Hanna-Barbera created Black Vulcan for the Super Friends show in 1977 as a substitute for Black Lightning, another DC superhero with similar abilities. Black Lightning’s creator, Tony Isabella, had disputes with DC over the rights to use his character in spin-off media, so Hanna-Barbera decided to create their original character instead.

Black Vulcan’s costume, model sheets, and early storyboards were designed by Alex Toth, a legendary cartoonist who also worked on Space Ghost and Birdman. Black Vulcan’s catchphrase was “Great Lightning!” he often shouted his name when using his powers.

Black Vulcan first appeared in The All-New Super Friends Hour episode “The Whirlpool,” where he helped the other Super Friends stop a villain named Professor Fearo from flooding the world. He became a regular team member, along with other new additions like Apache Chief, Samurai, and El Dorado.

Black Vulcan’s powers included generating and controlling electricity, flying at super-speeds, traveling through time by riding on lightning bolts, and changing his body into pure energy. He also had a high level of intelligence and scientific knowledge.

Black Vulcan appeared in several episodes of Super Friends and its later incarnations, such as Challenge of the Super Friends and The World’s Greatest Super Friends. He also had a cameo in the show’s final season, The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians, where Cyborg replaced him as the leading black superhero.

Black Vulcan never appeared in any DC comic books until 2008, when he was briefly seen in Final Crisis #7 as one of the heroes fighting against Darkseid’s forces. Superboy-Prime later killed him in Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #3.

However, Black Vulcan did inspire other versions of himself in different media. For example, in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), a character named Juice is a member of the Ultimen, a group of superheroes created by Project Cadmus. Juice had similar powers and costumes to Black Vulcan, but he was more arrogant and rebellious. He eventually turned against the Justice League when he learned he and his teammates were clones with limited lifespans.

Black Vulcan may not be as well-known or influential as some other DC superheroes, but he still has a place in comic book history as one of the first black superheroes on television. He also paved the way for other characters like Juice, Static Shock, and Black Lightning to shine on their terms.