(The cover for THE RAY #3)

With the first of its four issues out this week, THE RAY has been shining light on a classic DC Comics character – with an all-new identity. Lucien Gates is the newest hero to take on the identity of THE RAY, brought to life by co-writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray. YAHOO! VOICES featured a two-part interview with Palmiotti and Gray, where the two discussed the tone of the miniseries, and why it’s important to have a character that enjoys the lighter side of superheroism. “If you're interested in superhero comics and looking for something different from the themes that are taking place across the board then this is for you,” said Gray. “It's lighter but it's not silly. It's got a joy to it. There's a certain pleasure in it. It carries that old school feeling of, 'It's fun to be a superhero!’” Click here for Part One and Part Two. In an interview with IGN, Palmiotti emphasized the point, stressing the fun of the series as well as the character’s approach to being a superhero. “What we tried to inject into the book is a sense of joy; a sense that he has this power and look at all the cool stuff he can do with it and how it affects his life,” said Palmiotti. “We're trying to handle the character in a way that's sort of classic but also contemporary in a positive way. He's a character that always looks at the lighter side of things. He's actually a loving character and has some fun with his powers. I mean, this stuff obviously gets him into trouble, but his outlook is pretty positive. We wanted to do a book that actually showed the joy of having powers.” And given that Lucien Gates is the latest incarnation in a long series of Rays, NEWSARAMA looked at the hero’s aesthetic through the years, concluding that “This outfit is sleek and simple but not so simple that it’s a big body stocking. Lucien is his own light source, but still has elements of break up that light and provide some contrast. It’s a very modern suit but its simplicity and line design makes it seem like some classic superheroes such as Spider-Man (which is a good thing).”