Black Lightning Drops Sizzle Reel, Ups Jordan Calloway To Series Regular

When Black Lightning touched down at San Diego Comic-Con, a double-whammy reveal took place. 

First up was a piping-hot sizzle reel highlighting the best and boldest moments from the first season of the series. Clocking in at over five minutes in length, the footage reminds everyone — diehard Black Lightning fans and those who are looking to get into the Cress Williams-led show alike — that the title superhero isn't one to mess with and that things are only going to get more intense in season 2. 

Off the thought of season 2 came the next big Black Lightning reveal: Jordan Calloway, the actor who plays Khalil Payne (better known as Painkiller), has been promoted to series regular. 

Black Lightning showrunner and executive producer Salim Akil said when announcing Calloway's promotion, "I'm thrilled to have Jordan upped to a series regular. He was a great asset to our show in the role of Khalil/Painkiller during season one, and now that he has evolved into Painkiller, I can't wait for you all to see him in season two" (via ComicBook.com). 

Calloway's Khalil was introduced in the series' first season as a track star attending the same school as Jefferson Pierce's daughter Jennifer, played by China Anne McClain, whom he took a particular liking to. But when Khalil was injured by a stray bullet, leaving him paralyzed and his dreams of one day attending the Olympics all but dashed, he grew cold and resentful. 

Black Lightning's nemesis Tobias Whale, portrayed by Marvin "Krondon" Jones III, offers Khalil what he longs for: ybernetic legs in exchange for his loyalty. Khalil accepts and becomes Painkiller, a rising villain with super-strength and the ability to paralyze anyone with his now-venomous blood. If general teenage awkwardness wasn't enough to prevent Khalil and Jennifer from sparking up a romance, his allegiance to her father's worst enemy definitely is. 

With Calloway now a series regular, Black Lightning offers even more positive representation for people of color. As Akil mentioned during the Black Lightning panel, "We haven't seen that many African-American so-called superheroes ... It's important because in a season where there's an attempt to divide us, shows like this try to pull us together."

Black Lightning will return to the CW for its second season on October 9.