Black Lightning #4 begins with a sight you’ve probably seen in a thousand comics: two heroes coming to blows. In this case, Black Lightning has furiously attacked Superman, but there’s a reason why Jefferson Pierce is lashing out at the Man of Steel: his daughter Anissa, aka Thunder, was quarantined when he was trying to help her. Thankfully, unlike those other comics, this fight is brief and Jefferson does get to see Anissa, continuing to help her with her newfound powers.
In fact, Black Lightning #4 puts most of its focus on how Jefferson takes a different approach with both his daughters. Brandon Thomas is very distinct with those interactions: where Jefferson’s other daughter Jennifer works closely with him, Anissa has taken more of a support role due to her powers. But Jefferson still checks in on her, even taking the time to train her in her new powers. The Pierces aren’t the only family that get the spotlight, though, as Thomas also reveals that Issac – the boy who Jennifer fought to defend in the previous issue – is now in the hands of the Masters of Disaster.
That is a very compelling hook that gets somewhat undercut by the arrival of the Sons of Liberty, an anti-metahuman group that’s popped up in the wake of Absolute Power. I’m all for new takes on old foes, or new foes entirely, but I’m going to be honest here: Thomas already had a good thing going with showcasing how the Pierces operate vs how Issac is forced to commit crimes to protect his mother. The Sons felt like they could have been saved for another issue or two.
DC
Regardlyess, it’s a chance for Fico Ossio and Ulises Arreola to show off more of their amazing artwork. Ossio really has fun showing off Black Lightning’s fighting skills; his hands transform into a blur as he delivers a punishing series of blows to one of the Sons of Liberty. In the opening, his fists literally trail lightning as he swings at Superman; Ossio even adds in a series of afterimages to showcase just how fast Superman can move as he stays out of range of the punches. Arreola’s colors highlight the difference in the Piece siblings’ powers, as Jennifer’s remain golden yellow while Anissa’s are a fiery, crackling red.
Black Lightning #4’s standout sequence concerns a series of panels meant to encompass a week, where Anissa learns to highlight her powers. Not only is it a great way to show off her progress, but it lets Ossio and Arreola draw panel after panel of high-octane action, featuring a variety of heroes from the DC Universe. Outside of Justice League Unlimited and Challengers of the Unknown, this is the DC comic that really leans into the All-In era of utilizing nearly every hero in the DC Universe.
Black Lightning #4 excels when it puts the focus on family dynamics, though it continues to pack plenty of action into its pages as well. This is a comic that continues to solidify its spot on my pull list, and it doubles as a great example of what DC’s All-In era has to offer.
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