What Other Superheroes Should Be Getting TV Shows?

So, with the news breaking that Melissa Benoist has been cast in the lead for CBS’ upcoming Supergirl TV series, as well as news that Vixen is apparently getting an animated web mini-series with ties to Arrow and Flash that could result in a full television series (or Vixen being cast on either show), both of those series being renewed for another season, Agents of SHIELD still doing good, the Marvel Netflix exclusive series coming up, and with Agent Carter apparently doing well right off the bat, it’s becoming clear that more heroes of various walks of life in the DC and Marvel universes are hitting it off well with television audiences. We’re seeing a much greater variety than just Superman, Batman, or Spider-Man for the umpteenth time. People want more and the various networks and companies are giving them what they want.

Having said that, and it brings me joy to be able to say this, there’s STILL a bunch of untapped characters and settings that could be adapted into their own TV shows. Granted, some of these characters have appeared in previous series before, but not on their own. And I’m not gonna get into casting and whatnot either, since everyone’s opinion on that is different. I’m just going to make my cases for each character or characters and let people decide if they agree or disagree with the idea of them getting their own show. So, let’s start off with probably the most logical choice after Supergirl…

#1 – Nightwing

Okay, I’m aware of the fact that there IS apparently a Titans live action series in the works, which would probably involve some incarnation of Dick Grayson, but since I haven’t heard anything about it in a while, I’m just gonna put this here for the heck of it. Like what I hope they do with Supergirl, they should keep Batman out of Nightwing’s story, save for his obvious existence in his back-story. In fact, with that in mind, one thing I would love to see is for CBS to do Nightwing as well and have him cross-over with Supergirl from time to time. As for setting, the obvious choice is Blüdhaven, though in the absence of that, Chicago would also work, as Nightwing has operated out of there as well.

#2 – She-Hulk

I still can’t believe that when selecting the various heroes to be in Marvel’s Netflix series, they didn’t go with She-Hulk. Look at it this way: She’s the Hulk’s cousin, which means more potential use of that character since he apparently doesn’t have his own movie coming up, and she’s also a lawyer, meaning the show would effectively be a superhero show meets a Law & Order-esque series, and you know how well shows like that do. Plus, there’s just the nature of Jennifer and the She-Hulk’s duality and how it works in a way that’s very different from the Hulk’s. Plenty of potential exploration and analysis that can be made there.

#3 – The Justice Society of America

Seeing as how Captain America did so well, how about a show about a whole team of superheroes that operated during World War II? I think I’d want the emphasis placed on the lesser known heroes, excluding the trinity of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman in favour of the likes of Mister Terrific, Wildcat, Black Canary, Sandman, The Atom, Doctor Fate, The Spectre, and Hawkgirl. Also, I’d probably include Alan Scott, but under his Sentinel alias (as to avoid confusing fans more familiar with the Green Lantern Corps), and one of the other speedsters in favour of Jay Garrick (again, to avoid confusing fans of the modern Flashes). And lastly, while she didn’t exist in the comics back then, I’m sure Aquawoman from the New 52 Earth 2 comics would be a welcome addition.

#4 – The World’s Finest, Power Girl and Huntress

Yeah, this would get confusing while Supergirl is on the air, so perhaps an idea best kept on the back-burner until Supergirl’s run was over. Rather than involve the existence of Earth 2, I would just play it straight, with the daughter of Batman and the cousin of Superman having to carve out their own legacies while working as a team. And much like with She-Hulk, I would introduce plenty of court show drama elements with Helena Wayne being a lawyer.

#5 – Spider-Woman (Gwen or Jessica depending)

This one would be tricky, since I’m not sure who owns the rights to Spider-Woman. If she’s owned by Marvel Studios, Jessica Drew would be a welcome series set in the MCU as a former HYDRA agent turned SHIELD. If she’s owned by Sony, it’s Gwen Stacy or bust. Either one would be welcome, honestly. Also, while I said I wouldn’t talk casting, with Spider-Gwen, she’d HAVE to be played by Emma Stone. She IS Gwen Stacy, in my opinion.

#6 – Martian Manhunter

Probably the biggest name in DC Comics right now to NOT be involved in the DC Cinematic Universe, likely because DC and WB are basing that Justice League off of the New 52 version…which is a bad sign right off the bat. It’s not even that I have a problem with Cyborg, either. I love Cyborg. But they’ve kinda been amping him up a bit, whereas Martian Manhunter’s been kinda put down a few pegs. And J’onn could hold a show on his own, as the alien brought to Earth by accident and becoming a private investigator/superhero. And again, I know I said I wouldn’t talk casting, but here, I have to. I’m just gonna say five words and walk away: Morgan Freeman as Martian Manhunter. Goodbye. lol

Anyway, that’s it for the shows I can think of, but what about you? Leave me a comment letting me know which comic book heroes you’d like to see get their own shows, and we’ll see if any of them ever materialize. Ja né!

What I Bought Today – The Movement #5, Earth 2 #16 (WARNING – SPOILERS)

Well, been awhile since I talked about new comics, but why don’t we sit back and discuss…

OYYY, as much as I get the reason they do theme months, you’d think the books that weren’t involved could’ve been published along the way. With that said, let’s take a look at one such a series, Gail Simone‘s The Movement.

…Yeah, um…I’m not really sure what to say with this one. Lemme give you the short version of the plot: James Cannon calls in a specialized team to deal with The Movement after last issue. Captain Meers finds out and tries to cut a deal with Virtue, and while she can tell the Captain is sincere in trying to find a peaceful solution that would benefit everyone, she refuses to call off the trial of officers Whitt and Pena, the ones who sexually harassed a teenager in issue 1. Pena pleads guilty and just wants to take his punishment and go home, but Whitt is overly aggressive and morally corrupt, knocking Vengeance Moth out of her wheelchair while in recess. This doesn’t go over well, as Vengeance Moth produces emerald-coloured moth-like wings of light and creates ultrasonic waves that disable him. Katharsis sees this and gets ready to execute Whitt, but Tremor disables her, creating an escape route for the two officers and telling Kulap that she quits…kinda under-minding her conclusions in issue 4. Speaking of Tremor, Mouse is actually writing her a love letter (which kinda comes right the fuck outta nowhere), when he stumbles upon the Cornea Killer in the middle of an attempted murder. Mouse manages to save the victim, but the Cornea Killer has a surprise waiting for him in the form of Cannon’s team: The Graveyard Faction. So, not really a bad issue, but I feel like we missed some developments somewhere, and unfortunately, it’s not the first time I’ve felt The Movement did so.

Earth 2 #16 is James Robinson‘s last issue, and holy shit, does he go out with a bang! O.O Again, long story short: The World Army pretty much get their asses handed to them at the hands of Steppenwolf and the Hunger Dogs, so Amar gives the order for everyone to fall back and evac as many civilians as they possibly can. As such, once Doctor Fate is finished healing them after their last battle went so poorly, Green Lantern, The Flash, Red Arrow, The Atom, Mister Terrific, and Sandman go about saving as many people as possible. However, Alan Scott catches sight of Steppenwolf and decides to let his fist meet the dictator’s face. However, one of the Hunger Dogs, Brutaal, blasts him down with what look to be Omega Beams. Atom tries to save him, but is punched down hard, leaving Alan alone to be beaten badly by the two, and…I’m not 100% sure, but…I-I think they may have murdered him. Either way, as Steppenwolf turns to face a camera and declare his victory, he gets literally torn apart by Brutaal, who blasts apart his own armour to reveal his true identity: Earth 2 Superman, completely under Darkseid‘s control. Sandman and the others fall back, but Superman seemingly destroys Dherain, all the while hailing Darkseid. Again, HOLY SHIT. I have no idea what’s gonna happen next, except that Batman will be trying to unite what forces Earth has that can stand against Darkseid. Guess I’ll just hafta keep buying to find out just what in the hell is happening, and hope that Alan Scott somehow managed to survive.

Well, that’s it for this week. And, if my guess is right, next week is gonna be EXPENSIVE for me…Yeah, I think I’m gonna need to go through a screening process to decide if there are any books I might wish to stop picking up soon. Ja né!

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What I Bought Today – Batman Incorporated #12, Earth 2 #14, The Movement #3 (WARNING – SPOILERS)

Well, it’s Wednesday, so let’s take a look at…

Kind late today, I know, but that’s because I went in earlier and they weren’t ready since the books were late due to Monday being a holiday, so I had to go back later. No biggie, though, it happens. So, let’s start with Batman Incorporated #12.

So, only one more issue to go after this one, which means it’s time for rapid-fire holy-crap-moment deployment! So Batman comes sailing in, decked out in his exo-skeleton/Azrael costume/Man-Bat serum look. Don’t worry, though, the swarm of bats accompanying him are injected with the antidote to the Man-Bat serum, making them the perfect air-to-air combatants for Talia‘s Man-Bat army, as well as allowing Batman to gradually recover, basically using the Man-Bat as an early edge against The Heretic. The fight between the two is violent as hell, and the reveal of what The Heretic looks like under his own cowl may supply you with nightmare fuel for the next few weeks, especially after he fails in both stopping Batman AND in heeding Talia’s orders, which causes her to decapitate the clone of her own son. Talia then blows up Wayne Tower, then arrives at the Bat Cave for the final showdown with Batman, all the while it seems there’s a far bigger picture to worry about, one that is made known to Batman Inc. by a woman who seems vaguely familiar to Nightwing. Overall, great issue, can’t wait for the final issue, but going to be sad to see the end of Grant Morrison‘s run with Batman.

Earth 2 #14…I kinda have mixed feelings about. Not that it’s bad or anything, it’s still really good, but I have a slight issue with Alan Scott‘s plan here. Basically, they decide to attack Steppenwolf’s forces in the country he took over before the World Army gets there, take down the outer defenses and soften up the capital, then Alan will use his broadcasting corporation to spin the heck outta the story so the public will come to instantly trust in them and the World Army will leave them alone. Granted, I understand that the World Army hasn’t exactly made life easy for them in this series, but this seems like rather selfish and foolish behaviour, and Dr. Fate and Jay Garrick are apparently just fine with it. So they arrive, they smash baddies, Steppenwolf orders his people to release the hounds…no, really, he says that. And yes, I DID imagine Mr. Burns‘ voice over that. However, while the JSA manage to take down quite a few enemy soldiers, it isn’t long before Wesley Dodds, the Sandmen, The Atom, and apparently Earth 2’s version of Red Arrow, all arrive a bit ahead of schedule, looking mighty pissed with the JSA, all the while Commander Khan and Mister Terrific are not far behind. It seems they were going for the more subtle and sneaky approach against a foe from Apokolips, and the JSA coming in guns blazing kinda ruined that. GL tries to keep everyone calm and work out an alternative for everyone, but it seems there’s not much time for that, as the Hunger Dogs of Steppenwolf have arrived to cause all kinds of crap.

The Movement #3 was…hang on a sec, I gotta ask something: Gail Simone? Were you locked in closets as a kid or something? Because you’re a really great writer, I love your work, but there’s kind of this darker aspect to a lot of your writing nowadays that makes me think there’s something not quite right in your head. o.O Anyway, The Movement continues to be compelling as we learn a bit more about certain members of the cast. The team discovers a bit more about who is really behind the killings in the city from Rainmaker, who I believe is a character from the Wildstorm Universe, but I’m not too familiar with her. I think she’s supposed to be some kind of a witch (at least that’s what Burden keeps calling her), and that she’s a lesbian, as she semi-discreetly gives Virtue her number, who jokes about it a bit…before pocketing it when no one is looking. Interested to see what happens there. Anyway, it seems they have issues a bit closer to home, as the police have Kartharsis (during which we get to see some of that darker writing I mentioned come into play), and when initial attempts to negotiate a hostage trade with the cops fails, Virtue instead decides to let the people of the city under their protection aid as they seek to literally tear down the police department. Um, eep?

Anyway, that’s it for this week. Btw, the reason I thought this week would be an expensive one is because I thought the newest issue of Fearless Defenders and the first issue of Gail Simone’s Red Sonja would be coming out. Apparently not so, so only three books this week. Not sure if they come out next week or not, but either way, check in then to see what I buy. Ja ne!

Related articles

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What I Bought Today – Earth-2 #7, World’s Finest #7, Detective Comics #15 + Info Regarding Batman #18

Ah, the beginning of the month comic-wise, always so awesome for me. Why? Because I get to take another trip to Earth-2! 😀

This one seemed sort of the odd one out, but I think I know why: It doesn’t really focus much on the JSA. There’s a few pages dedicated to GL and Hawkgirl, explaining more of her backstory and showing that she’s trying to encourage Alan to join their group, but the rest seems more focused on showing that Terrance Sloan is the bad guy…even though I kinda figured that when he tried to nuke Washington D.C. Also, Mister Terrific appears again, and we get a glimpse of this world’s Red Tornado, who appears to be in the form of a woman.

“Yesterday it was zombies, today it’s Wolfman, tomorrow killer clowns! This place is CRAZY!” XD

World’s Finest…Okay, lemme just get what I liked a lot better than last time out of the way first. I like that Power Girl managed to go an issue without losing her costume or being sexy and/or provocative in any way, I like that we see her being awesome with her powers, I like that the dynamic between Huntress and Robin seems to working REALLY well, and I like that it’s clear that this story is building to something big. What I did NOT like was that a bunch of child soldiers wielding what appeared to be weapons from Apokolips got dragged into a Boom Tube and Power Girl was completely indifferent to it. And I’d make a joke about how this comic must not be very “PG”, but I’ve looked online and people have already beaten me to it. lol So yeah, once again Power Girl represents what’s wrong with this comic. She’s gotta be fixed and fixed soon, and we gotta see more about why these two are best friends, because otherwise I can totally see the book dropping the Power Girl and Huntress subtitle and just becoming a Huntress book.

Detective Comics, we find out just what in the fuckingest of fucks was going on with Clayface being married to Poison Ivy, and how they could’ve possibly gotten married in Vegas and pulled a bunch of crimes around the States when Ivy’s been lying low lately. I’ll give you the short answer: They couldn’t, and when Clayface finds out, he is NOT happy. We also see more of Penguin and Joker and their apparent deal from the end of Batman #14, and that his head goon seems to be looking to take over his organization in his absence.

Okay, this cover just SCREAMS the Bale voice. XD

Speaking of the Joker, some info has been released regarding Batman #18. For one thing, Greg Capullo is taking the issue off so Andy Kubert can fill in for him. Second, the description suggests that Death of the Family will not end well…

And I quote…

“In the wake of unspeakable tragedy, Batman is in danger of losing his humanity!
Fan-favorite character Harper Row returns — will she be able to pull Batman back from the brink?” So yeah, definitely keeping an eye out for more info on this. Until then, this is what I bought today. Ja né!