‘Black Lightning’ charges up CW
‘Black Lightning,” the new CW series starring Cress Williams as an electricity-controlling superhero, sparked great ratings with its premiere on Jan. 16.
Airing at 8 p.m. Tuesdays on The CW, “Black Lightning” features athlete-turned principal Jefferson Pierce, who once secretly was the hero known as Black Lightning.
In the series, Black Lightning must re-establish his superhero persona in order to fight rising corruption and the local gang, One Hundred.
Comics fans wanting to find out more about the DC Comics hero have several volumes from which to choose.
Black Lightning was created by Tony Isabella with Trevor Von Eeden in the late 1970s.
The original stories written by Isabella can be found in “Black Lightning” Vol. 1, which collects Black Lightning Issues 1-11, along with a planned issue 12 which appeared in World’s Finest #260.
A second volume of classic “Black Lightning” stories are set for release in comic shops at the end of this month with “Black Lightning” Vol. 2.
This 184-page volume collects never-before-reprinted adventures of Jefferson Pierce, aka Black Lightning, from Brave and the Bold #163, DC Comics Presents #16, Detective Comics #490-#491, #494-#495, Justice League of America #173#174, World’s Finest Comics #265-#259 & #261.
Black Lightning also is prominently featured in the 1980s series “Batman and the Outsiders,” recently collected in hardcover.
In that series, Batman splits off from the Justice League of America to form his own superteam known as the Outsiders. The team included Black Lightning and Metamorpho, as well as the new at that time heroes Katana, Geo-Force and Halo.
Isabella returned to Black Lightning in the 1990s for a new series that likely will be collected should the TV series reach continued success. Isabella meanwhile is writing a current series with the character, “Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands,” with art by Clayton Henry.
An updated version of Black Lightning’s origin is available as “Black Lightning: Year One” in a new edition with a cover featuring Cress Williams. That series is written by Jen Van Meter with art by Cully Hamner.