Is 2016 turning out to be the year of black superheroes? It sure seems that way. While the comic book industry still has a long way to go when it comes to its portrayal of characters of color on television and the big screen, they do seem to be making strides in the right direction, which is why it is refreshing to hear of more characters of color being cast, and more diverse storylines being pitched to networks. According to an exclusive report published in Deadline, Greg Berlanti of the CW’s DC Universe fame has partnered with none other than The Game & Being Mary Jane creator “Mara Brock Akil and her husband Salim Akil for Black Lightning, a drama series based on the DC character.”

According to the report, “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.” Sounds like Luke Cage may have some competition coming his way! You can read more about the project here: http://deadline.com/2016/09/black-lightning-dc-superhero-series-greg-berlanti-mara-brock-akil-salim-akil-1201811892/