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LIGHTSHOW

Real Name: Rikki (last name unrevealed)

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Earth-93060/Ultraverse) human mutate

Occupation: Assassin

Group Membership: Pilgrim's army (Brazen, Byter, Gangsta, Generator X, Pilgrim (Bob Hardin), Powerhouse, Rodent, Zara) (all Earth-93060)

Affiliations: Pilgrim (aka Atom Bob)

Enemies: Night Man (Johnny Domino), Raiders (Centipede, Gecko, Jolly Roger, Sandblast, Sangre, Scar, Yardarm), the Strangers (ElectroCute, Grenade, Lady Killer, Spectral, Yrial, Zip-Zap), Teknight (loose) (all Earth-93060)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: San Francisco, USA (Earth-93060)

First Appearance: The Strangers#16 (September, 1994)

Powers/Abilities: Lightshow is an athletic and gym-fit individual who quickly trained herself many ways to utilize her light-based powers. At will, she can transform her entire body (and clothing immediately touching her skin) into mixed-colored light. As Lightshow, she can turn immaterial and levitate, but this requires concentration and her usual powered form is as "hard" light. She can shoot hard light objects from pellets to orbs that she emits from her hands, but these are not fast/sharp enough to penetrate skin. She can emit disorienting light rays and hypnotic strobe effects, as well create a duplicate of her powered form. With concentration, Lightshow can adjust her body's light wavelength along the spectrum, like infrared to burn away vegetation. In her light form, she does not require oxygen and can stay underwater indefinitely. However, her rapid mastery over her powers has made her overconfident. In her light form, she unavoidably always emits light and she can feel pain, which disrupts her concentration to use her other powers.

Height: 5'7"
Weight: Variable: 150 lbs. in human form; 0 lbs. in pure light form
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Ash blond

History:

(The Strangers#16 (fb) - BTS) - Rikki was on the San Francisco tram hit by the "Jumpstart" effect, which triggered superpowers in its passengers. While six transformed passengers banded together as the "ultra" superhero team the Strangers, Rikki instead chose a darker path, adopting the name Lightshow, quickly mastering her light-based powers, and teamed with the aggressive energy-manipulating Generator X and the animalistic Rodent.

(The Strangers#16) - Downtown, Generator X pushed Lightshow and Rodent into swearing an oath to team up and make a name for themselves by killing members of the Strangers. Hearing the popular Strangers had organized a block party for friends and key guest, the disguised trio rode a bus to the area, injuring a passenger for fun on the way. Once nearby, the trio removed their rudimentary disguises. Generator X and Rodent eliminated the police guards while Lightshow downed the hovering helicopter. The Strangers arrived and Lightshow held back while Generator X blustered, but attacked with solid lightwaves when her teammates began failing in battle. The heroic Yrial countered with magic but Lightshow created a duplicate to confuse her foe. However, Strangers' leader Lady Killer had identified the real Lightshow and knocked her out. With the villainous trio defeated, the mysterious Pilgrim (actually the increasingly mentally unstable Strangers member Atom Bob in disguise) suddenly appeared and  blasted the Strangers back before taking the trio for his small army. Threatening the heroes' destruction, Pilgrim disappeared through a portal with the trio.

(The Strangers#18 (fb) - BTS) - Pilgrim gathered his now-larger gang (Brazen, Byter, Gangsta, Generator X, Lightshow, Powerhouse, Rodent, Zara), having already planted seven bombs around San Francisco to force the Strangers to split up and work separately. Pilgrim called in the mysterious Teknight for hopeful recruitment.

(Night Man I#14/Night Man: The Pilgrim Conundrum Saga (fb)) - In front of his small army, Pilgrim dramatically asked for Teknight's aid in destroying the Strangers, but he declined and left.

(The Strangers#18) - Realizing the other Strangers had been knocked out in a surprise attack from the villainous Scar and his Raiders, Pilgrim and his allies warped in to confront the new foes. Pilgrim's army quickly defeated and expelled them; Lightshow easily overpowered and cruelly mocked Centipede. As the Strangers recovered, Pilgrim promised his army each a Stranger to slay the next day and they teleported away.

(Night Man: The Pilgrim Conundrum Saga) - Teknight warned the Strangers of Pilgrim's nefarious plot to destroy them. The enigmatic Night Man helped each Stranger as they confronted one of Pilgrim's army; the heroic Stranger Spectral fought Lightshow (who was now devoted to Pilgrim's cause), but Spectral's light-influenced flame powers made the two evenly matched. Night Man arrived and Lightshow shot hard light pellets at him, but the hero dodged them. Spectral chose red berserker flame as a last option, forcing Night Man's intervention to stop Spectral's fury as he nearly killed Lightshow, but this left all three unconscious. Night Man and Spectral soon recovered; Lightshow's fate is unrevealed.

 

 

 

Comments: Created by Steve Englehart, Rick Hoberg, Tim Eldred.

    This profile was completed 11/29/2025, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th anniversary 's celebratory event to represent the Strangers.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Lightshow has no known connections to:


images: (without ads)
The Strangers#16, p19, pan3 (main image)
The Strangers#16, p11, pan1 (headshot, human form)
Night Man: The Pilgrim Conundrum Saga, p38, pan5 (strobing)
Night Man: The Pilgrim Conundrum Saga, p40, pan6 (shooting light pellets)


Appearances:
The Strangers#16 (September, 1994) - Steve Englehart (writer), Rick Hoberg (pencils), Tim Eldred (inks), Roland Mann (editor)
The Strangers#18 (November, 1994) - Steve Englehart (writer), Rick Hoberg (pencils), Tim Eldred (inks), Roland Mann (editor)
Night Man I#14 (November, 1994) - James Robinson & Steve Englehart (writer), Dean Zachary (pencils), Bruce McCorkindale (inks), Roland Mann (editor)
Night Man: The Pilgrim Conundrum Saga (January, 1995) - Steve Englehart (writer), Rick Hoberg (pencils), Jack Keefer (inks), Roland Mann & Kara Lamb (editors)


First posted: 11/29/2025
Last updated: 11/29/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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