Superheroes and sci-fi are more popular than ever, as anyone who attends the giant annual comic-cons in San Diego (July) and New York (October) can attest. They both consistently draw 150,000 attendees or more. There are also numerous smaller comic-con events throughout the country, ranging anywhere from a few thousand to 100,000+ attendees. Once considered niche, with very limited appeal, these have become major pop-culture events – but still have a strong focus on sci-fi and superheroes. DC’s Batman and Wonder Woman movies, as well as Marvel’s many mega-successful cinematic efforts, which began with Captain America and the Avengers, have shown that there are large audiences for these stories.
The trick has become appealing to the hard-core fans who are well-versed in more than 60 years of comic-book canon, as well as new fans with only a passing or no familiarity with the characters’ backstories or superhero mythology.
From the earliest days of television, series featuring superheroes have had their ups and downs. While occasionally popping up in the 1960s through early 2000s, most often as one network tried to counter-program and appeal to a younger audience, the creation of the CW network, along with the advent of streaming platforms, and the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has led to a rebirth of the superhero genre.
The two major superhero factories, DC and Marvel, have traditionally appealed to different types of audiences, although there is some overlap. The DC universe has always been in a different reality from our own, with names of major cities having generic fictional names, such as Metropolis, Gotham City, Central City, Star City, National City, etc. Until 2008, with the release The Dark Knight Batman movies, DC was traditionally geared more to kids and teens than adults. The Marvel universe, on the other hand, takes place in our world, with many of the superheroes living in New York City. Marvel’s tendency to have flawed characters with stories focused on real-world problems has tended to appeal to more of a teen/young adult audience – both in comic books and on the screen.
Since Adventures of Superman, starring George Reeves, which aired in syndication from 1952-58, most superhero shows on television featured major DC characters. They were always G rated, and were relatively low budget with limited special effects. All superhero shows on TV prior to 2000 were designed for family viewing. Seldom, if ever, did they address any social or political issues of the day. Nor did they feature people of color (if you don’t count green).
Batman (ABC,1966-68), starring Adam West and Burt Ward, was designed with kids in mind, but its well-known weekly guest stars camping it up as villains appealed to adults as well – Cesar Romero as the Joker, Burgess Meredith as the Penguin, Frank Gorshin as the Riddler, Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt as Catwoman, to name just a few. It aired twice a week for its first two seasons, and weekly for its third. Viewers were reminded to tune in next week at the “same bat time, and same bat channel.”
From the 1970s through the 1990s, there were only a handful of superhero shows on TV, primarily because they were not seen as appealing to a broad enough audience to generate strong ratings. We had Shazam (CBS, 1974-76), starring Nichael Gray, Wonder Woman (ABC, 1975-79), starring Lynda Carter, the syndicated Superboy (1988-92), starring Gerard Christopher, The Flash (CBS, 1990-91), starring John Wesley Shipp, and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (ABC, 1993-97), starring Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher.
Pre-2000, there were just two live-action series based on Marvel superheroes. The Amazing Spider-Man (CBS, 1977-79), starring Nicholas Hammond, and The Incredible Hulk (CBS 1977-82), with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno playing scientist Bruce Banner and his big green alter-ego, respectively.
Other live-action superhero series, not affiliated with DC or Marvel, all on ABC, included, The Green Hornet (1966-67), with Van Williams in the title role and Bruce Lee as his sidekick, Kato, The Six Million Dollar Man (1973-78), starring Lee Majors, Lindsay Wagner in The Bionic Woman (1976-78), and William Katt as The Greatest American Hero (1981-83).
The modern era of superhero TV series began when the WB network (now CW) aired Smallville (2001-11), which provides a look at Superman’s life as a boy in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas The series starts out as a young-adult high-school drama, before
Superman dons his uniform, when he is only known as Clark Kent (Tom Welling). Eventually the series moves into his adult world where he gets a reporter job at the Daily Planet, working alongside Lois Lane. Various DC Comics superheroes and villains are introduced throughout the series.
The WB tried to follow up the success of Smallville, with the one-season wonder, Birds of Prey (2002-03). After the Joker kills Catwoman (Maggie Baird) and leaves Batgirl (Dina Meyer) in a wheel chair, Batman, grieving over the loss of his secret love, Catwoman, leaves New Gotham to fend for itself. Batgirl takes on a new identity as “Oracle” and mentors the secret daughter of Batman and Catwoman, “Huntress” (Ashley Scott) A third young woman with psychic abilities, Dinah (Rachel Skarsten), joins them and they become the Birds of Prey – committed to defeating the Joker and Gotham’s other criminals. Had this debuted today, it might well have become a hit.
Fox did for the Batman mythology what the WB/CW did for Superman, when it debuted Gotham (2014-19). This series provides a look at the largely corrupt Gotham City and a young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz), as he seeks revenge for the murder of his billionaire parents. He is assisted by a young police detective, Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) before he becomes Commissioner, and his butler, Alfred. The series also focuses on the origins of his ally/adversary, Catwoman, and several well-known villains, such as Penguin, Riddler, and Joker (all more sinister incarnations than in previous Batman series).
Just as Smallville was coming to an end, the CW was about to unveil a whole new slate of superhero shows that would soon be known as the Arrowverse. The name derives from the first series of the group. All of the CW heroes exist in the same shared continuity, which enables cross-over appearances among the various series. The CW shows are also notable for their diversity and inclusion, with people of color and LGBTQ+ characters in central or leading roles.
Arrow (2012-2020), which is based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, stars Stephen Arnell as Oliver Queen, a billionaire playboy who was shipwrecked on a mysterious island for five years. When he returns home to Star City, he fights crime and corruption in his secret identity as the vigilante known as Arrow (his weapon of choice is a bow and arrow). Throughout the series, various other characters join him, forming Team Arrow, which continues to fight an array of bad guys.
Over the next decade, the CW debuted several other superhero series based on DC Comics characters.
The first series to spin off from Arrow was The Flash (2014-present), with Grant Gustin as the speedster. When a new scientific invention called a particle accelerator causes an explosion at S.T.A.R. labs, it creates a freak storm, and crime-scene investigator Barry Allen is struck by lightning. He awakens from a coma nine months later to discover he now has super speed. When he realizes that others have also gained powers from the explosion and use them for evil, he dedicates himself to protecting the innocent citizens of Central City, and hunting these other “metahumans.” His super-speed allows him to occasionally move through time and parallel worlds, often with dire or unexpected consequences. As is the case with Arrow, The Flash has a team of friends, scientists, and heroes to help him.
Superman was not the only one to escape from the planet Krypton before it was destroyed. Supergirl (2015-21), starring Melissa Benoist, focuses on his cousin Kara, who was sent to earth as a 13-year-old. She was raised by foster parents, has a human sister, and now works as a reporter in National City. Her adoptive sister is a government agent, whom she works with to bring bad guys to justice. Several heroes and villains are introduced throughout the series, including Martian Manhunter, Mon-El, and Brainiac-5, a member of the Legion of Superheroes from the 31st Century.
Supergirl is actually from a parallel earth within the multiverse to the one where Flash and Arrow reside. While on their world, metahumans are the biggest threat, on Supergirl’s earth, the biggest threats are aliens from other planets. On several occasions, they have been able to cross over between worlds to help one another. Supergirl debuted on CBS, but moved to the CW network for its second season.
Legends of Tomorrow (2016-present) consists of a ragtag team of heroes and villains recruited by rogue time traveler, Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill), who venture through time in a stolen time ship known as the Waverider, protecting the timeline from aberrations. There are continued conflicts among the Legends and various bureaus who are in charge of protecting the timeline. The Legends include, Sara Lance/White Canary (Caity Lotz), Ray Palmer/Atom (Brandon Routh), Mick Rory/Heat Wave (Dominic Purcell), Nate Heywood/Steel (Nick Zano), Zari Omaz (Tala Ashe), John Constantine (Matt Ryan), and Ava Sharpe (Jes Macallan), as well as several other recurring characters.
Legends of Tomorrow is one of the first superhero series to have gay characters in central roles, including the leader of the team.
Cress Williams stars Jefferson Pierce, also known as the electricity-powered Black Lightning (2018-2021). As the series begins, he is a legendary retired African-American superhero, now a high-school principal in Freeland, Georgia. He’s forced out of retirement when his city and his daughters are threatened by a fearsome criminal gang. His daughters Anissa (Nafessa Williams) and Jennifer (China Anne McClain) start developing powers of their own and join him as Thunder and Lightning.
Three years after Batman mysteriously disappeared from Gotham City, Bruce Wayne’s cousin, Kate Kane (Ruby Rose) picks up the mantle, becoming Batwoman (2019-present). After season 1, Ruby Rose left the show for personal reasons, and with Kate Kane out of the picture, Ryan Wilder (Javicia Leslie) steps into her boots and becomes the new female vigilante. Batwoman is assisted in her crimefighting by Kate Kane/s stepsister, medical student Mary (Nicole Kang) and Luke Fox (Camrus Johnson), son of Wayne Enterprise’s tech guru, Lucian Fox.
In season 1, Ruby Rose became the first openly gay superhero in a title role, while in season 2, Javicia Leslie was the first Black woman to have the lead in a superhero TV series.
Stargirl (2020-present), stars Brec Bassinger as high-school student Courtney Whitmore, who inspires a new generation of young misfits to become heroes and form a new version of the Justice Society of America (JSA) – most of the original supergroup members were killed a decade earlier in battle with the Injustice Society of America. Courtney had discovered the Cosmic Staff of one of the JSA heroes, Starman. When she learns her stepfather used to be Starman’s sidekick, she decides to form the new group.
Tyler Hoechlin and Bitsie Tulloch star as Superman & Lois (2021-present), in this new take on the Man of Steel. After years of fighting supervillains and alien invaders, Clark Kent and famed journalist Lois Lane, leave the big city of Metropolis to return to his small rural hometown of Smallville to raise their two teenage boys (Jordan Elsass, Alexander Garlin), one of whom has emerging super powers of his own. The show balances superheroing, high-school drama, and parenting in today’s society.
There have been a number of cross-over events where these characters interact and battle major threats to the city, planet, or universe. So far, only Stargirl has yet to be involved in these cross-overs, but that is reportedly coming at some point. The biggest cross-over event was during the 2019-20 season, which incorporated virtually every character in the Arrowverse, as well as a few from the DC theatrical universe (the first time the two universes acknowledged one another). For example, Ezra Miller’s Flash from the Justice League movies appeared alongside Grant Gustin’s Flash from the CW series. The cross-over event ended with the Multiverse being rebooted so that all these superheroes share the same world.
Numerous other DC heroes without their own individual series have been introduced within the Arrowverse, including, Martian Manhunter, Atom, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Black Canary, Kid Flash, Speedy, Hourman, Mon-El, Brainiac-5, Vixen, Dr. Mid-Nite, the Legion of Superheroes, and the Justice Society of America.
These shows pretty much have straightforward comic-book style good guy versus bad guy storylines that are more-or-less suited for the entire family. Most of the CW superhero shows have diverse casts, some with Black lead heroes, and several that feature LGBTQ+ characters.
Over the years, Marvel had done little more than dip its toes into the superhero waters of live-action television series. But with a new phase of blockbuster theatrical movies, starting with Iron Man in 2008, Captain America: The First Avenger in 2011, and The Avengers in 2012, it was about to hit the small screen with considerable force.
Debuting a little more than a year after the first Avengers theatrical movie, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC 2013-20) was the first television series to cross over from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention and Logistics Division) is a peacekeeping and spy organization tasked with protecting the world from hostile forces around the globe and beyond.
This team of agents is led by Phil Coulson (Clark Greg), who was resurrected after apparently being killed by Loki in the first Avengers movie in 2012. The series deals with Hydra (and the ramifications from Captain America: Winter Soldier), as well as introducing us to Marvel comics characters, the Inhumans, and alien species such as the Kree, and the Chronicoms.
People die and are revived, they travel into space and through time, and enter alternate timelines. Chloe Bennet portrays Daisy Johnson, aka Quake, a powerful Inhuman who joins S.H.I.E.L.D. Ming-Na Wen, Henry Simmons, Ian De Caestecker, Elizabeth Henstridge, and Natalia Cordova-Buckley round out the team.
In 2015, when Netflix was starting to become a media force and Disney+ was not even a glimmer in its parents’ eyes, Marvel entered into a deal with Netflix to develop series featuring some of its lesser-known “street-level” heroes. Unlike the world-saving superhero teams (such as the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four), these characters have grittier, more personal stories, which better lend themselves to series-long plotlines – as opposed to one- or two-part blockbuster movies. They protect their own cities or neighborhoods, rather than getting involved in planet-saving exploits.
All of the Netflix Marvel series are significantly more violent and graphic than their TV predecessors, and contain sexual situations that were simply unimaginable in previous superhero shows.
The heroes themselves are different from most other superheroes on TV as well. They are haunted by events from their past, and are flawed characters, struggling with what it means to be a “hero.” There was also a miniseries featuring the four Netflix heroes who came to be known as The Defenders – Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, who were brought together to battle a shadowy global conspiracy.
When Daredevil (2015-18) debuted on Netflix, it raised the bar for superhero storytelling on TV. Charlie Cox is Matt Murdoch/Daredevil – blind lawyer by day, vigilante crimefighter by night. While he has no actual superpowers, he has ninja-like fighting skills and heightened senses to make up for his lack of sight.
He is conflicted and haunted by events in his past, and struggles with the violence he is forced to inflict on the bad guys. The fight choreography (check out the hallway fight sequence from season 1, the battle toward the end of season 2, and the prison gym fight in season 3) is well beyond anything I’ve seen on television. His constant concern – at what point do you become what you are fighting? Instilling fear into those who would threaten his rough New York City neighborhood, he is known as “the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen.” This series also introduces us to The Punisher, one of Marvel comics most popular characters.
Netflix followed up Daredevil with Jessica Jones (2015-19), which has the distinction of being Marvel’s first female lead and title character in either television or movies. Krysten Ritter stars as the reluctant hero, working as a private detective out of her Hell’s Kitchen apartment in New York City. She has extraordinary strength, received through an experimental medical procedure that saved her life when her family was killed in a car crash.
Jessica Jones shatters the mold of typical female TV protagonists by presenting a strong, brooding, independent woman on her own, who plays by her own rules. She’s flawed, she swears, she drinks too much, and she has indiscriminate and casual sex on her own terms – the type of female character you rarely if ever see on television. She’s a hero and a victim (who doesn’t need to be saved by a man). The series is a strong commentary on male/female relationships and the abuse of privilege and power, focusing on such topics as addiction, rape, retaliation, revenge, and redemption – subject matter seldom dealt with on television, and not at all in the Marvel universe at large.
Most of the strong, independent characters in Jessica Jones are women – including Rachael Taylor as her best friend Trish “Patsy” Walker, Carrie-Anne Moss as a high-powered attorney who has helped Jessica out of several jams, and Janet McTeer as her mom. Notably, roles often played by women, the assistant, the girlfriend (in this case boyfriend), and the sidekick, are reserved for men. All 13 episodes in its second season have female directors.
Luke Cage (2016-18) was the first Black superhero to be featured as a protagonist and title character of a comic book (first appearing in 1972). This is an updated version, with Mike Colter in the title role as the quietly confident reluctant hero with super strength and unbreakable, bulletproof skin (caused by a sabotaged medical experiment when he was in prison after being wrongfully convicted).
His plans to live a quiet life do not go as planned, as bad guys, some linked to his past, force him out of the shadows to fight crime and corruption in his city. He is celebrated on the streets where he lives as “the Hero of Harlem.” But new threats emerge, forcing him to question what it really means to be a hero.
Luke Cage is different from other superhero series (and most television dramas), as it features a mostly Black cast, as well as numerous cultural references and visual images – bringing a socially conscious and fresh perspective to a genre in which it has been sorely lacking. At a time when images of violence against Black men and women are more common than ever, watching an African-American man impervious to bullets and dispatching gun-toting assailants, should appeal to many viewers who have seldom, if ever, seen people who look like them in these roles.
Iron Fist (2017-18) stars Finn Jones stars as Daniel Rand, who was presumed dead in a mysterious plane crash that claimed the lives of his billionaire parents. In truth, he was rescued by warrior monks, and he grew up in the mystical city of K’un-Lun, which is only accessible to the outside world every 15 years. He was trained in martial arts to become a fierce warrior, eventually becoming “the immortal Iron Fist,” protector of K’un-Lun and fighter of evil forces. Fifteen years later, he returns home to New York City to reconnect with his past and take his rightful place at the head of his family’s company, where he has to face off with numerous bad guys. This is the weakest and least popular of the Netflix Marvel series,
Marvel’s most violent antihero, Frank Castle, known throughout New York City as The Punisher (2017-19), is played by Jon Bernthal. He’s a former special forces marine, who, in the first season, is seeking vengeance on those who murdered his family. He is cunning, ruthless, and brutal, and makes previous theatrical movie versions of the character seem tame and one-dimensional by comparison. Unlike other Marvel vigilantes, he has no qualms or remorse about the high body counts he leaves in his lurch. Although he has interacted with Daredevil, The Punisher is not part of the Defenders.
Other series based on Marvel characters have recently aired on Disney-owned ABC, Freeform, and Hulu, as well as Fox and FX (before Disney acquired 20th Century Fox assets). These were produced by Marvel’s television unit and were canceled once its film division took over and Disney+ was becoming a reality.
Marvel’s Runaways (Hulu 2017-2019): Lots of teenagers think their parents are evil, but in this case they really are. A group of six diverse high-school students, with varying degrees of enhanced abilities, must band together to fight their parents, who may be part of an otherworldly threat to humankind. The kids are classmates, who grew up together because their parents were friends. When the kids discover their parents have been responsible for unspeakable deeds, and are part of a secret organization called The Pride, they band together to further investigate. Are their parents actually evil, or are they being manipulated by outside malevolent forces?
Inhumans (ABC 2017) are evolutionary advanced humans with physical abilities far beyond normal people, who live in a secret city on the Moon (hidden from human eyes). When they come of age, they enter something called the Terrigen Mist which can substantially enhance (and sometimes reduce) these abilities. The Inhumans are led by the Royal Family – Black Bolt, Medusa, Karnak, Gorgon, Triton, and Crystal. The Inhumans first appeared in Fantastic Four comics in 1965 (with some new characters introduced in the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV series). They have an interesting backstory and enough different and diverse characters that it should have the potential to make a good series. But this was not it.
Legion (FX 2017-2019) is linked to the X-Men universe (before the rights to that franchise reverted from Fox back to Disney). It centers on David Heller/Legion (Dan Stevens), who might be the most powerful mutant of all. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia at a young age, and has spent much of his life in mental institutions (with several other mutants). But the bizarre visions and monsters he thinks are delusions might actually be real. There’s apparently a parasitic demon who has been living in his head. And, of course, there’s a secret organization that wants to harness his power.
The series received a fair amount of critical acclaim for its visual effects and departure from standard superhero fare – and it is the least Marvel-like Marvel series you will ever see. Those familiar with his character from the comic books know who his famous father is. Jean Smart heads up an ensemble cast, which includes Aubrey Plaza.
The Gifted (Fox 2017-2019) takes place in the X-Men universe. The X-Men have disappeared, and mutants are being hunted by a special government unit. When two suburban parents (Stephen Moyer, Amy Acker), discover their two children (Natalie Alyn Lind, Percy Hynes White) have developed mutant powers, they seek refuge with an underground network of mutants. This group, with varying degrees of enhanced abilities, fights to survive in a world that fears them and puts them in constant danger. They also clash with a more aggressive group of mutants, who believes a pre-emptive strike on the humans who are hunting them is the best way to keep them all safe.
Olivia Holt and Aubrey Joseph star as Cloak and Dagger (Freeform 2018-2019), two teenagers from very different backgrounds (she from privilege, he from the streets), who have both experienced major tragedies in their lives. Taking place in New Orleans, they acquired superpowers when an oil Gulf platform collapses. She has the ability to emit light energy daggers, he can engulf others in darkness and transport them through the Darkforce Dimension. As their friendship and relationship grows, they start to realize that their powers are linked together and strongest when they work in tandem – all the better to help them fight against the evil Roxxon corporation.
As Netflix’s five-year partnership with Disney-owned Marvel came to an end, it canceled all five of its original scripted series based on these heroes – Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Punisher This coincided with Disney ramping up efforts for Disney+, and taking full operational control of Hulu. Netflix was moving toward owning more of its own content, and it did not have an ownership stake in any of its Marvel series – each season required paying a hefty license fee to Disney-owned ABC Studios. Continuing with additional seasons of these series, which they would soon lose the rights to anyway, was not seen as financially viable for Netflix. Marvel was not permitted to use any of the Netflix characters until two years after the series was canceled. This period is now over for all the Netflix shows, and while there are rumors about reviving some of the characters, nothing has yet been officially confirmed.
Marvel Studios, which produces the theatrical movies, started producing their own series in 2018 for Disney+, the first of which debuted in January 2021 – more than a dozen more are planned over the next few years, and they have significantly larger budgets than the series produced by Marvel Television. They are also tied more directly to the theatrical movies, and several include supporting characters who appeared in those films.
WandaVision (Disney+, 2021) stars Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany reprising their roles as Wanda Maximoff, aka The Scarlett Witch, and Vision from the Avengers theatrical movies. She has magical powers (telekinesis, telepathy, energy manipulation) and is one of the most powerful of all Marvel heroes. He is an android with superhuman strength, speed, and analytical capabilities, as well as the ability to change his density and phase through objects.
The series opens with our heroes in suburbia, living in simulation parodies of classic TV sitcoms from the 1950s through the early 2000s. Wanda and Vision gradually start to realize something isn’t right when they seemingly can’t remember basic details of their new life. Is this all an alternate-reality dimension created by Wanda, or is there something more nefarious afoot? The mystery is unveiled in bits and pieces over the show’s nine episodes. All of the quirkiness and weirdness of the series culminates in an action-packed finale, worthy of the Marvel Cinematic Universe at large.
WandaVision was designed as a one-off series transitioning from the Avengers: Endgame theatrical movie to the upcoming Dr. Strange In the Multiverse of Madness, so another season seems unlikely.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Disney+, 2021) stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan in their roles as Sam Wilson/Falcon and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier, respectively, teaming up in this six-episode series that finds them in the shadow of the recently departed Captain America (Sam’s mentor and Bucky’s former partner/foe/ally).
The series opens a few months after the events in Avengers: Endgame, with each of our heroes separately trying to adjust to life in a post-Blip world. For those who don’t recall (or never knew), the “Blip” occurred when Thanos snapped his fingers and caused half of all life in the universe to disappear. Thanks to the heroics of the surviving Avengers, they were brought back – but not until five years had passed, during which time much of the world was thrown into chaos.
Although Sam has turned Captain America’s shield over to the government, expecting it to be displayed in a museum, they instead give it to a new “hero,” John Walker (Wyatt Russell), who they introduce to the world as the “new Captain America.” Unlike Steve Rogers, John Walker did not receive enhanced abilities from being injected with the super-soldier serum, but rather is a decorated and highly trained special forces operative. At first he seems like a decent enough guy, but that doesn’t last, and he is eventually forced to surrender the shield after a video of him brutally killing one of the bad guys goes viral.
The main bad guys are terrorists known as the Flag-Smashers, who believe things were better during the Blip, and want things to revert back to the chaos and that existed during that five-year period when half the population on earth had disappeared and many of the rules regarding how people lived, along with them. These new foes are enhanced super-soldiers, led by a woman named Karli Morgenthau (Erin Kellyman).
Our heroes win in the end. Much of the drama focuses on the racial inequities that still exist in America, and Sam struggling with what it would mean for a Black man to be the symbol of our country. The whole purpose of this series seems is to set up the next Captain America theatrical movie, with Anthony Mackie as the new shield carrying hero. There are also some surprise guest appearances,
Loki (Disney+, 2021) stars Tom Hiddleston, who brings his movie character as the God of Mischief and Thor’s half-brother to the small screen. In Avengers Endgame the Avengers went seven years back in time to when Loki was fighting them in the “Battle of New York” (from the first Avengers movie in 2012). They needed to get the Infinity Stones before Thanos acquires them and wipes out half the universe. In the chaos that ensued, Loki managed to get his hands on the powerful energy cube known as the Tesseract and disappears.
This series follows what happens to that Loki, before we see him grow and redeem himself in Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War. Loki’s disappearance has caught the attention of the Time Variants Authority (TVA), a powerful bureaucratic organization that exists outside of normal time and space. The TVA is tasked by the mysterious Timekeepers to make sure people stay in their set timeline. Any “variants” are put on trial and either reset into their expected timeline, or simply erased from existence. Loki is now considered a variant. A new major villain appears, and seems set to wreak havoc on the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The superhero genre extends beyond just DC on the CW and Marvel on Disney+. Over the past few years, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max have all developed successful entries in the genre.
Titans (HBO Max, 2018- present) is based on the DC characters, the Teen Titans, young superheroes who fight evildoers. This is not your parents’ group of heroes, however – the violence and sexual situations make it a much more adult version. One thing that gives the show broad appeal is that it incorporates the version of the group that many Baby Boomers grew up with, namely Dick Grayson’s Robin (who eventually becomes Nightwing), Wonder Girl, and Aqualad, as well as vigilante partners known as Hawk and Dove, and brings them together with the newer version of the Titans – Jason Todd’s Robin, Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy, as well as Conner/Superboy (a genetic clone of Superman and criminal genius Lex Luthor).
Titans originally debuted its first two seasons on the DC Universe streaming service, but shifted to HBO Max when that streaming service became the platform for original DC series outside the Arrowverse.
Doom Patrol (HBO Max, 2019- present) is another DC team of superheroes, although not from one of the more popular comics. The group has undergone many different incarnations over the years. The Doom Patrol is a group of super-powered misfits, each of whom received their powers due to horrible accidents that also left them scarred, traumatized, and alienated from society. Members include, Chief, Negative Man, Robotman, Elasti-girl, Mento, Beast Boy (who joins the Titans), Space Case, Crazy Jane, Flex Mentallo, Danny the Ambulance, and Cyborg (who also becomes a member of the Teen Titans and Justice League). Doom Patrol originally aired on DC Universe before moving to HBO Max.
The Boys (Amazon Prime Video, 2019-present) presents a world where superheroes are real, unaccountable, and can basically do whatever they want (such as accidentally kill ordinary citizens). In this dark comedy-drama, based on the comic book series, a Justice League-type superhero group known as The Seven wreak havoc as they sometimes do and sometimes only pretend to do great deeds, often leaving destruction and death in their wake They work for a multibillion-dollar conglomerate that licenses their images and covers up their crimes. A vigilante group, known as the Boys, is committed to fighting and exposing these corrupt “heroes.”
Just because this show centers around superheroes, however, does not mean it’s for kids. Scenes of graphic and implied violence and sex are prevalent throughout. Karl Urban stars as Billy Butcher, leader of the vigilante group sworn to bring down the “heroes.” Antony Starr is Homelander, the Superman-style, most powerful member of The Seven. Erin Moriarity, Dominique McElligott, Aya Cash, and Giancarlo Esposito, among others, round out the cast.
The Umbrella Academy (Netflix, 2019-present) is based on the comic of the same name. In 1989, 43 infants are inexplicably born to random women who showed no signs of pregnancy. Seven of them, all with enhanced abilities, are adopted by a billionaire industrialist who creates the Umbrella Academy to prepare his “children” to save the world. But first they have to solve his mysterious death. The siblings travel through time in an attempt to avoid an apocalypse that they somehow ended up causing in the future, while being hunted by assassins sent to stop them from preventing the end of the world,
The ensemble cast includes, Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Casteneda, Cameron Britton, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, and Mary J. Blige. It remains one of Netflix’s most popular shows.
Jupiter’s Legacy (Netflix, 2021) is based on Mark Millar’s comic-book series, about the super-powered children of legendary superheroes, who struggle to live up to the extraordinary feats of their parents. They see the modern world differently, and their parents’ code of ethics about never killing the villains as a relic of a different, more civilized time.
Jupiter’s Legacy was supposed to be the first in a series of “Millarworld” shows, creating a new superhero universe for Netflix (to compete with Disney+’s Marvel and Star Wars franchises). But despite being one of Netflix’s most watched series, it was mysteriously canceled after just one season. The high budget and behind-the-scenes production battles were blamed. Netflix and Millar spun the cancellation by saying they are proceeding with Jupiter’s universe, starting with an unrelated Millar comic-book series titled, Supercrooks.
Just as Disney+ will be expanding the Marvel on television, HBO Max will be trying to do the same for DC. While the Marvel TV series will have links to its cinematic universe, it’s not clear if the same will be true for the DC series.
Several upcoming Marvel series on Disney+ will feature lesser-known characters from its vast array of comic-book heroes:
Hawkeye, with Jeremy Renner reprising his role from the Avengers movies, will have a six-episode run in fall 2021. Hailee Steinfeld will play his young female protegee, Kate Bishop. Vera Farmiga and Florence Pugh (who starred in the Black Widow movie) also star.
Disney+ is reportedly already working on a spin-off series, featuring another lesser-known Marvel character (first introduced in the Daredevil comic book in 1998), who will also appear in Hawkeye – Echo (Alaqua Cox), a deaf Native-American martial arts expert, whose superpower is her ability to mimic her opponents’ movements and fighting style.
She-Hulk will star Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters, lawyer-turned green super-strong hero (who is also Bruce Banner’s cousin – in the comic book, she gains his Hulk powers after getting a blood transfusion from him, so look for Mark Ruffalo to show up). Tim Roth will reprise his role as the Abomination from The Incredible Hulk movie. Jameela Jamil will play Titania, a super strong rival of She-Hulk. Ten episodes are scheduled for some time in 2022.
Ms. Marvel will star Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan, a 16-year-old Muslim Pakistani-American from New Jersey, who writes superhero fan fiction about Captain Marvel, and gains shape-shifting powers (from her latent Inhuman DNA). Kamala Khan is Marvel’s first Muslim character to headline her own comic book or television series (she made her first comic-book appearance in 2013). It is expected to debut its six episode run in October or November 2021. Ms. Marvel is also reportedly going to appear in the feature film, The Marvels, scheduled for 2022.
Moon Knight is one of the more unusual Marvel characters. Oscar Isaac will play Marc Spector, also known as Moon Knight – a former U.S. marine, C.I.A operative, and mercenary with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). In the comic book, Marc Spector is near death in Egypt after being betrayed by his employer. He is saved by the Egyptian moon god Khonshu, and is given superhuman abilities, in exchange for becoming his conduit on Earth. Upon his return to the U.S., he becomes the crimefighter, Moon Knight. He has multiple identities with their own distinct personalities – from a cab driver to a millionaire socialite – which he uses to gain information without being noticed. This character has been compared to DCs Batman (or at least what Batman might be like if he had DID). Ethan Hawke will reportedly play the show’s main villain, with May Calamawy in an undisclosed role. It has a yet to be announced 2022 release date for its six episodes.
Secret Invasion is based on the epic 2008 Marvel comic-book series about the Skrulls, shape-shifting aliens who have been infiltrating Earth for years and replacing various Marvel heroes. Samuel L. Jackson will reprise his role as Nick Fury, with Ben Mendelsohn again playing the alien Skrull, Talos (first introduced in Captain Marvel). Kingsley Ben-Adir and Olivia Colman, are set to co-star, and Emilia Clarke is in negotiations to join the cast as well.
Ironheart will be based on one of Marvel’s more obscure comic-book characters who first appeared in 20016, and will star Dominique Thorne in the title role. She plays Riri Williams, a 15-year-old engineering student genius who attends MIT on a scholarship. She designs a suit of armor similar to Iron Man’s with material she steals from her campus. Tony Stark (Iron Man) takes notice of her achievement and encourages her in her goal to become a superhero. They were originally considering calling her Iron Woman or Iron Maiden, but thought the former was too old fashioned, and the latter simply inappropriate. This will be the MCU’s first Black female title character. It’s slated for an April 2022 release and will consist of six episodes. Before the shows airs, the character will reportedly appear in the next Black Panther theatrical movie.
Armor Wars will star Don Cheadle reprising his role from the Iron Man and Avenger movies, as War Machine, another secondary Marvel hero to get the series treatment. There was a seven-issue comic book series in 1987/88 where Tony Stark discovers the top-secret technology he used to create the Iron Man armor has been acquired by a group of supervillains. But with Tony Stark having died at the end of Avengers: Endgame, it looks like James Rhodes/War Machine will be the one battling them to get the technology back.
Untitled Wakanda Series will star Danak Gurira, reprising her film role as Okoye, the head of the Dora Milaje, Wakanda’s all-female special forces, and the Black Panther’s bodyguards. Nothing about the plot or additional casting is yet known. There are unconfirmed rumors that one of Marvel’s great anti-heroes, Namor the Sub-Mariner, might make an appearance
What If…? is an animated series based on the comic book of the same name, which imagines what would happen if things in the Marvel Universe happened differently. For example, what if Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) became Captain America instead of Steve Rogers, or if Loki wielded the hammer instead of Thor, and other alternate realities. Many recognizable Marvel actors will voice their character roles. Twenty-three episodes are planned for summer 2021, the first two of which have already aired.
While the CW will continue to be the primary broadcast network for DC series, particularly for the Arrowverse, HBO Max will not only be the home for former DC Universe series, but will have several new entries, featuring both popular and lesser known heroes.
Naomi from Ava Duvernay, will air on CW this season, and will star Kaci Walfall as the African-American teenage hero that saw her DC Comics debut in 2019. Naomi is a cool, confident, comic-book and superhero loving teenage high-school student. When a supernatural event shakes her small hometown of Port Oswego, Oregon, she sets out to uncover its origins, which leads to exploring the DC multiverse and uncovering the truth about her own super-powered origins.
The following series are slated for HBO Max.
Green Lantern, which Arrowverse mega-producer Greg Berlanti promises will be “our biggest DC show ever made,” will reportedly span several decades, and feature more than a few popular members of the Green Lantern Corps. (heroes with green-charged power rings, who protect the earth and the universe from cosmic threats), including Alan Scott, Guy Gardner, Jessica Cruz, Simon Baz, and Kilowog. It will also include the iconic villain, Sinestro. This has no relation to the failed 2011 theatrical movie. The pandemic delayed production, so the planned 2021 release will likely be delayed until 2022. Ten episodes have been ordered.
Peacemaker will star John Cena, reprising his role from the latest Suicide Squad theatrical movie as the highly skilled and equally unstable warrior, Peacemaker. James Gunn, who is writing the series, has confirmed that other characters from the film will appear in the TV show. The series was picked up for eight episodes, scheduled to premiere in January 2022.
DC Super Hero High is a comedy about a group of teenagers who are destined to become superheroes. The series will be set in a boarding school for gifted children, and will deal with typical teenage issues before they become heroes. It will probably debut in late 2021 or early 2022.
Justice League Dark is based on the Justice League spin-off comic about a team that battles supernatural forces. In the comics, the team has included characters such as John Constantine, Deadman, Zatana, and Swamp Thing, but there’s no word yet on which of them or any others will be featured here. There’s a chance that characters from this series will eventually be spun off into their own series (the opposite of what Netflix did with The Defenders) J.J. Abrams is developing the show.
Constantine will reportedly be another new series from J.J. Abrams. It will focus on a younger version of the man who fights against supernatural foes (there could be cross-over possibilities with Justice League Dark, since John Constantine will be played by the same actor in both series). No word yet on a potential release date.
Strange Adventures is an anthology series from Greg Berlanti, with each episode telling a cautionary tale focusing on different, mostly lesser-known characters within the DC universe (possibly someone like Adam Strange). Stories could run the gamut from earthbound heroes to intergalactic themes and the supernatural. Strange Adventures was a comic-book series that ran from 1950-1973, focusing largely on sci-fi stories that sometimes included superheroes. I haven’t heard any details or a potential release date since it was originally announced as being in development.
Madame X will be adapted for HBO Max by J.J. Abrams and Angela Robinson. Madame X is a sorceress who has helped both the Suicide Squad and Justice League Dark in the DC comic books. The series is in the early development stage, so no release date has been announced.
The Batman Prequel will be a spin-off of director Matt Reeves’ upcoming The Batman theatrical movie, which is scheduled to be released in theaters in October 2021. The series will focus primarily on the Gotham City Police Department and “will build upon the motion picture’s examination of the anatomy of corruption in Gotham City, ultimately launching a new Batman universe across multiple platforms.” The series will take place a year before The Batman movie, as the masked vigilante first appears on the scene. The story is seen through the POV of Gotham’s corrupt cops, and one in particular. Reeves described the story as “a battle for the cop’s soul.”
Val-Zod Superman Series is being developed for HBO Max by Michael B. Jordan. Val-Zod (who happens to be Black) is the Superman from Earth 2, where he is one of the last Kryptonians, and the second to assume the Superman mantle. The character first appeared in a DC comic in 2014.
Aquaman: King of Atlantis is a three-part animated series aimed at kids, and focusing on the undersea superhero and his underwater kingdom of Atlantis.
There have been numerous animated series based on DC, Marvel, and other characters throughout the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, and 2000s, geared to kids, teens, and young adults. Just some examples representative of each decade include,
1960s: Marvel: Spider-Man, Fantastic Four. DC: The New Adventures of Superman, The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, The Batman/Superman Hour, The Adventures of Batman. Other: Mighty Mouse Playhouse, Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse, Astro Boy, Underdog, 8 Man, Atom Ant, Secret Squirrel, The Herculoids, Space Ghost, Birdman.
1970s: Marvel: Spider-Man, Super Friends, Spider-Woman. DC: The New Adventures of Batman, The Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour. Other: The New Adventures of Flash Gordon, The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse.
1980s: Marvel: Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk. DC: Super Friends, Shazam!. Other: Thundarr the Barbarian, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, The Transformers, She-Ra: Princess of Power, Defenders of Earth, The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
1990s: Marvel: Spider-Man, Iron Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, Spawn. DC: Batman: The Animated Series, Superman the Animated Series. Other: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dragon Ball Z, Darkwing Duck, The New Adventures of Captain Planet, The Tick, Mega Man, The Powerpuff Girls.
2000s: Marvel: The Spectacular Spider-Man, X-Men Evolution, Wolverine and the X-Men, Fantastic Four. DC: Batman Beyond, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Teen Titans, Justice League Unlimited, Legion of Super Heroes. Other: Samurai Jack, Max Steel, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Teamo Supremo.
2010s: Marvel: Avengers Assemble, The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Iron Man: Armored Adventures, Ultimate Spider-Man, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., Guardians of the Galaxy, Big Hero 6: The Series. DC: Young Justice, Teen Titans Go, DC Super Hero Girls. Other: Transformers Prime, The Powerpuff Girls, Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
2020s: Marvel: Spidey and His Amazing Friends, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten M.O.D.O.K., What If… DC: Harley Quinn, Aquaman: King of Atlantis. Other: Invincible, Kid Cosmic.
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