The 73-year old writer and creator of superhero Black Lightning and co-creator of Misty Knight and Tigra has announced she is a transgender woman, and that her new name is Jenny Blake Isabella. “I’ve always liked the name Jenny,” she explains, while “Blake comes from Marvel’s Doctor Don[ald Blake, the original alter-ego of Marvel’s Thor]. Once a Marvel maniac, always a Marvel maniac.”
THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY: Coming out as transgender on my social media was one of the scariest things I have ever done. The love and support I was shown lifted my spirits and gave me hope. I’ll have more to say soon. For now…thank you. 2-9-25.
— Tony Isabella (@tonyisabella.bsky.social) February 10, 2025 at 2:17 PM
She elaborates that she doesn’t consider “Tony Isabella” a deadname, explaining she plans to use both. When asked by DC about reprints of her old work, she responded, “Going forward, I’ll be writing under both names as I am already doing with Last Kiss [the comic strip she co-writes]. Whether I use Tony or Jenny will depend on the project. For example, if I were to write another Black Lightning series, it would make sense on several levels, including commercial, for me to go with Tony. If I were to write a series starring his daughters, Jenny might be more appropriate. I haven’t yet decided which name will go on my new trans super-hero series. It could be both.”
Similarly, Isabella will be presenting as Tony at her upcoming convention appearances, “because I feel that’s who the fans would want to see and who the promoters booked. When you bring me comics to sign, I’ll sign them as Tony Isabella unless you request otherwise. If you think you can make bank getting the first Jenny Blake Isabella autograph on your books, you should know I have already signed a number of items as Jenny for close friends.”
She acknowledges that she has come out at an especially fraught time for trans and non-binary Americans, with the second Trump administration more hellbent than ever on erasing them. “My transition will be expensive, especially if the Nazis running our nation continue their cruel assaults on trans people and our medical care,” she says. “As it is, only my medications and therapy are paid for. Anything else would be considered cosmetic and not covered. Indeed, because of odd complications, I’ll be paying for therapy out of pocket until July.”
For more on how to support Isabella, as well as the trans character she’s developing, head to her blog post. In the meantime, The Beat would like to congratulate Isabella on now living as her true self, and for proving it’s never too late for people like her to do so; we wish her, and her wife and two children the best of luck on this personal journey.
I’ve known Jenny for around thirty years. I was a big time fan before becoming a friend fellow member of Capa-Alpha. Spent a number of cons keeping up and having a good time. They have my total respect and support.
Wishing Jenny nothing but happiness, fulfillment, and a continued legacy of amazing stories.
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