Black Lightning on the CW

[protege]

Offhand I can think of M.A.N.T.I.S.Cyborg,Spawn,Black Lighting, Death Lok,James Rhodes and Cloak.

Well, I did like M.A.N.T.I.S; I especially liked the heavy influence of African culture in the pilot. They removed that with the t.v. Series, and went all over the place with the storylines, so it was a hard show to get into for me. Don’t read spawn, but isn’t he dead, or something? Not familiar with James Rhodes, unless you mean the movie version , and I still don’t remember black lightning having any kind of debilitating condition in the comics.

[Nate Grey]

Not familiar with James Rhodes, unless you mean the movie version

James had a miniseries where he was essentially turned into DC's Cyborg.

[CliffHanger2]

James had a miniseries where he was essentially turned into DC's Cyborg.

Damn I didn't even know about that. I was talking about when he had tony's suit and it caused him headaches and to go into rampages. But this too...DAMN.

[Jim Kelly]

While it might further the plot, I saw the introduction of his weakness at the exact moment he learns how to fly as a cost-cutting measure. If it turns out Jefferson can't fly without risking side effects, then it's less likely he will fly in every episode--so they don't have to spend the money on that effect.

[Nate Grey]

Damn I didn't even know about that. I was talking about when he had tony's suit and it caused him headaches and to go into rampages. But this too...DAMN.

Huh. I didn't know about that and assumed that's what YOU were talking about. LOL Yeah he looked like that till the final issue (his mind was transferred wirelessly to a clone body).

[G. Boney]

James had a miniseries where he was essentially turned into DC's Cyborg.

It was actually an ongoing that didn't last very long...which is basically a mini I guess, lol

Huh. I didn't know about that and assumed that's what YOU were talking about. LOL Yeah he looked like that till the final issue (his mind was transferred wirelessly to a clone body).

I remember a buddy of mine commenting that "there was no coming back from that" for Rhodey, referring to his new at the time cyborg status. I couldn't believe someone who'd been reading comics for decades could believe that. People come back from the freaking dead every other day in comic book land. Going from cyborg back to fully human is child's play.

[Jackalope89]

It was actually an ongoing that didn't last very long...which is basically a mini I guess, lol



I remember a buddy of mine commenting that "there was no coming back from that" for Rhodey, referring to his new at the time cyborg status. I couldn't believe someone who'd been reading comics for decades could believe that. People come back from the freaking dead every other day in comic book land. Going from cyborg back to fully human is child's play.

Unless you're Cyborg.

[Nate Grey]

It was actually an ongoing that didn't last very long...which is basically a mini I guess, lol

Huh thought it was a mini. So if it was never cancelled they might have kept him that way?

I remember a buddy of mine commenting that "there was no coming back from that" for Rhodey, referring to his new at the time cyborg status. I couldn't believe someone who'd been reading comics for decades could believe that. People come back from the freaking dead every other day in comic book land. Going from cyborg back to fully human is child's play.

Yeah even Cyborg got a clone body at one point.

[CliffHanger2]

Huh. I didn't know about that and assumed that's what YOU were talking about. LOL Yeah he looked like that till the final issue (his mind was transferred wirelessly to a clone body).

Wow just wow. So Rhodey is in a clone body? Whoa I haven't been keeping up lol.

[Nate Grey]

Wow just wow. So Rhodey is in a clone body? Whoa I haven't been keeping up lol.

WAS in a clone body since he was killed by Thanos, but yes. The last storyline in his series-turned-miniseries was basically a game of keep away with his clone body in stasis being held by Normal Osborne.

[CliffHanger2]

WAS in a clone body since he was killed by Thanos, but yes. The last storyline in his series-turned-miniseries was basically a game of keep away with his clone body in stasis being held by Normal Osborne.

Damn I forgot Rhodey was dead. Seems like he had no shortage of conditions.

[90'sCartoonMan]

I feel like this episode was a bit different from the others. Maybe it's because we didn't see the school at all, or maybe it was because we saw more of Jeff's condition, which not only caused his temper to flare up a few times, but also gave him a defeat at the end of the episode. Plus Whale went off and had his own story, where he confronted his demons, which provided insight into his character. So not bad different, just different.

What about the existence of comic books and cosplay parties, which exist in the real world, makes you think that, or that the setting is less realistic, though? What's your definition of realism, here? Because by mine, introduction of elements that exist in the real world CAN'T make something less realistic than otherwise.

Now, since we're in a setting with superpowers, which are clearly not realistic, let's deal with plausibility and verisimilitude as well. We know that Pierce and his kids are not the only folks with powers in this world; we even know that there are those in other cities who have been considered heroes rather than vigilantes, presumably (though I don't recall it being explicitly stated) at least some of them in costume. If some number of people with powers are going that route, it doesn't strain plausibility to think that some number are using their powers more selfishly, including by using them in the commission of crimes - although if they're smart, they're probably trying to stay more under the radar than the classic bank robbery in broad daylight trope.

I have no problem accepting that Arrow and the Flash exist in the same universe. However, last week, one show had its hero fight a cyber terrorist with armed goons and a bomb while the other had a woman use bad luck powers to make a flying bird statue fall out of the sky and a stretchy man shape-shift into a dead guy. I'd call that episode of Arrow more grounded and realistic than that episode of Flash, but something like Green Arrow having Flash transport him and Spartan broke the realism of that particular episode a bit.

As for the first part, I mean it sort of like how Cloverfield exists in a world without Godzilla movies or the Walking Dead exists in a world without zombie movies (or even Nolan's Batman movies not having any Zorro). I feel like Anissa's story would've been more down to Earth if she didn't have the concept of costumed super heroes and villains to refence. I mean, yeah, having Black Lightning already there kind of breaks that, but even this episode had her think it's not enough to have powers and do some investigating, she had to wear a costume while doing it. I still like Anissa's story and want to see her as Thunder, I just felt something like her fighting those drug dealers last time fits more with the character we saw in the pilot.

Those girls were coming at Jennifer, so the only thing I can really fault her in for defending herself is breaking the girl's wrist when she had her arm. But I guess it's good to know that Jeff taught both her and Anissa to defend themselves when they had to, which will also probably mean they can both migrate somewhat well into their Superhero careers.

I agree with Jeff, though (or was it Lynn?), that violence should only be used to end violence and not fuel the fire. Jennifer was at a public skating rink, if she couldn't just shrug off that one girl pushing her, her best option would be to tell one of the employees and get the girls ejected from the building. Although when all's said and done, her biggest slip up was not telling her parents after the fact.

I keep hearing predictions that Jefferson is going to step back from being Black Lightning and assume more of a mentor role as his daughters take over all the action. I hope not.

The pitch I had heard for this show had me thinking it was going to be a dramedy. Jefferson would be this used-up super-hero in a sitcom formula--think Ted Knight on TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT--while his smart-ass kids are running around getting into all kinds of trouble as young super-heroes.

I was not up for that nonsense and that's why I wasn't going to bother with the pilot. I'm happy that I gave into my curiosity--and colour me surprised when it turned out to be nothing like that.

Yeah, that is nonsense. I mean, the Black Lightning cartoon with little super powered Anissa and Jennifer running around was fun, but this show has proven it''s much more than that.

[vitruvian]

As for the first part, I mean it sort of like how Cloverfield exists in a world without Godzilla movies or the Walking Dead exists in a world without zombie movies (or even Nolan's Batman movies not having any Zorro). I feel like Anissa's story would've been more down to Earth if she didn't have the concept of costumed super heroes and villains to refence. I mean, yeah, having Black Lightning already there kind of breaks that, but even this episode had her think it's not enough to have powers and do some investigating, she had to wear a costume while doing it. I still like Anissa's story and want to see her as Thunder, I just felt something like her fighting those drug dealers last time fits more with the character we saw in the pilot.

I guess I can see that choice as more 'down to Earth' - but not more realistic. What is more like the real world is more realistic, what is less like the real world is less realistic, and since comic books, Godzilla movies, and Romero 'Dead' movies all exist in the real world, any story without them is less, not more, realistic. Not that less realistic is always a bad thing; it depends on what works for a particular story. Note, though, that a lot of pretty gritty stories have gone the other way from what you're suggesting... in the world of Watchmen, for example, superhero comics did exist before Hooded Justice and Nite-Owl first put on their costumes, it's just that the advent of the real life 'superheroes' like the Minutemen, and then a true superhuman like Dr. Manhattan, caused those comics to kind of die on the vine and pass into obscurity, replaced by the pirate comics used as a framing device in the original miniseries.

[Agent Z]

Why does the black super hero always have to be saddled with some sort of debilitating physical or mental condition? Maybe not always but it seems like a thing. Gambi playing both sides of fence hope he didn't have anything to do with those super kids disappearing years ago. Hopefully Jeff's condition will lead to him getting a better looking suit.

Tobias getting that letter with the ground up dust was eerie. To his credit he didn't seem scared tho, he was just like wtf??? Honestly though I'm starting to get that fall of Wakanda vibe with this show.

Anissa looked damn good in that costume, how do you upgrade that? Hope she keeps it at least for a long while.

Honestly asking Is this really that common among black superheroes?

[protege]

While it might further the plot, I saw the introduction of his weakness at the exact moment he learns how to fly as a cost-cutting measure. If it turns out Jefferson can't fly without risking side effects, then it's less likely he will fly in every episode--so they don't have to spend the money on that effect.

I never expected them to give jefferson that sort of ability, so i don’t know why they bothered to introduce it.