Heroes you love, but don't think should be in the Justice League

[The Darknight Detective]

Actually, back then Jefferson had short hair and the afro was part of his mask

Correct. He also never spoke "jive talk" out of costume.

[MadFacedKid]

Guess that’s a more effective disguise then glasses

[Ascended]

Actually, back then Jefferson had short hair and the afro was part of his mask

Really? That's interesting. I think this is the first time I've heard of a male character using a wig to help hide their identity.

As for the name, it made sense at the time. It makes less now, but I still see no real problem with Jeff being a proud black man and picking a name that puts attention on that. He wants to be an inspiration to the kids in his community right? The name is a social statement and declaration of pride. It might not be as pertinent now as it was back in the day but I think it still has value.

Oh, and there is such a thing as a black canary. Not nearly as well known as the yellow variety and I don't know why this was the name they gave to Dinah, but they do exist.

[lemonpeace]

I don’t see why it would make less sense now. I’m proud to be Black. Same thing with all of my friends that are Black and my family as well.

this^ is why I never understood the idea that's Black Lightning's name is "problematic" or "dated"; his reasoning for the name still holds up. the difference between Black Lightning and a lot of other black heroes with Black in their name is that Black Lightning is overtly sending a message that is still applicable today. Black people are still marginalized in America, less so in some contexts now but still so, there is still no definitive black hero (or, well, any hero of color) at the upper echelons of DC, and there are still people (villain or victim) who need to know that it's a black man coming for them. Black people didn't up and stop being proud of being black, why should the superheroes that look like us?

[Vampire Savior]

I do have a problem with so many black characters being called black something and having racially charged motives and origins...like Black Manta, who wanted all the black people to live underwater. I just see Black Lightning as another one of those. Black Panther, too, for that matter. Now, I'm not saying that is a universal problem. Some people will and do like that stuff, but it often doesn't appeal to me, and I find the excess of it among black characters exhausting and even confining.

[Sutekh]

I do have a problem with so many black characters being called black something and having racially charged motives and origins...like Black Manta, who wanted all the black people to live underwater. I just see Black Lightning as another one of those. Black Panther, too, for that matter. Now, I'm not saying that is a universal problem. Some people will and do like that stuff, but it often doesn't appeal to me, and I find the excess of it among black characters exhausting and even confining.

I remember some website joking about the need to mention race in the name. "Wait, Black Lightning is black, so why isn't Green Lantern green? Should Diana be called White Wonder Woman? Martian Manhunter is indeed a martian, so should his super-speedy teammate be the Human Flash?"

Still, could be as cringe-worthy as having an Asian villain called 'the Yellow Claw' or a Native American hero called 'Red Wolf.'

[lemonpeace]

I remember some website joking about the need to mention race in the name. "Wait, Black Lightning is black, so why isn't Green Lantern green? Should Diana be called White Wonder Woman? Martian Manhunter is indeed a martian, so should his super-speedy teammate be the Human Flash?"

Still, could be as cringe-worthy as having an Asian villain called 'the Yellow Claw' or a Native American hero called 'Red Wolf.'

I've seen this false-rquivalence been used before and I find it ludicrous. calling an asian yellow or calling a native american red is not the same as calling a black person black. black is a unifying term across the african diaspora, red is not the same for native culture and neither is yellow for asian culture. it's the same silly idea behind when Americans go out of their way to say "African-American" rather than black because they think that's more "political correct" even when talking or about my Nigerian-immigrant parents (african-africans not americans) or black people in Britain.

so we can arbitrarily slap black on a character (Black Bolt, Black Canary, Black Adam) so long as they're not black, because that's "problematic"? even if the character purposely is making a statement with the name? but black characters constantly playing catch up with their white contemporaries is a-ok. i'm sorry but that's silly, if we changed Black Lightning's name right now, 2 things would happen:

1. DC would absolutely get SHAT UPON because everyone would know that they only changed it because the minority of people (ironic, I know) felt uncomfortable with a black character labeling himself black, and would be especially shat on since the "black" label is empowering and part of his character's ethos.

2. DC would likely do what they do with all their characters of color, a brief lead push, lots of supporting roles, and extended periods of obscurity.

there are FAR FAR biggest issues with how DC comic treats black characters and characters of color on a whole, their first black solo hero calling himself black is low on that list if on that list at all; which most would agree it's not. when we remedy those then we can start talking about curtailing the black superhero overtly being proud to be black and putting it in his name.

[Vampire Savior]

so we can arbitrarily slap black on a character (Black Bolt, Black Canary, Black Adam) so long as they're not black, because that's "problematic"? even if the character purposely is making a statement with the name? but black characters constantly playing catch up with their white contemporaries is a-ok

What would be problematic is if we had many white super heroes going around intentionally throwing their race in our faces with names like Anglo-Saxon Green Lantern, White Pride Batman, Aryan Thor, and so on. There are characters like White Queen, but it's a given that the name is not an allusion to her race. That isn't true of the case of most, if not all, of these black characters called black something.
It gets tiring...and it's weird, just like Anglo-Saxon Batman is weird.

[Ascended]

I've seen this false-rquivalence been used before and I find it ludicrous. calling an asian yellow or calling a native american red is not the same as calling a black person black. black is a unifying term across the african diaspora, red is not the same for native culture and neither is yellow for asian culture. it's the same silly idea behind when Americans go out of their way to say "African-American" rather than black because they think that's more "political correct" even when talking or about my Nigerian-immigrant parents (african-africans not americans) or black people in Britain.

I'm with this guy.

People are comparing apples and oranges here. The term "black" is nothing like "yellow" or "red." Those last two are nothing but racial slurs, "black" is just a term accepted across political and racial spectrums, little different from the term "white" as a catch-all for a large group of people from different regions and ethnic backgrounds. If I called my wife "red" she's slap me. If I call my friend "black" he'd say "And damn proud of it." Black and proud, man. Nothing to shy away from.

I can understand why some people would take issue with the name. Sure, I get it. But comparing the use of "Black" to "Aryan" is wildly, wildly off base.

And this isn't even a real problem. Jeff calling himself Black Lightning isn't the problem. Jeff never getting his own book and barely showing up in a supporting role is the problem.

[Vampire Savior]

I'm with this guy.I can understand why some people would take issue with the name. Sure, I get it. But comparing the use of "Black" to "Aryan" is wildly, wildly off base.

No it isn't. It's drawing overt attention to a character's race as if that is their most important feature. That's what they bring to the table above all else. Now, that might be fine for a couple black characters. But when you see this pattern repeated over and again, I will say it's a problem.

It's the same thing, it's just that, over decades, people have been conditioned to better accept this sort of thing with black characters...because...it's just something that some white creators did in the 60s and 70s and comics fans have trouble moving on from things done decades and decades and decades ago. And I guess they celebrate this, because you better be happy you got a black character at all.

Or perhaps "moving on" isn't the best term, but accepting more contemporary stuff as compared to the archaic and clearly outdated.

[MadFacedKid]

Black is so much more then just a description of skin. It could be a description of costume, like someone said for Teth a description for characterization, in Jeff’s case power. That’s not comparable to Aryan which is a straight up description of someone’s ethnic background/race.

The whole Aryan mention is wild I don’t get how you jump from using White as an example to go to using Aryan.

[docmidnite]

Black is so much more then just a description of skin. It could be a description of costume, like someone said for Teth a description for characterization, in Jeff’s case power. That’s not comparable to Aryan which is a straight up description of someone’s ethnic background/race.

The whole Aryan mention is wild I don’t get how you jump from using White as an example to go to using Aryan.

Just using the word Aryan is racist.
Especially when you consider the history of the word.

[Ascended]

No it isn't. It's drawing overt attention to a character's race as if that is their most important feature. That's what they bring to the table above all else. Now, that might be fine for a couple black characters. But when you see this pattern repeated over and again, I will say it's a problem.

Even if that is a problem, I think Jeff, being one of the OG's, gets to keep it.

We're not talking the Yellow Peril here, or any of those awful Asian characters from the Golden Age. We're talking about a fleshed out, well rounded, interesting character who is purposefully putting his race on the table as a source of inspiration, using a term that isn't offensive (like yellow or red). That is nothing to condemn or be afraid of. That is something to celebrate, because there's plenty of black kids in America today who need to see that, as Miles Morales' movie put it, they could wear the mask.

Does every black hero need "Black" in their name? Of course not, that's silly and no one is saying that. Some do have it in their name. Jeff's one of them.

Or perhaps "moving on" isn't the best term, but accepting more contemporary stuff as compared to the archaic and clearly outdated.

In an era where Black Lives Matter, you think this is an outdated concept? We've got posters right here saying they're black and they totally support Jeff using the name, celebrating his blackness. Who am I to argue with that?

[Shamrock Holmes]

While I don't think it's necessarily problematic, I do wonder if Katana calling him 'Raijin' (from Japanese storm god, cf Raiden from Mortal Kombat), might be part of an attempt to change his codename in a natural in-universe way? (Although I realise that it could (also) be for ship-tease purposes).

[lemonpeace]

While I don't think it's necessarily problematic, I do wonder if Katana calling him 'Raijin' (from Japanese storm god, cf Raiden from Mortal Kombat), might be part of an attempt to change his codename in a natural in-universe way? (Although I realise that it could (also) be for ship-tease purposes).

I think it's most likely just a nickname, a way for Hill to use a term from Katana's culture to both subtly showcase her japanese hertiage while also giving Black Lightning a little gravitas. Going into Outsiders Hill referred to Jeff as a elemental multiple time, I think the pet name and the way Soy & Gandini visualize his powers are supposed to help evoke that "force of nature" feeling.