Julie Power

Superherobox|
comic_color=background:#ff8080


caption=Lightspeed, art by GuriHiru
character_name=Lightspeed
real_name=Julie Power
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Power Pack" (vol. 1) #1 (August 1984)
creators=Louise Simonson
June Brigman
alliance_color=background:#ffc0c0
alliances=Loners Power Pack
aliases=Lightspeed, Molecula, Mistress of Density, Starstreak
powers=Acceleration/Flight, Teleportation
Previously: Control over her own mass and size|

Julie Power (also known as Lightspeed) is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. She first appeared in "Power Pack" #1 and was created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman.

Publication history

Julie aged from 10 to 11 years old in the original series; in the 2000 mini-series, she is 14; in the all ages mini-series published in 2005 (which takes place in an alternate universe), she's 12; and in the first issue of the "Hulk/Power Pack" mini-series, her age (12) is printed on her shirt.

In "Loners" #4 it is revealed that Julie is 17 years old.

Fictional character biography

Julie Power was born in Richmond, Virginia to Dr. James Power and Margaret Power. She was a founding member of the superhero team Power Pack. The second oldest of the four Power siblings, she was 10 years old when she was given her powers by Aelfyre Whitemane, a dying Kymellian noble. ["Power Pack" #1] She continued to operate with Power Pack through their entire history.

Power Pack

Before long, the Power family moved from Virginia to New York City. There, the Power Pack encountered other superheroes such as Spider-Man, ["Power Pack" #6] and Cloak and Dagger. ["Power Pack" #7] . With Power Pack, she battled the Boogeyman. ["Power Pack" #14] They also met Franklin Richards, ["Power Pack" #16] and encountered the New Mutants. ["Power Pack" #20] Her powers were later siphoned into the Snark Jakal; when returned, her powers were exchanged with those of her brother Jack, and she became Molecula. ["Power Pack" #25] Eventually, she regained her original powers and resumed her original codename. ["Power Pack" #52] Power Pack then encountered Galactus and Nova. ["Power Pack" #58]

Julie was perhaps the most "normal" of the Power siblings. When she was not in "superhero mode" Julie could be quite shy and quiet; in several instances, she was bothered by bullies at school. Her solo storylines often involved regular "kid issues" such as babysitting and cheating on tests. Julie was also a voracious reader, and was frequently seen reading, carrying or quoting books. She frequently stepped into a maternal role with her siblings, sewing and washing the team's costumes, caring for Katie and Franklin Richards and attempting to restore peace during conflicts.

In battles, Julie possessed quick reflexes and was a strong fighter. In the Pack's initial conflict with Prince Jakal, Julie was able to single-handedly bring down the Snark's ship. She was also the only member of Power Pack in the original series to be directly responsible for the death of another character—Pestilence, in the "Fall of the Mutants", fell to her death when Julie struck her with the "Julie Hammer" battle technique (though Pestilence might have survived had she not resisted Katie's attempt to pull her to safety).

Excelsior (Loners)

Because of her time with the Power Pack, Julie, now seventeen, decides to retire from super-heroics to focus on her private life. During her first meeting with Excelsior, she explains that she wants to become an actress. However, she (as well as the others within the group) agree to go on a mission offered by Rick Jones to bring in the Runaways. Afterwards, they collectively decide that it was a one-time mission to try to give others the chance they never had, and return to their support group.

Soon, however, Julie feels the urge to use her powers again, and apologizes to Phil Urich before diving off a building and soaring into the sky. ["The Loners" #1]

She also reveals to the group that her flighty personality is a facade that she adopted when she moved to California, and that she has not registered as superhuman. ["The Loners" #5]

When Julie intervenes during a misunderstanding between Hollow (the mutant formerly known as Penance) and Ricochet, she is stabbed through the shoulders by Hollow's claws. Her alien metabolism allows her to recover quickly from the wound. ["The Loners" #3]

Powers and abilities

*Julie's original power was the ability to fly quickly, leaving a stream of rainbow light in her wake. While she never flew at the speed of light, as her codename suggested, she did break the sound barrier at least once. ["Power Pack" (vol. 1) #13] Julie later refined her abilities so she could teleport over great distances without any visible sign of exhaustion."Power Pack" (vol. 2) #1-4] While flying, she generates a protective aura around her of an undetermined thickness that protects her from air friction.
*Julie gained the density powers previously held by her brother Jack. ["Power Pack" (vol. 1) #25] She expanded on her powers by learning to create force fields and bubbles and saved her parents' lives with these skills. Julie also learned to make herself taller and larger without losing her physical form. Julie eventually regained her original acceleration powers ["Power Pack" #52] and changed her codename to Starstreak.
*Along with her siblings, Julie possessed Kymellian healing powers. Julie was the first Power sibling to use this ability, albeit unconsciously, when her broken arm mysteriously healed quickly during the Pack's initial conflict with the Snarks. Later in the series, she healed herself automatically when her legs were seriously injured during a battle with the mutant team Trash.

With her siblings, Julie owned a Kymellian smartship, Friday. The ship acted as an unofficial team advisor and accompanied the Pack on several missions.

Julie wore a costume of unstable molecules created by Friday. The costume existed in an extra-dimensional space known as "Elsewhere" and could be summoned with voice commands. The costume was later modified to include a mask.

Other versions

Avengers and Power Pack Assembled

Julie is active in an alternate timeline in which the Pack has been banished by Kang the Conqueror [As seen in "Avengers and Power Pack Assembled" #3 and 4] . She is a 23 year old woman possessing her father's scientific brilliance in addition to her Kymellian powers.

House of M

Julie, along with her brother Alex, was seen as a member of a super-powered gang that called themselves the Wolfpack; in which the other members were known as the New Warriors [In "House of M: Avengers #3] .

Exiles: Days of Then and Now

Julie is a member of Quentin Quire's surviving team; in which against the Annihilation Wave that was led by a banished Hulk ["Exiles: Days Of Then And Now" #1] .

Millennial Visions

In the "Power Pack: Starting Over" story within Marvel's 2001 "Millennial Visions" one-shot comic, Julie is a 30 year old researcher for SETI. In this alternate universe, she is depicted as being the most stable of the four Power siblings, who are estranged from each other, and reunites them to fight the Snarks again. ["Millennial Visions" Marvel, 2001]

Bibliography

*"Power Pack" #1-45, #47-62 (1984-1990)
*"Power Pack Holiday Special" (1992)
*"Power Pack" Mini-series #1-4 (2000)
*"Power Pack: Shelter from the Storm" Graphic novel (1989)
*"Power Pack and Spider-Man" Special issue (1986)
*"Excalibur" #29
*"The Loners" #1-6
*"Marvel Holiday Special" 2007
*"Marvel Superheroes Summer Special"
*"Marvel Universe" #10
*"Runaways" v2, #1-6 (2005)
*"Secret Wars II" #6
*"Strange Tales" #12-14
*"Thor" #357, #363
*"Uncanny X-Men" #195 (reprinted in "X-Men Classic" 99)
*"X-Men" #195

References

External links

* [http://www.marvel.com/universe/Lightspeed Marvel.com profile]