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• #BLACK LIGHTNING DC SERIES#

In the pulpy adventure comics and dime novels of the 20th Century, an all-too-common setting was that of a dashing white figure plumbing the depths of a wild African jungle, providing danger and excitement that the reader could usually only achieve through the proxy of fiction. But more than that, Molo represented that barriers of race and nationality have no place in a world where we all rely on each other to survive. As one of the team’s most pragmatic members, Molo was the first to discard superstitious rumors of the deep in favor of more feasible scientific explanations. So it was that through the Sea Devils, DC introduced its first international Black hero: a Sea Devil named Molo, who stood in for the continental African coalition of Sea Devils in a meeting of the organization’s global representatives. Preserving our oceans and our environment is a responsibility which falls upon every citizen of the world. As one of the most integral causes for real world heroes to this day, the mission of the Sea Devils wasn’t, and couldn’t, possibly be limited to Americans alone. With their debut in 1960, the deep-sea diving Sea Devils were one of the first teams of heroes whose main cause was one of environmentalism-preventing threats to the world’s oceans in order to preserve its ecosystem and the future of mankind. If Black and white men could fight together behind enemy lines, in the boxing ring, or on a baseball diamond, then it could be a first step to existing side-by-side off the field of battle. An athlete himself, Jackie Johnson was based on the color barrier-shattering athletic stars at the time like Jackie Robinson and Joe Louis, literally fighting every inch they could for an equality denied to them by generations of bigotry.

As a member of Easy Company, Jackie Johnson wasn’t just a champion for Black heroism, but for racial integration. Even in World War II, it was quite rare for African Americans to be integrated with their white brothers-in-arms. However, even as Americans fought to repel Nazi ideologies, racial segregation was still a powerful presence in the United States. Rock’s most trusted soldiers was Jackie Johnson, Easy Company’s stand-in for those many Black men who enlisted in World War II. Rock and his eclectic Easy Company represented the American values of freedom and diversity that the Allies were fighting for against the Nazi regime. The most prestigious of DC’s wartime heroes, Sgt. Recommended Reading: The Brave and the Bold #84 Though Sergeant Jackson’s story only lasted for one issue, his legacy was preserved as the grandfather of Skyrocket, a high-flying member of the San Francisco-based super team the Power Company.įirst Appearance: Our Army at War #113, 1961 Written while America was still fighting with the Axis Powers, this true-to-life story of a battalion of African-American soldiers raiding a Nazi citadel was dedicated to the millions of Black men “doing their fair share in the armed forces, and on the home front, to win the war and usher in a new era of peace and understanding among men!” In the real world, Black men like Ralph Jackson enlisted to join the Allied Forces in droves in hopes of promoting a dream of a “double victory”: one which would defeat both the Nazi regime in Europe and win new rights for themselves in a divided America. The very first Black hero in DC comics history was a soldier by the name of Ralph Jackson. But these early positive examples of heroism still stand as DC’s first overtures towards a more diverse universe, one in which everyone can see themselves as a hero.įirst Appearance: World’s Finest Comics #17, 1945 To be fair, that number is not as many as it should be and often includes supporting roles to a white hero or majority white team. While Black Lightning was the first Black DC superhero to headline his own comic book title, quite a number of Black heroes have preceded him in DC history. It’s often said that Black Lightning was DC’s first Black superhero, but this, however, is only half-true. However, we want to clear up a common misconception about both Black Lightning and Black history in the DC Universe (it IS Black History Month, after all). We don't know about you, but we missed Jefferson and his family of heroes and are excited to see them get back to the business of fighting for the people of Freeland.

#BLACK LIGHTNING DC SERIES#

Black Lightning kicked off its final season yesterday and the Cress Williams-starring CW series remains one of the best superhero shows on the air right now.