DC POWER: BLACK LIGHTNING 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL REUNITES JEFFERSON PIERCE WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND FELLOW HEROES IN A 48-PAGE ONE-SHOT ON JANUARY 27, 2027
main cover by Edwin Galmon and Andrew Dalhouse
For 50 years, Jefferson Pierce has been a father, an educator, a leader, and the electrifying hero known as Black Lightning. This January, DC celebrates five decades of Black Lightning with DC Power: Black Lightning 50th Anniversary Special, a 48-page one-shot bringing together creators from across comics to honor Jefferson Pierce’s enduring legacy while continuing his story in the DC Universe.
On sale January 27, 2027, DC Power: Black Lightning 50th Anniversary Special will feature a main story by Jenny Isabella (Black Lightning), Brandon Thomas (Black Lightning: The Standard), and Fico Ossio (Black Lightning: The Standard), with additional stories by writers Danny Lore, Greg Anderson Elysée, and Al Letson and artists Karen S. Darboe, Darryl Banks, and Sedat Özgen.
In the main story, the celebration finds Black Lightning entrusted with protecting Metropolis while Superman is away. But as an old enemy plots his demise from the shadows, Jefferson will once again have to prove that protecting a community means more than simply winning the fight.
Jefferson Pierce has saved the world countless times, but with another battle for its fate looming on the horizon, does he still have time to repair his relationship with his ex-wife, Lynn Stewart? As Jefferson considers what comes next for the two of them, his responsibilities as Black Lightning continue to pull him in every direction.
The anniversary special also explores the many relationships that have defined Black Lightning across five decades, from family and old friends to fellow heroes throughout the DC Universe. Jefferson fights alongside the Outsiders, including Katana, the Signal, and Cassandra Cain; crosses paths with his daughters, Anissa and Jennifer; and joins Mr. Terrific and Steel as the special explores the responsibilities, relationships, and personal connections behind the hero. Black Lightning’s vision in DC K.O. also looms over the special, pushing Jefferson closer to a new role as mentor to a young hero.
“I’m excited about the special,” said Jenny Isabella. “As the old lady of the team, I get to work with a bunch of talented ‘youngsters’ who love and respect my creation. Plus, we have an alternate cover by my pal Trevor Von Eeden, the first artist who drew Black Lightning and who is justifiably considered a co-creator of the character and his world. I had a blast returning to these characters. It’s a book that brings the action, the drama, the sense of peril, and the fun. So much fun.”
“As much as it can be said that someone who doesn’t own a character can have a chosen successor, Brandon is mine,” added Isabella. “Collaborating with Brandon was amazing. He gets Jefferson Pierce in a way only a few writers have. He’s an incredibly gifted, hardworking writer. I think the comics world is just beginning to realize how good he is.”
“I discovered Jenny felt this way a few weeks ago, well after we’d agreed to work together on this,” said Brandon Thomas, “and I was incredibly grateful and humbled by her support. It is without a doubt one of the kindest things anyone in comics has ever said about my work and my pursuit to serve and honor characters like Jefferson Pierce. Any opportunity I have to contribute something to his and his family’s legacy will be embraced to the fullest, and doing so alongside his actual creator is something I never imagined possible.”
“It was an honor and an incredible amount of fun,” added Thomas, “and I think that will show in the story. The theme is quite simply love—for his family, his history, and his presence within the DCU for 50 long years. Here’s to 50 more.”
DC Power: Black Lightning 50th Anniversary Specialfeatures a main cover by Edwin Galmon and Andrew Dalhouse, with variant covers by Fico Ossio and Tamra Bonvillain, Trevor Von Eeden and Chris Sotomayor, and a glow-in-the-dark variant cover by Cully Hamner. The 48-page one-shot will be available at participating comic book shops and digital retailers on January 27, 2027, for $5.99 US.
variant covers by Fico Ossio and Tamra Bonvillain, Cully Hamner (glow-in-the-dark)
About Author
