Taken from Dwayne McDuffie’s forum:

“Obviously, I would prefer to write such a series myself and, no matter how DC Comics spins it, there is really no good reason for them not to have had me writing it. However, I was informed in advance that this would be done. Near as I can recall, the person who called me is the first DC editorial person to have shown me even the remotest bit of respect in many years. Recognizing that DC corporate doesn’t give a rat’s ass about
creators, or, at least, this creator, I appreciated that phone call more than I can say.

“I have made myself available to both the editor and writer of the series to answer any questions they might have about why I did
what I did with certain elements of my creation and to fill in the gaps that I was never allowed to fill during or since my
second Black Lightning series. Assuming the editor and writer are who I was told they are, I’ll say that BL could do far worse in that department. I do respect the editor and writer who I was told would be doing the series. [According to the October 17 Newsarama article on the upcoming Year One books, Jen van Meter is the writer. The article did not say who the editor was.]

“However, at this time, they have not availed themselves of my services…which were offered freely and without prior condition.
As much as I am saddened that DC persists in ignoring my creation of this character and the unresolved rights issues, I realize that there are many Black Lightning fans who hunger for new and good stories of this character. Hopefully, this series will be worthy of that fan interest.

“I would rather I was writing this series and also writing new stories of Black Lightning. You would have to ask DC why it’s dead-set against this and why they refuse to make even the tiniest effort to settle the differences that remain between them
and the creator of the character. Maybe those differences will be settled in a court of law and maybe they won’t. Serious personal matters have occupied my attention for the past several years, but I’m hopeful this will
no longer be the case in the very near future.

“All I can add is this: I hold no animosity whatsoever toward the editor and the writer
who I was told are assigned to this series. Unless they really screw it up. [Smile]

“If you want DC to treat Black Lightning’s creator fairly, then tell the company this. Often and loudly. If you want new Black Lightning stories written by me, then tell DC that as well. Often and loudly. If you’d like to see my Black Lightning stories reprinted, then tell DC that as well. Often and loudly. And, if you want DC to sit down and resolve the differences between myself and the company, then tell that to them as well. Often and loudly.

“Maybe DC will just become annoyed. Maybe DC will ignore your e-mails. Maybe the company will surprise everyone by doing the
right thing here. It’s their call.

“I thank you guys for the support.”

I dunno. If DC can bring back Marv Wolfman to write new Dick Grayson stories, and if they can find work for other greybeards like Steve Gerber, then I don’t know why they can’t give Tony another go-round with BL, especially on an origin story. Could it be that they’re deliberately ostracizing him as a result of him speaking out “often and loudly” about his differences with DC? I would not be surprised to find that’s the case.

Still, I maintain – and I’ve discussed this with Tony on more than one occasion – that given DC’s stance, I would much rather see Tony work on new, creator-owned material that he controls the rights to. While I’m not saying that his is a lost cause and he should give it up, how much greater would it be if he could come up with new characters that equaled or surpassed BL in popularity – characters that he owns completely and indisputably? He’s becoming known more for this ongoing feud than for his status as an active comics creator, and that’s not right. That should not be his legacy.

So I say, if you want to see Tony write great new creator-owned comics that we all know he’s capable of doing, tell him that. Often and loudly.