Race: Caucasian
Birthplace:
Died:25 December, 1994 (?)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
Height:5'9"
Weight:170 #
Reality: Nile Empire
Arthur Rawlings was always an avid reader of heroic legends, like Robin Hood and especially King Arthur. When he grew up to become an archaeologist, it was in no small part because he hoped to search out relics of those ancient stories.
Unfortunately for him, after a fairly successful early career, he happened to find the tomb that held an ancient Pharoah...one who was still alive, and would go by the name of Dr. Mobius once he rose from his sarcophagus. Arthur Rawlings fell to the indomitable will of Mobius, and served him, seeking out ancient relics of power.
Mike Robinson also liked tales of heroism, and when he grew up and became a scientist, he used his talents to make a rocket pack and became the hero known as Black Lightning. After an exciting career, he learned of Dr. Mobius' burgeoning criminal empire and decided to infiltrate it, accidentally leading to Dr. Mobius learning to make Reality Bombs.
When he discovered Mobius' use for reality bombs, he knew he had to destroy his research, which held the key to a Super Reality Bomb, but Dr. Mobius caught him at it, and tortured him for the secret. Posessed of an indomitable will, Mike Robinson refused to crack, and died.
But Dr. Mobius was not through with him yet. He used a device to copy the dying Mike Robinson's mental pattern onto the brain of Arthur Rawlings, hoping that the weaker personality of Rawlings would lead to a more compliant Black Lightning.
It worked, partially. The new person who resulted was a meek follower of Mobius with Black Lightning's memories...but Mike Robinson's determination was so great that he completely repressed the secret of the Super Reality Bomb. Mobius gained a fairly talented Weird Scientist for an aide, but not the true Black Lightning, and not the secret.
When Mobius invaded our Earth, the true Black Lightning finally awoke, and rebelled against Mobius, joining Fugitive Group C, but missing any memories of his early days under Mobius, and not knowing that his body was that of Arthur Rawlings.
Much later, Mike Robinson's spirit was sucked from the body and trapped in the GodNet, allowing Arthur Rawling's personality to begin to awaken. After Mike's mind was returned to their shared body, he began to have flashes of dual memories, and eventually pieced together the entire story.
His research was eventually duplicated by Mobius' scientists, though imperfectly, leading to the construction of a flawed super reality bomb that was to be tested in Avignon. In the middle of a desperate battle against Malreaux, Mike/Arthur teleported away to disarm the bomb. The bomb, Mike/Arthur, and, in fact, the basement which held them all disappeared.
Last Modified: 27 March, 1997