Black Lightning: Year One #5
	Writer: Jen Van Meter Penciller: Cully Hamner Colorist: Laura Martin Letterer: Sal Cipriano Editors: Rachel Gluckstern and Joan Hilty Published by: DC Comics 'Black Lightning' created by Anthony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden
	Reviewed by: Bruce Logan

This month in Black Lightning: Year One it’s Jefferson Pierce versus, wait for it, Black Lightning! Yes people, in the penultimate installment of this self-titled mini Jefferson Pierce faces off against his alter ego. No, it’s not a dream or a waking nightmare brought on by the One Hundred. It is a very much happening real life fight. Oh so what if the Black Lightning inside the costume isn’t the real deal, after all Ol’ Jeff isn’t a speedster and this can’t make the illusion of being in two places at once. It’s all part of the ruse concocted by Jefferson to draw out the One Hundred. (As I guessed/hoped) last issue’s spousal fight was also part of the same plan as is this month’s “NOT-Black Lightning”.

Moving on to the meat of the story and I must confess that the central part of this issue was a bit, how shall I put it, well, mediocre. Sure it had all the right things, the baddies making their moves, a close family member/friend in danger, heroes working together, heck; it even didn’t have that proverbial block o’ lead, Talia. Still, for all the correct ingredients it felt a bit disjointed, a little rushed. While it might read better when collected/read together but somehow this issue didn’t quite gel together with the tone of the previous one. Even the narration, once again by another of Black Lightning’s close confidants, came across as rather forced. It was as if instead of telling his story the narrator here was solely placed as a fluffer for our hero.

On a positive note though, this issue was possibly the first time that I enjoyed, (okay, did not outright detest and or get bored of) the character of Tobias Whale. Maybe that’s because instead of being shoved down my throat as Oh-so-evil (e.g. Gotham Underground) Tobias here was depicted here as a genuinely believable bad guy. Still it doesn’t mean Tubby Bias is getting a place in my Top-10 favourite DC bad-guys. He does however score higher than the Black Mask, Hal Jordan (Parallax) and Super(Emo)Boy Prime.

Just as Cully Hamner’s artwork continues to impress so does NOT the colouring. At this point I feel that the overly blacks black are more a result of the printing than just the colourist.

Conclusion: Looking forward to things wrapping up, and also (possibly) more on Li’l Anissa’s budding powers.

RATING: 7/10