Living Laser

History

 As he first appeared against the Avengers

Arthur Parks was a relatively successful laser research scientist until spurned by a woman. Deciding he needed power to achieve his aims, Parks creates wrist-mounted laser units, a costume and uses the alias "Living Laser". He then develops an infatuation with the Wasp, and after kidnapping her is forced to battle the superhero team the Avengers. After being defeated by Hank Pym and the Avengers, Parks is sent to prison. Although freed by master villain The Mandarin to fight the Avengers alongside other supervillains, the Laser is defeated once again. The Laser, together with team-mate the Swordsman, join Batroc the Leaper in a bid to kill Captain America. They are, however, defeated, and the Laser later joins  Grim Reaper's   Lethal Legion in a failed revenge attack on the Avengers. The Laser later battles the Kree hero Captain Marvel, but after yet another defeat disappears into obscurity for some time.

Several years later Count Nefaria employs the Laser and temporarily amplifies his abilities — together with those of team-mates Power Man and Whirlwind — before sending them against the Avengers. The effect, however, is temporary and their combined abilities are drained by Nefaria, who is subsequently defeated by the Avengers. The Laser then discovers that the laser diodes implanted in his skin have become unstable, with the power build-up in his body reaching critical - and potentially fatal - levels. The Laser seeks the aid of East German scientists, who offer to help by draining off the excess energy and using it to power a network of weapons satellites. This plan, however, is foiled by Iron Man, (at the base the Laser is located in to rescue a civilian), who battles the Laser and forces his energy levels to build to critical mass. The Laser begs for help, but with no time remaining Iron Man is forced to hurl him into the atmosphere where the Laser detonates.

 Becoming an actual Living Laser of light

Several months later, Tony Stark, Iron Man's alter ego, repairs a faulty satellite that collected a pattern of energy. Upon repair the energy is released and reforms into the Laser, who is now composed entirely of sentient light. The Laser panics when he discovers his new condition, and although Iron Man tries to assist him, he is forced to battle and capture the Laser. Iron Man's colleague Dr. Hank Pym attempts to find a cure for the Laser's condition. The Laser subsequently escapes, and briefly battles the cosmic hero Quasar. The Laser later returns, and on hearing a rumor that Iron Man was dead posed as the villain the Titanium Man to draw him out. The ruse works, and after two grueling battles the Laser is finally defeated by using his own powers against him.

Upon reintegrating his energy form, the Laser seeks revenge but encounters War Machine, who offers him a position at Stark Industries and a chance of reforming. The Laser accepts, but when he begins to show signs of being unstable is projected via satellite by Rhodes into space.

The Laser later reforms but is imprisoned by Tony Stark, upon breaking free he joins a group of supervillains formed by MODOK, but was tricked. So Laser soon joins the Hood's Gang. The Hood was given the Norn Stones by Loki and uses them to power up his criminal crew. The Hood wants his crew to hunt down some Avengers. The Living Laser and the Corruptor attack Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers as they spy on some HAMMER agents from a rooftop in Brooklyn. The Corruptor is taken down when he gets shot and touches the Laser's body as he falls. 

• Fear Itself
  

Creation

The Living Laser was created by Stan Lee and Don Heck in 1966 and first appeared in The Avengers # 34.

Powers & Abilities

Arthur Parks originally used wrist-mounted laser weapons which were later implanted into his skin. With the diode implants, Parks was capable of energy projection and light refraction for invisibility and illusion generation. Once he was converted into light form he increased in power, could travel at light speed, and had a greater variety of energy projection capabilities. 
 
 
OTHER APPEARENCES

 
The Living Lazer appears in Iron Man: Armored Adventures. 

Parks is introduced in Meltdown, where he finds an equipment from Stark Industries who gives him his laser-like abilities. Using it, he tries to rob a bank as the Living Laser, but is quickly beaten up by Iron Man, who hand him to the police and take his equipment from him. However, as a side effect, Parks' body is destroyed, turning into an Energy being, very much like in the comic. He break out of jail and fight Iron Man again, hoping to prove his worth by being "the one who slayed Iron Man". However, Iron Man is able to beat him. Living Laser appeared again in Fun with Laser, where, lost in space and haunted by visions of his parents and Iron Man mistreating him, he is revealed to be able, when combined to a SHIELD Space station, to destroy an island. Learning upon this, he takes control of the base and threaten to blow up if Iron Man do not come to fight him again. After a vain attempt from Nick Fury to stop him, Iron Man come and is able to defeat him again, and hand him to SHIELD.

Upon learning that the Living Laser is dying in SHIELD prisons in Technovore, Tony Stark volonters to help him in Designed Only for Chaos, and Parks ironically feels grateful to him for being the only one trying to help him. However, as Stark is trying to heal his body, Ghost, captures Parks and bring him to A.I.M. in order to use his energy to bring M.O.D.O.C. to life. Though Iron Man arrives, MODOC come to life, and prove to be more than a match to him, even getting his real identity from a mental attack and trying to get his scientific knowledge for AIM interest. However, upon learning Stark and Iron Man are the same person, the Living Laser realizes that Iron Man was just trying to help him from the beginning, and helps him in fighting MODOC, saving his life. Though they are able to damage MODOC enough to make him flee, Parks then dies and disintegrates before SHIELD arrival. Before disappearing, he express his regress to have used his power to try to hurt the only one who wanted to help him, but also his happyness and pride to have become "the one who saved Iron Man".