Every superhero has a beginning. Whether it’s the death of a parent, an experiment gone awry, or they were born with superpowers, a hero’s origins tend to be a compelling story. Lately, there has been a flood of superhero origin stories on television. This provides opportunities for all fans, new and veteran, to dive into these tales.
TV shows like this happen for a variety of reasons. A show may be necessary to introduce a lesser known superhero. The Green Arrow is one of those characters. Created in the 1940s, the Green Arrow is one of DC’s oldest superheroes. Despite years of appearances and a member of the Justice League, the Green Arrow has been overshadowed by other DC superheroes. With the premiere of the TV show “Arrow”, the Green Arrow comes back to the mainstream. Fans can follow the adventures of Oliver Queen, a billionaire who hunts down the mobsters and executives of Starling City with a combination of martial arts and archery.
Shows like this allow for spin-offs for other origin stories. In one episode of “Arrow," we meet Central City CSI tech Barry Allen, who is damaged by the murder of his mother and the imprisonment of his father. As a witness to the crime, he knows his true murderer, a man moving at high speeds, is still out there. After a freak accident involving lightning and chemicals spilling onto Allen, he gains the ability of high speeds and becomes the Flash. This leads to his self-named spinoff, where Allen hunts down his mother’s murderer while fighting the criminals of Central City.
The superhero is not the only character with a backstory. Many of the surrounding characters, such as allies and villains have origin stories of their own. While these supporting characters receive some air time, the focus rests mainly on the heroes. TV shows such as “Gotham” turn that idea on its head. In “Gotham”, the show focuses on the rise of several supporting characters. Bruce Wayne, also known as Batman (the best superhero ever), plays an important role on the show. The story begins with the murder of his parents. However, the protagonist of this tale is Detective James Gordon, who rises to become the commissioner. “Gotham” is the path that he takes to get there, focusing on his professional and private life. We also see the rise of Batman’s rogue gallery, including Selina Kyle (Catwoman), Oswald Cobblepot (The Penguin), Edward Nygma (The Riddler), and Harvey Dent (Two-Face).
Sometimes, a show is needed to provide a better story than one presented before. The 2003 “Daredevil” movie was the story of Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer. Using his heightened senses and martial arts, Murdock becomes a masked vigilante fighting crime. Ben Affleck played Murdock while Michael Clarke Duncan portrayed his arch nemesis, Wilson Fisk (aka Kingpin). The movie was not well received. 12 years later, Netflix commissioned a first season of “Daredevil”. Taking place after “The Avengers”, New York is rebuilding after the battle. By day, blinded attorney Matt Murdock (played by Charlie Cox) defends those who can’t in the courtroom. By night, he dons a mask and fights the criminal gangs in New York. Meanwhile, Wilson Fisk (played by Vincent D’Onofrio), leads a criminal enterprise in order to rebuild the city. Besides the acting, the series was universally praised for its plot and character development.
So, if you're looking to jump into the comic world for the first time, or you're looking to get back in after years of following a series, tune in to these shows. There is no better way to feed your inner nerd.
