Black Lightning‘s first season is going to have Tobias Whale as a big bad, according to executive producer Salim Akil. The show, which is set for a midseason premiere on The CW, is the latest superhero series for the network, but is going to be a little bit different to the Arrowverse. For one thing, Black Lightning will not be crossing over with the network’s other DC properties, but will exist in its own universe (for now, at least). In addition, the show features an older, retired superhero rather than an origin story, and a trailer that puts the focus on the characters, not the superpowers.
Fans have been getting more news about the upcoming show this week, as Black Lightning executive producers Salim Akil and Mara Brock Akil appeared at the ATX Television Festival in Austin, Texas to talk about the show. Salim Akil has already spoken about how he would love to see Static Shock appear in the series, and has now also confirmed the big bad for season 1.
Salim confirmed to the IBTimes that the most ‘interesting’ villain right now is a man called Tobias, and that the show is going to be more character driven than some of the other CW offerings.
“It’s a character driven show. I don’t know if there’s going to be a fight every week. There’s certainly not going to be a villain of the week. I don’t want to do that. We really want to explore the characters, even the villains. I think one of the most interesting characters right now from a storytelling standpoint is Tobias. Because we’re not having him sort of twist his mustache. His hatred for himself and for others comes from a real place, so we want to know why he’s like that.”
In the comics, Tobias Whale is the criminal leader of the 100 gang, a violent crime boss who first appeared in Black Lightning #1. Whale and Black Lightning have gone head to head many times, before the gangster was finally defeated.
As a villain for Black Lightning, Tobias Whale makes a lot of sense. He is one of the superheroes’ classic foes, and the 100 has already been mentioned in the trailer and the synopsis as the gang that the hero goes up against. He also fits with the show’s focus on the character and the community, rather than his superpowers, as Tobias is a villain who has the potential to be truly connected to Black Lightning’s community and his past. There’s no news yet on who will be playing Tobias, but this is sure to emerge soon.
Black Lightning is set for a midseason premiere on The CW.
