‘Black Lightning’: First Look at Thunder

The CW has released the first look at Nafessa Williams as Thunder, the daughter of Black Lightning and the second costumed superhero set to appear on the show bearing his name.

The reveal comes just two weeks ahead of the series premiere and a little more than a week ahead of its premiere screening at the upcoming “DC in D.C.” event.

You can check out the full image below.

In the photo, the costume bears a resemblance to Thunder’s comic book look, but filtered through the lens of the show — that is to say, with a more armored look and a mask that appears to be protective goggles. It also features stylized detailing on the metallic parts of the costume, including a trim that looks like lightning and metal that looks either textured or perhaps backlit.

Both the lightning “trim” and the “T” belt buckle are straight out of Anissa Pierce’s comics look.

Passionate and quick-witted, Jefferson’s twenty-something daughter balances the demands of medical school with her job teaching part-time at her father’s school.

Since the show went into development, producers and cast have referred to it as a family show more than a superhero show, and suggested that Jefferson’s daughters getting powers might be a way to connect them.

“The thing is is that, being her older sister, there’s some exciting things that [Anissa is] discovering, but there’s also some struggles that I as the older sister, want to shield your younger sister from going through,” Williams told ComicBook.com during a recent set visit. “There are some struggles that if I could keep her away from, I would.”

The revelation that Jefferson’s powers are genetic is not something that the family has always known, and the realization will rock the show’s world a little bit, according to Christine Adams, who plays Lynn, Anissa’s mother.

“It’s funny, you know cause as, again, as a scientist something should have occurred to her, and actually we do get in one of the episodes where we sort of talk about that,” Adams said of her character. “She talks about feeling like a failure, for not really thinking about it sooner, but I guess in the great scheme of everything…either she was somewhat in denial, or she genuinely thought that [Jefferson] was this super metahuman that had been, had inherited these powers that are particular to him. So it is a discovery, but it’s one that she will obviously then vigorously pursue as a scientist.

Black Lightning will premiere on January 16 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The CW, following the midseason premiere of The Flash.