Blacklight #1

History

Blacklight launched as part of Jim Valentino's deliberate resurrection of Shadowline, his personal imprint within Image Comics, which had lain largely dormant while he served as Image's publisher from 1999 to 2003. After Erik Larsen took over as publisher, Valentino returned to Shadowline and relaunched it in 2004–2005 alongside a revived ShadowHawk series; Blacklight was one of the earliest new titles to carry the refreshed Shadowline banner. Valentino conceived the character and co-wrote the debut with Scott Wherle, who had been recruited specifically for the Blacklight series and would later take over scripting duties on ShadowHawk as well; Kristen Simon served as editor throughout. One minor production wrinkle is documented: story material originally planned for a third issue was folded into issue #2 instead.

Trivia · 8 facts

• First appearance of Lina Juarez as the second Blacklight (cover-dated June 2005, Shadowline/Image Comics).
• Also features Ted Cleaver, the original Blacklight — a 1960s 'hippie hero' who had spent thirty years in a coma before dying in a fight with ShadowHawk, setting the events of this series in motion.
• Lina Juarez's powers derive from 'Dark Matter,' the same supernatural energy source that empowered Ted Cleaver; she can manifest solid constructs from thin air.
• Creative team: plot/concept by Jim Valentino (Image co-founder and Shadowline head), script by Scott Wherle, pencils by John Toledo, inks by Marc Deering, letters by Jim Keplinger, and editing by Kristen Simon.
• The issue's story arc is titled 'Light from a Dead Star,' a title that reflects the thematic handoff of power from a dead hero to an unsuspecting civilian.
• Published under the relaunched Shadowline imprint; Shadowline's revival in 2004–2005 was Valentino's return to publishing his own work after stepping down as Image publisher — Blacklight was among the earliest new titles in that relaunched line.
• The series ran for at least two issues, with no evidence of a collected edition or reprint volume found in available sources.
• Lina Juarez subsequently crossed over into ShadowHawk stories and encountered Bomb Queen, embedding her within the broader Shadowline shared universe.

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