TV Black Lightning: First look at Cress Williams in costume By Natalie Abrams Natalie Abrams Senior Writer EW's editorial guidelines Published on March 29, 2017 06:00PM EDT Photo: The CW Cress Williams has suited up as Black Lightning! Warner Bros. Television and The CW released the first look at the titular superhero from its upcoming pilot Black Lightning, which hails from prolific superhero producer Greg Berlanti (Arrow, The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl) as well as The Game and Being Mary Jane creator Mara Brock Akil and her husband Salim Akil. The logline for the project reads, “Jefferson Pierce made his choice: he hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago, but with one daughter hell-bent on justice and the other 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.” The costume for Black Lightning was designed by Laura Jean Shannon, whose credits include Iron Man, The Jungle Book, and the upcoming Jumaiji sequel. The Best CW Shows of All Time “I knew way too much about the world as a young boy growing up in Richmond, California,” says Salim Akil, who is directing the pilot from a script he wrote. “I was no stranger to violence, death, hopelessness or the feeling that no one cared about what was happening in my life. Comics were a great way for me to escape. I was about 13 when Black Lightning was created, and finally there was a Black Super Hero that gave a damn about our neighborhood and our lives. Resurrecting him at a time in our society when a sense of hope is lacking…Black Lightning will be that hope. And in updating the suit, it will signal to a new generation that it’s time to harness and release our power, and become our own Super Heroes.” The CW Black Lightning, created by Tony Isabella with Trevor Von Eeden in 1977, is one of DC Comics’ first major African-American superheroes. Black Lightning, also executive produced by Sarah Schechter, is currently in production in Atlanta.