I prefer the original series (I'm old, so sue me!), but this update for Black Lightning's origin is nearly perfect. Van Meter did a great job adapting Jefferson into the 21st century and I honestly cannot think of a better artist than Cully Hammer to accompany him. There is one update that fits this new world better than the original: Tobias Whale's origin is much more in tune with the DCU of today than if the writer and artist had simply transferred the character whole cloth from his first appe...

This wasn't a bad read, especially for fans of the Black Lightning TV series. There are many elements of the TV show that seem to have been taken from this series. This isn't really a surprise as the newer versions of this book have a photo cover taken from the TV series. This isn't something that was translated directly to the show, as we get appearances from Talia Al Ghul and Superman. Even though this was labeled as Year One, it didn't really come across as that type of story. I suppose I'm n...

An untold early tale of Black Lightning as he moves back to Suicide Slum in Metropolis with his wife and young daughter. If you've seen the show, this has a lot of similarities in the basic setup although this is firmly set in the DCU with appearances from Clark Kent and Talia al Ghul. It's not a bad story but the writing was very choppy at times. I could barely follow the nonsense with the 100 now using magic and the lead guy was trying to create some ritual to (I think?) take over Black Lightn...

I enjoy the tv series that is on The CW following The Flash. Mr. Van Meter has done an excellent job with updating the origin story and keeping the elements from the original story intact. It is good to know that The 100's true leader is an ancient evil dating back centuries and Black Lightning stands between it and chaos. The mini-series also shows the beginning of Tobias Whale, Black Lightning's enemy. The art complements the story and glad that it does. The book was very entertaining and enjo...

Loved seeing Superman addressing his issues with race. Definitely a top notch graphic novel and story arc for Jefferson Pierce.

Turned out to be better than I had expected. Really liked Jefferson Pierce's character and his motivation. It is awesome how both the writer and artist have added cameos and references here and there to give this book a continuity with the main DCU. The writing isn't all that great. There are parts where it is very sloppy and convoluted. If that weren't the case, we would've got a much better story.

I love the character of Black Lightening, but I wound the flow of the comic itself a bit disorienting making it harder to be absorbed in it. It did have some great moments, however. I will have to look og some of the best graphic novels for Black Lightening and give them a go.

While I enjoyed the build and origin of the hero of this story and his family, the art and use of the villains really put me off. Especially how weak and pathetic Tobias Whale was portrayed. Having the CW show fresh in my head may have influenced my thoughts a bit. If I hadn't seen such a strong portrayal of some of BL's villains already, I might have enjoyed it a little more. I'll hopefully get my hands on some different takes on this hero and give it another shot.

Black Lightning begins! Get to know Jefferson Pierce, a.k.a. Black Lightning, before his starring turn in the CW’s Black Lightning TV show! It’s been years since Olympic gold medalist Jefferson Pierce ran from a past plagued by his father’s murder and a superhuman power he couldn’t understand. In that time, decay has transformed his home, Metropolis’ Southside, into the notorious “Suicide Slum.” Accompanied by his wife and daughter, Pierce returns to make a difference in his old community as t...

Did not finish. Skimmed through endy bits. The writing was not that great. Really hard to follow most of the time.

I'm struggling to come up with titles that fit this week's narrow theme."Look in my eyes, I got the power,Villains run from the static showerSuperhero static shock, Superhero static shock." When my son was little, one of his favorite cartoons was Static Shock. It was the DC Animated Universe’s kiddie look at Black Lightning as a teenager, when he was first adjusting to his powers. It was a lot of fun and the theme song kind of sticks in your head."Superhero static shock, Superhero static shock."...

An okay read! So after watching and really enjoying the Black Lightning TV series, I thought I'd give some of the comics a read. So as the Year One title suggests, this book serves as a origin story for the character. Jefferson Pierce moves back home with his family to Southside in Metropolis, only to find it to be a crime ridden, corrupt place. To start with what I liked, I did enjoy how dark and mature the story was, it sets the tone very well and shows even Metropolis with Superman guarding i...

This story did have a few clever or inspiring panels in it, one in particular with Superman and a girl with a folding paper airplane, and Jefferson is a character you always want to root for. That said, I thought the pacing here was a little off at times between issues, and I didn't really think this supernatural imagining of the 100 Gang was a great fit for a Black Lightning nemesis. Most of the conflicts are against mooks; even Whale is a mook through much of the book, and while it does set hi...

I can't say why I bought this as I've never read Black Lightning books before. I've seen him turn up in the odd JLA story, but I've never read the stand-alone titles. Maybe it piqued my interest because of the upcoming TV show; I don't know.What we get is a great story grounded in an urban ghetto, about a strong, principled, passionate and tireless crusader for justice. His stance is beautifully summed up in this paraphrase of a famous quote: "Justice, like lightning, should ever appear to some

I started watching and really enjoying the Black Lightning tv show, so I wanted to read some of his comics. Year One seemed a good place to start, but --While the artwork is dynamic and services the character and his world, the story itself is bumpy and bland. The narration (each of the 6 chapters is narrated by a different character) is so out of sync with what is happening in the frames of the actual storyline. And the magical villain, while an interesting explanation as to why Superman doesn'...

Loved the first episode based on this superhero, so of course I picked up the graphic novel! I thoroughly enjoyed it as well. However, I should have waited until season 1 was finished because now either I will feel disappointment if possible spoilers have been revealed, or I will feel disappointment if the show deviates too much from the original story. Curse my impatience!

In the late 70’s my mother picked me up a Black Lightning comic. The cover had him fighting the Whale. I read it over and over because he was a cool new hero. I found him more often after that and in team ups. Now with a new tv show I figured it was time to see where he has come in the comics. Well written with some good art. He’s still a great hero.

I just wanted to compare with the TV show. It is a nice comic book, but far from thrilling. The characters are much better portrayed in the show and the conflicts are more diverse. Anyway, a good way to get in touch with this character

Metropolis, like most major cities, has a black neighborhood that also happens to be under-served by not only the police department but also superheroes. Attention, Superman! When the Man of Steel as Clark Kent shows up, he does so after Jefferson Pierce aka Black Lightning decides to make his presence known to the scumbags tearing the neighborhood down, which captures the attention of the Metropolis police department.Initially, this story of why Black Lightning emerges comes off as cliched in t...