Depending on who you talk to-it's editors not bothering to hear pitches or writers can't get a shot to PITCH or what the editor wants is something NO ONE wants to do.
1) Brandon Thomas & Brandon Eaton had stories of almost every black artist and writer having issues at Marvel with a certain editor. Who didn't want to hear anything they wanted to pitch.
2) Leah Williams and Vita Ayala have been FIGHTING for green lighting of books in the X-Office. Leah had to fight to get Prodigy in X-Factor.
3) Editor wants to kill off John Stewart. No writer wants to do it. Editor puts character in books by writers who don't care for them or limit what can be done with a person. See John Stewart in the 2000s. See Jason Rusch in Legends of Tomorrow-Gene Conway (Ronnie's creator) thought Jason was from the 90s. Doomsday Clock forgot Jason Rusch existed. Gail Simone wanted to use Rocket in Birds of Prey-got told NO.
Tom King wanted to focus on Batman by himself-editors tossed in Duke Thomas. Duke Thomas did one page cameos before vanishing from the book in 2018. Duke Thomas with Outsiders and the Detective Comics run crapped on that character.
Unlike those guys-Black Lighting did no have a TON of stuff that made trades.He may have a few comic runs, but nothing anyone talks about, like Perez or Rucka's Wonder Woman, Waid's Flash, Johns' Green Lantern, Morrison's Superman and Justice League, Ostrander's Suicide Squad and so on.
Black Lighting vol 1 came out in the 70s. The FIRST trades for this came out in 2016.
Black Lighting vol 2 (with many OFFENSIVE stories) came out in the 70s-80. The trade came out 2018.
Black Lighting vol 3 (the ill fated 1995 series) came out in trade in 2019.
So from 1977-2016 39 YEARS before a trade starring him as the lead came out.
Also unlike the above-they don't face stores that won't stock of sale the books. Another issue many black (let alone most POC) books seem to have.
IF you get a trade. I don't see Steel with a complete trade run. In fact Naomi, Luke Fox, Duke, Wallace, Michael Lane, Aqualad & soon Jo (Far Sector) are the only black characters with every appearance in a trade.
Everyone is at the mercy of whatever book they are in and once again they are at the mercy of what a store is willing to STOCK.
So if you stock Tom King's Batman and Detective Comics Outsider arc-don't cry about why no one cares about Duke Thomas.
If you only stock Flash where Wallace is an offensive racist stereotype-don't cry why he can't win fans overs.
If all you stock is Kyles through Hal Jordan to Hal Jordan & TGLC-don't wonder why no one cares for John Stewart.
Don't expect folks to care about Cyborg after EVERYTHING the cartoon and Doom Patrol have done for him. While the comics crap on him. Which is another kick to the nads since a certain movie went out of its way to EDIT a ton of footage of him and he'll be the only Leaguer to NOT have a movie once Flash gets made. So the message is already sent to NOT care for him.
Dc had to go get Miles Morales's DADDY to invest in a black female (from scratch) at the expense (according to some) of Superman.
What does that say about Vixen??? Who is on two tv shows and her OWN show? Especially when you got the writer of her mini at DC-the same woman who was expected to FAIL with someone named Ms Marvel.
Or Bumblebee?
What does it say that Miles Morales has done MORE in his 9 years of existence than every single black heron and heroine OWNED by DC?
Oscar winning movie
Surpassed the 54 solo issue mark of Steel (who is DC's black longest solo issue runner) and had it been NOT for this virus was on pace to hit 100 in 2021.
Had a tie in to an event in the form of a mini
Played a key part in more than one event unlike NONE for any DC OWNED one.
Has way more merchandise.
A New York Times Best Seller.
Do I even need to rundown Black Panther, Shhuri, Riri, Luke Cage, Spawn & Blade's resumes?
What yo are seeing is the result of pandering and entitlement antics of the past coming to roost.