Alias

Black Lightning
Nick Name
|
Civilian ID
Jefferson Pierce
Occupation

Adventurer

Secretary of Education

Olympic Athlete

Teacher
Legal Status
Citizen of the United States with no criminal record.
Nation or Planet of Origin

Suicide Slum, Metropolis, New York
Group Affiliation

Justice League

Outsiders
Base of Operations

Brick City

Metropolis, New York
Height
6' 6"
Weight
180 lbs.
Eye Color
Brown
Hair Color
Black
Skin Tone
Negroid
Known Powers
Meta-human with an ability to generate and control massive amounts of electrical energy.   Electricity can be utilized as an offensive weapon a defensive force-field or a means of travel along its current.

Olympic level athlete with excellent acrobatic and hand-to-hand combat skills

Above average intelligence with skills as an educator.
Accessories
Black Lightning Costume: Electrically charged costume capable of dispensing massive amounts of electrical energy.

Note:  Pierce's latent meta-gene enabling him to control electricity makes his costume no longer necessary.
Common Enemies

(The) 100

Tobias Whale
Regularly Appearing

Batman and the Outsiders

Black Lightning Vol. 1 & 2

Justice League of America Vol. 2
First Appearance
Black Lightning Vol. 1 #1 (April, 1977)
Creator
Tony Isabella & Trevor Von Eeden
Origin
A gold-metal Olympic decathlete, Jefferson Pierce returned as a high school teacher to his impoverished childhood neighborhood of Suicide Slum, in the city of Metropolis.  Appalled by the violence created by the criminal gang known as the 100, Pierce sought the help of Peter Gambi, a family friend with skills a tailor and electronics engineer.  Gambi created a costume and miniature-dynamo belt which could harness and direct electricity.  After using the costume for a period of time Pierce's latent meta-gene activated enabling him to internalize his costume's powers as the thunderous Black Lightning.