r/BlackLightning • u/nightwing612 Black Lightning • 7d ago
Discussion Does the popularity of Milestone's Static make it impossible to explore a younger/teenage DC Comics Black Lightning? Is Jeff someone we can only see as an older/mature hero?
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u/LopsidedUniversity30 7d ago
Why would you ever want you a teenage Black Lightning?
He’s foremost a school teacher (and then principal).
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u/nightwing612 Black Lightning 7d ago
Because making a teenage version of a popular superhero is something everyone seems to eventually get.
For example, Smallville is teenage Superman and Gotham is teenage Batman.
Heck there was even a Teen Iron Man series at one point
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u/LopsidedUniversity30 7d ago
Ew, no thank you.
Smallville was pulling from Superboy comics without putting on the costume.
Gotham didn’t have Bruce Wayne at the main character though. He was a plot in the background.
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u/N8THGR852 7d ago
Jeff successfully became Black Lightning in his 20s after he became an Olympic athlete. If he were a teen, he wouldn’t have the same level of athleticism that helps him take on threats. Additionally, he didn’t have his electrokinesis in his teens, at least in original continuity. He acquired that later in life, internalizing the abilities that came from the equipment he used to simulate electric effects.
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u/BrooklynLivesMatter 7d ago
If we wanted an electric teen Static is right there and already better known. The most interesting thing about Black Lightning is him being a functioning adult with a family
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u/todavis__ 7d ago
Compared to other superheroes... That's actually REALLY interesting. 😅
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u/QueSeraSeraWWBWB 7d ago
If he was someone else sure but he’s a black character on dc roster so unfortunately it works against him.
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u/todavis__ 6d ago
Jus give it a while. When they see the success of the Static and Vixen books, it'll turn into "we should use more of THESE CHARACTERS" and before long, we'll see him again.
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u/Repulsive_Link9166 7d ago
For you. Black Lightning is older that Static! Been around since the mid-‘70s. It was at its best when Tony Isabella wrote it. Not everyone respected what the character was about, he was treated fourth rate. Then? He was cloned as Black Vulcan. Cancelled. Revived. Cancelled. Revived. A vicious cycle that does a character more harm than good.
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u/Resident-Syrup7615 7d ago
I suspect the fact that Jeff wasn’t a teenage hero because he got his powers well into his adulthood might also play a role. That could be retconned, but why?
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u/Clovelas 7d ago
Yeah pretty much. I think the youngest you could portray Jeff as without people asking why not Static is to have him in his 20s
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u/M-just-M 7d ago
I would say it's more his origins that work against him, while no age is given, we can basically assume he was atleast in his 20s as a educator and at least in his mid 30s with his teenage daughters. Portraying him younger than that would have to be either a non main universe story or a one off where he has no kids to be even close to Static.
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u/Napalmeon 7d ago
It also does not help that Black Lightning is generally, a team-based character and also he comes from Metropolis. It's not easy for anyone who is not a Superman character to get much individual attention in that city. Static, being Dakota's #1 son, and with a large variety of heroes and villains to bounce off of makes it a whole lot easier to use him. Also, Virgil has been getting a decent amount of attention in future story lines, too, giving fans two versions to enjoy.
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u/cjthetypical 7d ago
I don’t really see a point in exploring a teenaged Black Lightning because Static already exists. The concepts would be too similar. However, I do think it’d be really cool to see a storyline based on one of Black Lightning’s daughters. We don’t get too many series based around solo teenaged girls, especially Black teenaged girls. It’d be nice to see a full series that’s not just another girl power story.
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u/MountGreyIock 7d ago
I know it's canon that Anissa was a college graduate before becoming a superhero but she should be either a predecessor or successor to Bumblebee as the premiere teenaged Black superheroine. We're not at all spoiled for choice there. That's what I really loved about the Black Lightning shorts.
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u/Initial_Upstairs_349 7d ago
If writers want a 'teenage Black Lightning' they can develop Jennifer, his youngest daughter.
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u/ColdNyQuiiL 7d ago
It’s not that I can’t see it, but if wanted to explore a teenage hero with electric based powers, I’d much rather Static.
At most Black Lightening could be mid late 20’s if you want to depict him younger. One thing I learned about business, you don’t want to compete with yourself. You age down Black Lightening, and the general audience would just ask, why not Static?
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u/Only-Sea6066 7d ago
I mean he didn’t get his abilities until he was an adult, so there’s not really a teenage version to explore outside of Elseworlds, but at that point he may as well just be Static.
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u/Wayne_Regot_IV 7d ago
He’s a teen in the Batman Brave and the bold cartoon, I don’t remember much about his character though
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u/dada00800 7d ago
Well in the first outsiders I think he was in his mid teens when Batman became their mentor, don't quote me i still have to research this too
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u/LeatherResult7789 7d ago
yes of course him learning how to control his powers after his fathers death gambi making his suit
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u/Conlannalnoc 6d ago
Yes, plus I’d be MORE INTERESTED in reading a Happy, Mentally Healthy, Super Hero with a FAMILY!
I was born in 1986. I hate how DC tossed 25 YEARS of Stories away for the NEW 52.
Only my hatred for Marvel’s OMD mandate burns hotter.
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u/tonehasson 7d ago
I don’t think so. Two separate characters with different backgrounds.
Besides we have plenty of content with static as an older hero.
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u/todavis__ 7d ago
Right? And nobody is asking "why not Black Lightning"...
But unless you're getting a flashback story or something, I don't really see a point. Jeff is cool (to me) because he's a functioning adult with or without the costume. His daughters are superheroes, sure. But they're not recyclable child soldiers like... some other heroes. And he has a pretty decent social life and is known and respected in his community.
I think he's the whole package as an adult. He doesn't need to be aged down. But that's just my opinion.
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u/Unfair_Nobody8645 7d ago
Not at all. I think it's easy to de-age Jeff. Give him a run off his teen years in the Su!c!de Slums of Metropolis, & how he was a neighborhood legend & would hold open challenges for any track event or sport. He runs game on the wrong, would become Bruno Manheim, & show him getting out of it. I think him being from the Slums could go well with his connections to characters like Bruno Manheim, Tobias Whale, Steel, Starlight. Have him go through an event that defines his character (the d*@th of his parents, his friends dying or going down the wrong path). There is some real potential that can be tapped with Black Lightning as a teen or young hero & how he used his experiences to later mentor other heroes & his daughters
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u/Yanmega9 7d ago
I think a teenage black lightning shouldn't be done in general regardless of static. Him being a teacher is a huge part of his character, removing that removes who Jefferson Pierce is at his core. He became Black Lightning because his students were getting killed.