History ComicBook / TheOtherHistoryOfTheDCUniverse

The first issue, "1972-1995: Jefferson Pierce," takes a deep dive into the personal history of ComicBook/BlackLightning, even as he intersects with the emergence of the Age of Superheroes and the appearance of Black superheroes like [[Franchise/GreenLantern John Stewart]] and ComicBook/{{Vixen}}, eventually joining up with ComicBook/BatmanAndTheOutsiders.

* AdaptationalJerkass: Issues #2 and #5 exemplifies the [[{{Hypocrite}} hypocritical]] tendencies that writers attached onto Roy Harper as a result of the AesopAmnesia of ''Snowbirds Don't Fly'' such as Bob Haney during the original '''ComicBook/TeenTitans''' run and Judd Winick in '''{{ComicBook/Outsiders}}'''

* ComicBookTime: Completely [[AvertedTrope averted]]. The first issue clearly starts in 1972, showing Jefferson Pierce competing in the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972_Summer_Olympics 1972 Summer Olympics]] (which, in the comic and in real life, was overshadowed by the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_massacre Munich massacre]]). The issue ends in 1995, with Jefferson in his forties.

** The series as a whole deconstructs this trope, showing the effect this has on the heroes themselves, as well as showing that the people who view them that way aren't necessarily perfect
* UnreliableNarrator: Issue #2 is narrated by both Malcolm Duncan and Karen Beecher. They have differing views on how certain events regarding how the Titans treated them occurred.

The second issue focuses on Mal Duncan and Karen Beecher-Duncan, A.K.A. Herald and Bumblebee of the ComicBook/TeenTitans. The third issue follows ComicBook/{{Katana}}, while the fourth issue spotlights [[ComicBook/TheQuestion Renee Montoya]]. The fifth and final issue will focus on Annisa Pierce, Black Lightning's daughter who goes by Thunder.

* AdaptationalJerkass: Issues #2 and #5 exemplifies the {{Hypocrite}} tendencies that writers attached onto Roy Harper as a result of the AesopAmnesia of ''Snowbirds Don't Fly'' such as Bob Haney during the original '''ComicBook/TeenTitans''' run and Judd Winick in '''{{ComicBook/Outsiders}}'''

** Issue #5 has Anissa tear into Roy Harper and Dick Grayson, remarking that they conceal their DaddyIssues with casual sex and fighting each other, and it results in The Outsiders being [[FailureHero Failure Heroes]] until Jefferson takes over.

** Averted with Katana who was a VigilanteMan and assassin before she joined the Outsiders. Over time, she becomes less reliant on lethal force as a first resort but never discards the option entirely.
** She is also skeptical that Batman has never killed anyone given how brutal his fighting style is.

** The series as a whole deconstructs this trope, showing the effect this has on the heroes themselves.

* AdaptationalJerkass: Issues #2 and #5 exemplifies the {{Hypocrite}} tendencies that writers attached onto Roy Harper as a result of the AesopAmnesia of ''Snowbirds Don't Fly'' such as Bob Haney during the original '''ComicBook/TeenTitans''' run and Judd Winick in '''ComicBook/Outsiders'''

** Katana calls Deathstroke in the third issue, in which she is the narrator, a "pedophilic rapist" for his problematic relationship with Terra when she was 15 (besides the fact that there was no love nor sentiment from Deathstroke's side due to him just using and manipulating her to spy and weaken the Teen Titans, and Terra, although illegal, was over the puberty), but that's ironic considering that Katana is Japanese native and citizen and in Japan the legal age of consent is even lower, 13 years, so by her own logic here she should call out Japan, her own country, just for this.

* LiesDamnedLiesAndStatistics: While issue #3 wants to point out the problematic relationship between Deathstroke and Terra, it does, however, a disservice by spreading further dangerous disinformation on the matter of pedophilia, how it works, and the difference between pedophilia (sexual attraction to prepubescents) and ephebophilia (sexual attraction to 15 to 19 y.o. adolescents and young adults). Deathstroke is in fact explicitly described as a "pedophilic rapist" here. While Terra was 15 when she and Deathstroke started their relationship and the average age of consent in America is 16 (at least in real life, it is not clear how laws works in DC Universe/s and superheroistic comics' universes in general), the relationship between Terra and Deathstroke cannot be considered pedophilic to the age of Terra being over the age of puberty (especially in her case as a female), and also due to the fact that Deathstroke was not really in love with her and was simply manipulating her to spy and weaken the Teen Titans.

** Katana calls Deathstroke in the third issue, in which she is the narrator, a "pedophilic rapist" for his problematic relationship with Terra when she was 15 (besides the fact that there was no love nor sentiment from Deathstroke's side due to him just using and manipulating her to spy and weaken the Teen Titans and Terra, although illegal, was over the puberty), but that's ironic considering that Katana is Japanese native and citizen and in Japan the legal age of consent is even lower, 13 years, so by her own logic here she should call out Japan, her own country, just for this.

** Katana calls Deathstroke in the third issue, in which she is the narrator, a "pedophilic rapist" for his relationship with Terra when she was 15 (besides the fact that there was no love nor sentiment from Deathstroke's side due to him just using and manipulating her to spy and weaken the Teen Titans and Terra, although illegal, was over the puberty), but that's ironic considering that Katana is Japanese native and citizen and in Japan the legal age of consent is even lower, 13 years, so by her own logic here she should call out Japan, her own country, just for this.

** Katana calls Deathstroke in the third issue, in which she is the narrator, a "pedophilic rapist" for his relationship with Terra when she was 15 (besides the fact that there was no love nor sentiment from Deathroke's side due to him just using and manipulating her to spy and weaken the Teen Titans and Terra, although illegal, was over the puberty), but that's ironic considering that Katana is Japanese native and citizen and in Japan the legal age of consent is even lower, 13 years, so by her own logic here she should call out Japan, her own country, just for this.

* LiesDamnedLIesAndStatistics: While #3 wants to point out the problematic relationship between Deathstroke and Terra, it does, however, a disservice by spreading further dangerous disinformation on the matter of pedophilia, how it works, and the difference between pedophilia (sexual attraction to prepubescents) and ephebophilia (sexual attraction to 15 to 19 y.o. adolescents and young adults). Deathstroke is in fact explicitly described as a "pedophilic rapist" here. While Terra was 15 when she and Deathstroke started their relationship and the average age of consent in America is 16 (at least in real life, it is not clear how laws works in DC Universe/s and superheroistic comics' universes in general), the relationship between Terra and Deathstroke cannot be considered pedophilic to the age of Terra being over the age of puberty (especially in her case as a female), and also due to the fact that Deathstroke was not really in love with her and was simply manipulating her to spy and weaken the Teen Titans.

* LiesDamnedLIesAndStatistics: While this issue wants to point out the problematic relationship between Deathstroke and Terra, it does, however, a disservice by spreading further dangerous disinformation on the matter of pedophilia, how it works, and the difference between pedophilia (sexual attraction to prepubescents) and ephebophilia (sexual attraction to 15 to 19 y.o. adolescents and young adults). Deathstroke is in fact explicitly described as a "pedophilic rapist" here. While Terra was 15 when she and Deathstroke started their relationship and the average age of consent in America is 16 (at least in real life, it is not clear how laws works in DC Universe/s and superheroistic comics' universes in general), the relationship between Terra and Deathstroke cannot be considered pedophilic to the age of Terra being over the age of puberty (especially in her case as a female), and also due to the fact that Deathstroke was not really in love with her and was simply manipulating her to spy and weaken the Teen Titans.

* AngryBlackMan: Played straight, [[JustifiedTrope justified]], and [[SubvertedTrope subverted]]. Jefferson's father's death affects him a great deal, even as he becomes a coach and teacher. The anger seeps out of him during his sleep as he burns his bed with his powers. Even marrying Lynn and having children doesn't stop the rage from swelling in him, which pushes Lynn away. Finally, he has to confront his own mistakes and the rage that ended up hurting both himself and his family and try to get over it with the help of his friends.

** Issue #1 examines and deconstructs Black Lightning's AngryBlackMan personality by looking at the reasons why an African-American man in America would be angry. It also calls out the League complacency in society's ills without necessarily making them villains.

* AdultFear:
** Karen is critical of Superman's decision to shelter his teenage cousin Kara. It isn't until Kara dies during the ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' that Karen realizes that Clark was just trying to protect the last member of his biological family.
** Issue #5 is one big one as we see that Jefferson and Lynn Pierce freaked out over the idea of their kids getting into heroics and Jefferson's role as Black Lightning. It ultimately gets Deconstructed as it turns out that all their panicking and protecting just angered the kids and made the dysfunctional family that is the Pierces worse.

** Issue #5 is focused on Anissa Pierce and the struggles of being a TwoferTokenMinority - black, female and gay - being a SpinOffspring as the daughter of Black Lightning, trying to be a representative of a section of superheroism who had no representative and the dysfunctions of letting AdultFear run your life.

** Issue #5 has Anissa tear into Roy Harper and Dick Grayson, remarking that they conceal their DaddyIssues with casual sex and fighting each other, and it results in The Outsiders being [FailureHero Failure Heroes]] until Jefferson takes over.

** Issue #5 has Anissa tear into Roy Harper and Dick Grayson, remarking that they conceal their DaddyIssues with casual sex and fighting each other, and it results in The Outsiders being FailureHeroes until Jefferson takes over.

* BookEnds: The first book is told from the point of view of Jefferson Pierce, Black ''Lightning''. The final book is from the point of view of his daughter Anitta, ''Thunder''.

* AdultFear: Karen is critical of Superman's decision to shelter his teenage cousin Kara. It isn't until Kara dies during the ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' that Karen realizes that Clark was just trying to protect the last member of his biological family.