Black Lightning vs Luke Cage tv series

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Spectrum
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Black Lightning vs Luke Cage tv series

Post by Spectrum »

I started watching the Black Lightning series on Netflix a few weeks ago and haven't been able to come back to it. For the first few episodes, generally liked the uplifting but urban feel to it. Watching the Luke Cage season 2 commercials, looks very similar.

Parallel development or just seizing on the zeitgeist? Either one better than the other? Do they end up exploring major themes in different, interesting, ways?
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MacynSnow
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Re: Black Lightning vs Luke Cage tv series

Post by MacynSnow »

Spectrum wrote: Sun Jul 15, 2018 2:03 am I started watching the Black Lightning series on Netflix a few weeks ago and haven't been able to come back to it. For the first few episodes, generally liked the uplifting but urban feel to it. Watching the Luke Cage season 2 commercials, looks very similar.

Parallel development or just seizing on the zeitgeist? Either one better than the other? Do they end up exploring major themes in different, interesting, ways?
This depends on how you like your "Street" Heroes: Grim-n-Gritty Arrow & Daredevil types or Modern Four-Color Spider-Man & The Flash style adventures? If the first,then Luke Cage would be more your thing.If not,then try Black Lightning....
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Batgirl III
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Re: Black Lightning vs Luke Cage tv series

Post by Batgirl III »

The two series obviously tread upon the same ground, given the nature of the comic book heroes they're adapting. Plus, no matter how the production company tries to spin it, its pretty obvious that Black Lightning is a "follow the leader" series chasing after Luke Cage's success. Black Lightning is a lot more "bright" than Luke Cage, sort of like the contrast between Superman and the Batman.
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Spectrum
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Re: Black Lightning vs Luke Cage tv series

Post by Spectrum »

In the last month or so, ended up watching a bit of both.

Black Lightning was okay. Had some fun not really watching it but playing in the background moments, but it never really caught my attention. Managed to get pretty annoyed by the daughters.. and the wife.. and well.. easy to tune out.

Luke Cage season 2, on the other hand, had me actually watching it and paying attention. Far more engaging of a storyline and made me actually care about what happened to the characters.
We rise from the ashes so that new legends can be born.
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StarGuard
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Re: Black Lightning vs Luke Cage tv series

Post by StarGuard »

Classic Marvel vs DC. Character vs Flash, pun intended ... except Ironfist sadly. Chi bullets? No, just no.
BriarThrone
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Re: Black Lightning vs Luke Cage tv series

Post by BriarThrone »

StarGuard wrote: Thu Sep 13, 2018 4:39 am Classic Marvel vs DC. Character vs Flash, pun intended ... except Ironfist sadly. Chi bullets? No, just no.
Orson Randall can channel the power of the Iron Fist through his guns in the best Iron Fist story ever, Immortal Iron Fist, also Randall's only appearance. Does this channel allow Danny to more readily access the remaining essence of Shou-Lao, maybe? However it works, it is a direct link to Immortal Iron Fist, which can only be a good thing.

That specific moment was underwhelming to watch, but not because the concept is bad.
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Ares
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Re: Black Lightning vs Luke Cage tv series

Post by Ares »

Chi bullets were specifically an Orson Randall thing tho. Danny using guns is just off. He should have just caught the bullet or intentionally redirected it into something to make his point, which is more in keeping with his character.
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BriarThrone
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Re: Black Lightning vs Luke Cage tv series

Post by BriarThrone »

Ares wrote: Thu Sep 13, 2018 12:37 pm Chi bullets were specifically an Orson Randall thing tho. Danny using guns is just off. He should have just caught the bullet or intentionally redirected it into something to make his point, which is more in keeping with his character.
Oh, yes, absolutely. I agree 100%. I'm only pointing out the flaw in StarGuard's "Chi bullets? No, just no." They shouldn't be a Danny thing, but the concept itself is alright.

I'm a bit miffed that using Randall's guns lets Danny use Randall's powers, but maaaaybe the weapons are so used to channeling the Iron Fist that they help draw the power out of Danny. Seems suitably mystic.
Chris Brady
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Re: Black Lightning vs Luke Cage tv series

Post by Chris Brady »

So am I the only one who is sick and tired of watching female characters getting things without earning them? At what point did Colleen Wing do the trials of the fist to get the power?

And what is it with women always trying to control everything?

What I really find funny about Black Lightning is how they're trying to make the ex-wife sympathetic, when all I'm reminded of is 'This is the woman who badgered Black Lightning to retire, and CAUSED THE ENTIRE NEIGHBOURHOOD TO GO TO POT!' The entire 100 situation is HER fault.

The girls are annoying as hell, what is it with Black female characters of late being so self-centered, smug and pretentious? Aren't there OTHER personality types in there?
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Re: Black Lightning vs Luke Cage tv series

Post by BriarThrone »

While I enjoyed the new season of Iron Fist overall, that's one of the things that I had to struggle to ignore. Two people, fighting over the power of Shou-Lao the Undying that they've recently stolen, only have part of it themselves... are still better at using it than Danny in season one. Davos irritated me by being immediately as capable as Danny had become with much training and practice, but at least the foundation was there. He had trained since he was very young to become the Iron Fist. Colleen, though... even with the heritage, WTF. She almost immediately learned to channel the power through a weapon. That has to be pretty advanced. But she was starting from literally nothing.

I get the concept that watching novices and training arcs repeatedly gets old, so later characters get it abbreviated, but the end result is that characters like Colleen or Rey look superior to the characters whose story they're contributing to.
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StarGuard
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Re: Black Lightning vs Luke Cage tv series

Post by StarGuard »

Honestly I like Colleen’s character without the power and I hope she and Davos have a price to pay. What I really hope is Danny gets the Fist back for himself and we see two new separate series. This seasons story arc was done much better in the comics when the Steel Serpent took the Iron Fist, and John rocked back then.

Heroes for Hire ....

.... and Daughters of the Dragon




I watched and found Black Lightning unsatisfactory. I get what they’re trying and applaud the attempt but it’s a total swing and miss. Rhetoric aside ... First, the costume ... gross. Special Effects, meh. Half a season and both daughters have powers ... horrid writing. You haven’t fleshed our the main protagonist and already adding more powered characters? Always a sign of writers lacking grasp of a good story arc.
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