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Thunderbolt

Thunderbolt

57 appearances · Golden Age · 1940–2026 · 7 key issues
Who is Thunderbolt?

Yz is a djinn — a genie-like magical entity — who became bound to Johnny Thunder after the young man unknowingly spoke the mystic words that summoned him. In early adventures, Yz remained invisible, leaving Johnny to assume his remarkable luck was entirely his own.

Few Golden Age characters can claim a publishing life stretching across more than eight decades, but Thunderbolt — born in the pages of Flash Comics #4 in 1940, conjured by the creative partnership of John B. Wentworth and Stan Asch — is exactly that kind of enduring DC treasure. Emerging from the electric dawn of superhero comics, this character has kept remarkable company over the years, sharing adventures with luminaries like Jay Garrick, Johnny Thunder, Carter Hall, and even Superman himself. With appearances spread across Justice League of America, All-Star Squadron, and 52, Thunderbolt has woven through some of DC's most celebrated corners of continuity, racking up seven key-issue appearances that any serious collector will want on their radar. Over 57 catalogued appearances and still going strong into 2026, this is a Golden Age original with genuine staying power — a rewarding discovery for fans who love tracing the deep roots of the DC universe.

Identity

Real name. Yz

Powers. Djinn Physiology; ; : In his initial appearances, Thunderbolt remained invisible, so Johnny thought that the supernatural things that happened to him were a consequence of his own abilities or personal luck.

Teams & affiliations
Justice LeagueJustice Society of AmericaSecret Society of Super VillainsDaily Planet
★ First appearance
Flash Comics #1
Jan 1940

Top series

Covers through the years — 1940–2020

Flash Comics #4 1940
Flash Comics #4
Justice League of America #37 1965
Justice League of America #37
Justice League of America #110 1974
Justice League of America #110
Justice League of America #195 1981
Justice League of America #195
Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #7 1985
Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #7
JLA #26 1999
JLA #26
JSA #50 2003
JSA #50
World War III #[nn] 2008
World War III #[nn]
The Flash #750 2020
The Flash #750

Appearances

52 (2006)
Flash Comics (1940)
New York World's Fair Comics (1939)
World's Best Comics (1941)
#1
World's Finest Comics (1941)
All-Star Comics (1940)
#8
Justice League of America (1960)
DC 100-Page Super Spectacular (1971)
#6
Famous First Edition (1974)
DC Special Series (1977)
#10
All-Star Squadron (1981)
Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe (1985)
Infinity, Inc. (1984)
#39
Flash Annual (1987)
#3
Green Lantern Corps Quarterly (1992)
JLA (1997)
#26
Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. (1999)
#11
JSA (1999)
DC 100-Page Super Spectacular No. 6 Replica Edition (2004)
Solo (2004)
#7
The All-Star Companion (2000)
#2
Countdown (2007)
#47
World War III (2007)
DCU: Legacies (2010)
#5
DC Comics Presents: The Teen Titans (2011)
#1
DC Universe: Legacies (2011)
Solo: The Deluxe Edition (2013)
The Flash (2016)
Who's Who Omnibus (2021)
#1
Wesley Dodds: The Sandman (2023)
#6
DC Finest: Justice League of America: The Bridge Between Earths (2024)
DC Finest: Justice Society of America: For America and Democracy (2024)
Supergirl (2025)
#7
Batgirl (2025)
#13