Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands #1 review: The return of a black hero

Black Lightning is back into the world of comic books with his own mini-series titled ‘Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands’.

Title: Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands

Writer: Tony Isabella

Artist: Clayton Henry

Colorist: Pete Pantazis

It’s been eight years since DC Comics has graced us with a solo series of one of the first black superheroes in the comic juggernaut’s long history. Granted, this new Black Lightning series is a six-issue miniseries, it’s timing comes to serve as a precursor the CW’s show expected to release in 2018. Corporate synergy is a beautiful thing, and it’s giving us a storyline of one of the more underutilized superhero.

Black Lightning comes out of retirement and meets the 21st century

It’s safe to say Isabella wanted to emphasize the new social norms and the importance of technology in the way news is spread. The opening page shows various cell phones playing a video of “the Weathermen” shooting alien technology (a common theme amongst DC street thugs recently), before Black Lightning destroys one of the weapons.

Those cell phones would play a huge part in the ending of this issue, leaving us with a cliffhanger that screams the “police vs. the public vs. superhero” theme we’ve seen in the past. Isabella wanted to prove Black Lightning was as modern of a character as he’s ever been, and is current events to shape his storyline. It also is a nice way to make fun of the present day focus on having circumstances going viral.

Pierce returns to his superhero life and his hometown of Cleveland to celebrate the life of his late father, Louis Pierce. Prior to that, his first encounter with the Weathermen goes smoothly at first, until one of the thugs shoots his alien tech towards the casino sign. The sign is falling towards surrounding policemen, causing Black Lightning to use electromagnetic pulses, which he credits fellow black superhero Cyborg for teaching him.

He can’t stop the sign from falling, but he does direct it away from civilians, landing it on top of a police car. This causes a policeman to point a gun towards Black Lightning’s face, using the destruction of police property as his reasoning.

His Father’s Legacy and Racial Tensions

Jokingly distraught about missing Cleveland Indians’ slugger Francisco Lindor’s home run because of the Weathermen encounter (his second sports reference, after mentioning Broncos defensive end Von Miller), he is talking to a picture of his father about his day.

Pierce heads to a press event honoring his father’s work. In this story, it seems that his father passed away of more natural causes, contrary to the Year One story of him getting murdered, but it is unclear. We do know both Pierce’s parents are gone.

“Sarge” is talking to Jefferson and his daughter Tommi about the accomplishments of the fallen reporter. The first of the racial storyline was spoken by him, saying that newspapers wouldn’t “trust a black man with one of their company cars, so he bought [a] motorcycle to get his scoops”.

That same rhetoric was spoken by his daughter, Tommi, before Black Lightning once again squared off with the Weathermen. She forewarned her friend to be weary of policemen, because they don’t like vigilantes “especially black vigilantes”.

Black Lightning’s character has always taken race as a centerpiece to his drive, and it’s no different in this miniseries. The racial comments were both made by white characters, as if though to suggest Black Lightning would be overlooking the fact that racial injustice occurs.

It seems racial injustice tied in with current events will be the background force of this series.

Tobias Whale is as ruthless as ever

The history of Tobias Whale in comics hasn’t been that spectacular. With the only thing really differentiating himself with Marvel’s Kingpin being his literal whale-shaped head. In this comic, Isabella does an excellent job of creating instant fear and hatred for his ruthless villain.

Whale is introduced when his white associate Miss Pequod tells him of Black Lightning’s interruption of the casino robbing by the Weathermen. He stares blankly out the window into the night sky, until his sister enters.

The tension between him and his sister comes off with the first words spoken to each other. Whale reveals that he killed his sister’s son, then killing her as she threatens him.

He then places Weathermen as test subjects, using them to frame Black Lightning.

Overall, this miniseries looks to be an impactful six issues. With racial tensions on the rise in the real world, this comic will play to similar storylines. Jefferson Pierce is a strong, well-rounded black man that fights for good, as he was portrayed in past comics.

Next: 50 greatest super heroes in comic book history

The art by Clayton Henry during the entire comic is realistic and clean, and the blue coloring by Pantazis elevates whenever Black Lightning uses his power. This is a thriller of a story, and it seems Tobias Whale’s showdown with Black Lightning will likely be after more actions causing strife between the hero and the public.

This is a must-pick for any comic fan.

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