"Justice, like Lightning/Should ever appear/To some men, Hope/And other men, Fear"
DC Comics' first
African American superhero to be featured in his own
comic book. His power was the ability to generate and project energy. Black Lightning was created in the 1970s by Tony Isabella. Lightning was known to most people as Tony Pierce (mild mannered high school teacher and former
Olympic athlete). He fought crime and social ills in Suicide Slum, a working class neighborhood in Metropolis.
Black Lightning introduced a new kind of
hero to the comic reading public. Here was a man with a conscience and mission, the betterment of his community. The comic was praised for its non-formulaic plotlines and dialogue. The
comic book was discontinued mid-storyline around 1978, when D.C. execs decided to tighten their belts and improve the company's profit margin. Lightning went on to appear in other comic books, most notably
Superman and
Batman. Almost 20 years later the comic book resurfaced in a 1990s series without the aid of creator Isabella.