From the earliest days of television, live-action series featuring superheroes have had their ups and downs. Occasionally popping up in the 1950s through early 2000s, these shows were most often used as counter-programming in an effort to appeal to a younger audience. During this time, only a few enjoyed significant success.
The emergence of the Marvel Cinematic Universe led to a rebirth of the superhero genre. The CW network’s creation of the Arrowverse led to the superhero genre being reborn on television. The rise of streaming platforms, most notably Netflix, HBO Max (now Max), and Disney+, allowed several new entries to thrive.
While budgets have soared for superhero movie franchises, which can afford spectacular cinematic battle sequences, special effects, and major stars, this is generally not the case for television series. They have to reach viewers over a series of episodes with far less money, which means limited special effects, less set pieces, and fewer stars. This, of course, requires strong characters and storytelling.
Although there is some overlap, the two major superhero factories, DC and Marvel, have traditionally appealed to largely different audiences (particularly in the comic books).
From the 1950s through the early 2010s, the few successful superhero series on TV featured DC characters, most notably the big three – Superman (and Superboy), Batman, and Wonder Woman. Until the critically acclaimed The Dark Knight movie trilogy, Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), they were traditionally G-rated, were relatively low budget with limited special effects, and were largely geared toward family viewing.
The DC universe exists in a different reality from our own, with major cities having generic, fictional names, such as Metropolis, Gotham City, Central City, Star City, National City, etc. DC also tends to have simpler storylines and clearly defined good versus evil characters and plots (which are easier for kids to understand).
When Arrow debuted on the CW in 2012, it led to several more DC superhero series – The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, Batwoman, Stargirl, and Superman & Lois. All of these characters share the same universe and continuity, which enables big-event crossover episodes. The network also aired single seasons of Naomi (and Gotham Knights – both canceled too soon, a result of unfortunate timing. Before the Arrowverse, DC series seldom had diverse casts or addressed social issues of the day.
For a short time, DC had its own streaming platform, DC Universe (2018-20), which aired superhero shows Titans and Doom Patrol, Swamp Thing and the first season of Stargirl. It also aired the first season of the animated series, Young Justice, and the first two seasons of Harley Quinn. All these series shifted to the new Max, which became the home to non-Arrowverse DC series.
With the CW being sold to Nexstar Media Group, the network is shifting its focus away from younger viewers as it tries to get “bigger and broader.” As a result, live-action superhero shows have likely seen their last days on broadcast television. New leadership at DC Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery seems to be focusing more on the DC Cinematic Universe than on television series, but Max will still be debuting several superhero series going forward – although not at the same volume it had previously planned.
Given that the latest big-spectacle DC movie, The Flash, bombed at the box office, it will be interesting to see what happens next. Much depends on how its newest 2023 movies, Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom perform.
The “new” cinematic DC Extended Universe will officially launch in 2025 with the feature film, Superman: Legacy (which will reportedly also include Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Mr. Terrific). How any of this impacts potential new streaming series remains to be seen. It also remains to be seen whether the current writers’ and actors’ strikes delay its release date.
Unlike DC, Marvel superheroes exist in our reality, with many living in New York City. Marvel’s tendency to have flawed characters with stories focused on real-world problems appeals to more of a teen/young adult audience – both in comic books and on the screen.
Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe officially began in 2008 with the release of the first Iron Man theatrical movie, Marvel characters on television were few and far between. Only one, The Incredible Hulk (1977-82), could be considered successful. There were also a number of failed pilots featuring Dr. Strange (1978), Captain America (1979), Thor (1988), and Daredevil (1989). These efforts were often cheesy, with few if any special effects, and not always strictly adhering to the comic-book versions of the characters.
This all changed In 2015. Before Disney+ was even a gleam in its parent’s eyes, Netflix made a deal with Marvel to air a number of series based on “street-level” heroes – Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Punisher. These are heroes who focus more on saving their neighborhoods or cities, rather than dealing with the global threats faced by groups like The Avengers or X-Men. These shows, with their focus on character development and often spectacular fight choreography raised the bar for superhero shows.
Following is a brief history of live-action superheroes on television, followed by a look at superhero animation through the years.
1950s: It’s a Bird, it’s a Plane…
DC’s Adventures of Superman (syndication 1952-58), starring George Reeves, was the first comic-book superhero to appear in his own television series. Budget and special effects constraints of the time resulted in his fighting common criminals rather than super villains, and spending much of his time rescuing Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen (colleagues of his secret identity, Clark Kent). It was extremely popular, particularly among Baby Boomers, who were kids at the time.
Other action/adventure series during this decade were technically not in the superhero genre but went after a similar audience. These included, The Lone Ranger (ABC 1949-57), Captain Video and His Video Rangers (Dumont 1949-55), Buck Rogers (ABC 1950-51), Flash Gordon (Dumont 1954-55), Captain Midnight (CBS 1954-56), Sheena, Queen of the Jungle (Syndication 1955-56), and Zorro (ABC 1957-59).
1960s: Holy Camp, Batman
Batman (ABC 1966-68), starring Adam West and Burt Ward, with its bright colors and animated fight sound effects, was designed for kids, but its weekly guest stars camping it up as villains – 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 – appealed to adults as well. It aired twice a week in its first two seasons, and weekly in its third. Yvonne Craig joining the cast as Batgirl, becoming the first regular female superhero on TV. Viewers were reminded to tune in next week at the “same bat time, and same bat channel.”
The Green Hornet (ABC 1966-67), which was not affiliated with either DC or Marvel, tried unsuccessfully to duplicate Batman’s success. It stars Van Williams in the title role and a young Bruce Lee as his sidekick, Kato. The network tried to give it a boost with a crossover episode where they teamed up with Batman and Robin to solve a case. Although the show only aired a single season, Bruce Lee’s subsequent martial arts and movie fame has made this a cult classic.
There were several other less-than-successful efforts in the superhero genre during the 1960s.
In 1967, trying to cash in on the Batman camp superhero craze, NBC aired Captain Nice (produced by Buck Henry) starring William Daniels as Carter Nash, a mild-mannered police chemist and mama’s boy who discovers a secret formula that in an explosive burst of smoke transforms him into Captain Nice – the only name he could think of when a bystander asks who he was (his belt buckle was monogrammed “CN” for Carter Nash). It only lasted 15 episodes. CBS tried to do the same with Mr. Terrific, with mild-mannered gas station attendant, Stanley Beamish (Stephen Strimpell), getting super powers by taking a “power pill.” It only aired 17 episodes.
1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s: From Cult Classics to the Worst Ever
From the 1970s through the 1990s, there were just a few successful superhero shows. DC’s Wonder Woman (ABC 1975-79), starring Lynda Carter, and Marvel’s The Incredible Hulk (CBS 1977-82), with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno playing scientist Bruce Banner and his big green alter-ego, were hits and became cult classics. The syndicated Superboy (1988-92) and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (ABC 1993-97), with Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher, were also quite popular (as all TV shows featuring Superman at any age tend to be).
Other DC-based shows during this time were, Shazam (CBS, 1974-76), The Flash (CBS 1990-91), and Swamp Thing (USA 1990-93). CBS Saturday morning aired the first weekly live-action TV series with a female superhero lead with Isis (1975-76), renamed The Secrets of Isis in syndication. The only other live-action series during this time based on a Marvel superhero was The Amazing Spider-Man (CBS 1977-79).
A few popular non-DC or Marvel superhero shows popped up during the 1970s and early 1980s, again on ABC, which was continuing its counter-programming strategy to go after young viewers.
The Six Million Dollar Man (ABC 1973-78), starring Lee Majors, became a major hit, and was spun off into a companion series, The Bionic Woman (ABC 1976-78), with Lindsay Wagner (which couldn’t duplicate the success of the original). A few years later, William Katt was The Greatest American Hero (ABC 1981-83).
The Kroft Supershow (ABC 1976-78) on Saturday morning included segments of Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, featuring Diedre Hall and her teenage sidekick, played by Judy Strangis, and Bigfoot and Wildboy, which has Bigfoot (Ray Young) finding a lost boy (Joseph Butcher) in the wilderness and raising him – they fight crime and aliens who show up in their forest home.
During these years, there were also several unsuccessful series within the genre.
In 1983, Manimal, with Simon MacCorkindale as a shape shifter who can turn himself into any animal had an inauspicious eight-episode run on NBC – it’s often joked about as being one of the worst TV series ever made.
Certainly a rival for that designation is the 12-episode Automan (ABC 1983-84), which tried to take advantage of the successful Tron theatrical film. It stars Desi Arnaz Jr. as a computer programmer who has created an artificially intelligent crime fighting hologram (Chuck Wagner), which can leave the computer world at night to fight crime.
About a decade later, M.A.N.T.I.S. (Fox 1994-95) aired for one season. It stars Carl Lumbly as an African-American paraplegic scientist who builds a powerful exo-skeleton suit, which enables him to walk and have super abilities. This was the first Black superhero on television.
Night Man (syndication 1997-99) is based on a Malibu Comics character, Johnny Domino (Matt McColm), a jazz musician who is struck by lightning, which allows him to telepathically recognize evil. He has no other superpowers, but has a specialized body suit that gives him several abilities, including flight and camouflage-style invisibility. And he has insomnia, so he fights crime at night.
2000s: The Modern Era of TV Superheroes Begins
DC started the modern era of superhero TV series in 2001 when The WB (now The CW) aired Smallville (2001-11), starring Tom Welling. The show provides a look at Superman’s life as a boy in the fictional town of Smallville, Kansas. The series starts out well before the future Man of Steel dons his uniform, when he is only known as Clark Kent. The first few seasons concentrate on Clark’s high-school life, including his friendship with future nemesis, Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) and his budding relationship with Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk). Eventually the series moves into his adult world where he gets a reporter job at the Daily Planet, working alongside Lois Lane (Erica Durance). Various DC Comics superheroes and villains are introduced throughout the series.
The WB tried unsuccessfully to follow up the success of Smallville, with Birds of Prey (WB 2002-03). After the Joker leaves Batgirl confined to a wheelchair, she takes on a new identity as Oracle. She mentors Huntress (the secret daughter of Batman and Catwoman), and teams up with a third young woman, Dinah, who has psychic abilities. They become the Birds of Prey – committed to defeating the Joker and Gotham’s other criminals. It only lasted one season. Had this debuted 10 years later, it might have become a hit.
2010s: Superhero Shows Get Grittier and More Diverse
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 his butler, Alfred Pennyworth (Sean Pertwee) and a young police detective, Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie), before he becomes the Commissioner Gordon of Batman fame– the show is even more Jim Gordon’s story than Bruce’s. The series also focuses on the origins of Bruce’s ally/adversary, Catwoman (Camren Bicondova), and several well-known villains, such as Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), Riddler (Cory Michael Smith), Joker (Jeremiah Valeska), Poison Ivy (Maggie Geha), Mad Hatter (Benedict Samuel), and Ra’s al Ghul (Alexander Siddig). Jada Pinkett Smith has a recurring role as master criminal, Fish Mooney.
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 Arrowverse heroes exist in a shared continuity, which enables crossover appearances among the various series. The shows are notable for their diversity and inclusion, with people of color and LGBTQ+ characters in central roles.
Arrow (CW 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, although he is expert at martial arts as well). Throughout the series, various other characters join him, forming Team Arrow, which continues to fight an array of bad guys.
A couple of years after Arrow debuted, The Flash (CW 2014-23), starring Grant Gustin as the speedster, became the second series in the Arrowverse, and was even more popular than its predecessor. 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 with often unexpected, sometimes dire consequences. As is the case with Arrow, The Flash has a team of friends, scientists, and heroes to help him. There are several crossover episodes where The Flash and Arrow team up.
Superman was not the only one to escape from the planet Krypton before it was destroyed. Supergirl (CBS/CW 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, and now in her secret identity works as a reporter in National City. Her adoptive sister is a government agent, whom Supergirl often works with to bring bad guys to justice. Several other DC 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 The 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 occasion, they have been able to cross over between worlds to help one another. Supergirl debuted on CBS, but moved to the CW for its second season.
Legends of Tomorrow (CW 2016-2022) consists of a ragtag team of heroes and villains recruited by rogue time traveler, Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill). They 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 in charge of protecting the timeline. The team 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. Matt Ryan had also starred for one season in his own series, Constantine (NBC 2014-15), playing the same character.
Legends of Tomorrow is the first live-action superhero series to have openly gay characters in central roles, including the team’s leader.
Cress Williams stars as Jefferson Pierce, also known as the electricity-powered Black Lightning (CW 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 (CW 2019-2021). After season one, 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. The show never really regained its footing after Ruby Rose left.
In season one, Ruby Rose became the first openly gay superhero in a title role, while in season two, Javicia Leslie was the first Black woman to have the lead in a superhero TV series.
Stargirl (CW 2020-2022), 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. It might have lasted longer had the CW not been sold. Stargirl is the only Arrowverse hero not to be involved in one of the many crossover episodes – she would have been had the CW not moved away from the genre.
Tyler Hoechlin and Bitsie Tulloch star in the lone superhero series to survive the CW cuts – Superman & Lois (CW 2021-present). This is an entirely 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 family dynamics.
The last two superhero shows to debut on the CW, Naomi (2022) and Gotham Knights (2023) lasted just one season apiece. They both suffered from bad timing, premiering right before the network shifted its programming strategy away from superhero fare.
Naomi stars Kaci Walfall is Naomi McDuffle, a comic-book loving teenager in Port Oswego, Oregon, who hosts a Superman fan website. When a supernatural event occurs in town she discovers there was a UFO sighting on the same day she was adopted, and she may actually be an alien with emerging super powers of her own.
Gotham Knights stars Oscar Morgan as Turner Hayes, the adopted son of Bruce Wayne, who was recently killed. He forms an unlikely alliance with runaways Harper and Cullen Row (Fallon Smythe, Tyler DiChiara) and the criminal Duella (Olivia Rose Keegan), who is rumored to be the daughter of the late Joker, after they are framed for the murder. Turner’s classmate, Carrie Kelley (Navia Robinson), who is secretly the new Robin, helps them find the real culprits. They eventually become Gotham’s new defenders, known as the Gotham Knights.
There have been a number of crossover events where these characters interact and battle major threats to the city, planet, or universe. The biggest crossover event was during the 2019-20 season, which incorporated virtually every character in the Arrowverse, as well as a few from the DC film universe (the first time the two universes acknowledged one another). For example, Ezra Miller’s Flash from the theatrical movies appeared alongside Grant Gustin’s Flash from the CW series.
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.
DC also has a few popular superhero series outside the Arrowverse, which air on Max, and are more adult-oriented than the CW shows.
Titans (DC Universe, Max, 2018- 2023) 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 the 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 Max when that became the platform for original DC series outside the Arrowverse.
Doom Patrol (DC Universe, Max, 2019-2023) 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 eventually 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 Max. The series will end with the upcoming release of the second part of season four.
Peacemaker (Max, 2022-present) stars John Cena reprising his role from the 2021 film The Suicide Squad. He fights for peace no matter how many people he has to kill to get it, in this violently irreverent satire on the superhero genre, which was also the first original DC series to premiere on Max. All you need to know is creator James Gunn’s reported description of Peacemaker as a “douchebag Captain America.” You’ll either love this or hate it, from the opening title sequence song and dance number performed by various cast members, to all the blood-soaked action.
DC Studios head, James Gunn, has indicated that there will be a second season, but it won’t happen until after feature film, Superman: Legacy, which is slated for a 2025 release.
Until about 10 years ago, Marvel did little more than dip its toes into the waters of live-action superhero series.
In 2006, a few years before the MCU started to take shape, Blade: The Series, based on the Marvel Comics character and film series, premiered on Spike. It lasted one season. But with the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a new phase of blockbuster theatrical movies, beginning with Iron Man in 2008, Captain America: The First Avenger in 2011, and The Avengers in 2012, Marvel would soon hit the small screen with considerable force.
Debuting a little more than a year after the first Avengers film, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC 2013-20) was Marvel’s first attempt to capitalize on its theatrical movie success. S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention and Logistics Division) is a peacekeeping spy organization tasked with protecting the world from hostile forces that pose worldwide danger. It’s leader, Nick Fury, originally assembled The Avengers to help protect humankind from these global threats.
In its TV incarnation, a team of agents is led by Phil Coulson (Clark Greg), whom Nick Fury helped resurrect through top-secret technology after he was apparently killed by Loki in the first Avengers movie. The series deals with the evil organization known as Hydra (and the ramifications from Captain America: Winter Soldier). It also introduces us to the Inhumans, and alien species such as the Kree, and the Chronicoms, as our heroes travel through space, time, and alternate realities to protect the world from catastrophe.
Chloe Bennet is 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 core team. Whether or not this show is actually part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s canon has been open to debate. But there’s no debate that this is the most successful Marvel series ever on broadcast television.
Agent Carter (ABC 2015-2016) stars Hayley Atwell reprising her role as Peggy Carter from the 2011 theatrical movie, Captain America: The First Avenger (where she played the love interest of Steve Rogers). In the aftermath of Captain America’s apparent death during World War II, Peggy Carter, one of the eventual founders of S.H.I.E.L.D., has to balance her life as a single woman in the 1940s, and her life as a secret agent – and deal with her dismissive (and less competent) male colleagues.
The series is stylish and fun, and Hayley Atwell gives a winning performance, but ratings did not live up to its critical success, and the series was canceled after just two seasons.
In 2015, when Netflix was starting to become a media force, Marvel entered into a deal with the streamer to develop original 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 multi-episode 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.
One difference between the Marvel series that originated on Netflix and those produced for Disney+ are that the Disney+ fight scenes are generally more cinematic and special-effects driven, while the Netflix shows are more intense and bloody. Not only are the Netflix series significantly more violent and graphic than their TV predecessors, they contain some sexual situations that were simply unimaginable in previous superhero shows.
When Daredevil (2015-18) debuted on Netflix, it elevated superhero storytelling on TV to a new level. Charlie Cox gives an intense yet nuanced performance as Matt Murdock/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 is spectacular for television (check out the hallway fight sequence from season one, the battle toward the end of season two, and the prison gym fight in season three). Instilling fear into those who would threaten his rough New York City neighborhood, he is initially known as “the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen.” This series also introduces us to The Punisher, one of Marvel comics’ most popular characters, and Elektra, Daredevil’s one-time love interest and future nemesis.
Daredevil officially joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his brief appearances in the 2021 film, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and in Disney+’s She-Hulk. He will be the first Netflix-originated hero to be given his own series on Disney+, with Daredevil: Born Again scheduled to premiere in 2024 (although it will be delayed because of the writers’ and actors’ strikes).
Krysten Ritter is riveting as Jessica Jones (2015-19), which has the distinction of being Marvel’s first female lead and title character in either television or movies. The reluctant hero, working as a private detective out of her Hell’s Kitchen apartment in New York City, 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 swears, drinks too much, and has indiscriminate and casual sex on her own terms – the type of female character you rarely, if ever, see on television.
Most of the strong, independent characters here are women, and the series provides 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. 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. There have been persistent rumors that Krysten Ritter will at some point reprise her Jessica Jones role and enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe, perhaps as a guest star in an upcoming Disney+ series, but nothing has yet been confirmed (she did recently attend a GalaxyCon convention with Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio, both of whom will be in Daredevil: Born Again).
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 as Luke Cage: Hero for Hire). This is an updated version, with Mike Colter in the title role as the quietly confident hero with super strength and unbreakable, bulletproof skin (caused by a sabotaged medical experiment when he was in prison after being wrongfully convicted).
As with all the Netflix-originated Marvel series, Luke is reluctant to take on the “hero” mantle. But his plans to live a quiet life do not go as planned, when 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 into several violent confrontations, and 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.
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, along with his new ally, martial arts expert Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick).
This is the weakest of the Netflix-originated Marvel series, and is the only one that probably would not have seen another season even if Disney had not ended its deal with the streamer.
Marvel’s most violent antihero, Frank Castle, known throughout New York City as The Punisher (2017-19), is played to perfection 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 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. He has also battled and joined forces with Daredevil. It aired for two seasons.
There is also a miniseries featuring, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, who reluctantly come together as The Defenders to battle a shadowy group of powerful immortals (led by Sigourney Weaver), which plots to take control of the power of Iron Fist and destroy New York City. Several fight scenes showcase the strengths of each character. The highlight of the show is the interaction between Jessica Jones and Daredevil, as her snark collides with his intense seriousness.
As Netflix’s five-year partnership with Marvel came to an end, it canceled all five of its original scripted superhero series. This coincided with Disney ramping up efforts to launch 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. All of these shows have since shifted to Disney+.
Other series based on Marvel characters have 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.
Lots of teenagers think their parents are evil, but in this case they really are. Marvel’s Runaways (Hulu 2017-2019) features group of six diverse high-school students, with varying degrees of enhanced abilities, who 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 these abilities. The Inhumans are led by the Royal Family – Black Bolt, Medusa, Karnak, Gorgon, Triton, and Crystal. They 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 f critical acclaim for its visual effects and departure from standard superhero fare – it is the least Marvel-like Marvel series you will ever see. Those familiar with his character from the comic books know who his superhero 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 New Orleans teenagers from very different backgrounds (she from privilege, he from the streets), who have both experienced major tragedies in their lives. 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 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.
Helstrom (Hulu 2020) is a horror-supernatural series focuses on Daimon and Satana Helstrom (Tom Austin, Sydney Lemmon), children of a mysterious serial killer and demonic cultist. Together, they hunt down the worst of humanity. While some of the visual effects are impressive, and the acting is fine, the overall series is not very interesting, and has little resemblance to the Marvel comic book, Son of Satan, on which the characters are based. Not really bad, but not anything special either. This was the last live-action series produced by the now defunct Marvel Television unit, and was canceled after one season.
2020s: The MCU Comes to Disney+ and the DCEU Reboots
When Disney+ launched in late 2019, it wasted no time in developing a slew of new superhero series. Marvel Studios started grouping its movies into “phases” and has released more than 30 films between 2008 and 2023. Nine TV series were also produced for Disney+ from 2021 to 2023. The first few took secondary characters from various Avengers movies and using them to help set up future films. These include, WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel, and Secret Invasion. Other series, featuring lesser-known characters not appearing in any movies, include, Moon Knight, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and Werewolf by Night.
There are at least six more Disney+ series slated to debut over the next two or three years (depending on when the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes end).
Here’s a brief look at the original live-action Marvel series produced for Disney+.
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 Avengers: Endgame to the 2022 film, Dr. Strange In the Multiverse of Madness.
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.
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 and who could enter the country, along with them.
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 2024 theatrical movie, Captain America: Brave New World, with Anthony Mackie as the new shield carrying hero. There are also some surprise guest appearances.
Loki (Disney+ 2021-present) 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 – as are several different versions of Loki from different timelines and realities – including a female version (Sophia Di Martino).
A new major villain appears, and seems set to wreak havoc on the Marvel Cinematic Universe at large. This is the first live-action Disney+ Marvel series so far to be given a second season (slated to be released this fall).
Hawkeye (Disney+ 2021) finds Jeremy Renner reprising his role as the highly-skilled archer and Avenger, Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye. He’s just trying to get home to his wife (Linda Cardellini) and kids for Christmas. These plans are complicated by those seeking revenge for events that occurred during Avengers: Endgame in 2019. During the Blip, when his family disappeared for five years, a depressed and fatalistic Hawkeye took on the identity of Ronin, a masked vigilante who went on a rampage, brutally killed gangsters and thugs around the world. Members of one such gang, the Tracksuit Mafia are now coming after him.
Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox), the deaf Native American commander of the Tracksuit Mafia, is the daughter of a mobster killed by Ronin. She is known to Marvel comics fans as Echo a skilled martial artist, first introduced in the pages of Daredevil comic-book in 1999. She and her crew report to a mysterious figure referred to only as “the big guy,” whose identity is revealed in the sixth and final episode. He is a well-known character to Marvel fans.
Also hunting down and planning to kill Hawkeye, is Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), a Russian Black Widow spy, assassin, and sister to Natasha Romanoff. Natasha, the Black Widow from the Avengers, sacrificed herself to save Hawkeye (and half the universe) from Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. Yelena blames Hawkeye for her death. Her character appeared with Scarlett Johansson in the Black Widow theatrical movie.
Assisting Hawkeye is Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), a 22-year-old expert archer and hero wannabe, who has idolized Clint Barton since she saw him help save New York City with the Avengers. Their relationship forms the foundation of the show, and provides an element missing from other Marvel series. At first, he finds her to be a nuisance, but eventually comes to consider her his partner. The Kate Bishop character was first introduced in 2005 in the Marvel comic, Young Avengers #1.
This was designed as a limited series, so no second season was planned (which doesn’t mean there won’t be one). An upcoming Disney+ series will feature the Echo character – its scheduled November 2023 release has been pushed back to 2024.
Iman Vellani is Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel (2022). She’s a 16-year-old Muslim Pakistani-American from Jersey City, N.J., who is a major fangirl of the Avengers and Captain Marvel. After discovering a magical bangle (bracelet), she gains the ability to harness cosmic energy and create hard-light constructs. 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). This is the first original Disney+ Marvel series to not have a returning cinematic character or be fronted by a well-known star – given that this is 20-year-old Iman Vellani’s first role, it is an extraordinary debut.
In the comic book, Kamala gains shape-shifting powers (from her latent Inhuman DNA). Here, her powers are different – although she does utter her catchphrase, “embiggen,” which enables her to grow in size and use her enlarged fist to fight the bad guys. Her tech genius best friend Bruno (Matt Lintz), who has a crush on her, discovers a “mutation” in her genes that enables her to wield her powers. This could be a prelude to introducing a new X-Men team into the MCU (Disney recently acquired the screen rights to these characters – it had previously been prohibited from using the word “mutant,” in a deal that originally gave Fox the use of all things related to the X-Men).
This teenage superhero origin series is more family-oriented and wholesome than any other live-action Marvel TV show. It’s almost like Marvel’s version of Disney’s Hannah Montana – except it stars, as Kamala Khan herself says, “a brown girl from Jersey City.” Disney’s recent move toward making the Marvel landscape more culturally diverse has given representation to voices too often unseen and unheard in the broader cinematic universe. This series also delves into Kamala’s family background, and how they were personally affected by the partition of India, something of which most Western audiences might be unfamiliar. As I did, anyone who wants to learn more about this can just head to Google.
This is one of the few Marvel TV series that might have benefited from more episodes. Presenting an origin story, along with multiple character backstories, and fleshing out the key character motivations, while still having to incorporate some superhero-style battles, is a lot to squeeze into just six episodes.
Ms. Marvel is going to appear in the feature film, The Marvels, a sequel of sorts to the 2019 hit movie, Captain Marvel. The movie will also include Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).
Moon Knight (2022) is one of the more unusual Marvel characters. Marc Spector (Oscar Isaac) is a brutal mercenary, who is trapped doing the bidding of Egyptian moon god Khonshu (voiced by F. Murray Abraham), who had once saved his life. Khonshu gave him superhuman abilities in exchange for becoming his conduit on Earth to bring criminals to justice. When in danger, Spector turns into Moon Knight, wearing a white suit with glowing eyes, which enhances his already considerable strength and fighting skills. Even though the Moon Knight character made his first appearance in a Marvel comic nearly 50 years ago, he is among the lesser-known heroes – and is unfamiliar to those whose major exposure to the Marvel universe has been through the feature films.
Marc Spector has dissociative identity disorder. When we first see him, he is in identity of Steven Grant, a mild-mannered London museum gift shop employee, who has a fascination with Egyptian history. When Moon Knight appears, Steven Grant blacks out, and often awakens in far off places, in the middle of chaotic scenes of intense violence, with no memory of what happened.
Ethan Hawke plays the show’s main villain, Arthur Harrow, the leader of a cultish group, in thrall to Egyptian goddess, Ammit.
While much has been made of Ms. Marvel being Marvel’s first Muslim superhero to be the lead character in one of its series, relatively little has been mentioned about Moon Knight’s Marc Spector being Marvel’s first Jewish hero to headline his own show. While his Jewishness is a key element of the comic books (where his father is a rabbi who escaped from the Nazis), it is alluded to but not highlighted in this series. Leaning more into this aspect of his heritage might have made the show stronger. While planned as a limited series, it is not yet clear whether there will be another season or whether the character will appear in other Marvel series or feature films.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022) stars Tatiana Maslany stars as Jennifer Walters, single thirtysomething attorney, who also becomes the 6-foot-7-inch green-skinned superhero known as She-Hulk. She got her Hulk-like super strength when she was in a car accident with her cousin Bruce Banner (aka the Hulk), and his gamma irradiated blood intermingled with hers. Mark Ruffalo reprises his role as “smart Hulk” from the Avengers: Endgame movie.
This series has a more lighthearted, comedic tone than other Marvel series, with Jennifer/She-Hulk occasionally breaking the fourth wall to comment on what’s happening directly to the viewer. But parents who assume She-Hulk is family friendly because it’s on Disney, should know that while the violence is tamer than most Marvel series, much of the show centers on Jennifer’s sex life.
Charlie Cox, who stars in three seasons of Daredevil, reprises his role here with a fun turn, as his banter with the more irreverent She-Hulk highlights some of the show’s best scenes (although he doesn’t appear until episode 8).
Throughout the series, there are meaty roles by some familiar and not-so-familiar characters. No word yet on any future appearance of She-Hulk. In the comic books she eventually becomes a member of The Fantastic Four and The Avengers, so there’s ample opportunity to use her in a future theatrical film – although there has been no indication this will happen.
Werewolf by Night (2022): Following the death of their leader, Ulysses Bloodstone, his widow, Verussa, gathers together a secret group of monster hunters to engage in a deadly competition – whoever hunts down and kills a dangerous monster, and recovers a powerful relic known as Bloodstone, becomes the new leader. This is the first Marvel Studios Special Presentation in the MCU (basically a 53-minute standalone movie).
Werewolf by Night is a well-known title to Marvel comics fans and collectors, but not as much to the general public. The character first appeared in 1972.
Gael Garcia Bernal is mysterious and creepy as Jack Russell (the Werewolf). Initially disguised as a monster hunter, he is actually planning to rescue the monster, a friend of his whose name is Ted (also known as Man-Thing, another familiar character to Marvel aficionados). Verussa (Harriet Sansom) discovers his true identity and tries to capture him.
Laura Donnelly is riveting as Elsa, Ulysses Bloodstone’s estranged daughter, who opposes her family’s tradition of hunting and killing monsters. She’s an extraordinary and acrobatic fighter, and quickly becomes Jack Russell’s ally, as they agree to work together so he can free Ted and she can obtain the Bloodstone. This requires several battles with the other monster hunters, who they dispatch with relish (and in often gruesome fashion).
Marvel has a treasure trove of obscure but potentially fascinating characters that would fit well into this “special presentation” format, and it’s something I hope they decide to continue.
Secret Invasion (2023) is loosely based on the epic 2008 Marvel comic-book series. Samuel L. Jackson reprises his role as Nick Fury, as he uncovers a conspiracy by a group of Skrulls, shape-shifting aliens who have been infiltrating Earth for years as they scheme to take over the planet from humanity.
This is the exact type of Marvel series that does not lend itself well to television, where the studio can’t come close to satisfying fans of the comic series. In the comic-book event, the Skrulls spent years replacing numerous superheroes with impostors prior to their invasion. Here, they replace various world leaders and government officials. They couldn’t afford a cast of heroes or more than one or two cinematic battle sequences.
Samuel L. Jackson seems to be sleepwalking through the role of Nick Fury, showing none of the energy or charisma he displayed in the various Avengers movies. Despite having Nick Fury fighting the Skrulls without calling in any of his superhero buddies (which is kind of ridiculous), there is no real sense of danger, and the Skrulls are defeated way too easily (and suddenly), after seeming unbeatable for five of the series’ six-episodes.
Olivia Colman’s performance as Sonya Falsworth, a high-ranking MI6 agent in the UK and one of Fury’s old allies, is the series’ lone bright spot. Don Cheadle reprises his role as James “Rhodey” Rhodes (an Avenger who operates the War Machine armor). But here, he is also Raava a Skrull posing as Rhodes, who is an envoy and advisor to the President of the United States. Apparently Rhodes was captured by the Skrulls a long time ago, indicating that the character we’ve seen in films following Avengers: Civil War, may not have been the real Rhodes.
With WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, and Hawkeye, Marvel showcased key secondary players in major Marvel films, that have only had marginal character development. So the showrunners and actors had largely blank canvases to work on with characters who still have some familiarity to the millions of potential viewers who have seen the Marvel movies (or read the comic books). They couldn’t do TV shows like these with Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, or Spider-man, whose backstories and personalities were more fully fleshed out in Marvel canon.
In 2022, Marvel series on Disney+ faced different challenges, but also new opportunities. The streamer debuted series based on more obscure characters who have not appeared in any feature films. These shows could take any number of directions, not necessarily being constrained to precisely following the comic books.
The writers also have more creative freedom to modify origin stories for lesser-known heroes. Spider-man, for example, got his powers by being bitten by a radioactive spider. Steve Rogers became Captain America when given the super soldier serum during World War II. These stories, as well as those of other major heroes, are firmly entrenched in Marvel lore, and changing them would not be accepted by their large fan bases. But they can get away with giving Ms. Marvel different powers from the comic book, or changing how She-Hulk gains her super strength. Most viewers wouldn’t know the difference (and the fan bases for these heroes is significantly smaller).
The shows with lesser-known characters, which haven’t appeared in the MCU theatrical films, have had more mixed results in terms of viewer popularity, but they are designed to appeal to a different audience than just the hard-core Marvel fan. While Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, and She-Hulk might not get the same level of viewing as WandaVision or Loki, they have managed to expand the Marvel viewer base for Disney+ and will have an impact on future MCU films.
There was more review bombing of She-Hulk than any previous Marvel Series – its premiere had 32% of its reviews on IMDb being 1-star. For comparison, none of the pre-2022 series had even 3% of reviews getting just 1-star. Ms. Marvel was at 20%. Not so coincidentally, both have female stars, both can be labeled as comedies, and both are substantially different from anything Marvel has done before. She-Hulk actually mocks these internet trolls in a plotline that has a secret organization (of mostly white men) and a website devoted to complaining about the existence of superheroes like She-Hulk, which target her with death threats.
The superhero genre extends beyond just DC and Marvel. Here’s a look at some other original live-action superhero fare on premium cable or streaming platforms.
Powers (PlayStation Network 2015-16) is based on the comic book of the same name, and was PlayStation’s first venture into original scripted programming. In this world, superheroes (called Powers) exist alongside ordinary people. Granted special abilities that remain hidden until adulthood, these crimefighting heroes are also pop-culture celebrities, managed by specialized ad agencies. Some of these heroes are portrayed by Sharito Copely, Eddie Lizzard, Noah Taylor, Michelle Forbes, and Michael Madsen,. I confess I had never heard of this show before researching this report.
Watchmen (HBO 2019): Rather than remake the original (which has been done in a less-than-successful 2009 theatrical release), writer-producer Damon Lindelof decided to set this tale of an alternate reality 30 years later, moving the main action from New York City to Tulsa, Oklahoma (the site of the real-life race massacre committed upon Tulsa’s black population, known as Black Wall Street, in 1921, which was virtually erased from history books, and figures prominently in the story).
In this version of the United States, Richard Nixon remained President well into the 1980s, the U.S. won the Vietnam war (with the help of Dr. Manhattan, a blue, omnipotent “superhero,” now living on Mars), there is no internet or smartphones, and an interdimensional psychic giant squid appeared in Manhattan, killing 3 million people 30 years ago, in 1985. In 2019 an unseen Robert Redford is President, and a white supremacist group called the Seventh Kavalry is at war with the police (who wear masks to protect their identities after several cops and their families were murdered).
Numerous mysteries abound, and whether or not you are familiar with Watchmen canon, you will likely be confused at several points in the first few episodes. Episode 6 will either thrill or outrage hard-core fans of the comic. The stellar cast is led by Regina King (as a detective and masked vigilante known as Sister Night), Jean Smart (as FBI agent and former costumed “hero,” Silk Spectre), Jeremy Irons (as the exiled “smartest man in the world.” Adrian Veidt), Lou Gossett Jr. (as the mysterious Will Reeves), and Don Johnson (as the Tulsa Police Chief). Watchmen is strange, complex, ambitious, and exhilarating.
The Boys (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 – particularly in the season three “Herogasm” episode (don’t ask). But for adults, this is a surprisingly thoughtful take on the power of giant, faceless corporations in our society and how they can shape the news and public opinion – and sometimes can only be brought down by whistleblowers and vigilant activists. It can also be seen as a commentary on how autocratic tyrants can gradually come to rule a public all too willing to be duped by big lies.
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. The excellent cast includes, Erin Moriarity, Dominique McElligott, Aya Cash, and Giancarlo Esposito, among others.
A spin-off series, Gen V, set in Godolkin University, “America’s only college exclusively for young adult superheroes,” run by Vought International, the same corrupt organization behind The Boys, is set to debut on Prime Video at the end of September.
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, They also are thrust into an alternate timeline where they never existed, but were replaced by other siblings known as The Sparrow Academy, whom they wind up battling to survive. The ensemble cast includes, Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Casteneda, Cameron Britton, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, and Mary J. Blige.
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, creating a new “Millarworld” 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.
As the CW’s Arrowverse comes to an end and with the current DC television and cinematic universes being rebooted, there are several new projects in the works. The new, more unified DC Extended Universe (DCEU) will be rolling out over the next year or two (or three) – although the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes will cause many delays.
Here’s a look at some of the live-action DC shows slated to hit the airwaves. These are installments in the first wave of new DCEU projects referred to as Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. All will be streaming on Max.
The Penguin is a spin-off from the 2022 film, The Batman, which chronicles the rise of the Penguin through Gotham City’s criminal underworld. Colin Farrell reprises his role as Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin from the movie. Cristin Milioti is Sofia Falcone, who fights the Penguin as she tries to become the city’s crime boss. Filming began in March 2023, but was suspended due to the writers’ strike. It’s scheduled 2004 debut could be pushed back.
Waller stars Viola Davis reprising her role from The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, as Amanda Waller, the ruthless and morally ambiguous head of the mysterious A.R.G.U.S. black ops government task force. The show will reportedly also feature cast members from Peacemaker. This is the first time a comic-book character got his or her own TV show without ever having their own comic-book series.
Lanterns follows the two most well-known (to comic book fans) members of the Green Lantern Corp., Hal Jordan and Jon Stewart. The Green Lanterns are essentially inter-galactic cops who wear rings that give them immense power. They will reportedly be investigating a terrifying mystery on Earth. The series has been described as True Detectives with superheroes. Given the current strike situation, and the fact that the show has not yet been cast, we probably won’t see this one until 2025 or 2026.
Paradise Lost is a Wonder Woman based series that has been described by its creators as a Game of Thrones, but with Amazons – a lofty goal, which probably sets expectations way too high. Set on Themyscira (aka Paradise Island), the secret home of the Amazons and birthplace of Diana Prince (aka Wonder Woman), the show will focus on “the genesis and political intrigue of an island of all women.” No release date has been announced.
One of DC comics’ cult favorites, Booster Gold, is getting his own series. He’s a former football player from 25th century Gotham City, banned for betting on his own games, who uses future technology to come back to present day and pretend to be a superhero to achieve fame and fortune. No casting has yet been announced. It probably won’t be released until 2026 at the earliest.
There will reportedly be an as yet untitled series based on Gotham City’s notorious Arkham Asylum and its dangerous inmates.
Over the next few years, there will also be a number of new live-action Marvel series debuting on Disney+.
Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox), known in the comic book as Echo, was last seen battling Hawkeye, in his Disney+ series. Her own show will have her reconnect with her Native-American roots, as she comes to terms with her criminal past. Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio will reprise their roles as Daredevil and Kingpin, respectively. It’s scheduled for a November 2023 debut, and will be the first DIsney+ Marvel series to have all six episode released at once – the so-called Netflix binge model.
Daredevil: Born Again becomes the first Disney+ series to feature a character whose first show originated on Netflix. Having joined the MCU with a brief appearance in the last Spider-Man movie and with a fun turn in Disney+’s She-Hulk, Charlie Cox is again Matt Murdoch, blind lawyer by day, crime-fighting vigilante by night, who lives in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood in Manhattan, New York. Jon Bernthal will also reprise his Netflix role as brutal vigilante, Frank Castle/The Punisher, and Vincent D’Onofrio returns as crime lord Wilson Fisk/Kingpin. The series will consist of 18 episodes (likely in two parts) and was to debut in early 2024, but now has been delayed indefinitely due to the writers’/actors’ strikes.
Ironheart stars Dominique Thorne reprising her role from the 2022 film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Riri Williams/Ironheart is a Black MIT student and genius inventor from Chicago, who reverse engineers Tony Stark’s Iron Man armor to build one for herself. Even though filming is complete, the strikes have resulted in no announced release date for this six-episode miniseries (it was originally scheduled for fall 2023).
Agatha: Darkhold Diaries stars Kathryn Hahn reprising her WandaVision role as powerful witch, Agatha Harkness, who had masqueraded as Wanda and Visions nosy neighbor in the sitcom world Wanda, created. Wanda defeated Agatha in an epic battle, and trapped her in this make believe world. Debra Jo Rupp, Patti LuPone, and Aubrey Plaza co-star in this nine-episode series slated for 2024.
Paul Bettany will reprise his role as the Vision in Vision Quest, a sequel of sorts to WandaVision. No details yet, but it should come out sometime in 2025.
Untitled Wakanda series: Marvel is reportedly working on at least one Black Panther related series, with Dora Gurira reprising her role as Okoye, leader of Wakanda’s armed forces.
Animation on TV: DC and Marvel, Animals and Robots
Superhero animation has proliferated on television since the 1960s and has taken many forms. Here’s a brief look at how the genre has evolved over the years.
The DC Animated Universe: From Super Friends to Harley Quinn
Numerous animated series based on DC Comics characters proliferated on the broadcast networks on Saturday mornings during the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. These were mostly iterations and combinations of Superman, Batman, and Super Friends (in addition to Superman, Batman, and Robin, the core group included Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and the Wonder Twins – occasionally other Justice League members, such as Hawkman and Flash would make appearances as well).
The 1960s saw on CBS Saturday morning, The New Adventures of Superman (1966-70), The Adventures of Superboy (1966-69), The Superman/Aquaman Hour (1967-68), Aquaman (1968-70), The Batman/Superman Hour (1968-69), and The Adventures of Batman (1968-69). In the 1970s, Super Friends debuted on ABC in 1973, followed by The New Adventures of Batman (CBS 1977), The All-New Super Friends Hour (ABC 1977), The Batman/Tarzan Adventure Hour (CBS 1977-78), Challenge of the Superfriends (ABC 1977), The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show (ABC 1979-81), and The World’s Greatest Super Friends (ABC 1979). The 1980s gave us, another Super Friends (ABC 1980-83), Batman and the Super 7 (CBS 1980-81), The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! (NBC 1981-82), Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show (ABC 1984), The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (ABC 1985), and Superman (CBS 1988).
The DC Animated Universe got a bit more adult and significantly darker (and the animation sharper and more distinctive) in the early 1990s, with the debut of Batman: The Animated Series on Fox Kids (1992-95) and Kids’ WB (1997-99), which was followed by Superman: The Animated Series (1996-2000), The New Batman Adventures (1997-2000), and Batman Beyond (1999-2001), all on WB Kids. Fox Kids had also aired Swamp Thing in 1990, which only aired five episodes, and was the last DC Comics animated series not produced by Warner Bros. Animation.
In the 2000s, another non-Justice Leaguer, Static Shock (2000-2004) had success on the CW’s Kids’ WB lineup – it was the first time an African-American superhero was the title character of his own broadcast animation series. Less successful were, The Zeta Project (2001-02), which was a spin-off from Batman Beyond, Krypto the Superdog (2005-06), and Legion of Super Heroes (2006-08).
When Cartoon Network entered the arena, animated superhero fare got a sharper, more distinctive and sophisticated look, and more teen/adult content, with Justice League (2001-04), Justice League Unlimited (2004-06), Teen Titans (2003-06), The Batman (2004-08), Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008-11), which saw Batman team up with various other superheroes, and Young Justice (2010-13, 2019-22), which also aired on the DC Universe streaming platform and Max (most DC Universe series shifted to Max when it launched in 2020).
Cartoon Network also aired Green Lantern: The Animated Series (2011-13), Beware the Batman (2013-14), Teen Titans spin-off, Teen Titans Go! (2013-present), Justice League Action (2016-18), and DC Super Hero Girls (2019-21), which follows the teenage adventures of Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Bumblebee, Green Lantern, and Zatanna, who are students at Metropolis High School.
One of DC’s most popular antiheroes, Harley Quinn (2019-present) got her own (much more adult) series, starting on DC Universe before moving to Max. This dark comedy has lots of gratuitous violence and gore, as well as implied sex and sexual innuendo, which has resulted in it being that rare TV cartoon to receive an “R” rating. No longer the Joker’s sidekick/girlfriend, much of the series centers around Harley Quinn’s (voiced by Kaley Cuoco) relationship with her best friend (and eventual lover) Poison Ivy (voiced by Lake Bell). The rest of Harley’s crew, as she attempts to become the crime Queenpin of Gotham City, includes, Clayface, Doctor Psycho, King Shark, and Sy Borgman. The fourth season premiered in July 2023.
Batwheels debuted on Cartoon Network’s pre-school block and Max in 2022 – the Bat-Family’s vehicles are brought to life by the Bat-computer to form a team led by “Bam,” the Batmobile, to fight crime in Gotham City. It’s been renewed for another season.
My Adventures with Superman premiered on Adult Swim and Max in 2023. It follows Clark Kent as he builds his secret identity as Superman, and his relationship with future star reporter, Lois Lane. Along with his best friend, photographer Jimmy Olsen, the trio teams up to break important stories and save the day against the villains of Metropolis.
Here are the core members of the various DC superhero teams: The Justice League includes, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Martian Manhunter, and Hawkgirl; Justice League Unlimited expanded the roster to include more than 50 other DC heroes; The Teen Titans includes, Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy, and Raven; Young Justice includes, Nightwing, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Superboy, Miss Martian, and Artemis; The Legion of Superheroes are teens from the 31st century and includes, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Brainiac 5, Phantom Girl, Bouncing Boy, Triplicate Girl, Cosmic Boy, Sun Boy, Element Lad, Shrinking Violet, Ferro Lad, Matter-Eater Lad, Star Boy, Timber Wolf, and Chameleon Boy.
Here are some upcoming DC animated series.
Creature Commandos (max) is spin-off of the 2022 film, The Suicide Squad, about a black ops team of monsters assembled by Amanda Waller. It’s the first animated series in the new DC Universe, and is expected to be released in 2024.
Batman: Caped Crusader (Prime Video) will reportedly be taking Bruce Wayne back to a classic 1940s-esque Gotham City and harken back to the 1990s Batman: The Animated Series, which is still considered the gold standard of Batman animation. Originally given a two-year order by Max, It was sold to Amazon, as part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s new ownership’s effort to monetize content by selling/licensing product to third parties (even competitors).
Bat-Family (prime video) is a more comedic and family-oriented take on Batman, as his son, Damian Wayne, teams up with Bruce and his butler Alfred to protect Gotham City. It’s a spin-off from the upcoming holiday movie, Merry Little Batman, also airing on Prime Video.
Kite Man: Hell Yeah! (max) is an adult animated spin-off of Harley Quinn. It features Kite Man, Poison Ivy’s on-again-off-again boyfriend and one of the show’s most popular supporting characters. Here, he buys and runs (with his new girlfriend, Golden Glider) the Cheers-style villain’s bar frequented by Harley Quinn and her crew. They moonlight as criminals to help fund their purchase. It is expected to iar in late 2023/early 2024.
Beast Boy: Lone Wolf (Cartoon Network) will reportedly feature standalone adventures of Gar, aka Beast Boy, one of the main characters in Teen Titans Go! It will be more action-oriented than the wacky take on the character in that show. No release date has yet been announced.
Marvel Animation: From Comic Books to the Marvel Cinematic Universe
There were not nearly as many Marvel animated series in the 1960s and ‘70s as DC. This is because Superman and Batman comics had been around for decades, while The Fantastic Four and Spider-Man didn’t make their comic-book debuts until 1961 and 1962, respectively – which led to launching numerous other superhero comics and the Marvel Era. The first Marvel TV entry was a syndicated series called The Marvel Super Heroes (1966), which was an umbrella series, with different segments devoted to five main characters – Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, The Mighty Thor, and The Sub-Mariner. The following year, two series featuring Marvel’s most popular comic characters, Spider-Man (1967-70) and The Fantastic Four (1967-68), debuted on ABC Saturday morning.
The 1970s and ‘80s saw a few short-lived Marvel series, all of which aired either in syndication or Saturday morning TV on one of the broadcast networks, and were geared primarily toward kids. The New Fantastic Four (NBC 1978), Spider-Woman (ABC 1979-80), Spider-Man (syndication 1981-82), and The Incredible Hulk (NBC 1982-83) each lasted just one season. Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (which included Iceman and an original character, Firestar), ran for three seasons (NBC 1981-83).
In the early 1990s, Fox Kids premiered X-Men: The Animated Series (1992-97), which would become one of the most popular animated series of the time, and the first series in what would become the Marvel Animated Universe. It featured Professor X, Cyclops, Wolverine, Rogue, Storm, Beast, Gambit, Jubilee, Jean Grey, and an original character, Morph, and unlike previous Marvel animated series, was geared just as much toward teens and young adults as kids, and delved into numerous social issues. The series is available to stream on Disney+, which has announced a revival/sequel titled, X-Men ’97, which will reportedly continue where the previous show left off.
The 1990s saw several other Marvel series, airing in syndication and a variety of networks, including The Marvel Action Hour, featuring The Fantastic Four and Iron Man (syndication 1994-96), another successful Spider-Man (Fox Kids 1994-98), and The Incredible Hulk (UPN Kids 1996-97), as well as a few that lasted just one season – Silver Surfer (Fox Kids 1998), Spider-Man Unlimited (Fox Kids 1999), and The Avengers: United They Stand ( Fox Kids 1999-2000).
X-Men: Evolution (2000-03) on Kids’ WB got the 2000s off to a rousing start for Marvel. It was followed by several more series on multiple networks, with varying degrees of success. These included, Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (MTV 2003), Fantastic Four: The World’s Greatest Heroes (Cartoon Network 2006-07), The Spectacular Spider-Man (Kids’ WB 2008-09), Wolverine and the X-Men (Nicktoons 2009), Iron Man: Armored Adventures (Nicktoons 2009-12), and The Super Hero Squad Show (Cartoon Network 2009-11).
Between 2010 and 2020, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe took shape, there were also several new Marvel animated series. BET aired a six-episode Black Panther miniseries in 2010. Anime versions of Iron Man, Wolverine, X-Men, and Blade originated in Japan and aired on the now defunct G4 network in the U.S. (2011-12). Disney XD had multiple successes with The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes (2010-12), Ultimate Spider-Man (2012-17), Avengers Assemble (2013-19), which came out soon after the first Avengers theatrical movies, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. (2013-15), Guardians of the Galaxy (2015-19), Marvel’s Spider-Man (2017-20), and Big Hero 6: The Series (2017-21), which is set after the events in the 2014 theatrical movie of the same name. Marvel Super Hero Adventures (2017-20) aired on the Disney Channel.
In 2021, Disney Junior debuted Spidey and His Amazing Friends. Disney+ premiered What If…?, based on the comic book of the same name, which imagines what would happen if things in the Marvel Universe happened differently Hulu aired M.O.D.O.K. and Hit Monkey. All were renewed. In 2023, the Disney Channel debuted Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, which was also renewed.
Upcoming Marvel animated series include…
X-Men ’97 (Disney+) is a revival of the popular X-Men: The Animated Series (1992-97), and the plot will continue where the original series left off. It will probably debut in late 2023 or 2024.
Marvel Zombies (Disney+) is a four-episode animated miniseries, which is a spin-off of sorts from a What If…? episode about an alternate universe where a virus infects our favorite Marvel heroes, turning them into the walking dead. A small group of survivors must find a way to defeat them. Marvel Zombies will be rated TV-MA, and is expected to be released sometime in 2024.
Spider-Man: Freshman Year (Disney+) will explore Peter Parker’s early years on his way to becoming Spider-Man in a style that celebrates the character’s comic-book roots. There have been numerous delays since this project was first announced in 2021, but it will probably air in 2024.
Other Super Hero Animated Series (not DC or Marvel)
Superheroes in the form of animals and robots (both extremely popular among young kids) proliferated the early days of Saturday morning broadcast TV and syndicated cartoons.
1960s/’70s: On the anthropomorphic front, Mighty Mouse Playhouse (CBS 1955-67) is credited with putting Saturday morning cartoons on the map. Terrytoons’ most popular character made the transition from film shorts to television, and the company was sold to CBS in 1955.
It was followed by Batman and Robin parody, Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse (syndication 1960-62), Underdog (NBC/CBS 1964-67), Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel (NBC 1965-67), Dynomutt, Dog Wonder (ABC 1976-77), and The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse and Heckle & Jeckle (CBS 1979-80).
On the robot front, three series based on Japanese manga, and in the style that later became familiar as anime, debuted in the U.S. during the early 1960s – Astro Boy (1963-66), 8 Man (1963-64), and Gigantor (1963-66). Frankenstein Jr. and the Impossibles (CBS 1966-67) was a U.S.-based series with a robot lead.
At its peak, Astro Boy was watched by 40% of the Japanese population. Gigantor is credited as featuring the first humanoid-like giant robot guided by remote control. In 8 Man (often titled, Tobor, the 8th Man in North America), a murdered detective’s life force is transferred into a virtually indestructible android body, which can shape shift and fly at incredible speeds. Tobor, of course, is Robot spelled backward.
There were some animated non-DC or Marvel superhero shows in the 1960s with actual human characters – Roger Ramjet (syndication 1965-69), Space Ghost (CBS 1966-68), The Mighty Heroes (CBS 1966-67) – CBS, and Birdman and the Galaxy Trio (NBC 1967-69).
Here’s a look at some non-DC or Marvel animated series from the 1980s through today, which includes the rise of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, He-Man and She-Ra, reboots of past hits, ad-supported cable, and streaming.
1980s: Astro Boy (syndication 1980-81), The New Adventures of Gigantor (syndication 1980-81), He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (syndication 1983-85), She-Ra: Princess of Power (syndication 1985-87), Bionic Six (USA 1987), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (syndication/CBS 1987-96), Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures (CBS 1987-88).
1990s: Captain Planet and the Planeteers (TBS 1990-96), The New Adventures of He-Man (syndication 1990), Toxic Crusaders (syndication 1990-91), Darkwing Duck (Disney 1991-95), Mega Man (syndication 1994-96, The Tick (Fox Kids 1994-96), Street Sharks (syndication 1994-97), The Mask: Animated Series (CBS 1995-97), Todd McFarlane’s Spawn (HBO 1997-99), The Crow: Stairway to Heaven (syndication 1998-99), The Powerpuff Girls (Cartoon Network 1998-2005).
2000s: Teamo Supremo (ABC 2002-04), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Fox 2003-09), Astro Boy (syndication 2003-04), One-Punch Man (Adult Swim 2015-present).
2010s: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Nickelodeon 2012-17), My Hero Academia (Adult Swim 2016-present), The Powerpuff Girls (Cartoon Network 2016-19), Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters (Netflix 2017-18), Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Nickelodeon 2018-20), She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (Netflix 2018-20), The Rocketeer (Disney Junior 2019-20).
2020s: Kid Cosmic (Netflix 2021-22), Birdgirl (Cartoon Network 2021-present), Invincible (Prime Video 2021-present) – Prime Video, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (Netflix 2021, Action Pack (Netflix 2022-present).