Black Lightning! Jefferson Pierce Appreciation Thread 2020

[Iconic]

I think they were being sarcastic.

Yeah, it was sarcasm.

[Robanker]

That Jeff/Tatsu pairing got me thinking how much does BL creator interfere with plans for the character? Could he possibly stopped more content from coming out? Is he the reason DC hasn't given him a random maxi series like Adam Strange or MM.

Gotta say, I felt more between Jeff and Tatsu than I ever did for Jeff and Lynn on the printed page. Probably because I think their narratives and perspectives can draw a lot of great stuff out of one another. I'd love a mini or team-up book with those two.

But Isabella is very outspoken with respect to anything that deviates from his co-creation. He generally hogs all the solo books Jeff gets ensuring that he never gets a fresh voice. I'm not arguing he shouldn't write the guy anymore, but the deathgrip he has on a character he created for DC which he has no ownership on needs to be relaxed. I get his frustrations, but he went on several rants about BatO (Jeff is just Bruce's lackey, Lynn is Jeff's only love interest, etc). To be fair to the first point, he argues the DCU is too beholden to Batman and I agree, but that doesn't change that The Outsiders was always Bruce's book (except the one time Nightwing took over for a while) and will be so long as he's on the roster.

I don't have any personal problems with Isabella as I've never met him, but I do think him going on a tirade anytime he doesn't like DC's direction with the character isn't actually helping at all. It reminds a bit of Marston's contract for Diana that, while intended to ensure she never gets turned into a subordinate player in team scenarios, essentially prevented her from guest starring on popular shows the way Superman, Batman, GL, Flash, etc. got to enjoy. It put her in the adaption ghetto for a long time. Black Lightning needs his dad to let go so he can start growing now that he's had more eyes on him than ever.

[Frontier]

Gotta say, I felt more between Jeff and Tatsu than I ever did for Jeff and Lynn on the printed page. Probably because I think their narratives and perspectives can draw a lot of great stuff out of one another. I'd love a mini or team-up book with those two.

But Isabella is very outspoken with respect to anything that deviates from his co-creation. He generally hogs all the solo books Jeff gets ensuring that he never gets a fresh voice. I'm not arguing he shouldn't write the guy anymore, but the deathgrip he has on a character he created for DC which he has no ownership on needs to be relaxed. I get his frustrations, but he went on several rants about BatO (Jeff is just Bruce's lackey, Lynn is Jeff's only love interest, etc). To be fair to the first point, he argues the DCU is too beholden to Batman and I agree, but that doesn't change that The Outsiders was always Bruce's book (except the one time Nightwing took over for a while) and will be so long as he's on the roster.

I don't have any personal problems with Isabella as I've never met him, but I do think him going on a tirade anytime he doesn't like DC's direction with the character isn't actually helping at all. It reminds a bit of Marston's contract for Diana that, while intended to ensure she never gets turned into a subordinate player in team scenarios, essentially prevented her from guest starring on popular shows the way Superman, Batman, GL, Flash, etc. got to enjoy. It put her in the adaption ghetto for a long time. Black Lightning needs his dad to let go so he can start growing now that he's had more eyes on him than ever.

To be fair, Jeff and Tatsu have been teammates and Lynn is hardly used in the comics so that probably effects it somewhat.

I did like Lynn in Year One but it was kind of sad seeing her being so supportive of Jefferson knowing how their marriage was destined to go.

[Robanker]

To be fair, Jeff and Tatsu have been teammates and Lynn is hardly used in the comics so that probably effects it somewhat.

I did like Lynn in Year One but it was kind of sad seeing her being so supportive of Jefferson knowing how their marriage was destined to go.

Yeah, and I don't think Lynn is in any way a bad character, but outside the TV show not much has been done with her.

[Hypestyle]

Say, in the DK coffee-table DC Universe book, it says that BL is based in Cleveland in the comics now. When did that happen?

[Rac7d*]

I guess you’re right. Probably why Superboy can’t keep a book because of Superman. And why Batgirl & Batwoman can’t keep a book because of Batman. And why Supersons can’t keep a book because of Batman/Superman. Cold world.

I guess I’ll stop imagining that two black characters with similar powers on 2 different imprints can exist at the same time.

I can’t tell if your being sarcastic since those books did get canceled wile their prime versions live on

[Agent Z]

Gotta say, I felt more between Jeff and Tatsu than I ever did for Jeff and Lynn on the printed page. Probably because I think their narratives and perspectives can draw a lot of great stuff out of one another. I'd love a mini or team-up book with those two.

But Isabella is very outspoken with respect to anything that deviates from his co-creation. He generally hogs all the solo books Jeff gets ensuring that he never gets a fresh voice. I'm not arguing he shouldn't write the guy anymore, but the deathgrip he has on a character he created for DC which he has no ownership on needs to be relaxed. I get his frustrations, but he went on several rants about BatO (Jeff is just Bruce's lackey, Lynn is Jeff's only love interest, etc). To be fair to the first point, he argues the DCU is too beholden to Batman and I agree, but that doesn't change that The Outsiders was always Bruce's book (except the one time Nightwing took over for a while) and will be so long as he's on the roster.

I don't have any personal problems with Isabella as I've never met him, but I do think him going on a tirade anytime he doesn't like DC's direction with the character isn't actually helping at all. It reminds a bit of Marston's contract for Diana that, while intended to ensure she never gets turned into a subordinate player in team scenarios, essentially prevented her from guest starring on popular shows the way Superman, Batman, GL, Flash, etc. got to enjoy. It put her in the adaption ghetto for a long time. Black Lightning needs his dad to let go so he can start growing now that he's had more eyes on him than ever.

Considering how Diana tends to be handled in stories where she isn't the main lead, maybe Marston was onto something.

[Frontier]

Yeah, and I don't think Lynn is in any way a bad character, but outside the TV show not much has been done with her.

Yeah, that's why I feel like we need to see her expanded on in the comics more.

[Robanker]

Considering how Diana tends to be handled in stories where she isn't the main lead, maybe Marston was onto something.

I mean it wasn't all bad. He did ensure she got published when her sales didn't justify it, and yeah, she certainly could have been adapted poorly. That said, it still did hurt her from showing up in animation and television where she could have gotten more exposure.

Mixed bag.

[Shamrock Holmes]

The harm is that it steals away his youth for those who care to see it. It steals the development to the legend he becomes. Is it so difficult to see how some might want to watch the journey? You saw Peter Parker’s journey and now you’re ready for adult Peter. Same with Bruce. Same with Flash. Now it okay to age them a bit. Their stories have been done to death. Jeff’s hasn’t.


Jeff: Hell of a machine you used on me, Batman.
Bruce: It just augmented what you have innately. Having a tech corporation at my command has its benefits.

He upgraded the suit and got Jeff to push himself more than before.

Not as egregious as it’s being made out to be.

Current BL is depicted as being in his mid twenties- early thirties.

Which is ridiculous theft of every that Black Lightning as build in forty (?) years or so of comics (a major issue I had for much of New 52 and to a lesser extent Rebirth), as he was at least that old when he debuted in the proper timeline (he had a ten year career as a teacher before first met him as BL).

What bothers me more than the absence of his daughters is that the current writer made him to dependant on Batman. It left a bad taste in my mouth that Batman 'upgraded' his powerset when BL had all those abilities without needing Batman's upgrade in the past. Its like the writer made him inexperienced to shill Batman.

Pretty much, which is... odd at best.

The harm is that it steals away his youth for those who care to see it. It steals the development to the legend he becomes. Is it so difficult to see how some might want to watch the journey?

YMMV of course, but to me retconing an established powerful legacy character into a younger, less experienced character so that you can "show" their development to where they've already are, as their present, is fundamently bad writing because it shows that you aren't interested in moving forward and developing. Secondarily, that you're doing it with a POC at least in part to shill one of your MVP white dudes doesn't help.

You saw Peter Parker’s journey and now you’re ready for adult Peter.

Yes, and that was good for Peter because we first met him as a "young person". With the exception of relatively rare flashbacks his narrative moved forward.

Same with Bruce. Same with Flash. Now it okay to age them a bit. Their stories have been done to death. Jeff’s hasn’t.

With the exception of the -- IMO equally bankrupt New 52 -- Bruce, Barry and Wally's stories have always been about moving forward, building on what's come before. The complete opposite of the deaged, rookied treatment of characters like Black Lightning, Barbara Gordon, Dick Grayson and many others have sufferd from in the last ten years or so.

Jeff: Hell of a machine you used on me, Batman.
Bruce: It just augmented what you have innately. Having a tech corporation at my command has its benefits.

He upgraded the suit and got Jeff to push himself more than before.

Not as egregious as it’s being made out to be.

It's exactly as egregious as it's being made out to be if you take Jeff's whole history into consideration, as pre-Flashpoint he grew beyond the need for the suit at all (in-universe) years ago and casting it as something that a white dude has do for for him, essentially forces on him because he "can be better" is... sketchy at best.

[Iconic]

Alright. Cool.

[Agent Z]

by Paris Alleyne

[Iconic]

Awesome work. Where’s this from???

Edit: found it on his Twitter

[Frontier]

by Paris Alleyne

Awesome Black Lightning illustration .

[Iconic]

I had been looking for this kind of “epic” art for Black Lightning. No word bubbles or titles. This is perfect.