Black Lightning Co-Creator Dishes On The CW's Live-Action Series

The latest DC Comics property to make the jump to the small screen is Black Lightning, which has [...]

By Jenna Anderson

The latest DC Comics property to make the jump to the small screen is Black Lightning, which has been given a series order at The CW. While the series is not expected to premiere until early 2018, many are wondering what the live-action adaptation of Jefferson Pierce will offer.

According to one of the character's co-creators, Tony Isabella, the show will offer plenty of pleasant surprises. While on a panel during the East Coast Black Age Of Comics Convention, Isabella expressed his excitement about the series teaser trailer, which dropped during The CW's Upfront Presentation.

"I loved the costumes." Isabella revealed. "There are some smartass lines in there and I love writing smartass lines so I love the fact that's a little bit of me in there, that they're doing that. I love the tone of the show."

With the Upfront trailer creating plenty of buzz upon its release, fans began to wonder what direction the series would be heading in. According to Isabella, the trailer represents the series' goal, but wasn't cut from a full pilot episode, as the show's pilot actually hasn't been filmed yet.

"People kept talking about a Black Lightning pilot having been filmed. No. No pilot was filmed. They did a presentation piece, which was then cut into the trailer. And when I first heard that from DC, I thought it was a bad thing. And then they told me no, well, we sold Legends of Tomorrow with a picture of the cast and brief synopsis."

Speaking of Legends of Tomorrow, another big question fans have had is whether or not Black Lightning will join up with The CW's Arrowverse shows. While Isabella admitted that it isn't entirely out of the question, he explained the reasoning for not teaming Black Lightning up right away.

"We talked about that, not that I have any say in it. I said early on, I said, 'You know I'm a little tired of Black Lightning being subservient to other characters. I don't like him teaming up with Batman and Superman. They pretty much give him orders.' We could always change it later on. When it was at Fox, I said, 'You really got to find a way to cross it over with Lucifer.'"

More Black Lightning news:

Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) is a man wrestling with a secret. As the father of two daughters and principal of a charter high school that also serves as a safe haven for young people in a New Orleans neighborhood overrun by gang violence, he is a hero to his community. Nine years ago, Pierce was a hero of a different sort. Gifted with the superhuman power to harness and control electricity, he used those powers to keep his hometown streets safe as the masked vigilante Black Lightning. However, after too many nights with his life on the line, and seeing the effects of the damage and loss that his alter ego was inflicting on his family, he left his Super Hero days behind and settled into being a principal and a dad.

Choosing to help his city without using his superpowers, he watched his daughters Anissa (Nafessa Williams) and Jennifer (China Anne McClain) grow into strong young women, even though his marriage to their mother, Lynn (Christine Adams), suffered. Almost a decade later, Pierce's crime-fighting days are long behind him…or so he thought. But with crime and corruption spreading like wildfire, and those he cares about in the crosshairs of the menacing local gang The One Hundred, Black Lightning returns — to save not only his family, but also the soul of his community.

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