My Rating
“Black Lightning”
Metropolis, the shining beacon of the United States and home to the Kryptonian hero named Superman. But even in this modern city, there are areas of poverty and urban decay which go unnoticed by those who have literally saved the planet. It would take good men like ex-Olympian and local sports legend, Jefferson Pierce, to make a difference in the neighborhoods near Garfield High School.
For it was there that the crime organization known as the 100 began to take control of the streets by turning the local youth into strung out drug addicts and bloodthirsty hoodlums. Today, Jefferson Pierce has returned to his old high school to give back to the community he once called home. As Garfield High’s newest teacher, Pierce will soon learn that being a mentor comes with greater responsibility than enlightening young minds. Here, every heroic deed can turn deadly for innocent bystanders. This is the origin of the vigilante known as Black Lightning.
Will Jefferson Pierce be able to win the respect of his students and fellow teachers? Who runs the mysterious crime syndicate known only as the 100? Can one man make a difference in a city tainted by political corruption and backroom deals? Collect the series to find out!
Reviewer Notes
Welcome to the mean streets of the East Side Metropolis! This is the story of the original Black Lightning character, created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden. In this version, Jefferson Pierce starts out as a retired athlete and former Olympian who experiences much the same turning point as Gotham Millionaire, Bruce Wayne. Pierce experiences a traumatic event which leads him to become a vigilante protector.
Issue one is pretty cool for what it was, however I was a bit confused by Black Lightning’s power set. I kept waiting for Pierce to start throwing lightning bolts around like dollar bills, but apparently, his ability to manipulate electricity comes at a much later date in the DC Universe. No matter. This Black Lightning seems to be the Metropolis version of Batman, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Issue one of Black Lightning was well written by Tony Isabella. Compared to some of DC’s more hokey titles, this story has an edge that should have been adopted by more DC writers in the 1970s. Frank Springer of Marvel Comics fame did the initial art for this series. If you don’t know his work, check out Nick Fury and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Dazzler, and his older Silver Age books. For me, this is a nice beginning for a new character. I give Black Lightning #1 four out of five stars.
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