Black Lightning, Cress Williams, Salim Akil, CW Network, DeAlan Wilson, New TV Show, Series, DC Comics, Black Super Hero,
Warner Brothers has just released the first look images of Cress Williams in his BLACK LIGHTNING super hero gear. The new series which will air on the CW Network went into production three days ago in Atlanta. Everyone, including us at ComedyE.com, are very excited about this groundbreaking venture as forward thinking networks like CW cast minority and African American actors in roles of diverse character types as well as support directors and production companies that do so.
Cress Williams (Hart of Dixie, Never Been Kissed,The Doom Generation) will star in the series as Jefferson Pierce/Black Lightning. Salim Akil (Sparkle, The Game, Jumping the Broom) is directing the pilot episode for the series from a script he wrote. New costumes are being designed for the character by Laura Jean Shannon (Iron Man, Blade: Trinity, The Jungle Book).
Salim Akil on set, Directing Sparkle (Aug 16, 2012)
Image Courtesy: Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Black Lightning was the first African-American DC Comics Super Hero to have his own stand-alone comic title, and is based on the character created by Tony Isabella with Trevor Von Eeden 40 years ago in 1977.
The plot of the character's life goes a little something like this... Jefferson Pierce made his choice years ago and hung up the suit and his secret identity. But now with one daughter hell-bent on justice and the other daughter, a star student being recruited by a local gang, he’ll be pulled back into the fight as the wanted vigilante and DC Comics legend—Black Lightning.
Black Lightning was originally a comic book created in 1977
Image Courtesy: DC Comics.
Executive producer/writer & director Salim Akil said, “I knew way too much about the world as a young boy growing up in Richmond, California. I was no stranger to violence, death, hopelessness... Comics were a great way for me to escape. I was about 13 when Black Lightning was created. Finally there was a Black Super Hero that gave a damn about our neighborhood and our lives."
Akil hopes that bringing BLACK LIGHTNING to the television masses at this time in history will prove to be a breath of fresh air that everyone can relate to no matter what race. "Resurrecting him at a time in our society when a sense of hope is lacking,” Akil continues, “Black Lightning will be that hope. And in updating the suit, it will signal to a new generation that it’s time to harness and release our power, and become our own Super Heroes.”
Images Courtesy: DC Comics/Warner Bros/SonyPictures
