DC's Black Lightning First Look Packs A Huge Electrified Punch, Watch It Now

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Over on The CW, 3/4 of the network's DC Comics superheroes are awaiting their complication-filled season finales, and viewers are waiting to see who comes out on top, and who goes down six feet below. (No one ever dies, really.) But now we've got a brand new hero on the way with the upcoming drama Black Lightning, which is scheduled to hit The CW in the midseason. Our first look at the show came out today, and the fight scenes already look better than The Flash and Supergirl. Check it out!

There are so many things I enjoy about the Black Lightning trailer, especially as compared to the superhero shows within the Arrow-verse, and I'm incredibly hopeful that all pilot footage is indicative of what's to come, and not just the calling card to get the series ordered. Hart of Dixie vet Cress Williams stars as Jefferson Pierce, a former superhero who hung up his suit and focused on getting back into normal civilian life as a father and high school teacher. But when one of his daughters, a star student, is being tapped to join a vicious gang, Jefferson must once again get back to delivering justice to his city, one powerful electric bolt at a time.

And he's going to do it in a way that looks like it'll play up the best of the fight choreography from Arrow, while mixing in the CGI wonder of The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. He can punch, kick and blast villains with faux-lightning. Take this shot, for example, which is a badass bit of close-quarters fisticuffs.

black lightning gif

Unfortunately, we shouldn't get pumped about watching Black Lightning sharing the screen with Barry Allen or Oliver Queen at any point in the near future, as The CW head honcho announced earlier today that the show will exist independent of the Arrow-verse that has developed over the last five years. That could change in the future, of course, but for now, it's all about one hero and one mission.

At this point, we obviously don't know any exact dates when Black Lightning will hit The CW schedule beyond its midseason slotting, but you can be sure we'll be on the lookout for something more specific. In the meantime, head to our summer TV schedule to see what else is coming.

Nick Venable
Nick Venable
Assistant Managing Editor

Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper.  Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.