DC Developing ‘Black Lightning’ TV Series With ‘Arrow’ Boss

Just when you thought The CW might be on the verge of fully transforming into a DC lineup, Black Lightning brings that possibility one step closer. One of the minds behind Arrow and The Flash is developing the famous African-American superhero into his own series, with pitches already out to networks.

Keep in mind that Black Lightning has no guarantee of going to The CW, or connecting with the other Arrow-verse series (yet), but Deadline reports that executive producer Greg Berlanti has teamed with The Game and Being Mary Jane creator Mara Brock Akil and her husband Salim Akil for the new series. The duo would write the show as well, while the synopsis teases an older Black Lightning and his young daughters:

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.

Black Lightning is notable as one of DC Comics’ first major African-American superheroes, and would follow Marvel’s Luke Cage as one of the first to headline a live-action series. The comic character also has two daughters, including Anissa Pierce/Thunder and Jennifer Pierce/Lightning, both of whom have belonged to different superhero groups.

The series has apparently been in development at Warner Bros. TV for some time, going through multiple incarnations before finally shopping to networks. An exact timetable is unclear, but is DC better off branching to a new network, a la FOX’s Gotham, or trying to keep The CW aboard?