LIVING LIGHTNING: Page 3 of 4

Publication Date: 23rd Apr 2020
Written By: Monolith.
Image Work: Douglas Mangum.
Biography

BIOGRAPHY page 3

After most of the veteran Avengers disappeared in the Onslaught crisis, they returned months later only to face a threat that encompassed all who ever carried the name Avenger. The Living Lightning was attacked by gnomes on UCLA campus, prompting him and the entire historic roster (who suffered similar attacks) to gather once more. Morgan le Fay was revealed as the villainess behind the Avengers' troubles, and she was ultimately defeated by the team. Despite reuniting with his friends and comrades, Miguel decided to remain in college and stay dedicated to his education. [Avengers (3rd series) #1-4] Months later, he made the same decision again when the Avengers came around on a recruitment drive. [Avengers (3rd series) #27]

Eventually, the Avengers found a way to renew their association with Miguel while still allowing for his education. The Avengers under Wasp and Captain America created a vast network of field operations and monitor squads in order to preemptively identify threats and crisis points before they broke out to unmanageable levels. The Living Lightning was recruited, along with Quasar and Photon, to be part of the deep space monitor squad. Housed at a space station in the solar system's asteroid belt, their mandate was to watch for alien incursions coming for Earth. Photon was able to fly at light-speed and commute from Earth in minutes, while Quasar was incubating the seed of Ego the Living Planet and could not safely operate in a planet's bio-sphere. Miguel made a residence on the space station, focusing on his studies which he audited remotely using a quantum link set up by Quasar. [Avengers (3rd series) #38]

After several months of peaceful inactivity, Living Lightning and Quasar detected the arrival of the Triple Evil, an extra-dimensional mass of pure malevolence that was making its way towards Earth. They attempted to alert the Avengers back home, but Photon and the main team were engaged with Kang and his invasion from Damocles Base. [Avengers (3rd series) #47-48] Miguel and Quasar responded to find Captain America, Photon and others adrift in space after their assault on Damocles failed. With the help of Triathlon and other Avengers aligned with the Triune Understanding, they learned the Triple Evil had been prophesized by the Triune's faith. Living Lightning and the others were drawn into the Triple Evil pyramid, where they did battle with malignant forces. Empowered by the Triune's energies, Triathlon eventually overcame and defeated the Triple Evil pyramid, claiming its power for his own. [Avengers (3rd series) #50] Living Lightning and the Avengers brought the pyramid back to Earth and used it to help turn the tide against Kang's forces. Miguel fought in the final space battle against Kang before Damocles base was brought down. Although the monitor squads did not long outlast the Kang War, Living Lightning was part of the celebratory feast held by Thor and the Asgardians to commemorate their victory. [Avengers (3rd series) #52-55]

Spending time away from the Avengers, the end result of Miguel's college studies is unknown. He did some self-exploration, though, and started to identify as homosexual. This became awkward when the Great Lakes Avengers scouted him for membership, and he only said yes initially because he thought GLA stood for Gay/Lesbian Alliance. [G.L.A. #2]

When the Superhuman Registration Act passed in America, the super-hero community split in two with half supporting the law under Iron Man and the others defending their freedom under Captain America. Miguel signed up with Captain America and his "Secret Avengers" of unregistered vigilantes. [Civil War (1st series) #4] The Superhuman Civil War came to an end when Captain America surrendered in order to avoid risking the public's safety any further. Many formerly unregistered vigilantes were accepted into the new Fifty States Initiative after that. The Living Lightning soon joined the Rangers as part of the Texas Initiative. [Avengers: The Initiative #2] He fought alongside his team during the Skrull invasion, when Red Wolf's pup Lobo was revealed as an infiltrator. [Avengers: The Initiative #19]