Black Lightning

Creation

Black Lightning was created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden in Black Lightning #1 in April 1977.

Origin

Bronze Age

The Death of Earl Clifford

Jefferson Pierce was a graduate from Garfield High in Metropolis who went on to be an Olympic decathlon star and later a teacher at the school. Before he became a teacher however he graduated from Kent State University with a teaching degree in Physics. As a teacher he worked for New Carthage and later at the same Garfield High that he graduated from. Jefferson wasted no time in getting in trouble with a gang of drug pushers who were connected with the 100 organization. He did this by trying to clean the school of the pushers. In a fight a student named Earl Clifford helped Jefferson and was later killed for his efforts by a gang leader known as Joey Toledo. This is the catalyst that leads Jefferson into becoming Black Lightning.

Distraught over the death of Earl, Jefferson turns to a man named Peter Gambi who owned a tailor shop that Jefferson and his mother lived above while he was growing up and who he became very close to as a child. Peter made a costume for Jefferson when he came back as if he knew that this would happen and when Jefferson came to Peter he presented it to him. With the addition of the mask and afro wig Jefferson's identity became secure but now as the Black lightning he also disguised his voice and added a lot of street vocabulary and slang while he was in his Black Lightning persona.

Modern Age/Black Lightning: Year One

"I want you to help protect the streets of Suicide Slum!"

Jefferson Pierce was a normal man who grew up in South side, Suicide Slums, with a dream of success one day. After becoming an Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon and a college graduate, he moved to Metropolis with his wife, Lynn Stewart. The main reason they moved though was the death of his father, Alvin Pierce. He was killed after trying to open the eyes of public to the scams of local con man Tobias Whale. They had a child, Anissa Pierce (Thunder), and later Lynn would become pregnant with Jennifer, Lightning. Jefferson was a principal at several schools and was respected for all the good he had done in the neighborhoods and schools he had been in previously. Wayne Education Trust gave him a grant to come back to South Side to try to do the same. They looked at him as "Our last best hope for successful leadership in urban education reform." Jeff saw how bad it was, mostly because of the 100 and Tobias Whale, so he decided to do something with his hidden electricity powers discovered by his wife. He became Black Lightning, after seeing the quote "Justice-- Like Lightning-- Should Ever Appear To Some Men Hope, To Other Men, Fear." and fought local crime at night as a super hero. He was the principal of Garfield High School and he got to know a student by the name of Earl Clifford. Earl was killed and this started the end of the 100 and Tobias Whale. Black Lightning eventually defeated both with the help of Superman.

Character Development

Recharged By Batman

The Outsiders

Jeff was one of the founding members of the team, along with Batman, Geo-Force, Halo, Katana, and Metamorpho, and has been on and off the roster many times. He has been the leader of the team as well.

In the most recent version of the the team, Alfred recruited him along with Geo-Force, Halo, Metamorpho, Katana, Creeper, and Owlman to go under the radar and take on missions they normally wouldn't be able to take. The main enemy during this time was the Insiders who were unknown to the rest of the world. The team stopped the threat and moved on the tracking down Killer Croc, Clayface, and Mr. Freeze.

Current Line-Up

The team survived the Blackest Night and tried to pick up the pieces of their operation. Jeff started having trouble with Geo-Force whenever he started to act strange, pompous and rude. Geo-Force would make decisions for the team without consulting them and sent Black Lightning on a mission for Markovia as a secret agent. This eventually led to Geo-Force and Black Lightning fighting and splitting the team apart. Black Lightning, Owlman, and Metamorpho go and find Simon Stagg, and here they also meet Freight Train. Metamorpho gets stuck inside Chemo by Java, Simon Stagg's assistant. Chemo is defeated and they go into hiding.

Later Solo Series and the Early 2000's

Black Lightning had been fighting in the Suicide Slums a long time and it looked like an uphill battle. He and his wife Lynn had gotten a divorce and Jeff grew lonely. He eventually moved to Brick City after the divorce to work at a new school. He was attacked by the Painkiller at one point, but defeated him. He was also framed for the crime of rape by his enemy Broadstrip. He teamed up with Gangbuster and fought with many more new enemies, like Warthog. He was eventually cleared of this and was encouraged by his friend Batman to keep on fighting. He became Secretary of Education under President Lex Luthor and this blackened his name to some of the hero's. He was once again framed and put in Iron Heights prison. He was eventually broken out by a version of the the Outsiders, which his daughter Thunder was apart of.

Justice League of America

JLA

Jeff was invited to the Justice League of America during its Satellite years and at first turned down the offer. He then accepted later in a new version of the League. He fought alongside Geo-Force, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Red Arrow, Vixen, Red Tornado, Hawkgirl, Black Canary and Hal Jordan against Amazo and Solom Grundy. He stayed with the team for a good time and was traded to the Outsiders by the request of Batman.

Personal Data

Characteristics

• Height: 6'1"
• Weight: 200 lbs (91 kg)
• Eyes: Brown
• Hair: Bald/Black

Family

Relatives
Alvin Pierce (father, deceased),
Lynn Stewart (ex-wife)
Anissa Pierce ( Thunder , daughter) Anissa Pierce is Thunder, one of Black Lightning's super powered daughters. Thunder has the ability to control her density. Thunder was a rookie heroine recruited to be in Nightwing's Outsiders.
Jennifer Pierce (Lightning , daughter) Jennifer Pierce is the daughter of Black Lightning. She has absolute control of the electricity, however she can't interact with anything electrical.
Joanna Pierce (niece, deceased)

Powers and Abilities

Pierce has the ability to create unlimited amounts of electricity from his body. He projects this as a blast and can make it in a solid as a shield. He can use this control of electricity to propel himself through the air, giving him flight. He has learned how to use magnetism with his powers as well. He can absorb and transfer electricity and lightning to anywhere he needs to, he doesn't have to do this though. He can disrupt electronic items with a thought and can use his power in multiple forms at once. He has control of electricity at a subatomic level and has shown to master his abilities. He can use his powers in water as well. He has considerable fighting skills after being taught by Batman in hand-to-hand fighting. He is has agility and stamina on an Olympic level and has human durability, but creates a shield around himself to boost this to an unknown level. His blasts are various colors (Blue and Yellow), but recently Black Lightning unlocked a power boost in himself and he now uses black electricity.

Electrokinesis:

Black Lightning can generate raw electricity which courses through his body, which he has learned to manipulate, control, to sense sources of electric energy, electricity and administer as a wide range of attacks with several uses; he can charge devices with electricity, and alternatively drain the energy from them into himself.

Electric Current Control:

Black Lightning can choose to keep the electric energy that he currently holds in his body by controlling the Current and Voltage for whenever he wants to use it.

Electric Absorption:

Black Lightning can also absorb the energy of electrical equipment such as a power plant to increase his powers further.

Electric Projection:

Ability to project his electricity through his hands to stun his enemies. The amount of voltage and or wattage that Pierce can generate and control is unknown but appears to be far greater than a lightning storm. Probably on the order of hundreds of trillions of watts of power. Pierce can further increase his electrical projections by simply ionizing the hydrogen atoms in the atmosphere so in effect creating ultra-high level static discharges and having the potential to create electrical storms that have hundreds of lightning strikes per minute (the average lightning strike contains a billion volts of electricity).

Flight:

Black Lightning can fly by charging his lower body with energy. Pierce can theoretically fly at speed of light.

Force Field:

Black Lightning can also generate highly concentrated electric force fields that are powerful enough to deflect bullets and very high levels of impact such as oncoming vehicles, physical attacks from metahumans, grenades, explosives, artillery fire, missiles, fire, and most energy attacks.

Electrical Form:

Black Lightning can even assume an electric form which he can use to travel quickly and discreetly. He can also glide over power lines by using the electricity contained therein for propulsion, and has on occasion been shown to actually ride on lightning bolts.

Electrical Tracking:

Black Lightning is able to track the resonance of a broadcast frequency to a location of where its coming from, but if its too subtle then he won't have much success.

Electronic Interaction:

Black Lightning can even interact with electric form which he can use to gain more power.

Electric Manipulation:

Black Lightning is able manipulate all form of electricity.

Speed:

Black Lightning is able assume an electric form which he can use to travel quickly and discreetly and at the speed of light

Electric-Enhanced Strike:

Black Lightning can charge objects with electricity, heating them and/or turning them static. He can form, Balls of Lightning Projection, Electrical Shockwave and Electrical Beam Emission/Lightning Bolt Projection for direct attacks. May be able to generate enough power to destroy and/or vaporize matter. Also he can energy strike and/or weapon Infusion by surrounding their limbs or weapons in electricity.Increase blade sharpness by using electricity to create vibrations.

Lightning-Fast Reflexes:

Black Lightning as application of super-speed, and denotes an individual's physical reaction time in correlation to his body movement. This power is almost always involuntary, though some individuals, allowing him greater control over their reflexes.

Peak Human Conditioning:

Olympic-level Decathlete. Excelling as a runner, sprinter, swimmer, track & fielder, and gymnast. Swimming and Acrobatics.

Super-Strength:

Peak Human: Black Lightning is able to lift double one's own body weight up to the 800lb level.

Equipment

• Electric Power Belt: Black Lightning had to access his powers through a belt; he has since internalized these powers.

Transportation

• Electrical Form: Electricity transportation through power lines or even lightning bolts.

Other Media

Batman: the Brave and the Bold

Teenage Black Lightning

For further details: Batman: the Brave and the Bold

In the episode "Enter the Outsiders," a teenage Black Lightning (voiced by Bumper Robinson) appears as a member of the Outsiders with Katana and Metamorpho. At first, he appears as an enemy, but soon changes sides to help a dying Wildcat. They later appear in the teaser for "Duel of the Double-Crossers!" to fight a simulation of Despero. In the teaser for "Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster!", he gains a costume similar to his original one and is now part of an Outsiders line-up consisting of the founding members (including Halo and Geo-Force). They help Batman defeat the Kobra cult and prevent them from unleashing the Kali-Yuga, but mistakenly forgot to take out the bridge to the cult's fortress to prevent reinforcements from arriving.

Justice League Unlimited

For further details: Justice League Unlimited

He appeared in an issue of the show's tie-in series.

Super Friends

For further details: Super Friends

Black Vucan

On the "Challenge Of the Super Friends" version on the show, a character named Black Vulcan is based on Black Lightning. He serves on the Justice League along with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern, Robin, Hawkman, Apache Chief, and Samurai. He had many powers including projecting electricity/lightning from his hands, flight, time travel, moving at the speed of light, and welding. He was used instead of Black Lightning due to a dispute between the producers of the show and Tony Isabella.

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths

For further details: Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths

Black Lightning made a small appearance in the movie as one of the Justice League reserve members called in by Batman to battle Superwoman and her cohorts. He was voiced by Cedric Yarbrough.

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

Hunting Superman and Batman

For further details: Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

Black Lightning was one of the many heroes looking for Superman and Batman when they became wanted. He was voiced by LeVar Burton.

Thunder & Lightning

Black Lightning and Kids

Black Lightning appears as the main characters in the series of shorts about his two daughters. The short are for Cartoon Network's DC Nation block.

Young Justice: Invasion

Black Lightning in 

Black Lightning is seen as one of the new recruits who has joined the Justice League during the five years since the final episode of the original Young Justice.

Batman: the Brave and the Bold (video game)

For further details: Batman: the Brave and the Bold

He appears as one of the jump-in heroes. He attacks with a charging bolt that covers the entire screen.

DCU online

Black Lightning is in DCU.