Everyone and their mother loves to talk about all the super-hero movies that have come out recently, as well as the films coming soon: "Ant-Man," "Batman vs. Superman," "Suicide Squad," "Captain America: Civil War." The list goes on and on! But film is not even the best place to get your superhero live-action fix. Television has managed to surpass movies for that spot.
"Arrow":
Arrow was the beginning of this recent explosion of super-hero TV shows. I have to admit I was not expecting much from this show. I accidentally caught the pilot at San Diego Comic Con many years ago, and I was absolutely hooked. A perfect blend of action and romance to entertain everyone. I've been hooked ever since. And if you like the show, you should check out the graphic novel "Absolute Green Arrow" by Kevin Smith and Phil Hester. Yes, the Kevin Smith of "Clerks," "Chasing Amy," and "Dogma" fame wrote the "Green Arrow" comic for over a year, and it'A a fantastic adventure story with lots of heart.
"The Flash":
"The Flash" television show on The WB has been a delight. The excitement of Grant Gustin in the lead role of Barry Allen/The Flash is just about palpable. He brings an exuberance to the role that just creates a pitch perfect sci-fi story. Plus it has the added bonus of adapting one of the greatest comic book stories ever told, "Flash: The Return of Barry Allen" by Mark Waid and Greg LaRocque. It doesn't hurt that one of the most prolific "Flash" writers of all time, Geoff Johns, also works on the show.
"Gotham":
By no means the favorite Batman adaptation around our store. It can be ham-fisted and meandering, but it opens up a new world to Batman fans. What would it be like to be a policeman in Gotham? How does a normal man fight the corruption of The Penguin and the menace of the Joker? If you like "Gotham," you should pick up the fan-favorite graphic novel "Gotham Central" by Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka, and Micheal Lark.
"Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.":
The only TV show on our list where almost all the main characters were created for the show. It's a lot of fun. And while these characters are all new, they interact with the villains and greater Marvel universe in a way that makes them feel like they were there all along. And unlike all of these other shows being based on comics, the comic "S.H.I.E.L.D." by Mark Waid is based on the TV show, but gets to do fun stuff that the show can't do, like having Phil Coulsen team up with Spider-Man to fight monsters! The first graphic novel is out, with more to come!
