For the most part, Tony Daniel had a seemingly normal life growing up in Miami Florida (some reports dispute this and claim he is from “Eugen” Oregon, although this is tough to reconcile given the importance of the sun in this man’s life and the notable absence of it in places like Oregon). But he always felt like he was different than the other kids. Something just wasn’t right. On sunny days, which is often in Miami, he felt a strange surge in energy. When the other would want to play in the pool or shade when it got too hot, Tony would opt for standing in direct sunlight at all times. He never told anybody about this though and put it out of his mind for most of his formative years.
As a teenager though, Tony, began running around with the wrong group of friends and took on the persona of Rick…
…a tough talking, street wise gang-banger (as noted by the “No Fear” t-shirt, cross shaped earring, sunglasses, and checkered jacket) who spent most of his time in the streets with the likes of Bust and the rest of his crew.
But then, one night at a crazy party, in a drug induced haze, Tony had a moment of clarity. This life that he was leading was not making him happy and he knew he could not sustain it forever. He realized that if he continued down this path, he would wake up one day, a 45 year old semi-alcoholic working a crappy job without a wife and kids and absolutely nothing to show for his life. Tony decided at that moment to make the necessary changes in his life and do something he would be proud of. But what could he do? He didn’t have a college education or any job skills for that matter. Then he remembered his special power that he was born with. The power of the Sun!
Over the next few months he honed this power. He went outside and absorbed as much solar energy as possible and began to meditate in order to harness and focus this incredible power. Then one day there was a breakthrough. During his focus exercises he concentrated his power and shot a high intensity UV ray from his hands!
Then he made himself a crude costume with a bunch of S’s all over it and bought a chain, some kitchen knives, and a stick to use as weapons despite the fact that he could literally melt a car with his solar powers. And within a few weeks, the newspapers began reporting sightings of a vigilante who the local criminal underworld referred to simply as Solar.
Here we have an early police file and artists rendition of themysterious masked vigilante known only as Solar.
This rattled the cages of both the criminal underworld and law enforcement. Both groups banded together to stop what they perceived as a threat to the established dynamic between the law and the lawless. But it was hopeless, Solar’s powers proved too strong.
After a short time, Solar’s deeds and mysterious powers attracted the attention of the Syber Force, who told him that he could join if he erased all but one “S” from his costume, threw away his earring (so that nobody would confuse him with every other member of the Syber Force), and cut himself over his left eye in order to look more bad ass.
And so it was. Solar was officially a member of the Syber Force…
…However, a problem quickly presented itself. During the day, Solar was easily the most powerful of all the members of the Syber Force. But as soon as the sun went down, his powers would disappear. This was due to the fact that not only were Solar’s powers drawn from the sun, they also relied on it.
Disappointed, Solar was restricted to a desk job, becoming the Syber Force nighttime receptionist. During the day, he could go out and patrol the streets. But who the fuck commits crimes in broad daylight, right? So the only action he got from then on was delivering court summons’s to tax evaders and telling kids to stop skateboarding in grocery store parking lots. Never to use his powers again.