It will be interesting to see where Black Lightning goes now that it is in a larger world of superheroes after the Crisis event. Will the show still be rooted in street level crime or will it get a bit more larger than life? We've seen seeds planted for The Outsiders as well as The Masters of Disaster being formed, perhaps one or both of those teams will become fully developed. Either would be cool, both would be epic!
i have only one thing to say to the Black Lightning tv show....
ReplyDeleteBring back Wayne Brady.....
he was excellent in his on screen arc.....
your cover is your usual fantastic quality of imagination.....
Ross, have you done a group like Black Lightning, Storm, Static Shock, lightning Lad?
ReplyDeleteand She-Hulk vs Lady Shiva?
I can imagine where this story would develop: Jefferson Pierce just happens to be on the subway (literary coincidence), riding in the second car from the back, when Deathlok follows the main villain into the backmost car. Jeff heads back to investigate, and arrives just in time to turn the tide of that fight to Deathlok's favor. They then learn that the villain not only has a VIP hostage at the front, but also has set up the train to keep going at high speed until it crashes (an event he'd survive, if only by escaping the train in time). To make matters worse he's arranged for several street gangs to be riding the subway at that time. So now the two heroes have to fight their way to the front of the train, almost video-game style....
ReplyDeleteYep, Ross, this is another compelling cover. Well done!
I think we can expect both the Outsiders and the Masters of Disaster to be fully formed in the next season of Black Lightning. I wouldn't expect much in the way of a tone change, though; the various Arrowverse shows have maintained their own tones, just as individual comics titles from both of the Big Two tend to do. Even so, the second season was more superhero-y than the first, especially as Lightning has come into her own, and I'd predict that we can see that trend continue.
I wouldn't even expect much in the way of guest-starring, since Black Lightning is filmed in Atlanta and all the others are in Vancouver -- even the annual crossover for the coming season is expected to involve only two of the shows (which two has shifted, especially with Ruby Rose leaving Batwoman), and with the pandemic it may be passed over altogether.
(The showrunners do need to start better coordinating their storylines, though; when a "worldwide event" -- such as the Obsidian Platinum rollout on Supergirl -- happens in one show, it should be at least mentioned on the others, if not used as a plot device.)
Something I do find interesting about the show, though, is Anissa taking on the persona of Blackbird, making her the only character (that I'm aware of, anyway) to regularly handle two separate superhero identities (Thunder and Blackbird). How that might play into any future team-ups on this blog escapes me at the moment, but it's something to think about.
i have a feeling that BL and the rest of the Arrow-verse will be going the way of the Marvel Internet shows.
ReplyDeleteIf the incident depicted here were happening in pre-COIE Metropolis, I would hazard to guess that Lex Luthor had arranged the whole thing just to test Deathlok. To see if he was worth capturing, modifying, and "reprogramming."
ReplyDeleteFor use against Superman as a Metallo 2.0!
Thanks, Ross, for bringing back the pugilistic Old School Black Lightning. Even if only temporarily. And have a Happy 4th!
I see Steve Ditko's name on the list with the other artists. Did Ditko work on either book? Have a great 4th.
ReplyDeleteLegends of the DCU 80-Page Giant had a Black Lightning story with art by Ditko and Ordway.
ReplyDeleteRoss, I believe that Cary just gave you an idea for a great follow-up story. It wouldn't even necessarily contradict the plot I posted above! Man, if I had a better handle on these two characters and an artist to draw it I'd write this comic as a fanfic.
ReplyDeleteI read Deathlok for the first time last month. Looks like a great match for Swamp Thing on this blog.
ReplyDeleteOr, failing that, Swamp Thing meets the Brady Bunch in "Marsha-Marsha-Marsha-Marsh!"
ReplyDelete@Carycomic: Hey! That was _my_ line!!
ReplyDeleteThat's the trouble with kids today - you don't remember the good stuff like Cocoa Marsh, the ice cream topping.
ReplyDeleteSounds more like an exotic nightclub dancer.
ReplyDelete@my namesake: Dude, PLEASE! This is supposed to be a respectable website.
ReplyDeleteHappy 4th anniversary on this cover-sim, Ross! :-)
ReplyDelete