I am getting my Black Lightning costume before Tuesday the 16th - this show looks so superior they will probably sell out first week!!!
Cannot Wait!!!
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I have written quite a bit about Black Lightning and the representation of race in superhero comics, and am looking forward to seeing how the show handles these complex issues. Hopefully it will take the potential present (but never met) in those original comics and develop something that uses the flexibility of the genre to its most productive ends.
Anyway here are some of things I've written
"Black Lightning Always Strikes Twice! – Double-Consciousness as a Super-Power" - https://themiddlespaces.com/2013/10/22/black-lightning-always-strikes-tw...
"Striking Back: Black Lightning and Reading Race" (part one) - https://themiddlespaces.com/2017/07/25/striking-back-black-lightning-and...
"Striking Back: Black Lightning and Reading Race" (part two) - https://themiddlespaces.com/2017/08/01/striking-back-black-lightning-and...
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This article quotes “Ms. Akil” repeatedly but describes the Akils as a married couple. Did the rules change on “Ms.” and “Mrs.”?
Yes, back in the 70's. Where have you been?
I read Black Lightening comics when I was a kid. I'm not sure of the social or psychological impact that the comic books I read or the the TV shows and movies I watched had on me, if any. As a kid and now as an adult I enjoy watching some of them. I no longer read comic books (don't really have time, I do maintain my collection over nearly 2000 books). However, I know some of the characters compelled me to learn more about science even though they were not my skin color (Henry Pym was not called the White Ant-Man, and Reed Richards was not called the White Mr. Fantastic, but they still inspired me). Anyway with a bachelor's degree, two masters, and a doctorate I feel confident that it was one of the influences that propelled me toward higher learning. Oh yeah, they also crystallized the value of integrity, self-less devotion to helping others (sometimes at your own expense), and enduring difficulty, and the certainty of the ultimate triumph of good over evil. But then again maybe they are just a wast of time.
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The "e" in Lightning belongs in wast"e". Those roving "e"s are so hard to keep in their proper place.
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Excited for it to begin! It's gonna be great!
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Film in China is moving toward new age heroism with actors and show runners like Wu Jing, in Wolf Warrior. These will continue to be picked apart by western critics, and political pundits, for their elevation of the state. With Black Lightning we see an internal weighing of power against the establishment, with fictionally manipulated motivations that elevate brutality as justice. One is very hopeful, the other is full of itself.
No Offense to Black Lightning because there needs to be more black superheroes. I grew up watching Storm from the X-Men. She's still my favorite X-Men. I'm not a DC fan at all, but I do love Static Shock and hoped that show could be picked up at some point. Either way, I hope Black Lightning does well and can pave to the way for more black superheroes and superheroes of other ethnicities.
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how about just making a good movie, Hollywood, without subjecting us to your world views, and assuming you have moral authority to preach to us? Oh, wait, there is money to be made by having politically correct moves in movies, got it.
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If there is money to be made, that means many people do like this, so why shouldn't shows or movies like this be made? Why do you care? Just don't watch it. And I am sure there are some movies and shows that suit your taste. Watch those.
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What did you think was up with Star Wars now?
True art makes you think as much as feel. You should give it a try.
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Reading these comments, I continue to be amazed at the levels of negativity and derision that people devolve to.
If you want to watch the show - and I do - watch it. If you enjoy it, watch it again. If you don't want to watch it, don't. That's a fine option.
But why get all high-and-mighty about the creators' intentions? And how *your* intentions are nobler?
To paraphrase Aaron Sorkin, if you were capable of creating a thoughtful piece of pop entertainment that spoke to the masses, you would create a thoughtful piece of pop entertainment that spoke to the masses.
You don't get taller by cutting down those around you.
I am as far as possible from the target demographic for "Black Lightning", but I hope it succeeds - particularly on the all-important Halloween Costume metric!
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How about don't argue with the officer? Just cooperate, follow the instructions, show your credentials, and you'll be on your way in a short time. You don't need a superhero to tell you that. And none actually exist to rescue you, should you fail to heed this obvious advice.
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Oftentimes the traffic stop has absolutely nothing to do with a violation of law and everything to do with the officer's sense of what (social) order should be. "Cooperation" with this dynamic results in a two-tiered society. I'm assuming that anyone who believes in the Constitution would abhor such a society. ...but then again the authors of the Constitution didn't have a problem with it.
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I thought the article made pretty clear that the incident being described by Mr. Akil was not the first time he had been pulled over. It had happened to him multiple times (one suspects for no other reason than his race) and his frustration and anger happened to have grown to a potentially dangerous level on this particular occasion.
But rather than reading carefully or showing any empathy for his situation, you resort to glib advice that basically boils down to, "Don't get so uppity, boy." Way to grasp the complexities of race relations in America.
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Why not just cooperate with the Vichy regime? Why not just cooperate with the British instead of throwing all of that tea in the harbor? Why not just accept the Islamic State when they take over?
Does any of that ring a bell?
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Does anyone actually watch the CW? The only thing we watch on the CW are "Seinfeld" reruns from time to time.
And why does a show about "Race, Justice and the Real World" have to be set in a fantasy world?
How about a show set in the real "Real World?" The ABC miniseries "American Crime" actually does a pretty good job at presenting a real world in which there are no real heroes.
I watch it, for The Flash, Arrow, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow.
Gee, I love being preached to while watching escapist entertainment. Not.
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maybe it's not meant to be escapist? There are plenty of shows for you, you don't have to watch this one
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Love it, BUT, why do black superheroes have to have "black" in their name (e.g., "Black Lightning")?
Why can't they just be superheroes?
The opposite seems to apply to animals: the "great white shark" (hmm, wonder who thought that one up? aren't they half black anyway? so..the "great black and white shark?").
And where's that "great black rhino?" the "great black elephant?"
So many questions. Keeps life interesting.
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There were Black Rhinos, humans killed them all.
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Great white sharks are actually grey & white, not black & white.
And calling animals a black something or other isn't really different than calling something else a blue something or other.
Bluebird vs Blackbird
Black Tipped Reef Shark vs White Tipped Reef Shark
Black Rhino vs White Rhino (neither of which are truly black or white, respectively, both are/were more like shades of gray).
White tigers, black Panthers, rainbow trout. It's called naming something based off of a certain characteristic. It happens a lot in the animal world. Even in their scientific names.
I was totally in agreement with you until you tried to infer something racial about the way animals are named.
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Why "Black Lighting"? Because in the character's origin story (itself a bid for diversity) he calls himself that: his race is central to his story and identity. It's become a trope to have 'color' superheroes, : http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ColorCharacter ... it's time honored, as they say..
Is there anyone on TV anymore who isn't hurling lightning bolts from their fingertips or catapulting people across the room with "mental energy"? If I was in the demographic watching these shows, I would feel absolutely impotent immersed in a TV universe supersaturated with superheroes. Why not show how a mere mortal accomplishes something in this world using their brains, or is that just too far-fetched?
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Nope! As the targeted demographic, seeing people stand up for themselves and their communities is inspiring. It doesn't matter if it's with superpowers or just regular personhood.
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Too far-fetched ... no one wants to see "Wall Street Hero" or "Super Small Businessman!" Let's not forgot "The Incredible Professor!"
Life is boring enough, superheroes can be a release from that. Shows using your brains? Every form of NCIS, Law & Order, every cop/detective show, every law show, etc. Mindless sit-coms aren't included.
Bring on the capes and super powers!
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Amanda, just imagine what a wonderful world this would be if the "Jedi Knight Effect" didn't wear off within 20 minutes after exiting the theater. You can inoculate with yourself with these "inspiring" shows a dozen times a night and you will not have changed as a person.
Keep fighting equality for all!
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I will be watching!
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Black Lightning isn't the only show with a conscience: in Supergirl one of the main characters is a gay woman, and the show has dealt with the issues she and her lover face in a very concrete and non-allegorical fashion.
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I've noticed that some of these shows conflate issues much the way major media like LA and NYTimes does: conflating illegal immigration with immigration for example, and further flogging the notion of what a noble class of people immigrants are. That kind of emotional manipulation is evident, and those who are tired of it, and rightfully resentful of being roped into arguments and being called bigoted, have little reasoned recourse for discussions on solutions and fairness.
Continuing in this vein, is in and of itself, unfair, and only raises hostility, not rational cooperation.
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Regan, did you read the same article I did? If you feel the show "conflates issues," why not address those issues instead of setting up an immigration straw man to knock down? I agree with you that reasoned discussion is a far better path to understanding than emotional manipulation, but the article is about a TV show that tackles some very real societal issues while entertaining its audience. Nary a mention of noble immigrants.
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If you look at the evolution of immigration law, the system we have is a monstrous unjustness: out of touch with reality, and increasingly abusive in the age of T Rump: it has nothing to do with what our economy actually needs (and I am most familiar with agriculture) and more to do with the cultural fears of racists and white nationalists...As long as we focus on the "illegal" we are not supposed to notice those hiring them: and the politicization of this looks much like the politicization of Drug Policy into a War on Some people...
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Immigrants are people just trying to make a life, whether they come here legally or not. To suggest otherwise is the essence of bigotry. If you don't understand that, then perhaps you need more exposure to these conflated issues, not less.
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