Electrical Manipulation

Electrical Manipulation – Johnny B

It's never explained exactly what happened during the accident at Johnny B's rock concert in 1982, only that there was a short circuit and Johnny B got hit with 20,000 volts. This gave him the ability to attract electricity and carry around his own electrical charge that he can utilize in a number of ways.
He can refill this charge by absorbing electricity from a power source, such as a generator or a power cord, or it refills on its own from the static in the air in a couple of hours. However, if there's too much moisture in the air and not enough static electricity to recharge him, he can't get up enough of a charge to do any good without taking it from a power source.
On a full charge, Johnny B can fire off a handful of bolts, or do several short speedruns. Once he does, he becomes "tapped" until he attracts more electricity and it builds up inside him or he recharges purposefully. If there isn't a readily available power source, he has to make sure to conserve his electricity for what he may need it for the most.
Johnny B's electricity makes up the Misfits' firepower and it also gets the team past obstacles of locks and locked doors. He manipulates his electricity with no trouble at all, easily controlling large amounts of voltage for bolts or just producing tiny sparks between his fingers.
Johnny B's electrical charge has increased since he first acquired the ability – "gotten worse" as he put it when El was amazed at the fact that he could fire two bolts and still do a speedrun. It's not known if there is a cap to the amount of electricity Johnny B can manipulate. When the Misfits needed to boost the signal to the missile, Johnny B had to "throw up an electrical storm" into a nearby earthmover to create a gigantic electro-magnetic antenna. He was able to keep a current going through the earthmover for a long time, all the way until the signal could get through.

Bolts

The destructive power of Johnny B's bolts is formidable, but he mostly only fires off a bolt to prevent any need for further confrontation.
It takes a second for the electricity to charge up in his hands, then he lets off a bolt with some slight kickback, a bright blue streak of electrical energy, and just a little thunder. The surrounding air gets supercharged, leaving pockets of steam in the wake of his bolt.
His aim with the bolts is good, whether he's in a moving vehicle or his target is moving, and it's improving as he practices more. The range of the bolts can be quite far, even reaching between two boats in the open water.
There are materials that Johnny B's bolts can't penetrate, like the doors to the nuclear reactor.

Speedruns

Johnny B's ability to run at superhuman speed is nearly a second superpower. He can outrun explosions, Brick Tyler (even though Brick is bionically enhanced), and a motorcycle going at top speed.
The speedrun is more of a transportation than an actual run, because Johnny B can go instantly into a speedrun from a standstill or come instantly out of one without any extra inertia. There is no air displacement when he zips out of sight, only a streak of light and colored afterimages accompanied by a slight whistle.
There's no loss of visibility for Johnny B during a speedrun. He can navigate around corners while in a speedrun, and he could still spot the detonators in the dim sewer tunnels. He can also carry someone while doing a speedrun.

Charges

Johnny B can release the electricity that's inside of him into something else, like recharging a flashlight battery or starting the ignition of a car. He has enough control over the voltage he puts out to short circuit locks without destroying them, or safely give jolts to people that are harassing his friends.

Welding / Melting

When Johnny B creates an electrical arc in his hands, it puts off enough heat to melt metals or plastics in a sort of arc welding. If he keeps the arc constant he can weld an entire length of metal, such as a door to keep it from opening.

Interference & Electrical Fields

There is some level of interference with electrical equipment when Johnny B is near, but it isn't very problematic; he couldn't stand too close to the receiver when Harry was trying to get a signal, and he once unintentionally drained Billy's convertible of power.
Lights used to dim when he walked into a room — this added to his wanting to hide out in the desert — but he has since gotten better at compensating for this and it doesn't happen any longer unless he goes up next to a fusebox.
Metals can also interact with Johnny B's electrical field, as the speeding bullet did when he got shot — there was a tiny spark right as it grazed his arm.
Being 'in tune' with electrical fields lets Johnny B locate sources of electricity, like when he divined the hidden wallsafe by feeling around for its electrical output.
The interference that Johnny B finds most annoying is the electrical feedback that occurs when he's playing his guitar. H.I.T. have repeatedly shielded his guitar for him, but it still sometimes sparks and overloads when he's playing it, especially when his attention gets distracted.

Ball Lightning

This is a little yellowish glowing ball of electrical energy that Johnny B can create in the palm of his hand. He used this form of electricity, tossing the ball from hand to hand, when the Misfits were trying to pass off Nikolai as a magician.

Magnetism

Out of the blue, Johnny B's electrical energy caused him to exhibit magnetic attraction when he used his electricity, and he went straight to H.I.T. for help. Metal items wouldn't stay away from him (scissors, keys, microphones) and it made playing on stage out of the question. El explained Johnny B's new problem to him as: "Electro-magnetism. The electricity in your body is charging your system's trace metallic elements. 'Mister Magnet'." Johnny B was pleased when H.I.T. was later able to administer a treatment that eliminated the magnetic attraction from him.

Side Effects

The biggest and most dangerous side effect to Johnny B being electric is that he's vulnerable to water. It burns him if it gets on his skin, and would short him out completely if he were to get very wet at all. Slight mist, steam, or dampness is okay, but he doesn't like it.
This vulnerability doesn't extend to water on the inside of his body since he can still drink liquids, and he's always nicely clean-looking, so H.I.T. must've devised some process for him to be able to wash (maybe some system for him to be fully decharged and grounded during such times, or maybe a special type of dry soap). This vulnerability has given him a fear of water.
Another side effect is becoming overcharged. This can happen to him when he's in a high-powered area like a casino for too long, or he can do it to himsel
f by absorbing high amounts of voltage from generators or electrified fences. His eyes glow brightly (though since he's almost constantly behind his sunglasses, this isn't always visible), his voice gets high, and he gets all jittery and distracted. Once he becomes overcharged he stays that way unless he lets off some juice, and he's antsy until he does so.
Becoming electrically charged has also given Johnny B a heightened metabolism. Anyone else bitten by the infected cat would've gotten 48 hours, but Johnny B only had 12 hours before it would be too late.

H.I.T. Studies

Johnny B was originally studied at Humanidyne by Billy and El after his accident, but he didn't stick around there for very long. It was Billy and El's policy not to give people over to the government, so they never told anyone of Johnny B's major military potential.
After the Misfits' first mission together, Johnny B became okay with his freaky power and he now no longer minds coming to Humanidyne for things like aim and accuracy tests. He knows H.I.T. is his best option if he needs help with anything pertaining to his electricalness, like when he started experiencing the electro-magnetism.
El intended to make a nonconducting suit for Johnny B, but it didn't get past testing.

Summary

 

	—Bolts	—Speedruns	—Charges	—Other
01-02. Deep Freeze	Two at Billy, in desert Points hand at Billy for his comment – no powering up or bolt At military division doors Multiple bolts at Army Out of Fundae at Army At highway patrol cars in desert At soldiers in bunker At soldiers during standoff Going into bolt stance to fool soldiers – no powering up or bolt At chopper, in tandem with Gloria's TK	To get tape from Billy To Fundae in desert – sound only To elevator in bunker	—	Snap To illustrate the electricity (Inadvertently draining Billy's convertible of power) Eye glow Asking if they're glowing Burn on foot at beach Eye glow Showing Billy he's got the juice Absorbing / Eye glow From generator, multiple times Spark from bullet
03. Your Place Or Mayan?	Showing off on billboard At car heading for Angel Blowing open wall in cellar At Stoffer in temple	Rescuing Angel in temple	—	Snap Nervously, in barrio Eye glow Before Billy admonishes Fusebox in boutique, causing lights to flicker Snap In damp cellar Absorbing From extension cord
04. Guess What's Coming To Dinner?	At shooting gallery in lab Out of Fundae as distraction	To reach earthmover (?) Leaving earthmover – nothing shown or heard	Electrifying earthmover	Causing electrical fluctuations at Humanidyne while doing tests Snap Interfering with Harry's signal
05. Lost Link	Two out of Fundae at military jeeps	—	Guy in Burger Barn	Eye glow Blowing off pusher
06. Sort Of Looking For Gina	To get Gina's attention About to fire in sewer – powering up only	Multiple runs to get out of the sewer Multiple runs carrying Gina	Billy's flashlight battery	Guitar overload
07. Sonar... And Yet So Far	At car heading for Billy & El About to fire at Snow Queen – no powering up or bolt From speedboat, at Snow Queen	—	Short circuiting the lock	Snap 'Reminding' Billy he's electric
08. Steer Crazy	At reactor doors (doesn't affect them)	Leaving reactor interior – sound only	(?) Powering his guitar while rollerskating – no charge shown	Absorbing / Eye glow Overloaded generator at Humanidyne – high voice Snap At coffee Weld Reactor coolant pipe
09. Fumble On The One	At truck heading for Brick & Gloria To relieve extra amps – powering up & sound only Two in casino cellar Out of van at French police car	To get Billy out of line of fire Out of casino Chasing Brick	Powering soldering gun	Snap At bellman Snap Suggesting he ruined the tape Eye glow Picking up juice from casino Snap Telling El he has to unload
10. Twin Engines	From motorcycle, at Skinner's car	To get Lonnie off motorcycle	—	Weld Sabotaged motorcycle part
11. Grand Theft Bunny	At vending machine Vivatech lock – sound only – attracts guard's keys Three at feds outside Happy Day Inn	—	To test for magnetism – attracts metal items from tray, then cart In desert – attracts bunny with metal collar To test for any remaining magnetism – attracts nothing	Absorbing Vivatech fence – high voice (?) – attracts cart in lab
12. Grand Elusion	Out of Fundae at KGB agent	Swirling Gloria Looking for Gloria	—	Ball lightning Guitar overload backstage
13. Once Upon A Night	Two at cops outside diner	To reach helicopter in time	Cassetti's leg in helicopter	—
14. Center Of Attention	Opening safe the 2nd time Threatening Buxton – powering up only	Past sprinklers parted by Gloria Into basketball arena Down corridor to get to basketball court	(Pretending to unlock door) Opening safe the 1st time	Sensing electrical output in Buxton's mansion Divining Buxton's wallsafe by its electrical output Melt Disabling telephone Weld Sealing door
15. Against All Oz	[only repeats in the flashbacks]	—	—	—
16. The Avenging Angel	At Mob crony	Up to getaway van	Hot-wiring getaway van	—
17. Three Days Of The Blender	Out of Fundae at squad car during Billy’s jailbreak	—	Giving the Fundae a jumpstart in home movie	Snap At Jasper