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Air Wave

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This article is about the DC Comics characters. For other uses, see Airwave (disambiguation).
Air Wave
Larry Jordan as Air Wave.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearance(Larry)
Detective Comics #60 (February 1942)
(Helen)
DC Comics Presents #40 (December 1981)
(Hal)
(as Air Wave)
Green Lantern (vol. 2) #100 (January 1978)
(as Maser)
Firestorm, the Nuclear Man #88 (August 1989)
Created by(Larry)
Murray Boltinoff or
Mort Weisinger
Harris Levey a.k.a. Lee Harris[1]
(Helen)
Bob Rozakis
Alex Saviuk
(Hal)
Dennis O'Neil
Alex Saviuk
In-story information
Alter ego- Lawrence "Larry" Jordan
- Helen Jordan
- Harold Lawrence "Hal" Jordan
Team affiliations(Larry)
All-Star Squadron

(Hal)
Captains of Industry
Suicide Squad
Notable aliases(Hal)
Maser
AbilitiesSee below

Air Wave is the name of three superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first two were active in the Golden Age of Comic Books (albeit the second Air Wave had only one appearance). The third appears in comics in the 21st century.

Publication history

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The original Air Wave (Larry Jordan) debuted during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books. His first appearance was in Detective Comics #60 (December 1942) by artist Harris Levey, who signed his work under the pen name "Lee Harris", and a writer tentatively identified as either Mort Weisinger[2] or Murray Boltinoff.[1] Harris Levey (aka Lee Harris) drew the character's seven- to eight-page adventures from Detective Comics #60 (February 1942) to at least #74 (April 1943), and then following World War II in Detective Comics #114-137 (August 1946 - July 1948). In September 1942, Levey (aka Lee Harris) left the series to join the US Army Airforce (UAAF) as a Photographer for the 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Photo Unit, turning the artwork over to his friend George Roussos for the 1943-46 issues.[3] Levey returned to DC and resumed illustrating the Air Wave (July 1946, #113) and left DC and his Air Wave drawing duties in 1948 to pursue a career in advertising.

Fictional character biographies

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Larry Jordan

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Lawrence "Larry" Jordan is a law clerk and intern who battles crime using radio-based technology.[4] He is accompanied by the parrot Static, who occasionally aids him in battle.[5]

Larry later retires and is killed by escaped convict Joe Parsons, with his wife Helen temporarily becoming Air Wave to capture him.[6][7]

In Dark Nights: Death Metal, Air Wave is among the superheroes who Batman resurrects using a Black Lantern ring.[8]

Harold Jordan

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Air Wave legacy
Art by Dick Giordano and Alex Saviuk.

Harold Jordan is Larry Jordan's son and successor, who possesses innate powers. Furthermore, he is a cousin of Green Lantern Hal Jordan, with whom he shares his name.[9][10][11]

After Doctor Moon genetically modifies him, Air Wave briefly becomes Maser and joins the Captains of Industry.[12]

Air Wave is later killed in Infinite Crisis, temporarily resurrected as a Black Lantern in Blackest Night, and permanently resurrected in DC Rebirth. In Absolute Power, Air Wave helps expose Amanda Waller's intentions to the world.[13]

Powers and abilities

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All three incarnations of Air Wave wield helmets that enable them to manipulate radio signals and transform into energy. The Larry Jordan incarnation travels via collapsible skates, whereas the Helen Jordan and Harold Jordan incarnations can fly.[14]

Enemies

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His enemies were mostly Nazis and criminals, but he also fought some sound-based supervillains:[15]

  • Dr. Silence
  • Parrot
  • Talker

In other media

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The Larry and Harold Jordan incarnations of Air Wave appear as character summons in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[16]

Further reading

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ a b Air Wave (1942) at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on March 15, 2012]
  2. ^ Detective Comics #60 at the Grand Comics Database
  3. ^ Gruenwald, Mark (April 1983). "George Roussos". Comics Interview. No. #2. Fictioneer Books. pp. 45–51.
  4. ^ Thomas, Roy (2006). The All-Star Companion: Vol 2. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 75. ISBN 978-1893905375.
  5. ^ Mitchell, Kurt; Thomas, Roy (2019). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1940-1944. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 148. ISBN 978-1605490892.
  6. ^ Beatty, Scott (2008), "Air Wave I", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, London: Dorling Kindersley, p. 9, ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1
  7. ^ Wells, John (May 2013). "Flashback: Whatever Happened to...?". Back Issue! (#64). TwoMorrows Publishing: 51–61.
  8. ^ Dark Nights: Death Metal #5. DC Comics.
  9. ^ Wells, John (August 2018). "No Static At All: Air Wave in the Bronze Age". Back Issue (#106). TwoMorrows Publishing: 26–31.
  10. ^ Jimenez, Phil (2008), "Air Wave II", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, London: Dorling Kindersley, p. 9, ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1
  11. ^ Green Lantern (vol. 2) #100. DC Comics.
  12. ^
  13. ^
  14. ^ The Green Lantern Annual #1 (2019)
  15. ^ Nevins, Jess (2013). Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes. High Rock Press. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-61318-023-5.
  16. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
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