Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access will require additional advanced notice. Unless noted, digital media are not available online. Copies of unrestricted digital files will be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request. Access will be provided to use copies of unrestricted digital files rather than carrier media, such as CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks. Some or all electronic files may be unavailable or restricted due to privacy reasons, agreement with the donor, software is not available to interact with files, or because files cannot be retrieved from original media.
The Black Lightning Comic Book Collection contains issues of DC Comics' Black Lightning series, featuring the superhero of the same name. The collection has all 11 comic book issues of the first Black Lightning series which ran from 1977 to 1978. The character was co-created by writer Jenny Blake Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden.
The character of Black Lightning's co-creator writer is Jenny Blake Isabella, who was born in 1951 and has written comics since 1972, working for both DC and Marvel Comics. She has also written under the name Tony Isabella. Co-creator and illustrator Trevor Von Eeden was born in Guyana in 1959 and was the first Black artist hired by DC Comics. He has also worked as a commercial artist.
The series was published by DC Comics, one of the oldest and most successful publishers in the comic book industry. It was founded in 1935 and produces chiefly superhero comics, including titles with Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
The 11 issues of the 1977-1978 Black Lightning series are in magazine format and are staple-bound. They have color illustrations and are each 32 pages long, including advertisements.
Black Lightning was DC Comics' first Black superhero to star in his own title. He was high school teacher Jefferson Pierce who fought crime in his neighborhood using electric superpowers. The series was notable for its inclusion of then-underrepresented Black Americans and urban crime. Pierce's role as an educator went against stereotypes of the time period. The series has guest appearances by Superman.
This collection is arranged numerically by the series's original order.
The NC State University Libraries generally claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Libraries staff are unable to advise on copyright and other legal matters; the user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Helpful resources for assessing copyright include Cornell Libraries' "Copyright Services: Copyright Term and the Public Domain" and copyright.gov. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information about identifiable living individuals, which may be protected under federal or state laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that there may be legal ramifications for disclosing this information.
The University Archives operates in accordance with the State Public Records Act, with unrestricted access to records not covered by state and federal statutes and regulations.
[Identification of item], Black Lightning Comic Book Collection, MC 00779, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Purchase (Accession 2025.0050, 2025 May)
Processed by: Laura Abraham, May 2025; Collection guide written by: Laura Abraham, May 2025
Collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access will require additional advanced notice. Unless noted, digital media are not available online. Copies of unrestricted digital files will be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request. Access will be provided to use copies of unrestricted digital files rather than carrier media, such as CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks. Some or all electronic files may be unavailable or restricted due to privacy reasons, agreement with the donor, software is not available to interact with files, or because files cannot be retrieved from original media.
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Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
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Phone: (919) 515-2273
[Identification of item], Black Lightning Comic Book Collection, MC 00779, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
The NC State University Libraries generally claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Libraries staff are unable to advise on copyright and other legal matters; the user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Helpful resources for assessing copyright include Cornell Libraries' "Copyright Services: Copyright Term and the Public Domain" and copyright.gov. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information about identifiable living individuals, which may be protected under federal or state laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that there may be legal ramifications for disclosing this information.
The University Archives operates in accordance with the State Public Records Act, with unrestricted access to records not covered by state and federal statutes and regulations.