Can't we do better than Black Lighting?

[Lester C.]

I am absolutely thrilled that a middle age black man is going to get his own year one series and is going to be a major player in the DC Universe. Whatever you opinions on Dan Dideo:confused: he has really brought diversity to the DC universe in terms of characters and comic book creators and god bless him for that. That said, in a universe with Superman and Batman we are getting a stereotypical African American that shoots lighting out of his fingertips. Can't we do better than this? Was Static X and Mr. Terrific busy? Is Jon out of the Solar System. Hell I'd take Steel and his niece over Black Lightning. Dig up Morpheus if you have to. I'd take a zombie over Black Lighting any day of the week.

[Red Jack]

Static X is a band. Static, the MILESTONE character, is not part of the DCU (and never ever should be IMO). Mr. Terrific is currently on two teams and Black Lightning was only recently jacked up to being middle-aged (a mistake IMO, just like doing the same with Bronze Tiger).

When he ran with the Outsiders, he was either younger than Bruce or a peer.

I'm not sure what's stereotypical about the first black character to actually have zap powers to show up and use them. Even though, initially, his powers were artificial. He's smart. An olympic athlete and, until recent (and stupid) corruptions of the character, a damned cool guy. i hope he can get some of his juice back.

I only wish Tony Isabella was writing it since he, you know, INVENTED him. Back when it meant something.

[Ian Boothby]

There's always Black Vulcan.

[shrike]

I actually like Black Lightning. He and Halo were my favorite Outsiders.

It's kind of past the point now, I just hate all the old(er) comic heroes and villains who are of african background and have 'Black' somewhere in their name. It's kinda lame.

[Lester C.]

Static X is a band. Static, the MILESTONE character, is not part of the DCU (and never ever should be IMO). Mr. Terrific is currently on two teams and Black Lightning was only recently jacked up to being middle-aged (a mistake IMO, just like doing the same with Bronze Tiger).

When he ran with the Outsiders, he was either younger than Bruce or a peer.

I'm not sure what's stereotypical about the first black character to actually have zap powers to show up and use them. Even though, initially, his powers were artificial. He's smart. An olympic athlete and, until recent (and stupid) corruptions of the character, a damned cool guy. i hope he can get some of his juice back.

I only wish Tony Isabella was writing it since he, you know, INVENTED him. Back when it meant something.
The character has an adult daughter so he can't be younger than Bruce but then again the Nightwing Year One trade said Dick was 26 so who knows. I just got done listing to Static X album which is why I made that typo. Me and Monkey Boy represent the metal faction of Yabs.

As for hating the character, I am only familiar with him based on the stuff Judge Winnick did in Green Arrow and Outsiders and I hated him. As a semi-African American I want better representation of my people. That said it is cool that he is getting his own book, and I love Dan for that. Just love him.

[shrike]

Your first mistake Lester was referencing the character from Judd Winnick.

Black Lightning is SUPPOSED to be a very moral, grounded person. Seriously, if you can pick up BL's own series or the old BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS. It's great stuff, and you really, I think, would like the 'real' Jefferson Pierce.

[Crowley]

I've always liked Black Lightning.
I also really like Steel. (who should have his own STEEL S not a knockoff of Superman's)

[shrike]

I've always liked Black Lightning.
I also really like Steel. (who should have his own STEEL S not a knockoff of Superman's)

You know, I think Mark Waid needs to do a Steel ongoing or a mini series. Grant Morrison did him well, but honestly, Steel ROCKED in JLA: Heaven's Ladder. Waid made John Henry something very interesting and unique.

[Cayman]

Black Lightning's a great character who has been undervalued for many years. It's great that he's getting some love.

[Kevinroc]

Meltzer isn't using Black Lightning because DC is forcing him to. He's using Black Lightning because he wants to.

[Corrina]

Winick's Black Lightning is about as awful as his Oliver Queen. Which is pretty damn awful.

I have the entire first run of BL. What I like most is that Jefferson relied on his intelligence, far more than his added powers. I liked that he was a teacher and a man of high moral principles. He was intimidated by no one.

Isabella's Jefferson Pierce would never have neglected his daughter, re: Winick. And Winick's BL is, well, stupid. That's just not right.

[Damo]

Winick's Black Lightning is about as awful as his Oliver Queen. Which is pretty damn awful.

I have the entire first run of BL. What I like most is that Jefferson relied on his intelligence, far more than his added powers. I liked that he was a teacher and a man of high moral principles. He was intimidated by no one.

Isabella's Jefferson Pierce would never have neglected his daughter, re: Winick. And Winick's BL is, well, stupid. That's just not right.

And a murderer. Or, well, it's stated but not with words, so someone a few years from now can have him say "yeah, I heard that guy got hit with freak lightning. Wasn't me."

I'm not sure if Tiger is "middle aged". I'd say he's maybe Batman's age, going from his Checkmate appearance. But he can't be too young, because Richard Dragon looked to be getting on in years in Cry for Blood, Question, and Oracle: Year One.

[Alex Dragon]

I am absolutely thrilled that a middle age black man is going to get his own year one series and is going to be a major player in the DC Universe. Whatever you opinions on Dan Dideo:confused: he has really brought diversity to the DC universe in terms of characters and comic book creators and god bless him for that. That said, in a universe with Superman and Batman we are getting a stereotypical African American that shoots lighting out of his fingertips. Can't we do better than this? Was Static X and Mr. Terrific busy? Is Jon out of the Solar System. Hell I'd take Steel and his niece over Black Lightning. Dig up Morpheus if you have to. I'd take a zombie over Black Lighting any day of the week.

One of the things I occasionally have to laugh at DC about is that they restart and revamp so many of their characters so often that it seems funny that they still have so many characters that still simply don't work or that are fairly dull.

I'm not a believer of that saying that "there are no bad characters, just bad writers..." because I believe there are plenty of "bad" characters. I don't think Black Lightning has to be a bad character. DC throws out continuity and revamps characters all time. They could very easily fix this character and make him interesting. I don't think his powers are the problem because they aren't really goofy or useless or hard to write or explain. If he's given an interesting/unique personality, background, reason for being a hero, supporting cast and a good costume there's no reason the character or his book couldn't be a hit.

I know next to nothing about Black Lightning other than the few times I've read him in a story there's nothing I find interesting about him. It seems that the only reason he gets any press or mentions is because he was DC's first black hero to star in his own book (I think). That's not enough to sustain a character or get people interested in him.
Plus you have to deal with the problem that if you play him in a certain way (angry, with an attitude, speaking "street", or anything remotely negative) you get some people complaining about him being portrayed in a "sterotypical" manner because he's black. In our PC world of people complaining and just waiting to be insulted it seems to me that there's a much narrower spectrum to portray a black character as apposed to a white one to keep some people from complaining.

[Corrina]

Original origin:

Jefferson Pierce was an Olympic gold-medal athlete. After a divorce, he decided to go back and teach high school in his old neighborhood in Metropolis. (I think he had a master's degree in education. Not sure.)

The neighborhood was a slum, similar to Gotham's East End. One of the first things Pierce did was confront drug dealers who were hassling some students. He did this with back-up from the star basketball player at the school.
The dealers murdered the kid later that day. Ran him down with a car and then strung his body up over the school basketball court.

Pierce decided on a secret identity to prevent anyone else being killed for his crusade. As Black Lightning, he was after the 100, led by Tobias Whale. Originally, he had no powers but obtained his costume and a belt that provided electrical powers from Peter Giambi aka the Tailor--(or maybe it was his brother, I forget...).

In the original series, he wore a mask that consisted of an afro-wig and the white mask, to further obscure his identity, and talked slang in his Black Lightning guise to confuse the issue. This was always a cover.

The basic idea behind Black Lightning was someone who went into the dark crevices of Metropolis, where Superman couldn't. Superman had a guest appearance and they had quite a confrontation.

So, yes, Black Lightning originally had a specific purpose, a reason for his secret identity, and a tangible goal. Not tremendously original, I guess, but it worked as a gritty justice story. Be nice to see that again.

[Red Jack]

Winick's Black Lightning is about as awful as his Oliver Queen. Which is pretty damn awful.

I have the entire first run of BL. What I like most is that Jefferson relied on his intelligence, far more than his added powers. I liked that he was a teacher and a man of high moral principles. He was intimidated by no one.

Isabella's Jefferson Pierce would never have neglected his daughter, re: Winick. And Winick's BL is, well, stupid. That's just not right.


Easy fix. She's not really his daughter.

[Red Jack]

And a murderer. Or, well, it's stated but not with words, so someone a few years from now can have him say "yeah, I heard that guy got hit with freak lightning. Wasn't me."

I'm not sure if Tiger is "middle aged". I'd say he's maybe Batman's age, going from his Checkmate appearance. But he can't be too young, because Richard Dragon looked to be getting on in years in Cry for Blood, Question, and Oracle: Year One.

Chuck Dixon aged him in the Richard Dragon revamp. One of Chuck's VERY very few mistakes.

Also an easy fix. Simply ignore the Richard Dragon mini.

[Charles RB]

The basic idea behind Black Lightning was someone who went into the dark crevices of Metropolis, where Superman couldn't.

This is just begging for a crossover with Rose & Thorn.

[Froggy]

I wish static could join the teen titans




but as for black lightning, hopefully this makes him interesting again

[Lester C.]

Original origin:

Jefferson Pierce was an Olympic gold-medal athlete. After a divorce, he decided to go back and teach high school in his old neighborhood in Metropolis. (I think he had a master's degree in education. Not sure.)

The neighborhood was a slum, similar to Gotham's East End. One of the first things Pierce did was confront drug dealers who were hassling some students. He did this with back-up from the star basketball player at the school.
The dealers murdered the kid later that day. Ran him down with a car and then strung his body up over the school basketball court.

Pierce decided on a secret identity to prevent anyone else being killed for his crusade. As Black Lightning, he was after the 100, led by Tobias Whale. Originally, he had no powers but obtained his costume and a belt that provided electrical powers from Peter Giambi aka the Tailor--(or maybe it was his brother, I forget...).

In the original series, he wore a mask that consisted of an afro-wig and the white mask, to further obscure his identity, and talked slang in his Black Lightning guise to confuse the issue. This was always a cover.

The basic idea behind Black Lightning was someone who went into the dark crevices of Metropolis, where Superman couldn't. Superman had a guest appearance and they had quite a confrontation.

So, yes, Black Lightning originally had a specific purpose, a reason for his secret identity, and a tangible goal. Not tremendously original, I guess, but it worked as a gritty justice story. Be nice to see that again.
Now this is a character I can get behind. The only other African American I can think of in the DCU that has a better story would be Christopher Priest's Xero.

[Lester C.]

I wish static could join the teen titans




but as for black lightning, hopefully this makes him interesting again
There were many such requests in the letter pages on Young Justice and that didn’t exactly work out because it had something to do with either legal issues or Static not being apart of the DCU. I’m sorry but I can’t remember which scenario it was that barred Static from that book.

[TCJohnson]

Original origin:

Jefferson Pierce was an Olympic gold-medal athlete. After a divorce, he decided to go back and teach high school in his old neighborhood in Metropolis. (I think he had a master's degree in education. Not sure.)

The neighborhood was a slum, similar to Gotham's East End. One of the first things Pierce did was confront drug dealers who were hassling some students. He did this with back-up from the star basketball player at the school.
The dealers murdered the kid later that day. Ran him down with a car and then strung his body up over the school basketball court.

Pierce decided on a secret identity to prevent anyone else being killed for his crusade. As Black Lightning, he was after the 100, led by Tobias Whale. Originally, he had no powers but obtained his costume and a belt that provided electrical powers from Peter Giambi aka the Tailor--(or maybe it was his brother, I forget...).

In the original series, he wore a mask that consisted of an afro-wig and the white mask, to further obscure his identity, and talked slang in his Black Lightning guise to confuse the issue. This was always a cover.

The basic idea behind Black Lightning was someone who went into the dark crevices of Metropolis, where Superman couldn't. Superman had a guest appearance and they had quite a confrontation.

So, yes, Black Lightning originally had a specific purpose, a reason for his secret identity, and a tangible goal. Not tremendously original, I guess, but it worked as a gritty justice story. Be nice to see that again.

Ok, I miss Tony Isabella

[TCJohnson]

There were many such requests in the letter pages on Young Justice and that didn’t exactly work out because it had something to do with either legal issues or Static not being apart of the DCU. I’m sorry but I can’t remember which scenario it was that barred Static from that book.


The creator of Static, Dwayne McDuffie, did not want to sign Static over to the DCU without some creative control. At the time he had also been trying to get a job writing with DC but DC never returned his phone calls. Keep in mind at the time he was the head writer and story editor of Justice League Unlimited.

For a while Didio kept saying they were in the process of trying to get rights to the character and on the other side McDuffie kept saying nobody has called him in three years about it, and the last person who did was somebody claiming to be the editor of the new Static comic book.

that has now changed, though, since McDuffie is now writing a story arc on Firestorm.

[Ian Boothby]

The creator of Static, Dwayne McDuffie, did not want to sign Static over to the DCU without some creative control. .

It's not like someone would have had Superboy Prime rape him.

[the4thpip]

As for hating the character, I am only familiar with him based on the stuff Judge Winnick did in Green Arrow and Outsiders and I hated him.
Well, duh.

Pick up the issues of this sadly aborted 1990s run by Black Lightning creator Tony Isabella, who hates everything Winnick did to his character with a passion. They go for a buck fifty at milehigh.

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/10972476554.1.GIF

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/10972476554.5.GIF

Tony did the first 8 issues out of a 13 issue run. They should have kept him on the title, IMHO.

[shrike]

Pick up the issues of this sadly aborted 1990s run by Black Lightning creator Tony Isabella, who hates everything Winnick did to his character with a passion.

omg can you blame him though? LOL

[the4thpip]

Here is what Tony recently wrote about Black Lightning showing up in JLA:

BLACK LIGHTNING joins the TOT opening rotation today, thereby opening me up to churlish online comments from those who have never created anything, or never created anything in which they can take pride, or who persist in believing the character was created under some mythical work-for-hire agreement that simply does not exist. I'm probably leaving out other disagreeable sorts here, but I don't want today's column to turn into The Official Handbook of Internet Idiots...though I would certainly buy such a tome.

If I write often of Black Lightning, it's because I am often asked about Black Lightning. It's a rare day that doesn't bring me an e-mail asking a question on my creation or expressing regard for him and for my stories. If anything, the questions and compliments have increased, probably because Brad Meltzer added him to the cast of BLACK LIGHTNING AND THE JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA.

What? That's not the title?

Eye of the beholder, baby.

Eye of the beholder.

What you're *not* getting today is an actual review of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1. Meltzer clearly has a big story a'building and I think I would do him and you a disservice to review it after reading the one issue. I'll review it after I've read a few more chapters. In the meantime, let's leave it at this:

I'm interested.

What I will be doing today is discussing Black Lightning's JLA membership and related items. Future columns will cover anything else that comes along and answer frequently-asked Black Lightning questions. Eventually, sooner rather than later, I hope to create and post a "Tony Isabella's Black Lightning FAQ" in hopes of giving interested readers and researchers a kind of one-stop place to go for the answers to those questions.

Let's start with the obvious question:

How do I feel about Black Lightning joining the Justice League?

I'm delighted to see Black Lightning in the JLA. He's always had an open mind. For example, witness his unequivocal acceptance of gays (in the second BLACK LIGHTNING #5) as being in keeping with his Christian beliefs. Were I writing Jeff, he'd have realized the world has changed around him and that, more than ever, he's needed as a role model to young people and perhaps as a kind of conscience for the League. Back when Kurt Busiek was on tap to write JLA, he and I discussed that.

Yes, it's true...that impossible-to-deal-with lunatic Isabella was happy to have a conversation with a DC writer about how to use Black Lightning in their stories and get him right. Just as I have been happy to do with other DC writers, though very few have taken advantage of my generosity.

I hope I'm not betraying any confidences here, but Meltzer has been in touch with me, though not to discuss upcoming stories. I'm guardedly optimistic his regard for Jeff Pierce (as I wrote him) is very high and, because of this, I'm looking forward to seeing what he does with him.



What do I think of Black Lightning's new look?

I really hate the shaved head. This look has become something of a cliche for black action heroes. It's a fad of the moment and Jeff has never been a slave to fashion. The domino mask strikes me as kind of silly as well. Given my druthers - not that DC is ever smart enough to give me my druthers - I'd go with the Eddy Newell-designed costume and the Tony Isabella-suggested flashing lightning eyes. Now that was a cool look!

How is Meltzer doing so far?

Not bad. Previous writers never did anything of interest with Jeff being a member of President Lex Luthor's cabinet, but then DC has been treating Black Lightning as a bit player for years. They could have done terrific stories about a moral man who makes a hard decision to go to work for a bad man in order to do some good for the underprivileged students of a nation...and who then has to deal with the fallout from the super-hero community of which he had been a part. Instead, the concept seems to have been - though I don't know if it was made clear before Meltzer - that he was undercover, working for/with Batman and the other heroes to gain information on Luthor's schemes. It wasn't an unreasonable notion, but it did put Jeff in a subservient role.

Meltzer shows Jeff Pierce milking his role as a former "ally" of Luthor to gain intelligence on what villains are up to and then use that information to prevent crimes. Had I not been fired from my second Black Lightning series, Jeff might well be the mayor of Cleveland or the head of a political movement. I always intended to progress him from the champion of one neighborhood to a champion of a nation. But, alas, his years in virtual limbo has slowed that progress considerably.

Whether Meltzer knew it or not, there is precedent for Jeff's current activities. In the fifth issue of the original series, in a rooftop conversation with Superman, Black Lightning explained why he had to operate outside the law:

Take a good look at what goes on down there. The streets I grew up in have become infected with a vicious human cancer called the 100...and it's malignant as Hell!

Every day that disease eats away at our city at another part of our souls. They're all down there, pushers and pimps and vermin of every size and shape. And you can't stop them, Superman.

They see you coming and they just crawl right back into the gutters until you pass. It takes someone like me to fight them, someone who fights them where they're strongest.

In the gutters.

So, while I had hoped for better for my creation, his rubbing shoulders with criminals doesn't come out of nowhere. I just hope he becomes more than the JLA's "Matches Malone" in future issues of the title. I also wonder what will happen when Luthor learns Jeff has been acting on his "behalf."

I don't think that will go down easy.

That's all the Black Lightning business I have for you today. Check back in a couple of weeks for more.

http://www.worldfamouscomics.com/tony/back20060925.shtml

[the4thpip]

An earlier comment:


The Outsiders have a lot of sex. If Black Lightning actually had a daughter, he would never let her hang around with this legion of smut-puppies.

[Ian Boothby]

As a kid I used to love the Smut-Puppies TV show.

[geordiesteve]

I really enjoyed the original series and have some of the issues. I always saw him as a slight equivalent to Marvel's Luke Cage, in that he is a grass roots urban superhero, who fights on the street, not up in the air, not intergalactic warlords and world-threatening events, but day to day crime, drugs, guns and knives in school etc. I really enjoyed that aspect of him, so I too hope they use him in that respect in the JLA, as their man on the ground, not someone who lounges about the new watchtower on the moon on his time off or wherever the new base is.

I'm enjoying the new series and think it has a lot of potential too.

So, overall I'm quite happy with Black Lightning thanks.

[TomStillwell]

As a kid I used to love the Smut-Puppies TV show.

Papa Smut-Puppy was my favorite!

[PatrickG]

I always saw him as a slight equivalent to Marvel's Luke Cage, in that he is a grass roots urban superhero, who fights on the street, not up in the air, not intergalactic warlords and world-threatening events, but day to day crime, drugs, guns and knives in school etc.

See, I always felt there needed to be more heroes of color who DO fight up in the air against intergalactic warlords and world threatening events.

While I wouldn't suggest ISABELLA is guilty of this, I do find the idea that black people are more "street" to be bordering on racism. I say "bordering" because it can be a socioeconomic reality but we're dealing with exceptional individuals and so I think it's naive to let the minority characters get represented by sociological studies and census statistics and crudely formed distant observations when the white heroes are test pilots and pulitzer winners and rocket scientists, none of which are exceptionally common.

I like Steel a great deal for NOT being "street". When he first appeared, it easily could have gone that direction but I think he's proved himself as one of the top inventors in the DCU and a genuine cosmic-level hero.

This guy had Ganthet, Zeus, Shazam and Highfather afraid of him. He's died TWICE. He used the JLA HQ as his own personal suit of armor.

I just hope John Henry makes it out of 52...

[DEWLine]

You and me both.

And I also hope to see Tony Isabella take up the keyboard once more, on a long-term basis to tell more of Jeff Pierce's adventures in my lifetime. If all of this other stuff with the League and the Year One thing makes that happen, I will be a very happy camper...or at least happier than I am now.

[stealthwise]

There's always Black Vulcan.

Or Apache Chief! The new Vertigo series "Scalped" won't get any sales, because no one knows who or what this "Scalped" is, so let's do a Vertigo version of the Chief instead!

"Con...stan...tine... you... mother... fu..."

"All right there son, that's enough out of you."

[DEWLine]

Well, we've already got a new Saganowanha on the scene, and while he's Iroquois/Haudenosonee instead of Apache, I suspect the TV character was modelled on Saganowanha anyways...

(Reads Wikipedia entry on "Super-Chief II" on a moment's whim)

Or maybe not...

[geordiesteve]

See, I always felt there needed to be more heroes of color who DO fight up in the air against intergalactic warlords and world threatening events.

While I wouldn't suggest ISABELLA is guilty of this, I do find the idea that black people are more "street" to be bordering on racism. I say "bordering" because it can be a socioeconomic reality but we're dealing with exceptional individuals and so I think it's naive to let the minority characters get represented by sociological studies and census statistics and crudely formed distant observations when the white heroes are test pilots and pulitzer winners and rocket scientists, none of which are exceptionally common.

I like Steel a great deal for NOT being "street". When he first appeared, it easily could have gone that direction but I think he's proved himself as one of the top inventors in the DCU and a genuine cosmic-level hero.

This guy had Ganthet, Zeus, Shazam and Highfather afraid of him. He's died TWICE. He used the JLA HQ as his own personal suit of armor.

I just hope John Henry makes it out of 52...

I agree and don't see any problem with any characters of any colour, or race etc doing that sort of thing, but I've never seen Black Lightning as that and don't think he was created to fill thoes shoes. John Stewart is black and he is/was/has been a member of the JLA and does those big type of adventure stories. I see Black Lightning more like Batman in a way, an urban superhero, but he chose to fight street level crime, despite his wealth.

[Alix Harrower]

Winick's Black Lightning is about as awful as his Oliver Queen. Which is pretty damn awful.

I have the entire first run of BL. What I like most is that Jefferson relied on his intelligence, far more than his added powers. I liked that he was a teacher and a man of high moral principles. He was intimidated by no one.

Isabella's Jefferson Pierce would never have neglected his daughter, re: Winick. And Winick's BL is, well, stupid. That's just not right.

Bad writers writing good characters badly. Who'd have thunk it?

[Alix Harrower]

It's not like someone would have had Superboy Prime rape him.

Of course not. It would be ICKY to have a male character be the victim of sexual violence.

[heystacy]

I actually like Black Lightning. He and Halo were my favorite Outsiders.

It's kind of past the point now, I just hate all the old(er) comic heroes and villains who are of african background and have 'Black' somewhere in their name. It's kinda lame.


Along with Black Lightning and Halo, I liked Looker and Katana as well. Great characters have faded into obscurity. :(

[90'sCartoonMan]

I like Black Lightning. He's cool, smart, brave...and black!

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a294/Glennoch/cool.jpg
See, Ollie agrees with me.

I think with BL on the Justice League of America now, it's good that they're putting out a special for him. We can't expect all the Year Ones to be A-Listers, I like how they're taking a chance.

[Michael P]

I like Black Lightning. He's cool, smart, brave...and black!

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a294/Glennoch/cool.jpg
See, Ollie agrees with me.

I think with BL on the Justice League of America now, it's good that they're putting out a special for him. We can't expect all the Year Ones to be A-Listers, I like how they're taking a chance.
Yeah, I just hope it doesn't suck up the character.

[Corrina]

Everyone is aware that Tony Isabella and DC were in a protected and nasty fight over the use of Black Light...er, Vulcan, in Superfriends. Apparently, DC needed to pay Isabella to use Jeff Pierce in Superfriends. They didn't, and created Black 'Vulcan' instead.

[steeler80]

Black Lightning has always been a favorite of man (even to the point of doing a custom Mego of him). I'm glad he's getting some steam back in the DCU.

[PatrickG]

Of course not. It would be ICKY to have a male character be the victim of sexual violence.

Yeah. Like Starman or Nightwing.

Oh.

Wait.

[PatrickG]

Along with Black Lightning and Halo, I liked Looker and Katana as well. Great characters have faded into obscurity. :(

I have a feeling we'll see the classic Outsiders reunite... And the bigger a smash BL makes in the JLA dn DCU as a whole, the more likely I find an Outsiders reunion to be.

It nearly happened in IDENTITY CRISIS. It nearly happened in SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES.

My gut says that we'll eventually see it in JLA: CLASSIFIED, the current OUTSIDERS book, BATMAN CLASSIFIED or a special project, depending on who the team behind it is and how the bean counters and editors feel it would max out its sales potential.

[Lester C.]

Along with Black Lightning and Halo, I liked Looker and Katana as well. Great characters have faded into obscurity. :(
Katana gotten a lot of love over the years. First by Meltzer, then by Winnick and it would not surprise me by Meltzer again.

[Constantine Drakon]

Yeah. Like Starman or Nightwing.

Oh.

Wait.

Green Arrow: "Why do they always forget about me?"

[heystacy]

I have a feeling we'll see the classic Outsiders reunite... And the bigger a smash BL makes in the JLA dn DCU as a whole, the more likely I find an Outsiders reunion to be.

It nearly happened in IDENTITY CRISIS. It nearly happened in SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES.

My gut says that we'll eventually see it in JLA: CLASSIFIED, the current OUTSIDERS book, BATMAN CLASSIFIED or a special project, depending on who the team behind it is and how the bean counters and editors feel it would max out its sales potential.

That would be a welcomed addition to my collection. Now if they could coax Mike W. Barr to write an classic Outsiders reunion...:cool:

[heystacy]

Katana gotten a lot of love over the years. First by Meltzer, then by Winnick and it would not surprise me by Meltzer again.


I confess that the Katana/Lightning scenes in Identity Crisis were actually good.

Winnick, I don't know. Didn't like what I read on Outsiders. Haven't given the book another chance since.

[Red Jack]

I confess that the Katana/Lightning scenes in Identity Crisis were actually good.

Winnick, I don't know. Didn't like what I read on Outsiders. Haven't given the book another chance since.

The current Outsiders is crap on a stick but it did give us Grace who I think is a great character.

I'd kill to get my hands on that book.

[TomStillwell]

Yes, I like Grace. That's it. The rest is rubbish.

[Lester C.]

Yes, I like Grace. That's it. The rest is rubbish.
Indigo was also a good character.

[El Santo]

The current Outsiders is crap on a stick but it did give us Grace who I think is a great character.

I'd kill to get my hands on that book.
It was a good book up until the "Insiders" arc. At that point the book had totally lost track of the original concept, and the personality balance of the characters never quite recovered after Indigo died.

[titanfan]

I confess that the Katana/Lightning scenes in Identity Crisis were actually good.

Winnick, I don't know. Didn't like what I read on Outsiders. Haven't given the book another chance since.

It's clear to me that Winick actually likes the character and enjoys writing her. He is treating her well. However his voice for her is all wrong, if you took away the costume and just read the dialogue, you would have no idea that it was Tatsu.

[heystacy]

The current Outsiders is crap on a stick but it did give us Grace who I think is a great character.

I'd kill to get my hands on that book.


My suspicions are validated. Thanks.

[Gail Simone]

Boy, much as I love ya, Lester (and I do), I have to say I'm crazy about Black Lightning.

Yes, time has passed a little bit of his overall act by, but I still think he's a great character who just missed icon status for all the wrong reasons (merchandising and politics, and the removal of his creator from the book).

First, his powers are fun and not represented in the current DCU, at least not at the time. His look was fun, I felt, but mostly, he had a great vibe and starting concept, as a teacher who cared about his students. I thought there was a ton of stuff to love there.

For a long time, I was very hesitant to use Black Lightning at all, out of respect for Tony Isabella, the character's creator. I felt that it was wrong to use him, even though I really love the character and feel he could be a powerhouse. But talking to Tony, he was incredibly kind and gave his permission to me personally to use him, and in doing so, I tried very much to keep to Tony's concept of a very very decent guy. I'd love to get a chance to write him again sometime in a more significant role.

Gail

[TCJohnson]

when did you write Black Lightning?

[DEWLine]

That question is seconded!

I'm now very curious...

[bfrank]

is it too much to ask that folks actually know something about a character, before deeming him a blight on the community?

And grace sucks ass....among other things.....

[Cayman]

The Outsiders is a book that is really crying out for a change in writers.

[heystacy]

when did you write Black Lightning?


I remember a small scene inthe VU special with Black Lighning, and Harley Quinn. I thought is was funny.

Althought it would be cool to hear of Gail writing the character again on a larger scale.

[Corrina]

There's one issue of Outsiders I really liked, the focus on Arsenal after his near-death. It's one of the few times Winick has handled some adult themes with some real depth, at least in my experience with his work.

The rest...eh.

[Lester C.]

is it too much to ask that folks actually know something about a character, before deeming him a blight on the community?

And grace sucks ass....among other things.....
If that's in reference to me, I've read every issue Black Lighting has appeared in since I began reading comics way back in 1999.