Johnny Thunder
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| Johnny Thunder | |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Flash Comics #1 (January 1940) |
| Created by | John Wentworth Stan Aschmeier |
| In story information | |
| Alter ego | John "Johnny" Thunder |
| Team affiliations | Justice Society of America All-Star Squadron United States Navy |
| Notable aliases | Johnny Thunderbolt |
| Abilities | The Thunderbolt, uncannily lucky. |
Johnny Thunder is the name of three fictional characters in comics published by DC Comics. A fourth character has the variant name Jonni Thunder.
Contents |
[edit] Fictional character biography
Johnny Thunder is the seventh son of a seventh son, born at 7 a.m. on the seventh day of the seventh month in 1917. This causes him to be kidnapped and sold to a group of men from the fictional country of Badhnesia who had been looking for someone born at this time on this day. As an infant, Johnny is given possession of the genie-like "Thunderbolt"[1] during a mystic ritual on his seventh birthday, which was intended to allow the Badhnesians to use Johnny to rule the world. However, the plan is soon aborted after an attack from a neighboring country.[2] Johnny eventually returns to the United States and lives an unextraordinary life until one day, while washing windows, he inadvertently summons the Thunderbolt with the magic words cei-u (pronounced "say you") which he accidentally uses to become a successful boxer.[3]
Johnny's appearances with the Justice Society and in his own solo adventures tended to be quite comedic, as Johnny's main personality trait was being fairly dim-witted, which prompts his much-smarter Thunderbolt to possess a sarcastic (if patient) attitude toward his "boss."
Johnny's adventures ceased in the late 1940s when he was replaced in the Justice Society stories by a heroine he had begun teaming up with, the Black Canary.[4] The reason for his leaving the Justice Society is eventually explained to be that his control over his Thunderbolt is weakening, thanks to a spell cast by renegade Badhnesian priests.[5] In the early 1950s, Johnny is kidnapped again by agents from Badhnesia, with the intention of executing their original world conquest plan. Johnny manages to summon Superman, and the would-be conquerors' plans are defeated. Johnny spent some time in Badhnesia afterwards, teaching the native citizens about democracy. He returns home after the country elects its first president. Johnny joins the Justice Society on various adventures.
[edit] Crisis on Infinite Earths & Ragnorok
Following the maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths was the one-shot Last Days of the Justice Society of America Special (1986). This book depicted the sacrifice of Johnny and his JSA teammates as they left the 'new' post-Crisis world and entered into a limbo dimension. Caused by the actions of Adolf Hitler in April 1945, a wave of destruction appears over earth even as it is settling down from the Crisis. In order to stop a literal Ragnorok, the heroes enter into an eternal battle, and so leave the world.
[edit] Johnny's Return
The absence of the JSA and of Johnny Thunder did not last long. In 1992 DC published Armageddon: Inferno, the mini-series which brought the JSA out of limbo and into the post-Crisis world. This was followed by Justice Society of America (1992-1993). This series showed how the heroes were adjusting to a 'normal' life. Johnny is depicted as an over-weight man, not as old as his friends, but nostalgic for the past. It is explained that before he had entered into limbo he had lent his foster daughter a few thousand dollars and during his time fighting for the universe, she had created Peachy's Frozen Yogurt, a very successful chain of which Johnny is half owner... and now very wealthy. Of greater import to Johnny Thunder is his discovery that the Bahdnesians have all but disappeared. A visit to the island of Bahdnesia (now under the ownerhsip of Pol St. Germain) proves that no Bahdnesians are left there. In issue #7 Johnny states: "There were never very many of them... and the island magic had worn out. T-Bolt was all that was left, and he was with me in limbo. They had to leave or starve to death." This series also introduced the young Kiku, according to the Thunder Bolt, the last remaining Bhadnesian.
After this Johnny is depicted as suffering from symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. At one point he loses track of a pen in which the Thunderbolt is being stored. The pen eventually ends up in the ownership of a young African American boy named Jakeem Williams, who takes up the name Johnny Jakeem Thunder or Jakeem Thunder.[6]
[edit] Johnny Thunder of Earth-One
Due to the Crisis on Infinite Earths some of Johnny Thunder's adventures have been retconned out of existence when his history was moved from Earth-Two to New Earth. A counterpart that has since been retconned out existed on Earth-One, but this version was a simple petty criminal with no Thunderbolt. When the Earth-One Johnny somehow gets hold of the 'bolt, he uses it to temporarily reshape Earth-One such that several heroes, such as Superman, Batman, and Green Lantern, retroactively cease to exist, their powers being transferred to some of Johnny's fellow criminals. (The Thunderbolt is 'keyed' to simply obey Johnny Thunder, without any distinction made between alternate versions of Thunder, and so had to obey the orders of the criminal Johnny, although he often tries to work in loopholes to give the heroes an advantage.) This alternate version of Earth-One is sometimes referred to as Earth-A. Thunder's 'Lawless League' of evil Justice League heroes are defeated by the visiting Justice Society of Earth-Two, who subsequently face off against Johnny Thunder on the moon. When the fight comes down to a struggle between Doctor Fate and the Thunderbolt, Johnny Thunder is so battered about by the combating magic wielders that he finally gives up his attempts to use the Thunderbolt and wishes that none of these events had taken place.[7]
[edit] John Tane
The second Johnny Thunder, completely unrelated to the original, first appeared in All-American Comics in 1948. His name was John Tane and he lives in the Mormon settlement of Mesa City, Arizona. The son of a sheriff and a schoolteacher, Johnny's mother makes him promise never to use guns and to instead follow in her footsteps. Johnny becomes a schoolteacher, but however, soon found himself in a situation where violence is required. In order to keep his vow, Johnny creates the identity of Johnny Thunder, by changing clothes and using coal dust to change his hair black.[issue # needed] In Impulse Annual #2 (1997), a back up story revealed that, at the time of his mother's death, Johnny Tane is inspired to create a secret identity by Max Mercury. The young Johnny is briefly under the impression Max is a genie, in an ironic reference to the later Johnny Thunder.
[edit] Jonni Thunder
Jonni Thunder is a female private detective who first appeared in a four issue miniseries from 1985 named Jonni Thunder AKA Thunderbolt, written by Roy Thomas. A small gold statue gives her the power to turn into a human thunderbolt, while leaving her body behind. In later issues of Infinity, Inc., the thunderbolt is revealed to be a hostile alien energy-being, who is defeated by being reimprisoned in the statue, leaving Jonni without powers.[issue # needed] Jonni existed on Earth-Two before Crisis and is briefly seen on the merged Earth resulting from Crisis, attending a detectives convention.[8]
In the Kingdom Come continuity, she and Black Lightning have a child who becomes the anti-hero known as "Lightning", possessing the electricity-based powers of both of her parents.
[edit] Other media
Johnny Thunder and Thunderbolt had made many appearances on Justice League Unlimited as League members.
[edit] See also
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Flash Comics vol. 1, #8 (August, 1940) All-American Publications (32)
- ^ Flash Comics vol. 1, #1 (January, 1940) All-American Publications (34-35)
- ^ Flash Comics vol. 1, #2 (February, 1940) All-American Publications (35)
- ^ All Star Comics vol. 1, #42 () All-American Publications
- ^ E. Nelson Bridwell (w), Kurt Schaffenberger (p), Frank Chiaramonte (i). "The Rescue of His Majesty, Johnny Thunder" Superman Family vol. 1, #204 (November/December, 1980) DC Comics
- ^ JLA #26
- ^ Justice League of America #37 (August 1965)
- ^ Crisis on Infinite Earths #11
[edit] External links
- DCU Guide: Johnny Thunder II
- Index of Johnny Thunder (Earth-2) appearances
- DCU Guide: Johnny Thunder I
- Profile on John Tane the original Johnny Thunder
- DC Western Comic Books profile: Johnny Thunder
- Index of Johnny Thunder (John Tane) appearances
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