Genres: Action, Adventure, Superhero
Publisher: DC Comics
Vol 1: April 1977 – Sep/Oct 1978
The origin of Black Lightning starts as many other superheroes do with a tragic murder. Black Lightning is a teacher at Garfield High when he crosses some drug dealers who retaliate and end up killing a young talented teenager by the name of Earl Clifford. This puts Jefferson Pierce on the path of becoming Black Lightning. With the help of a humble Tailor, Peter Gambi makes his costume and the Black Lightning is born. Black Lightning goes after the ones responsible until he comes to the thug Joey Toledo and gives him the ultimatum of turning him and his cohorts in or facing Lighting himself. Joey not one to turn rat is going to set up an ambush and put an end to the career of a new superhero.
Vol 2: February 1995 – February 1996
Black Lightning vol. 2 starring Black Lightning taking on the enemies of Brick City. Writer Tony Isabella returned to his prized character, Black Lightning, in an ongoing series with artist Eddy Newell. Updating the classic 1970’s hero and Outsiders Alumnus with a new costume, Isabella threw teacher/ hero Jefferson Pierce into the gritty new surroundings of Brick City, an area seemingly devoid of hope and in need of a guiding light. Black Lightning began to clean up the town with the help of familiar faces such as Gangbuster and later Batman himself. The comic was short lived and ended at issue # 13. However, Black Lightning’s new costume went on to gain a bit of immortality in plastic as this series inspired Black Lightning’s first action figure courtesy of the Kenner to company.
