As Akil told an assemblage of reporters (via ComicBook) on the set of Black Lightning, he would have been fine writing entire episodes without his main character blasting lightning from his hands, among other super-talents.
For Salim Akil, though, making Black Lightning was more demanding from the conceptual standpoint.
The emotional core of the show is about a man and his family, and to Alim, the powers come second.
One would think there’s a long list of challenges and reasons why making a superhero show is difficult, from the various special effects to the costumes.