamese woman and American soldier Walter Williams. Originally conjoined twins, they are separated via magic. As children, they manifest superpowers, but possess little control over them and will burn themselves out without regular transfusions of their father's blood.^[2]

Thunder and Lightning battle the Teen Titans while seeking a permanent cure for their condition. Raven discovers that Williams is a centuries-old alien and was captured by H.I.V.E. They mind-control Williams to battle the Teen Titans, who are forced to kill him. However, S.T.A.R. Labs employees use Williams' blood to create a cure.^[3] Subsequently, Thunder and Lightning become allies of the Teen Titans.^[4] In Salvation Run, Lex Luthor uses the two as power sources for his teleporter, and they are seemingly killed when it self-destructs.^[5][6]

In The New 52 continuity reboot, Thunder and Lightning (renamed Alexei and Alya) are reintroduced as part of the Ravagers.^[7]

Powers and abilities

Thunder and Lightning are able to control their namesakes and possess a psychic link that allows them to communicate with each other.

Other versions

The original Thunder and Lightning battle Superman. From Superman #303.

An unrelated Thunder and Lightning appear in Superman #303 (September 1976), and were created by Elliot S. Maggin and Curt Swan. They are two separate identities for a shapeshifting android created by the supervillain Whirlicane.^[8]

In other media

• Thunder and Lightning appear in Teen Titans, voiced by S. Scott Bullock and Quinton Flynn respectively.^[9][10] These versions sport samurai-like armor and the additional abilities of flight, teleportation, and rain generation.
• The Teen Titans animated series incarnations of Thunder and Lightning appear in Teen Titans Go!.^[11]