Black Lightning
Back to Heroes Main > Black LightningReal Identity: Jefferson Pierce
Affiliation(s): Justice League
Powers/Skills: Electric Manipulation, Electromagnetism, Electric Absorption, Flight, and Force Field Generation
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Jefferson Pierce grew up in Metropolis' Suicide Slums, a notoriously impoverished community. Pierce's father was killed by mistake during an attempted mob assassination. A month later, he was befriended by Peter Gambi, an Italian tailor. Gambi soon filled the role of father to Pierce. At 18 years old, he won at the Olympics and was given scholarships for college.
He eventually took a teaching job in upstate New York but returned to the Slums after his mother's death. Pierce was disgusted that little had changed and took matters into his own hands. Armed with a force field belt, Pierce had the power of electromagnetism and could generate bolts of electricity. He became Black Lightning and cleaned up the criminal elements that ran unchecked for years. Black Lightning even won the respect of Superman.
Over time, Pierce's body began to absorb the force belt and internalize the electromagnetism. In retaliation for their defeat, the gang named the 100 tried to kill him. Gambi took the bullet and died in Lightning's arms. In a fit of rage, Lightning's electromagnetic powers manifested.
Batman recruited Black Lightning for an eventual expansion of the Justice League. He arrived with a small team of recruits when Superwoman, Captain Super, Uncle Super, and Captain Super Junior teleported into the Watchtower in search of the Quantum Trigger. Unable to take down Uncle Super, Black Lightning tapped into the Watchtower's power to augment his own and neutralize Super.