First look at Black Lightning: The CW’s first black superhero

Production is underway on the pilot of DC’s latest collaboration with the CW: Black Lightning’s very own TV show.

Cress Williams (Hart of Dixie) stars as Jefferson Pierce, the superhero who thought he had hung up his suit for good, only to be reluctantly pulled back into the world of fighting crime. He also happens to be the CW’s first black superhero in a title role.

Black Lightning’s executive producer, Salim Akil, says that the character was the first superhero he remembers caring about his neighbourhood.

“Comics were a great way for me to escape,” he said in a press release. “I was about 13 when Black Lightning was created, and finally there was a Black Super Hero that gave a damn about our neighborhood and our lives.”

Yesterday, Warner Bros. released the first look at Williams in his suit, and fans were as excited as Akil to see a black superhero in action.

I’m not even gonna pretend to be a huge Black Lightning fan but dude I am in for more superhero shows with black leads

— Justin (@GigawattConduit) March 29, 2017

I didn’t know I was excited about Black Lightning until now

— Colton (@_Lexcorp) March 29, 2017

The costume was designed by Laura Jean Shannon whose work has appeared in The Jungle Book, Scott Pilgrim vs The World and Iron Man among others — but many were unimpressed with the look.

The more i look at it the more i dislike it. Still think they shoulda gone with leather for him. I mean it’s Black Lightning. pic.twitter.com/cUx0pwEXkR

— Neon. (@Neonyfy) March 29, 2017

This costume has me concerned, but I really am excited for seeing Black Lightning on the big screen https://t.co/U7gTEK2JpT

— Theo Kogod (@TKogod) March 30, 2017

Who let Black Lightning have a low budget power rangers costume?

— carlos (@anti___HERO) March 30, 2017

Black Lightning’s costume is OK. A little busy and bulky, but not bad. Could lose the goggles though. New 52 GA had goggles, looked dumb.

— Talking Green Arrow (@TalkingArrow) March 30, 2017

And others were just excited for his daughters, who grow up to take on the superhero family business.

I’m mostly excited about the Black Lightning show for his daughters.

— Katie Schenkel (@JustPlainTweets) March 29, 2017

The heart of the Black Lightning series will probably be the apprenticing of his superhero daughters, which is why they cast someone older.

— the low end theorist (@GrandKazuya) March 29, 2017

@SupremeSquirrel AND IF THE BLACK LIGHTNING ARTICLE IS WHAT IT IS THEN THUNDER IS GONNA BE THERE?! AND MAYBE STATIC SHOCK UGHHHH HYPED

— Ethan Ho (@ethanho_) March 30, 2017