Greg Berlanti is Developing a BLACK LIGHTNING Show Based on The DC Comics Hero

Greg Berlanti, the mastermind behind The CW's shared universe of superhero shows like Arrow, The Flash, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, and Supergirl, is at it again. Deadline reports that Berlanti has teamed up with The Game and Being Mary Jane creator Mara Brock Akil and her husband Sam to develop a drama series centered on the DC Comics superhero Black Lightning, who has the power to create and manipulate electricity.

Written by the Akils, Black Lightning centers on Jefferson Pierce. He made his choice: he hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago, but with a daughter hell-bent on justice and a star student being recruited by a local gang, he’ll be pulled back into the fight as the wanted vigilante and DC legend Black Lightning.

Apparently this show has been in the works for over a year, but they've finally boiled it down to its final form and they're pitching it to networks now. (The CW seems like an obvious natural fit, but who knows — they could be aiming for a larger network audience.) With Marvel and Netflix ramping up Luke Cage later this month, this is DC's chance to get their own black superhero show on TV (aside from the little-known Vixen) relatively quickly.