Black Lightning has been around for quite a long time. He actually is celebrating his 40th Anniversary this year. Neat, huh? Star Wars isn't the only thing turning the big 4-0 this year. So, in honor of that, and his TV series coming up, I thought it'd be nice to take a look at the very first issue of his first comic series.
The cover is drawn by the late Rich Buckler, which considering his recent passing, is another appropriate reason to look at this comic. It's a basic cover, depicting the titular character beating up some street criminals. It is a well-drawn cover, and it is rather accurate as he does do this in the story.
"Black Lightning"
Writer: Tony Isabella
Artist: Trevor Von Eeden
Inker: Frank Springer
Colorist: Liz Berube
Letterer: P.S. Lisa
Editor: Jack C. Harris
The issue begins with our hero beating up some punks.
Look at that suit. It's so gloriously 1970s, with the high collar, low cut, and the afro. He's after a man named Toledo, who sends more thugs to get beaten up by the metahuman superhero. One tries to hithim with a wrench, but he gets a fist for his troubles.
Toledo and some of his men try to shoot at him, but Lightning uses his Olympics-honed athletic abilities to dodge the bullets and take out the thugs. Lightning gets his hands on Toledo and introduces himself.
Lightning tells him he wants information about "The 100", a criminal organization that Toledo works for. Toledo exclaims that that they'll kill him if he talks. Lightning threatens to do the same unless he does talk. He demands Toledo come to the Garfield High School gym at midnight with the info, or he'll basically show hi what happens when lightning strikes twice. Toledo agrees, but makes a plan for it.
Lightning heads towards a tailor shop near the school, and greets Peter Gambi, the man inside.
It's revealed that Peter is the tailor that made Black Lightning's suit. Lightning compliments Peter for the good work he did on the suit, saying no one recognizes him in it. He takes off his mask and afro to reveal Jefferson Pierce, Garfield High School teacher and former Olympian decathlete. I do like that the afro is a wig, as alongside the mask, it provides additional protection of Pierce's identity.
The story then flashes back to two weeks earlier, in which Jefferson Pierce has taken a job as a teacher at Garfield High. He's being shown around by Principal MacNair "Mac" Chapin. Mac shows a trophy case that has Pierce's trophies and collegiate and Olympic medals. Wouldn't Pierce have donated those to the school to fill that case? A proud Mac expressed great happiness at Pierce teaching at the school as he could set a great example for the kids there.
Pierce then sees a student trying to buy some drugs, and he deals with it.
That afternoon, Pierce goes to the brand-new gym, and meets Earl Clifford, star basketball player, track runner, and basically the young man seen as the next Jefferson Pierce. Pierce playfully challenges him to make six basketball shots in a row. Clifford agrees, but the ball gets shot, and the perpetrators reveal themselves.
It's Toledo with two mooks. Ah, 1977. Where gangsters could walk into a high school with their guns out. They are basically not very happy with Pierce telling one of their "salesmen" to take a hike, as it were. As such, they plan to give Pierce a painful lesson in minding his own business. Earl Clifford knocks Toledo in the head with a basketball, allowing Pierce to knock out one of the thugs. Toledo goes after Clifford, but Pierce comes to the rescue, sending the three criminals running. Toledo and his boys report back to their boss.
The boss responds with talking about the ocean, how it can be calm, but its anger can be incredibly destructive. He comments that he misses the ocean, but he will always carry a part of it with him. He then shows he is rather angry about Pierce's actions.
Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to Tobias Whale. Whale is furious that a teacher was able to send members of the 100 scurrying like rats. Toledo asks for another chance, saying that he'll present Whale Pierce's head on a platter. Whale nixes it, saying that would only make Pierce a martyr, and give people motivation to fight the 100. Instead, they should make Pierce cower before them. He orders them to attack him through his students, as they are Pierce's weakness...
That night, Toledo and his men spot Earl Clifford walking down a street. One of the men asks to talk to Clifford, but Clifford greets him with a punch. They give chase, and end up accidentally running over and killing Clifford. The mooks are shocked by this, as they just wanted to beat him up. Toledo reminds them that Whale ordered them to remind Pierce that the 100 are not to be messed with. As such, he figures a dead student would be a perfect message.
The next day, a girl runs up to Pierce and tells him there's something in the gym. The teacher heads towards there, and is horrified by what he sees.
Earl Clifford trussed up on a basketball backboard like Jesus on the cross. Pierce runs out of the school and heads towards Peter's tailor shop. Peter comforts him by telling him about how Pierce's mother raised him right above the shop, and she'd be proud of all he's accomplished. He also gives Pierce a dose of reality by saying that roughing up one pusher wasn't going to send the 100 packing, especially since the neighborhood was essentially run by them or some other crime boss.
Pierce counters that someone has to fight them. Peter tells him Pierce has his back. But there is a problem. If Pierce takes on the 100, he'll have more Earl Cliffords on his hands. Peter suggests that he instead become a symbol, handing him a costume he made. You know, since this story was set in Metropolis, maybe Peter was inspired by Superman a little bit to make that costume, even on a subconscious level? Pierce tries on the suit.
As I said before, his original costume is just so gloriously 1970s, the high white collar, the low cut of the suit, and of course, the afro. There definitely is a Blaxploitation influence in the costume. The newly-costumed Black Lightning then hunts down Toledo, and this is where the flashback ends. Peter reminds him it's almost midnight. Meanwhile, at the Garfield High gym, Toledo is making preparations for Black Lightning's arrival.
In case you're wondering, the man with the bow? That's Merlyn. Yup, one of Green Arrow's arch-nemeses.
Peter gives Black Lightning a special belt, saying it'll help him get an edge on the 100. I like to imagine that Peter and Jefferson figured Toledo would try something like an ambush, so they made some preparations of their own in the form of the special belt. Lightning leaves, thinking about Gary Cooper in the film High Noon, which makes me think that in canon, Jefferson Pierce should be considered a fan of classic films, like the Scott Lang Ant-Man in the comics. He's ready to take on Toledo and the 100.
Black Lightning #1 is a pretty good story. Much like Marvel Premiere #15, the debut of Iron Fist, most of it is told in flashback. This first issue does everything I feel a first issue should. It gives us an idea of who Jefferson Pierce is, a bit on his backstory that can be expanded on later, a villain for him to fight, and an idea of what he can do. He doesn't quite have his lightning powers yet, but it is shown that he can brawl if he needs to. Trevor Von Eeden's art is very well-done and nice to look at. It's a good origin, with a bit of Blaxploitation in vibe.
Next time, in honor of the big Defenders series coming up, I'm going to take a look at the Defenders as they battle the Six-Fingered Hand...
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