Black Lightning (Modern Age)

## Summary

**Black Lightning** is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. **Jefferson Pierce** is a graduate from Garfield High School in Metropolis who goes on to be an Olympic decathlon star and later a teacher at the same school. He graduates from Kent State University with a teaching degree in physics. Jefferson wastes no time in getting into trouble with a gang of drug pushers who are connected with the 100 organization. In a fight trying to clean up the school from drug pushers, a student named Earl Clifford helps Jefferson but is later killed by a gang leader known as Joey Toledo. Distraught over the death of Earl, Jefferson turns to a man named Peter Gambi who owns a tailor shop that Jefferson and his mother used to live above while he was growing up and he became very close to as a child. Having aided Jefferson with controlling his metahuman powers of lightning manipulation as a child, Peter made a costume for Jefferson for when he came back, as if he knew that he would want it. When Jefferson returns, he presents it to him. With the addition of a mask, Jefferson's identity becomes secure, disguising his voice while he is in his Black Lightning persona. Teacher by day and Black Lightning by night, Jefferson helps clean up the streets and eventually joins The Outsiders under the leadership of Batman. The character was one of the first major African American superheroes to appear in DC Comics. He debuted in *Black Lightning* #1 in April 1977 and was created by writer Tony Isabella with artist Trevor Von Eeden.

## Powers and Stats

**Tier:** **7-B**

**Name:** Black Lightning / Jefferson Pierce

**Origin:** DC Comics

**Gender:** Male

**Age:** 30's

**Race:** Metahuman

**Classification:** Founding Member of the Outsiders, Physics Teacher, Secretary of Education

**Powers and Abilities:** Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Statistics Amplification, Electricity Manipulation

**Attack Potency:** **City level** (17.2 megatons. Capable of tapping into and utilizing the Earth's electric field)

**Speed:** **Massively Hypersonic+** (Mach 4,081. Capable of becoming actual lightning)

**Durability:** **City level** (17.2 megatons. Capable of withstanding tapping into and utilizing the Earth's electric field)

**Lifting Strength:** **Superhuman** (Stopped a speeding car)

**Striking Strength:** **Class TJ** (Capable of wounding Geo-Force)

**Range:** Standard melee range normally, Town range using lightning manipulation

**Stamina:** **Superhuman**

**Mental Capacity:** **Educated** (Ranked the highest educator in America and becomes the Secretary of Education)

**Fighting Experience:** **Class C-3** (Street Fighting, Boxing, Shotokan / 10+ years of experience training under Wildcat and Batman respectively)

**Standard Equipment:** None Notable

**Weaknesses:** None Notable

## Explanations

Unlike many DC superheroes, Black Lightning does not have a Pre-Crisis version of himself. Despite the character first appearing in 1977, the comic line continued publication into the Post-Crisis world of New Earth, which was set up after the events of *Crisis on Infinite Earths*. All the stories concerning Black Lightning and The Outsiders from Pre-Crisis continuity were made canon in Post-Crisis continuity.