Trans comic book creator gains new powers in Ohio

Comic books have been around for generations, but now, the comic industry is seeing more diversity than ever before.

Cleveland’s own Jenny Blake Isabella, who previously wrote under the name Tony Isabella, has been a prominent comic book writer for decades. Recently, she has also become a queer icon in the comic community after coming out as transgender in 2025, at age 73.

The catalyst to Isabella’s transition journey came when she attended a queer comic book convention, Flaming River Con, just one year earlier. There, she had an epiphany: “ I realized I was so comfortable around queer people because I was one of them… when I realized I was trans, you know, I started feeling better, more adjusted, and more like myself.”

Public reception to her coming out has been overwhelmingly positive, Isabella said, especially in the comics world.

“I was thoroughly embraced by the comics community,” she said. “By and large, the comics book industry was so welcoming, and this Comic Con was the first Comic Con I did presenting as my authentic self, and it couldn’t have gone better. Nothing but love and respect and acceptance all across the board.”

Not only has there been more acceptance in the comic world, but there’s also been an expansion of what it means to be a superhero on screen. Queer characters and actors, like DC Comics’ trans superhero Nia Nal, played by transgender actress Nicole Maines, show the industry’s strides towards inclusion. The writers’ rooms, too, are diversifying.

“ There’s a bunch of queer and even trans creators in comics,” Isabella said. “I was on a trans and non-binary creator panel at Comic Con, I was on an outed comic panel in Comic Con, and the people on that panel were just a fraction of the queer representation in comics.”

Isabella’s Beginnings

Isabella’s love for comics started at a young age. Recounting a trip she took with her family when she was just 12 years old, where she used all of her souvenir money on comic books, Isabella said.

“My mother told me I could only buy one more comic book that trip,” she added. “Well, being smarter than my parents, as all kids are – I said, ‘Well, I’m gonna show her. I’m gonna buy a quarter comic book.’”

“I saw ‘Fantastic Four’ annual No. 1 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.” Isabella said, “I bought that comic, and it just opened my eyes. It was one of the greatest comics ever. I still say it was, you know, my personal favorite comic of all time. And somewhere along the line, it hit me that this was a job people got paid for, making comic books, and I wanted that job.”

After getting her start at Marvel Comics, where she wrote for comics including “Luke Cage, “The Falcon,” and “The Living Mummy,” and created the character Misty Knight, a police officer turned private investigator with a bionic arm, Isabella was recruited to DC Comics. There, she created DC Comics’ first headline Black superhero, Jefferson Pierce, also known as Black Lightning.

What motivated Isabella to write Black superheroes came from the influences she received growing up in Cleveland, especially her time attending a comic book club at the Cudell Recreation Center as a high school student.

“My first Black friends were comic book fans who came from the East Side to the West Side for these meetings,” she said. “And I’m 17 years old. Diversity wasn’t in my language. I just thought it was unfair that my Black friends didn’t have more characters they could relate to. So I told myself that if I ever got into the business, I would try to work with and create characters of color.”

Even now, Isabella resides in Medina, a Cleveland suburb, and considers Cleveland part of her identity.

“I’m part of a proud tradition of Cleveland comic book creators, which includes more people than most people recognize,” she said.

Eventually, Isabella saw her creation, Black Lightning, come to life in a different medium: television. Black Lightning, starring Cress Williams, aired on The CW Network from 2018 to 2021, following the retired superhero’s journey as he returned to action to protect his family.

For Isabella, the television adaptation was a delight to both witness and be a part of.

“ I was over the moon for it.” she said, “I was welcomed by the showrunners, by the actors, by the writers. They actually brought me to Burbank to spend a day with the writers.”

In fact, Isabella visited the set a handful of times every season, even receiving a cameo in the Season Three finale.

What’s Next?

Receiving multiple awards over the course of her career, Isabella recently became a 2026 recipient of the prestigious Bill Finger Award, named after the co-creator of Batman, Milton “Bill” Finger, given to those who have exemplified excellence in comic book writing.

Isabella was presented with this award at Comic-Con on July 24 along with Martin Pasko (1954-2020), best known for his Superman comics.

“It was amazing,” Isabella said, “Bill Finger is one of my favorite writers. I grew up on his stories.”

Isabella doesn’t intend to slow down anytime soon. Not only did she just finish writing the first issue of her new trans superhero series, but she’s also working on a shark-movie-themed comic book, crafting cartoons for “Last Kiss,” a comic series that puts a comedic spin on romantic vintage comics, and writing for many more top-secret endeavors with major characters.

And after the writing?

“I’m gonna find an open mic somewhere and debut Jenny Blake’s stand-up routine,” Isabella said.

As for words of wisdom she would give to anyone looking to get into the comic industry?

“The best advice I can give is to write. Just keep writing. This isn’t brain surgery,” Isabella said. “You have to have a certain knack for it, of course. But if you keep writing … You know, maybe your first 20 stories suck. But if you pay attention to what you’re doing, if you study writers you like, you’ll crack that code, and your work will get better.”

“But you have to write. You can’t just talk about it. You have to write.” 🔥

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