History Main / ElectricBlackGuy

* WebVideo/LowTierGod becomes this in a famous meme image associated with his infamous quote [[SuicideDare "You should kill yourself NOW!"]]

* Shocker played by Creator/BokeemWoodbine appears in ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' working for the Vulture. Getting his electric powers from a gauntlet left made from technology left behind in the [[Film/TheAvengers2012 Chitauri invasion]].

* ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'': Jamal Castle, codenamed Jolt, a Electrical Energizer, meaning he has some electrical abilities, and is black as an episode of his PowerIncontinence was described as [[http://whateleyacademy.net/index.php/original-timeline/366-there-s-an-angel-in-dickinson-cottage-part-1 "The black kid yelped and suddenly erupted in a crackling field of arcing electricity"]].

* In ''Series/TheAmazingExtraordinaryFriends'', Wired is the New Zealand equivalent: being a Maori with electric powers.

* ''Webcomic/SisterClaire'', Jane Jackson is revealed later in the story to be a Weather Witch and, when going all out, causes her hair to afro to puff up with electricity while storm clouds form above her.

* In ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'', Aqualad primarily has water powers, but has electricity as a secondary one used to electrify said water attacks. The same show also featured Static, Bumblebee, and Black Lightning; the latter's lightning is also literally black. Interestingly, Static gets to be a Black Lightning stand-in in a series ''with'' Black Lightning. Similar to JLU, we get a team of Superfriends shout-out characters. The ''actual'' Black Lighting is in the series, but he's got a different role in the story that doesn't involve those characters, and is not a teenager like the others, so Static takes the Black Lightning/Vulcan role among them. Black Lightning eventually becomes Static’s mentor.

* ''WesternAnimation/NextAvengersHeroesOfTomorrow'' has Azari, the son of ComicBook/BlackPanther; his mother is unmentioned, but presumed to be ComicBook/{{Storm}}, given his [[MysticalWhiteHair white hair]] and electrical powers. He also has his father's strength and agility.

In 1977, Creator/DCComics revealed their first headlining African-American superhero with ComicBook/BlackLightning. But due to numerous controversies and licensing disputes, in the [[WesternAnimation/SuperFriends many]], ''[[Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse many]]'' adaptations of the DCU he has often been used via CaptainErsatz. This eventually [[TropeCreator developed]] into a consistent pattern in which black superheroes are given ShockAndAwe powers.

* Sentinel from ''VideoGame/{{Brawlhalla}}'' is this, using [[BladeBelowTheShoulder katars]] and [[DropTheHammer grapple hammers]] [[GeniusBruiser designed by himself]] to have electricity-related signature attacks. During his life he also managed to become a PresidentSuperhero.

* Aqualad in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' primarily has water powers, but has electricity as a secondary one used to electrify said water attacks. The same show also featured Static, Bumblebee, and Black Lightning; the latter's lightning is also literally black.
** Interestingly, Static gets to be a Black Lightning stand-in in a series ''with'' Black Lightning. Similar to JLU, we get a team of Superfriends shout-out characters. The ''actual'' Black Lighting is in the series, but he's got a different role in the story that doesn't involve those characters, and is not a teenager like the others, so Static takes the Black Lightning/Vulcan role among them. Black Lightning eventually becomes Static’s mentor.

** ComicBook/MilesMorales has the ability to emit powerful bio-electric blasts as part of his "Venom Blast" attack, an ability not shared by his friend and predecessor, [[ComicBook/SpiderMan Peter Parker.]]
*** Marvel doubles down on this in the what-if comic "What if Miles Morales Became Thor?", wherein Miles is the literal god of thunder (and all of Norse mythology stereotypically echoes African-American culture).

** ComicBook/{{Storm}} from the ''ComicBook/XMen'' is a Kenyan-American woman who uses lightning as her primary offensive power. She's a non-copycat example, since she appeared two years before Black Lightning, and her overall control of the weather makes lightning only one of her abilities. Though as the most visually spectacular thing she can do, it's one of her best-known abilities (alongside using wind manipulation to fly).
** ''ComicBook/GenerationsMarvelComics'' makes [[CanonImmigrant Canon Immigrants]] of the Next Avengers (see under Films--Animation below), including Azari T'Challa, confirmed here to be the son of ComicBook/BlackPanther and ComicBook/{{Storm}}.

[[caption-width-right:350:The First, and doubtless still The Best.]]

** In ''Comicbook/KingdomCome'' Jonni Thunder and Black Lightning have a daughter who has both of their powers, named Lightning. Lightning eventually appeared in the regular DC Universe, except her mother was Black Lightning's ex-wife.
** In the ComicBook/New52, the "wizard" who gives Comicbook/{{Shazam}} his powers is actually Mamaragan, an Australian lightning god, who appears as an Aborigine man.

** ComicBook/{{Storm}} from the ''Franchise/XMen'' is a Kenyan-American woman who uses lightning as her primary offensive power. She's a non-copycat example, since she appeared two years before Black Lightning, and her overall control of weather makes lightning only one of her abilities. Though as the most visually spectacular thing she can do, it's one of her best-known abilities (alongside using wind manipulation to fly).
** ''Comicbook/GenerationsMarvelComics'' makes [[CanonImmigrant Canon Immigrants]] of the Next Avengers (see under Films--Animation below), including Azari T'Challa, confirmed here to be the son of Comicbook/BlackPanther and Comicbook/{{Storm}}.
** ComicBook/MilesMorales has the ability to emit powerful bio-electric blasts as part of his "Venom Blast" attack, an ability not shared by his friend and predecessor, [[Franchise/SpiderMan Peter Parker.]]

* Volt from ''ComicBook/{{Irredeemable}}'' (another Black Lightning Expy too); he's also very [[LampshadeHanging self-conscious about the trope.]]
* ''Incorruptible'' [[PowerDegeneration very briefly]] features a man with electrical powers who is revealed to be a black guy when they fail.
* Rapture from ''ComicBook/TheSavageDragon'' is an Electric Black Girl who can fire and absorb electricity, and use it to fly.
** Marsha Bradley from from the same comic is also a woman of color with electricity based powers who goes by the alias Lightning Lady.
* Baal Hadad of ''ComicBook/TheWickedAndTheDivine'', being a god of thunderstorms in an avatar as a black man. [[spoiler:Ultimately subverted: he's actually Baal Hammon, a god of ''fire'', and his electrical powers are artificial.]]
* In "Godstorm: Hercules Payne", a spin-off of ''ComicBook/GrimmFairyTales'' featuring the titular demigod, Andre Payne is a black man from the streets of Compton who discovers that he's the eponymous son of Zeus. After Zeus 'activates' his powers, Andre finds himself capable of discharging electricity from his hands.
* The background British heroes in Creator/PaulCornell's ''Knight and Squire'' includes a character who is a parody of Black Lightning's seventies look, called Fro.
* ''ComicBook/AmazingAge'' has the Black Knight, who wears armor and wields the "Knight Light", which is basically electricity.
* ''ComicBook/BlackHammer'' has the titular superhero, an African-American man who can shoot bolts of lightning from his eponymous hammer like a black version of Thor. His daughter Lucy eventually takes up his mantle, gaining the same hammer and powers.
* ''ComicBook/AstroCity'' has Rachel "Electric" Brown, an Electric Black Gal.

* ''WesternAnimation/NextAvengersHeroesOfTomorrow'' has Azari, the son of ComicBook/BlackPanther; his mother is unmentioned, but presumed to be Comicbook/{{Storm}}, given his [[MysticalWhiteHair white hair]] and electrical powers. He also has his father's strength and agility.

* In ''VideoGame/DungeonCrawl'', [[LizardFolk draconians]] have different element-themed abilities signified by different scale colors. In a possible nod to this trope, the black draconians are electricity-themed.

** Laura from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterV'' is a ButNotTooBlack example, being Afro-[[SpicyLatina Brazilian]]/Japanese. She can generate electricity apparently by running her hands through her hair.

* ''ComicBook/BlackHammer'' has the titular superhero, an African American man who can shoot bolts of lightning from his eponymous hammer like a black version of Thor. His daughter Lucy eventually takes up his mantle, gaining the same hammer and powers.

In 1977, Creator/DCComics revealed their first headlining African-American superhero with ComicBook/BlackLightning. However, due to numerous controversies and licensing disputes, in the [[WesternAnimation/SuperFriends many]], ''[[Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse many]]'' adaptations of the DCU he has often been used via CaptainErsatz. This eventually [[TropeCreator developed]] into a consistent pattern in which African-American superheroes, or black superheroes in general, had ShockAndAwe powers.

** ComicBook/{{Storm}} from the ''Franchise/XMen'' is a Kenya-American woman who uses lightning as her primary offensive power. She's a non-copycat example, since she appeared two years before Black Lightning, and her overall control of weather makes lightning only one of her abilities. Though as the most visually spectacular thing she can do, it's one of her best-known abilities (alongside using wind manipulation to fly).

* UrExample ComicBook/BlackLightning. Most other examples are deliberate [[{{Expy}} Expies]] or {{Shout Out}}s to him. His daughter, Jennifer, inherited his powers. Keep in mind, Black Lightning originally had ''no'' natural powers - he just jury-rigged his own electricity weaponry. You're gonna be seeing a lot of him on this page.
* ''ComicBook/{{Static}}'' of Creator/MilestoneComics, published through DC. One of the more well-known examples of Black Lightning Expies. Possibly more famous than Black Lightning himself, in no small part thanks to having [[WesternAnimation/StaticShock his own cartoon series]].
* ComicBook/{{Storm}} from the ''Franchise/XMen'' is a Kenya-American woman who uses lightning as her primary offensive power. She's a non-copycat example, since she appeared two years before Black Lightning, and her overall control of weather makes lightning only one of her abilities. Though as the most visually spectacular thing she can do, it's one of her best-known abilities (alongside using wind manipulation to fly).
* Thunder Fall, a member of the Congolese superhero team The Kingdom in the DC Batman spinoff ''ComicBook/{{Batwing}}'', can shoot blasts of electricity out of his hands.

* Creator/DCComics character [[WesternAnimation/SupermanVsTheElite Coldcast]] has "electromagnetic" powers which gives him a slightly broader range of abilities (he can theoretically affect electrons on the subatomic level) but largely boils down to ShockAndAwe. Somewhat ironically, he's based on Jenny Sparks (a white British woman) from ''ComicBook/TheAuthority'', rather than Black Lightning.
* In ''Comicbook/KingdomCome'' Jonni Thunder and Black Lightning have a daughter who has both of their powers, named Lightning. Lightning eventually appeared in the regular DC Universe, except her mother was Black Lightning's ex-wife.

* In the ComicBook/New52, the "wizard" who gives Comicbook/{{Shazam}} his powers is actually Mamaragan, an Australian lightning god, who appears as an Aborigine man.
* ''Comicbook/GenerationsMarvelComics'' makes [[CanonImmigrant Canon Immigrants]] of the Next Avengers (see under Films--Animation below), including Azari T'Challa, confirmed here to be the son of Comicbook/BlackPanther and Comicbook/{{Storm}}.
* ComicBook/MilesMorales has the ability to emit powerful bio-electric blasts as part of his "Venom Blast" attack, an ability not shared by his friend and predecessor, [[Franchise/SpiderMan Peter Parker.]]
** Marvel doubles down on this in the what-if comic "What if Miles Morales Became Thor?", wherein Miles is the literal god of thunder (and all of Norse mythology stereotypically echoes African-American culture).
* DC surprisingly did not use this trope in ''ComicBook/TeenTitansEarthOne'', despite taking the version of ComicBook/WonderGirl that normally has ShockAndAwe powers and turning her black in this 'verse. This version of Cassie is limited to super-strength and has no hints of electrical manipulation powers.
* The Post-''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' version of Sparx and the ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes''' Lightning Lad are both racebent from white to black, making DC's most notable electricity-powered heroes who weren't already black black.

In 1977, Creator/DCComics revealed their first headlining African-American superhero with ComicBook/BlackLightning. However, due to numerous controversies and licensing disputes, in the [[WesternAnimation/SuperFriends many]], ''[[Franchise/{{DCAU}} many]]'' adaptations of the DCU he has often been used via CaptainErsatz. This eventually [[TropeCreator developed]] into a consistent pattern in which African-American superheroes, or black superheroes in general, had ShockAndAwe powers.

* ComicBook/{{Storm}} from the ''Franchise/XMen'' is a native African woman who uses lightning as her primary offensive power. She's a non-copycat example, since she appeared two years before Black Lightning, and her overall control of weather makes lightning only one of her abilities. Though as the most visually spectacular thing she can do, it's one of her best-known abilities (alongside using wind manipulation to fly).

* Creator/DCComics character [[WesternAnimation/SupermanVsTheElite Coldcast]] has "electromagnetic" powers which gives him a slightly broader range of abilities (he can theoretically affect electrons on the subatomic level) but largely boils down to ShockAndAwe. Somewhat ironically, while he's a CaptainErsatz of another DC character, instead of being based on Black Lightning, he's based on Jenny Sparks (a white woman) from ''ComicBook/TheAuthority''.

* ''ComicBook/{{Static}}'' of Creator/MilestoneComics, published through DC. One of the more well-known examples of Black Lightning Expies. Possibly more famous than Black Lightning himself, in no small part thanks to having [[WesternAnimation/StaticShock his own cartoon series]]. When Milestone was folded into DC, Black Lightning became his mentor.

** Marvel doubles down on this in the what-if comic "What if Miles Morales Became Thor?", wherein Miles is the literal god of thunder (and all of Norse mythology stereotypically echoes African-American culture). This actually resulted in some backlash from critics who felt that the stereotyping had gone too far.

** Marvel doubles down on this in the what-if comic "What if Miles Morales Became Thor?", wherein Miles is the literal god of thunder (and all of Norse mythology stereotypically echoes African-American culture).