358 Tony Isabella, comic book writer, creator, "Black Lightning"

Published: Dec. 23, 2016, 4:52 a.m.

I remember the day I met back in the mid-1970s. I was in the back of my friend Bob Pinaha’s brown —the car in which I later learned to drive—and we drove to Newark International Airport to pick up Tony for an appearance at a we organized. TONY ISABELLA audio excerpt: "Superheroes have always been a big part of it but I wanted to show how many different kind of comics there have been. I wanted to show every genre; there is a comic in there on colitis!" I was a star-struck teen fanboy—Isabella was a writer and editor for Comics! How cool was that? Wish I could remember something that Tony and Bob discussed in the car that day, but after “Hello,” the rest is just a blur. We’ve crossed paths a few times since then, most recently when Isabella wrote a more than kind review of for the Comics Buyers Guide. And now it’s my opportunity to return the favor. Tony just published a new book, 1000 Comic Books You Must Read, and it’s a four-color, four-star, polished gem. I’ve had such a good time reliving so many fun comics of my acne-blemished past while paging through this coffee table book. If you love comics, you’ve gotta get this guide. Tony Isabella • • • •