How African-American heroes are made, circa 1983

Dr. Light (Kimiyo Hoshi)- Captain Marvel/Pulsar (Monica Rambeau)

So we have two heroines who assumed the names of existing characters—one is of a good guy, the other bad.

Initially, Kimiyo Hoshi was an arrogant astronomer who was used as a pawn of the Anti-Monitor in the first Crisis, but who eventually came around to the good guy’s side. In the the most recent book featuring the character I’ve read (of which more below), she spoke like an American.

As for Rambeau: apparently Marvel felt like they needed a character by the name “Captain Marvel” for copyright purposes, since the Mar-Vell character had been killed off. So Roger Stern came up with an African-American woman to take the name: she was not a stereotype, but simply a black woman with courage and super-powers. She was made chairperson of the Avengers, but apparently editor Mark Gruenwald felt like Captain America needed to be emphasized again, so out went Rambeau, and so did Avengers writer Stern. She’s appeared occasionally since the ‘80s, under the name Photon and Pulsar.

Commonalities:
Both characters have more or less the same abilities. And, in the first issue of of Giffen and DeMatteis’ Justice League in 1987, Hoshi behaves and speaks rather like Rambeau, with whom I’m much more familiar.

Differences:
Hoshi is from Japan; Rambeau’s from N’awlins.

Alternate histories:

DL: Japanese-American policewoman Kimiyo Hoshi is bombarded by the energies of an extra-dimensional channeling device: she gains the ability to transmute and manipulate light. Taking the name Dr. Light, Hoshi becomes a member and soon leader of the Justice League. She’s worked with the League sporadically after her chairmanship concluded.

PU: Astronomer Monica Rambeau is imbued with the ability to transform into any energy included in the electromagnetic spectrum during a universe-wide conflagration. Taking the name Pulsar, Rambeau has served as a member of the Avengers and briefly the Fantastic Four and the Defenders.