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harrietj's review
4.0
The first eight issues are much better than the last four but the whole thing is a great time. Those first eight make up a really compelling street level superhero story, which personally I love reading. It felt very like a seventies Spider-Man tale. Really good stuff.
lsparrow's review
2.0
i could not help reading this and feeling that the show had made some great choices. This really lacks some of the depth that the show has.
iowasjoe's review
4.0
Afternoon reading. Tony Isabella issues were the best. Very nice art throughout.
sherpawhale's review
3.0
This should be required reading when people study the 70s. It's just so... super 70s. Turkey! Stoolie! Calling an Asian person "Pajamas!" (Because he's a ninja, see
peachani's review
adventurous
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would! Though written in the 1970s, the story and characters aren't too dated. This is written by a white writer, but Black Lightning/Jefferson Pierce manages to avoid most stereotypes. The same can't be said for a minor Black character who impersonates BL at one point, unfortunately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, and Racism
nickpalmieri's review
3.0
I've been trying to cull my comic collection and went after a lot of 70s DC books. Most of them, I only made it through an issue or two before deciding to ditch, as they're usually boring, overwritten, basic superhero stories written by the same five dudes. Black Lightning was different. When I started reading this, I didn't want to stop. It's far more interesting for the focus on Jefferson as a character and the ongoing threat of "The 100," I really like the serialization (especially over the first 8 issues), and the caption and dialogue style rarely approaches the excess of its contemporaries. Von Eeden's art also occasionally does something interesting with layout or design to set itself apart. The negative is that I wish there was a black writer to truly understand and impart that experience to the character, but what we get is thankfully not as stereotypical as most black characters from the time.
At the end of the day, it's still a 70s DC superhero comic. It's just better than most others.
At the end of the day, it's still a 70s DC superhero comic. It's just better than most others.
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