Living Laser
(pop culture)Marvel's Living Laser originally derived his name from his weaponry. He was first introduced as Arthur Parks in The Avengers vol. 1 #34 (1966) in a story written by Stan Lee and penciled by Don Heck. An experimental scientist, Parks develops miniature laser beams to function as weapons, which he affixes onto his wrists and uses to assume his new identity as the Living Laser. The Living Laser first found himself in battle with the Avengers after destroying portions of Manhattan in an effort to impress Avengers team member the Wasp, with whom he became infatuated, and then again after he kidnapped her. Although he has worked solo, the Living Laser spent much of his career as a henchman in the employ of Mandarin, Batroc, and the Lethal Legion. After suffering various defeats, the Living Laser went back to the lab, devising a way to incorporate lasers into his body. With the assistance of underworld scientist Jonas Harrow, the Living Laser implanted miniature laser diodes in his body, enabling him to project laser beams at his mental command. In battle with Iron Man, the Living Laser's diode implants overloaded and exploded, seemingly killing the villain. But the Living Laser did not die: he was re-created into a sentient being composed of photons (particles of light energy, which he can emit as laser beams)—hence, he truly has become a “living laser”!
The Supervillain Book: The Evil Side of Comics and Hollywood © 2006 Visible Ink Press®. All rights reserved.