Why are DC's minority character's lagging behind Marvel's?

[Will Evans]

Tony Isabella doesn’t like the kids and he seems to be the only one who gets to write BL solos. It sucks but he’s so loud on social media I think DC is hesitant to openly anger him (moreso than they are right now with BatO).

Which is a shame. The daughters, his relationship with his ex-wife, the teacher aspect, these are the things that improves and separates him from other heroes.

To not use those is folly.


Say what you will about the show, but they knew to use those aspects to their advantage.

[chief12d]

Which is a shame. The daughters, his relationship with his ex-wife, the teacher aspect, these are the things that improves and separates him from other heroes.

To not use those is folly.


Say what you will about the show, but they knew to use those aspects to their advantage.

While I'm not a fan of the BL show anymore I think it's a better take on the character than what we have in the comics. I used to want Jefferson to be in his prime and like the A-listers, no older biological kids plus no wife/ex-wife to circle back to romantically.

Isabella's mini showed me that left the character devoid of an interesting supporting cast, which only hurts his prospects as a lead. I'm still weary on introducing 18+ y/o daughters, but I think the character has more to work with when he's built a civilian career for himself and has his legacies around. A great half measure could be putting them in Damian's age group and allowing them to organically grow with the Teen Titans.

[Will Evans]

I had to describe Black Lightning to my dad in a couple of sentences.

I told him it’s if Joe Clark had superpowers, and he has two daughters with them too.

[Mr HardKnocks]

Tony Isabella doesnÂ’t like the kids and he seems to be the only one who gets to write BL solos. It sucks but heÂ’s so loud on social media I think DC is hesitant to openly anger him (moreso than they are right now with BatO).

I think itÂ’s because he envisioned Black Lightning as a younger man and not older and as well as a father. According to Isabella he made him a teacher to be more relatable to the audience, in way his students were meant to be his. children. I think the creators and publishers prefer the characters to be lifetime bachelors because if they grow old theyÂ’ll lose the audience. ThatÂ’s why Spider Man and MJs marriage was erased at Marvel and why they wouldnÂ’t let Batwoman marry Maggie Sawyer in the New 52. Black Lightning as character is still not really defined, in my opinion, pushing his supporting cast wonÂ’t help the character long term. Batman doesnÂ’t need Robin in every adaptation and the same should apply for Black Lightning with Thunder and Lightning. If Black Lightning is to ever succeed heÂ’ll need a creator to build the character up and make him more interesting and more long standing.

[Will Evans]

I think itÂ’s because he envisioned Black Lightning as a younger man and not older and as well as a father. According to Isabella he made him a teacher to be more relatable to the audience, in way his students were meant to be his. children. I think the creators and publishers prefer the characters to be lifetime bachelors because if they grow old theyÂ’ll lose the audience. ThatÂ’s why Spider Man and MJs marriage was erased at Marvel and why they wouldnÂ’t let Batwoman marry Maggie Sawyer in the New 52. Black Lightning as character is still not really defined, in my opinion, pushing his supporting cast wonÂ’t help the character long term. Batman doesnÂ’t need Robin in every adaptation and the same should apply for Black Lightning with Thunder and Lightning. If Black Lightning is to ever succeed heÂ’ll need a creator to build the character up and make him more interesting and more long standing.

He’s Joe Clark with superpowers. And even the real Joe Clark had daughters.


Most public school teachers have families anyway.

[kurenai24]

During the height of BLM movement last month, Marvel made a black focused issue. Did DC do something similar? If so I didn't hear it, and I'm surprised they didn't take advantage of the momentum, but then again, they're busy cleaning up after the cancellation of 5G...

Well, 5G is back on ...as an imprint.

The only thing DC did was post a drawing that one of the original Milestone people did of some black characters kneeling and the majority of the responses called out DC b/c half of the characters were Milestone and haven't been used in many years and the other half were DC characters that don't have their own ongoings and/or were sabatoged in different ways.

So that's the extent of what DC did, but hey at least they're consistent b/c this is exactly what they do for black history month, post black characters they don't ever use/push outside of Cyborg...

[skyvolt2000]

Aside from Tobias and Painkiller what rogues gallery does he have in comics?

Not many as most were local gang and crooks in the World's Finest and Detective backups.

For BL-you would best look through the already existing villains and go from there.

If you are trying for Luke Cage 2.0-I could toss some Z level villains out.

Tony Isabella doesn’t like the kids and he seems to be the only one who gets to write BL solos. It sucks but he’s so loud on social media I think DC is hesitant to openly anger him (moreso than they are right now with BatO).

If he hates those kids-why praise the show like he does?

At times that show felt like a stealth Thunder show at times.

[Ra-El]

Not many as most were local gang and crooks in the World's Finest and Detective backups.

For BL-you would best look through the already existing villains and go from there.

If you are trying for Luke Cage 2.0-I could toss some Z level villains out.




If he hates those kids-why praise the show like he does?

At times that show felt like a stealth Thunder show at times.

Stealth? Is clear that the writers are way more interested and confortable writing for Anissa than BL, he dosn't even drive the plot, is his family does. He just walk around worrying about them until someone ask for his help. I like the show, but Black Lightning isn't the main character no matter what the tittle say.

[chief12d]

Stealth? Is clear that the writers are way more interested and confortable writing for Anissa than BL, he dosn't even drive the plot, is his family does. He just walk around worrying about them until someone ask for his help. I like the show, but Black Lightning isn't the main character no matter what the tittle say.

This is the main reason I lost interest. Jefferson became a supporting character in his own show and the kids suck all the agency out of him. Something similar is happening with Black Panther in his own book where the black women are the basically the only ones getting development and feats.

My main concern is that if they bring back the kids in the comics, they'll push BL into the mentor role and give them all the attention. I still think they should be brought back, but it opens up a bunch of different issues.

[king81992]

Not many as most were local gang and crooks in the World's Finest and Detective backups.

For BL-you would best look through the already existing villains and go from there.

If you are trying for Luke Cage 2.0-I could toss some Z level villains out.




If he hates those kids-why praise the show like he does?

At times that show felt like a stealth Thunder show at times.

I feel like Lightning is the real star.

[king81992]

This is the main reason I lost interest. Jefferson became a supporting character in his own show and the kids suck all the agency out of him. Something similar is happening with Black Panther in his own book where the black women are the basically the only ones getting development and feats.

My main concern is that if they bring back the kids in the comics, they'll push BL into the mentor role and give them all the attention. I still think they should be brought back, but it opens up a bunch of different issues.

Put his daughters on different teams instead of having them share a comic with him .

[Agent Z]

I think itÂ’s because he envisioned Black Lightning as a younger man and not older and as well as a father. According to Isabella he made him a teacher to be more relatable to the audience, in way his students were meant to be his. children. I think the creators and publishers prefer the characters to be lifetime bachelors because if they grow old theyÂ’ll lose the audience. ThatÂ’s why Spider Man and MJs marriage was erased at Marvel and why they wouldnÂ’t let Batwoman marry Maggie Sawyer in the New 52. Black Lightning as character is still not really defined, in my opinion, pushing his supporting cast wonÂ’t help the character long term. Batman doesnÂ’t need Robin in every adaptation and the same should apply for Black Lightning with Thunder and Lightning. If Black Lightning is to ever succeed heÂ’ll need a creator to build the character up and make him more interesting and more long standing.

Except it's proven that the audience prefers Jefferson with a family. The character has been built up to be a long standing one, DC just refuses to use the things that are actually popular among people.

Batman may not need Robin in every adaptation but can you imagine them making one that doesn't have Alfred, Gordon or any of his iconic rogues gallery?

[Mr HardKnocks]

This is the main reason I lost interest. Jefferson became a supporting character in his own show and the kids suck all the agency out of him. Something similar is happening with Black Panther in his own book where the black women are the basically the only ones getting development and feats.

My main concern is that if they bring back the kids in the comics, they'll push BL into the mentor role and give them all the attention. I still think they should be brought back, but it opens up a bunch of different issues.

Yes, that’s the main reason I don’t like the show, it should be called Thunder & Lightning. The showrunner Mara Brock Akil writes for a female audience with her shows and she applied that to Black Lightning.

[Agent Z]

You know, I didn't recall people hating it when Buffy's friends were involved in the plot and received development.

[Ra-El]

You know, I didn't recall people hating it when Buffy's friends were involved in the plot and received development.

Did Buffy stay in her home, refusing to go out and telling her friends they shouldn't go fight the bad guys?
Each of Buffy's friends had their own storyline during the season, while her main storyline was worrying about them until the point when she was forced to help them by fighting a few nameless henchmen and then only fight the bad guy because one of her friends went after him?

Because this is what happens in Black Lightining. The problem isn't Jefferson family involved in the plot, the problem is his lack of involvement.