Tom

**Tom** also known as **Tommy** was Johnny Bolt's best friend growing up. He always wanted to photograph superheroes, so when Johnny discovered he had powers, Tommy was very happy to help him out. However, when Johnny had a huge accident and decided he would be a supercrook, Tommy did not follow him on that path. He ended up becoming a writer for *The New York Times*.

## History

### As a teenager

On their way to school, Tommy asks Johnny if he had seen that The Utopian had been on the news. However, Johnny tells him that he has new powers and demonstrates by turning all the street lights red so he could ride his bike.

When they make it to school, Dave, a bully makes fun of Johnny and Tommy, so Johnny makes his speaker blow up. He also controls the school bell, which freaks Tommy out. Johnny admits that he does not know how he had gotten his powers and shows that he can use electricity as well. Tommy tells him that he was a superhero, which excites both of them. Tommy tells him that he wants to be a photographer for superheroes and they tell the story of how the first people got their powers after visiting an island. They say that Johnny's dad must be a superhero for him to have powers, which surprises him, since he had never met him. Tommy asks for Johnny to let him take his photos which Johnny agrees to let him do.

Janice approaches them at their cafeteria table and asks if they were looking at The Flare. Johnny and Tommy are surprised, but she tells them that she had seen him and would love to meet a superhero again, which Johnny says would probably happen again. Dave calls her and she walks towards him and his friends.

Johnny hacks an arcade game so Tommy can play, telling him that he could now escape the town they were in, but his friend tells him that he could even get into The Utopian's Union of Justice. Johnny realizes that might be his new calling and figures he should call him self Electro Boy. Dave walks up to them and makes a joke about them being virgins. When Janice laughs at the joke, Johnny is offended and walks away.

Johnny shows Tommy a sketch of what he thinks Electro Boy should look like, but the latter does not really like it and offers to help with the design.

Later, Tommy shows him the new design, which is much better, so they try replicating it, but it does not look like the drawing at all. They try manu different outfits until they make one which does not look too bad. They also train, turning on an entire mall, but a few lights burst.

Tommy asks Johnny if he knows how a maglev train works, since superheroes got around by flying. Johnny gives flying a try and is able to get off the ground. The next day, they try looking for trouble all around town so that Johnny could intervene, but they find that their town is very peaceful. They are ready to demonstrate Johnny's powers, so they plan to show the children in their area the powers.

Johnny walks up to Janice, who was going to go to the pool. He asks her if she remembers that she wanted to meet a hero, telling her that she would meet one soon. Tommy walks up behind him and asks if he is ready, which he says he is.

Tommy records Johnny as he prepares to fly to the pool. He flies off the ground and struggles to contain his flight, but he manages to make an entrance, introducing himself, and vowing to protect crime in the town. Janice turns around and sees that Tommy was recording; at the same time, Dave realizes that Electro Boy was Johnny, but he denies it. Dave makes fun of him, so he starts losing control and falls into the pool. He lets out a big shock, which starts electrocuting everybody in there.

Tommy approaches Johnny and says that what had happened was terrible. Johnny says that even though he had done it, it had not been his fault, which Tommy understands. Johnny asks what he is supposed to do if he has that superpower and cannot be a superhero. Suddenly an ATM next to him starts spitting cash. Johnny starts taking more out of the ATM and admits that he had in fact, caused what had happened at the pool. He tells Tommy to buy him a big bag, which shocks his friend, but he tells him that he was going to leave town and declared himself a super, but on the other side.

### As an adult

Johnny still wanted to know what to do with Matts one year later because he knew that he loved vengeance. His old friend Tommy was working as a writer for *The New York Times* when he got a letter from "Electro Boy", which had the selfie the villains had taken when stealing from Matts. In the photo, the villains used The Salamander's gang's costumes. Tommy was left in shock by that.