Black Lightning #1 (1977)
Written by Tony (Jenny Blake) Isabella, Artist Trevor Von Eden (DC Comics, 1977)
Ex-Olympic athlete Jefferson Pierce takes a job as a school teacher at an inner city school in Metropolis, commissions a costume from tailor Peter Gambi, takes on the name of Black Lightning, and goes after a group of bad guys called the 100. Script by Tony Isabella, pencils by Trevor Von Eeden, inks by Frank Springer. (Via mycomicshop.com)
Notes
Black Lightning #1 is cultural milestone that reflects the changing times and the growing demand in the 1970s for diverse representation in popular media. It paved the way for future Black superheroes and helped to broaden the scope of the comic book universe.
Black Lightning #1, released in 1977, marked a significant moment in comic book history. Co-created by Tony Isabella (Jenny Isabella) and artist Trevor Von Eeden, the series introduced Jefferson Pierce, a former Olympic decathlete turned high school teacher who fights crime as the Black Lightning.
Published by DC Comics, the series stood out for its realistic portrayal of urban issues and its focus on a Black superhero as the lead character. This was a rarity in the industry at the time, making Black Lightning a trailblazer for diversity and representation.
Fun Racially Awkward Fact
The first idea for DC’s first major Black superhero, presented by the DC editorial brass, was the Black Bomber. As described by Isabella, he was “a white racist who would turn into a black superhero under stress.” Isabella eventually convinced them to create Black Lightning instead.
DC’s humiliation would have died decades ago if it wasn’t for Dwayne McDuffie who brought the character to life as the Brown Bomber in Justice League 26 (DC Comics, 2008). Similar to DC’s original idea, the Brown Bomber transformed from white, racist slouch to a Black superhero after screaming the phrase “Black Power!”
Additional Questions
Tony Isabella is known for several popular Black superhero characters including Black Lightning, Luke Cage, Misty Knight and others. However, in each instance, Isabella has partnered with an up and coming Black talent: Trevor Von Eeden, Billy Graham and Arvell Jones respectively. I’m very interested in finding out the cultural impact each artist had on creating their respective characters.
