Obsidian is the biological son of Alan Scott, the Golden Age Green Lantern and the Golden Age villain known as Thorn. As Todd James Rice, he was raised in an abusive adoptive home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He found out in his late teens that he had a twin sister, Jennie-Lynn Hayden, alias Jade. They met, discovered they both had superpowers and, operating under the assumption that Green Lantern was their father (which they did not know for certain at the time, but did eventually learn to be true), Jennie decided to follow in there father's footsteps. However Todd decided to keep his powers a secret until he could decide what he wanted to do with his life.
Todd's decision came shortly after the rise of the Justice Lords. His decision was to fight against the terrene of the Justice Lords. He took the name Obsidian due to his shadow powers. His powers are as follows. Merge his body with his own shadow, giving him enhanced strength and vitality. As a shadow he can float weightlessly, almost fly, as well as envelop enemies, showing them their dark side.