Black Lightning is one of those characters who only recently started to get the respect he deserves. When you read his backstory, it has all the ingredients for success: Jefferson Pierce is a schoolteacher turned superhero works to educate his students and protect them from gang violence. Having a pair of superpowered daughters, and membership in the Justice League – not to mention founding the Outsiders – only solidified his “cool” factor, as did his TV series. Black Lightning #1 by Brandon Thomas and Fico Ossio serves as a supercharged reminder that Jefferson can be just as compelling as any big-name DC hero.
In fact, when Black Lightning #1 begins, Jefferson is on top of the world. He’s recently rejoined the expanded Justice League, and he’s fighting crime with his daughter Jennifer, aka Lightning. He’s even managed to find steady footing with his ex-wife, Lynn Stewart. But the events of Absolute Power have left a mark on Jefferson, as well as his daughter Anissa, aka Thunder.
From the jump, Thomas manages to strike a balance between Jefferson’s family work and his superheroics. The issue even opens with him recounting the night he fought Amanda Waller’s Amazos to Lynn, revealing his lingering guilt over failing to protect their girls. This human element is the big draw of Black Lightning #1, as it makes the superheroic elements more interesting while also showcasing something different from other superhero books. Only in Black Lightning #1 will you find scenes of Black Lightning talking down a kid whose powers erupted while rubbing shoulders with Superman and Nightwing.
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The other thing that makes Black Lightning #1 a unique book is Ossio’s artwork. Ossio provides a new design for Black Lightning that manages to incorporate elements from his TV uniform and his classic costume, while also giving Jefferson a snazzy pair of shades and a beard. He also showcases the full extent of Black Lightning’s powers, as Lightning is able to fly, generate force fields and shoot massive bolts of lightning. It’s an insanely impressive display, only flanked by the scenery.
Topping this all off is Ulises Arreola’s colors, as the bulk of the action takes place either in Metropolis or in space – whether it’s in low orbit or in the halls of the Watchtower, Arreola perfectly captures the awe you’d see if you were staring at Earth from a distance. The Pierces even get different colors to distinguish their power sets, with Jefferson utilizing cobalt blue lightning and Jennifer’s being more of a golden orange.
Black Lightning #1 is both a reintroduction to the title character, and a reminder that he can be amazing in the right hands. Brandon Thomas and Fico Ossio happen to be those right hands. While Black Lightning is set to play a major role in Justice League Unlimited, this series shows that he can hold his own – and that there’s a spot for him on the A-List.
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