They Are Super . . . And They Have Moved Over to TV
This article originally appeared on May 22, 2014, in Compass, published by The Lakeville Journal Co.
By Darryl Gangloff
Countless live action movies starring comic book characters have appeared in theaters worldwide. Between Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Superman and Batman, superheroes are dominating the silver screen — and now comic publishers are hoping to take over your television.
Let’s start with Marvel, the publisher that kicked off an impressive cinematic universe with the first “Iron Man” film in 2008, which led to Captain America, Thor and other heroes joining him to form “The Avengers” in 2012.
“Agents of SHIELD” just completed its first season and was renewed for a second by ABC. The show follows Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) — who was introduced in those Marvel films, making it a tie-in to that universe — as he keeps the world safe with his team of agents. The show suffered during its first few episodes from a bland plot and boring characters, but some twists toward the end of the season turned it into a series that is actually worth watching.
ABC also picked up “Agent Carter,” which follows the story of Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), Captain America’s love interest from the 2011 film, “Captain America: The First Avenger.” The show takes place in 1946 and will feature Carter balancing administrative work and going on secret missions for Howard Stark. It’s expected to air during a break in the second season of “Agents of SHIELD.”
As if that’s not enough, Marvel has announced an ambitious project with Netflix. Beginning in 2015, Netflix will air four — yes, four — live-action shows featuring Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage. The shows will air over multiple years, culminating with the heroes joining forces as “The Defenders” in a mini-series event — think “The Avengers,” but on the small screen. Filming is expected to begin this summer, principally in New York state.
DC Comics already has “Arrow” on the CW, which has been renewed for a third season. The series follows Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), who is known as the bow-wielding Green Arrow in the comics.
CW has also picked up “The Flash,” a spinoff of “Arrow,” for the fall season. The show will follow Barry Allen (Grant Gustin), who becomes the fastest man alive due to a lightning strike. The trailer looks fun, and the Flash suit is a realistic take on superhero garb. I have my fingers crossed for this one.
Fox will debut a Batman prequel called “Gotham” this fall. It will focus on Detective James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and will feature a young Bruce Wayne, who will grow up to be the Dark Knight. The show will also feature the origins of villains such as Penguin, Catwoman, the Riddler and Poison Ivy. From the trailer, it looks like this show has potential.
Of course, not all comics feature stereotypical superheroes in tights and capes. NBC has grabbed “Constantine” for the fall season, which is based on the character John Constantine from the “Hellblazer” comic series. Constantine (Matt Ryan) is a master of the occult who fights demons and other forces of evil. If this all sounds familiar, Keanu Reeves portrayed the character in the 2005 film of the same name.
AMC is developing “Preacher,” which is — you guessed it — based on a comic of the same name. The story follows the Rev. Jesse Custer, who has lost his faith and is tracking God down after learning that he has left Heaven. Well, that’s the simplified version, at least. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the duo who wrote and directed the 2013 comedy “This Is the End,” are executive producers of the show and will write the pilot.
And we can’t forget AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” which will return for its fifth season in October following an intense cliffhanger. It’s about zombies. That’s really all you need to know.
While you’re waiting for all of these shows to debut or return, you can read the source material by heading to your local comic shop or purchasing digital editions online through outlets such as www.comixology.com.
By Darryl Gangloff
Countless live action movies starring comic book characters have appeared in theaters worldwide. Between Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Superman and Batman, superheroes are dominating the silver screen — and now comic publishers are hoping to take over your television.
Let’s start with Marvel, the publisher that kicked off an impressive cinematic universe with the first “Iron Man” film in 2008, which led to Captain America, Thor and other heroes joining him to form “The Avengers” in 2012.
“Agents of SHIELD” just completed its first season and was renewed for a second by ABC. The show follows Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) — who was introduced in those Marvel films, making it a tie-in to that universe — as he keeps the world safe with his team of agents. The show suffered during its first few episodes from a bland plot and boring characters, but some twists toward the end of the season turned it into a series that is actually worth watching.
ABC also picked up “Agent Carter,” which follows the story of Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), Captain America’s love interest from the 2011 film, “Captain America: The First Avenger.” The show takes place in 1946 and will feature Carter balancing administrative work and going on secret missions for Howard Stark. It’s expected to air during a break in the second season of “Agents of SHIELD.”
As if that’s not enough, Marvel has announced an ambitious project with Netflix. Beginning in 2015, Netflix will air four — yes, four — live-action shows featuring Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage. The shows will air over multiple years, culminating with the heroes joining forces as “The Defenders” in a mini-series event — think “The Avengers,” but on the small screen. Filming is expected to begin this summer, principally in New York state.
DC Comics already has “Arrow” on the CW, which has been renewed for a third season. The series follows Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), who is known as the bow-wielding Green Arrow in the comics.
CW has also picked up “The Flash,” a spinoff of “Arrow,” for the fall season. The show will follow Barry Allen (Grant Gustin), who becomes the fastest man alive due to a lightning strike. The trailer looks fun, and the Flash suit is a realistic take on superhero garb. I have my fingers crossed for this one.
Fox will debut a Batman prequel called “Gotham” this fall. It will focus on Detective James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and will feature a young Bruce Wayne, who will grow up to be the Dark Knight. The show will also feature the origins of villains such as Penguin, Catwoman, the Riddler and Poison Ivy. From the trailer, it looks like this show has potential.
Of course, not all comics feature stereotypical superheroes in tights and capes. NBC has grabbed “Constantine” for the fall season, which is based on the character John Constantine from the “Hellblazer” comic series. Constantine (Matt Ryan) is a master of the occult who fights demons and other forces of evil. If this all sounds familiar, Keanu Reeves portrayed the character in the 2005 film of the same name.
AMC is developing “Preacher,” which is — you guessed it — based on a comic of the same name. The story follows the Rev. Jesse Custer, who has lost his faith and is tracking God down after learning that he has left Heaven. Well, that’s the simplified version, at least. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the duo who wrote and directed the 2013 comedy “This Is the End,” are executive producers of the show and will write the pilot.
And we can’t forget AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” which will return for its fifth season in October following an intense cliffhanger. It’s about zombies. That’s really all you need to know.
While you’re waiting for all of these shows to debut or return, you can read the source material by heading to your local comic shop or purchasing digital editions online through outlets such as www.comixology.com.