| Doctor Light | |
|---|---|
Doctor Light as depicted inDC Universe Holiday Special #1 (February 2009). Art byRodolfo Migliari. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 (July 1985) |
| Created by | Marv Wolfman George Pérez (based upon theArthur Light character byGardner Fox andMike Sekowsky) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Dr. Kimiyo Tazu Hoshi |
| Place of origin | Japan |
| Team affiliations | Justice League International Doom Patrol Kord Enterprises Birds of Prey S.T.A.R. Labs Justice League Justice League Europe |
| Notable aliases | Kimiyo Hoshi Dr.Light Dr.Kimiyo |
| Abilities |
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Doctor Light (Dr.Kimiyo Tazu Hoshi) is asuperhero appearing incomic books published byDC Comics.[1] Kimiyo Hoshi is a distinct character from thevillain of the same name.[2] She has, however, crossed paths with the villainous Doctor Light on several occasions.
Doctor Light appeared in thesixth season of the television seriesThe Flash, portrayed by Emmie Nagata.
Doctor Light first appeared inCrisis on Infinite Earths #4 and was created byMarv Wolfman andGeorge Pérez.[3]
Kimiyo Tazu Hoshi, a brilliant but overly-driven scientist,[4] was the supervisingastronomer at an observatory in Japan duringCrisis on Infinite Earths. TheMonitor gives her light-based powers to help battle theAnti-Monitor.[1]
Doctor Light has joined theJustice League a few times over the years, most notably as a member ofJustice League Europe during the latter half of its incarnation.[1] She also joins theDoom Patrol for a time and enters a relationship withGlobal Guardians member Rising Sun.[1]

InGreen Arrow (vol. 3) #54 (November 2005), following his recovery from themind-wipe he suffered at the hands of the Justice League, Arthur Light, the villainous maleDoctor Light attacked Doctor Hoshi and temporarily depowers her.
An article discussing the destruction ofStar City (and, by extension, Kimiyo's loss of power) appeared at the52 website, which is designed to complement the weekly comic series. The article places a date on the city's destruction, which was depicted in the final 2 Pre-OYLGreen Arrow arcs, specifying that the event took place on May 15. Problematically, this dating places the storyafter the events depicted inInfinite Crisis.
Given this dating, Kimiyo's loss of power took place during the events of52 - Week 2 which, given Kimiyo and Green Arrow's appearances at the end of52 - Week 1, would appear to make sense, although it in turn makes nonsense of information contained inGreen Arrow vol. 3, #54, where it is revealed that Kimiyo has not used her powers for two years.
The story arc also concludes withGreen Arrow experiencing a strange multiplying effect that places the story duringInfinite Crisis, not two weeks after the event's conclusion (several other characters in the DCU experienced this effect in the issue of their titles that immediately preceded the OYL jump).
Kimiyo Hoshi appeared in costume in52 Week 35, alongside various other heroes. All are assisting the injured victims of Lex Luthor, who had caused a rain of 'supermen' by deactivating their powers. She is also shown in52 Week 50, in the climactic battle of World War III.
Dr. Light appears inWorld War III: United We Stand, the fourth issue of theWorld War III mini-series that coincided with52 Week 50. She is one of the first wave of heroes who confront (and are taken down by)Black Adam. He grasps her neck with such force that she instantly blacks out; he throws her aside.
Geoff Johns has revealed on his message board that he was working on storylines involving Doctor Light.[5]
Oracle invites Kimiyo to join theBirds of Prey (issue #100), but she was not selected to take part in the first mission. She does, however, appear inBirds of Prey #113 (January 2008), assisting Oracle by scanning the electromagnetic spectrum for any evidence that might lead her to the parties responsible for an influx of hi-tech weaponry being smuggled into Metropolis. She is unable to locate any such evidence.
Doctor Light is only occasionally active in the superhero community because she is a single mother with two children: Imako, her daughter, and Yasu, her son.[1]Gail Simone confirmed in an interview that Kimiyo's children have not been retconned out of existence by changes to DC continuity.
Doctor Light works inS.T.A.R. Labs and has an interior monologue about the erratic fluctuations in her powers that lead to her retirement from being a superhero. Upon returning home from work, she is ambushed by theShadow Cabinet. After briefly talking with the heroes, she becomes enraged and attacks them after coming to believe they have harmed her children, only to be quickly neutralized and captured.[6] This is later revealed to have been orchestrated by Superman andIcon so that the League and Cabinet could gain information on each other.[7]Hardware uses Arthur Light's powers to restore those of Kimiyo, allowing her to quickly defeatShadow Thief andStarbreaker.[8]
Kimiyo has been confirmed to be a member of the newest incarnation of the Justice League. InBlackest Night, Kimiyo is attacked byArthur Light's Black Lantern form and destroys him with a burst of light.[9][10]
Afterward,Donna Troy,Cyborg,Dick Grayson, andStarfire join the Justice League. With the costume given to her by Hardware destroyed, Kimiyo designs a new one and travels to Metropolis to recruitMon-El andGuardian.[11] Kimiyo briefly appears during theWar of the Supermen, where she and the rest of the JLA attempt to repelGeneral Zod's invasion.[12]
After just three issues together, the new JLA team loses most of its members, with Kimiyo temporarily leaving the team to be with her children.[13] Back in Metropolis, Kimiyo helpsSupergirl rescueLana Lang after theInsect Queen possesses her.[14] A short time later, Kimiyo andGangbuster battle Supergirl's Bizarro counterpart, a refugee fromBizarro World.[15][16]
Despite resigning from active duty, Doctor Light remains with the Justice League as a reserve member.[17][18][19]
Kimiyo appears in theRebirth storylineHeroes in Crisis and is among many superheroes that are interviewed in the Sanctuary therapy center. Furthermore, she and Arthur Light were formerly married, during which they had three children: Tommy, Emma, and Sakura.
Doctor Light is ametahuman who can generate and manipulate light energy. This enables her to generate illusions, become invisible, fly at light-speeds, and teleport. Hoshi is also a skilled scientist and astronomer.