Debuting in Smash Comics #14 in 1942,
reporter Happy Terrill is assigned to cover
the launch of a high altitude hot air
balloon. Happy goes along for a ride in
the balloon, and an electrical storm
develops as the balloon enters the upper
stratosphere. The inventor of the balloon,
Dr. Styne, realizes that the balloon's outer
air lock is not sealed properly, which
could lead to disaster. Happy volunteers
to leave the safety of the balloon's cabin
and venture outside to seal the airlock.
While doing so, Happy is struck by an
intense burst of electrical energy and
radiation. The accident endows him with
the power to absorb and fire blasts of
light, heat, and various forms of energy.
The Ray can also fly and actually become
light, but the intensity of his powers
depends on the amount of light present. If
the Ray is in a dark room, his powers will
still work, but once his stored reserves of
energy are depleted, he will be
powerless.

The Ray wears a full body length, entirely yellow costume. His golden age adventures ended in Smash Comics
#40. The Ray made his DC debut in Justice League of America #107 in 1974, and he has been an important
member of the Freedom Fighters ever since. In 1992's Ray: In A Blaze of Power, Happy Terrill fakes his
death, and his son Raymond Terrill, having inherited his father's powers, becomes Ray II. Raymond eventually
learns that his father is still alive, and as depicted in the thirty one issue Ray series in the mid 90's, their father-
son relationship is very dysfunctional.