Cress Williams as Black Lightning in The CW's Black Lightning
Black Lightning
Academic by day, urban avenger by night, Jefferson Pierce has fought all levels of crime and corruption as a solo hero, a Justice Leaguer, and an Outsider.
Jefferson Pierce grew up poor and with few expectations put on him. But rather than coast through life, he decided to challenge himself at every turn. As an adult, he entered the Olympics and won three gold medals. He furthered his education, then turned to teaching so he could help young people realize their own potential as he had. But gang violence and criminals kept threatening his community and his students, which is when Jefferson Pierce decided to no longer hide from the metahuman abilities he had been born with and started fighting evil as Black Lightning.
While some vigilantes just want to stop crime or punish criminals, Black Lightning tries to help communities become stronger. As a superhero, he wants to be an example that people can fight back against predators and opportunists. As an educator, he tells kids that who they are in life is their own choice, regardless of circumstances. Whether on his own or with teams such as the Justice League and the Outsiders, Black Lightning will always strike when justice is needed.
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How Black Lightning Brings Positive Masculinity to Primetime TVThe world is changing, and as a society we are re-examining gender roles. There have been lots of conversations about masculinity and the place it has in our modern world. The term...
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THE OTHER HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE #1Academy Award-winning screenwriter John Ridley (12 Years a Slave, Let It Fall) examines the mythology of the DC Universe in this compelling new miniseries that reframes iconic moments of DC history and charts a previously unexplored sociopolitical thread as seen through the prism of DC Super Heroes who come from traditionally disenfranchised groups. This unique new series presents its story as prose by Ridley married with beautifully realized color illustrations from a selection of exciting illustrators and comics artists. Alex Dos Diaz provides art for #1, which follows the story of Jefferson Pierce, the man who will one day become Black Lightning, as he makes his way from being a young track star to a teacher and, ultimately, to his role as a hero. Future issues focus on characters such as Karen and Mal Duncan, Tatsu Yamashiro and Renee Montoya. Extensively researched and masterfully executed, THE OTHER HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE promises to be an experience unlike any other. You may think you know the history of the DC Universe…but the truth is far more complex. THE OTHER HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE isn’t about saving the world—it’s about having the strength to simply be who you are. -
TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #1Marv Wolfman returns to the Titans! Get ready for the first TEEN TITANS ANNUAL. Having narrowly survived the death and destruction of the CRISIS, Superboy and Wonder Girl find some time alone in Smallville…but will it be a bloody Valentine?
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BATMAN & THE OUTSIDERS #7Unable to cope with Black Lightning and Batman’s methods, Duke Thomas finds refuge in the philosophy of Ra’s al Ghul, becoming the latest acolyte of the Demon, as Ra’s at last begins to rebuild his empire!
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BATMAN & THE OUTSIDERS #9Ra’s al Ghul and his army of assassins have turned their attention away from the Dark Knight-and toward Black Lightning! They’ve done something terrible to him that can never be fixed, and Black Lightning will need the Outsiders to stop him from crossing a line that could change his life forever. -
BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #2Sofia Barrera is on the run from an enforcer for the Ark, the program that gave her powers—but in the process, she’s fallen into the hands of the mystery man called Kaliber! He claims he wants to protect her...but who’s paying his bill? And is Katana already questioning Black Lightning’s leadership on their very first mission? Or is she just pushing him in a direction he’s not willing to go?