Jenny Blake Isabella
A pioneering writer who broke barriers by creating DC Comics' first major African-American superhero, Black Lightning.
Born 1951 (age 75)·American comic book creator and critic·Birthday: December 22·Baby Boomers
Biography
Born in 1951, Jenny Blake Isabella, who works under the name Tony Isabella, carved a distinct path through the comic book industry as a writer, critic, and relentless advocate. Her career began at Marvel Comics in the 1970s, where she contributed to titles like Ghost Rider and created the character Black Goliath. Her most lasting impact, however, came at DC Comics, where she developed Jefferson Pierce, the high school teacher turned electrifying hero Black Lightning, giving a generation of readers a cornerstone Black superhero who was grounded and relatable. Beyond creation, Isabella's voice as a columnist for the Comics Buyer's Guide wielded significant influence, offering sharp criticism and championing creators' rights with a passion that often put her at odds with corporate powers. Her work reflects a career dedicated not just to storytelling, but to pushing the medium toward greater inclusivity and integrity.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Jenny was born in 1951, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jenny Was Born
The biggest hits of 1951
#1 Movie
Quo Vadis
Best Picture
An American in Paris
#1 TV Show
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Jenny's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1951Born
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1956Started school
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1964Became a teenager
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Could drive
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1969Could vote
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Turned 21
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1981Turned 30
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 40
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 50
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 60
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 70
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 75 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Created Black Lightning, DC Comics' first major African-American superhero to headline his own series.
- Authored the long-running 'Tony's Tips' column for Comics Buyer's Guide, shaping comic criticism and consumer advice.
- Wrote for major characters including Luke Cage, Power Man and Daredevil during his tenure at Marvel Comics.
- Co-created the cult-favorite character the Man-Thing for Marvel's *Fear* magazine.
Did You Know?
He is a vocal critic of certain comic book company practices and has been involved in public disputes over character rights.
The character Black Lightning was initially rejected by DC editors before finally being approved.
He wrote a novel, 'Star Wars: The Return of Tag & Bink,' expanding his work beyond traditional comics.
“Comics are too important to be left to the corporations.”
