Digital channel CW Seed is adding another animated superhero series to its slate: "Freedom Fighters: The Ray." The series, which will be executive produced by Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim, will have a gay superhero as its lead character.
Based on DC Comics characters, "Freedom Fighters: The Ray" follows Raymond "Ray" Terrill, a journalist who stumbles upon a plot by government scientists to make a weapon of mass destruction using light. The intrepid reporter fails to share his discovery with the world before getting exposed to a "genetic light bomb," which gives him light-based powers.
The young man takes his newfound powers and joins forces with the Freedom Fighters, a team of superheroes, to save the day and fight oppression.
"Freedom Fighters: The Ray" will join fellow animated series "Vixen," also based on a DC Comics character, on CW Seed in 2017. And like "Vixen," who appeared on CW Network's "Arrow" last season, the plan is to have the character of Ray appear on other CW series as well.
The CW programming slate includes several comic book adaptations -- many of which include LGBTQ characters. Echo Kellum plays gay superhero Mr. Terrific on "Arrow," and "Supergirl" recently cast Floriana Lima as Maggie Sawyer, a lesbian police officer.
In fact, Ray is not the only new LGBTQ character joining the ranks of The CW's so-called "Arrowvese." At the network's Television Critics Association panel on Thursday, CW's Andrew Kresiberg told critics a character from an existing DC Comics adaptation will be coming out this season. And Variety reports it will be "a a significant character."