A live-action TV series based on a superhero

[Guybrush]

Seeing as Smallville is going to enter its 8th season next fall, I'm quite surprised we haven't gotten to see more superhero based live action TV shows. And seeing how many hit movies this genre gives us on a yearly basis, it just seem inevitable that eventually more shows of this genre will appear. But until then its time to give our own ideas on such shows! I'll get the ball rolling:

Daredevil
Seriously how no one put this franchise on the small screen is beyond me, this franchise have everything you need to crank up a very successful live action TV series. First of all (and probably most importantly) Daredevil is a pretty low budget superhero, he's a street level hero who fight street level thugs, his villains are not big on visuals (aka Doc Ock or Magneto type) and Daredevil himself doesn't have any real super powers.
Second, Daredevil works in fields that are pretty easily recognized to the TV audiences, the show will not be that much difference from something like Law & Order, you will have Matt Murdock defending people on a weekly basis while punching some guys between court sessions. And third, Kingpin is just the perfect small screen type villain, he just your basic mob boss, but off course more bad@$$.
Damn typing this idea just makes me want to see this show more and more.

Spider-Man
Spidey have plenty of things going for it in order to be a hit TV series, most of his villains are not that high budget, and he brings the all soap opera type stuff with him. While a lot of time in Smallville you feel this kind of stuff doesn't work that well when it comes to Clark Kent, all this soap opera stuff is right up to Peter Parker's alley. Yeah on a TV budget we won't see much of web slinging or Doc Ock destroying the city, but Spidey fits pretty well into a more low badget street crime (Unlike Superman when they have to bring a kryptonite to every encounter cause otherwise it will end in 2 seconds).
I should really start a petition for Spidey to get his own TV show, shame I'm too lazy.

[Toku King]

The old Daredevil thread talked about it. There were all sorts of villains and plots they could use for a Daredevil television show.

[Jmacq1]

Spidey might be too big-budget for a regular TV series. At the very least it'd end up annoying because we'd rarely see Spider-Man, and instead get "Peter Parker the soap opera" which isn't really that entertaining without the Spidey bits to break it up. Keep him as an animated series and things will be fine.

Daredevil on the other hand, could work pretty well. The Punisher even more so. Even better if the same studio/channel produces them both and lets them cross over from time to time.

[Stressfactor]

Simplest one of all?

IRON FIST. Martial Arts action and they could even largely dump the costume and just keep some semblence of the mask. And if they wanted to add in supporting cast Danny Rand has a great supporting cast with Colleen Wing and Misty Knight.

On the DC side....

GREEN ARROW. Smallville has already proven that the character has legs and appeal and is do-able on a weekly basis without being too expensive.

The fangirl in me would love to see BOOSTER GOLD but I know that's one that might work better in animation rather than live action. If they wanted to do an animated series based on the current run, though, it would be great. They wouldn't even have to go for obscure DC comic book continuity stuff -- there's plenty of DC hero happenings that a mainstream audience would be familiar enough with to get and there can always be stories that go into the past or future to go outside continity.

[Ontir]

If the CW doesn't spin Green Arrow off, either as a solo, or with his compeers as a Young Justice series, they're utter fools! Frankly, Ollie is far more interesting on Smallville than Clark ever was!

[Holacik]

The Punisher even more so.

It would be perfect on HBO or Showtime.

[jumonji]

Daredevil
Seriously how no one put this franchise on the small screen is beyond me, this franchise have everything you need to crank up a very successful live action TV series. First of all (and probably most importantly) Daredevil is a pretty low budget superhero, he's a street level hero who fight street level thugs, his villains are not big on visuals (aka Doc Ock or Magneto type) and Daredevil himself doesn't have any real super powers.
Second, Daredevil works in fields that are pretty easily recognized to the TV audiences, the show will not be that much difference from something like Law & Order, you will have Matt Murdock defending people on a weekly basis while punching some guys between court sessions. And third, Kingpin is just the perfect small screen type villain, he just your basic mob boss, but off course more bad@$$.
Damn typing this idea just makes me want to see this show more and more.

Count me in. This could be made relatively low budget, would have a fairly realistic feel to it, sort of anchored in the real world but with a twist. As you mentioned, this is also how most of the more successful law shows work with both court room drama, crime/action elements and lots of character development. I've thought about this one a lot, and not only because I'm a DD nut. Well, partly because of that, but a DD live action TV show actually makes so much more sense than a movie, since the character doesn't fit in the stereotypical superhero niche and might need a different approach. It would also have an adult audience which is absolutely key.

I'd totally go for a Spidey show as well, btw.

[Naetnalta]

Daredevil on the other hand, could work pretty well. The Punisher even more so. Even better if the same studio/channel produces them both and lets them cross over from time to time.
The Punisher would work well as a TV show because he works on cases, like Law & Order and CSI. There are few recurring villains. Most single episodes would be easily accessible.

My favorite episodes of The X-Files, for example were the ones that didn't deal with aliens kidnapping Scully or Mulder and that required you to know all about the Cigarette Smoking Man's relation to Mulder and Mulder's sister being abducted. I liked the episodes where Scully and Mulder go to some town, encounter some weirdness, then go home and submit their report.

Similarly, the best Punisher episodes would be Frank tailing a member of the mob, or a drug dealer, or a serial rapist, or whatever, killing the guy at the end, then writing in his little diary... I mean war journal... at the end. Kind of like how Doogie Howser would type some crap at the end of each episode.

[herogirl]

I think Wonder Woman could have some possibilities as a live action series.

[Naetnalta]

I think Wonder Woman could have some possibilities as a live action series.

Yeah, I think the Hulk and Flash would, too. I also think Superman and Batman would have some success in movies.

[StoneGold]

It's hard to do superhero series live. It's murder on the SFX guys.

[Monty_Cristo]

Irredeemable Ant-Man could run for a good fast-paced 12 episodes; recounting his origin.

Eric O'Grady/Ant-Man - Chace Crawford
comic reference: http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/7738/2618/1600/Antman2.jpg
actor photo: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1219336960/nm2003700

Chris McCarthy
comic reference: ?
actor photo: ?

Agent Mitch Carson - Tom Sizemore
comic reference: http://image.comicvine.com:8000/vol/19000/18227/18227-113101-1-the-irredeemable-ant_400.jpg
actor photo: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2164430848/nm0001744

Veronica King
comic reference: ?
actor photo: ?

Abigail Dunton/Visioneer
comic reference: http://image.comicvine.com:8000/item/45000/44228/46590-visioneer_400.jpg
actor photo: ?

Frank Johnson/Monstro - Ron Perlman
comic reference: http://image.comicvine.com:8000/item/43000/42946/138605-monstro_400.jpg
actor photo: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1127979776/nm0000579

Black Fox - Raymond J. Barry
comic reference: http://image.comicvine.com:8000/item/22000/21201/17052-black-fox_400.jpg
actor photo: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2499713792/nm0000855

cameos:

Doctor Henry Pym/Yellowjacket - Anthony Michael Hall
comic reference: http://image.comicvine.com:8000/item/3000/2247/149164-hank-pym_400.jpg
actor photo: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm943364608/nm0001309

Dum Dum Dugan - Brendan Gleeson
comic reference: http://image.comicvine.com:8000/item/4000/3526/75602-dum-dum-dugan_400.JPG
actor photo: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2159254784/nm0322407

Commander Maria Hill
comic reference: http://image.comicvine.com:8000/item/41000/40824/189046-maria-hill_400.jpg
actor photo: ?

She-Hulk - Gina Carano
comic reference: http://image.comicvine.com:8000/item/2000/1449/157115-she-hulk_400.jpg
actor photo: [couldn't find a pic]

Carol Danvers
comic reference: ?
actor photo: ?

Mr. Hyde - Paul Levesque
comic reference: http://image.comicvine.com:8000/item/4000/3233/32329-mr-hyde_400.jpg
actor photo: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm381131008/nm0505391

[Johnny_Luck]

I like to see either Green Arrow Spin-off from Smallville or more so a Supergirl show after smallville ends. LV is the best onscreen fit for Kara, she has the actions of the character down set and the look as well.

as long as they kept with the darker tone supergirl has had in the darker season of smallville and she doesn't go too deep into a secret Identity crap. If she continues to have edge and have a gritty feel she be fine.

If they go the tony/puckett route it would suck.

[Chiasm]

I'd love to see a Green Arrow spinoff but given the strong possiblity of the CW going under next year I don't think they are going to open the bank for an effects laden show that costs a lot when they could put a cheap teen drama on.

[Green Lantern wannabe]

I think they tried a Daredevil pilot in the 1970's, but it didn't go anywhere. I seem to remember that it was part of an incredible Hulk episode.

Spiderman was a TV series, both on Sesame Street and on Prime Time. The Sesame Street one was quite good, for its genre, but the Prime Time one was just so-so.

[Wild Card]

With the CW's habit of using their shows to plug their music artists I lost any desired to see another live action show base on DC as long as the CW network is around.


Any way I had an idea for a Dr. Strange show:
Doctor Stephen Strange world famous paranormal investigator and debunker, what the world don't know is that Strange is actually the Mystic Protector of the earth and feels the best way to protect the masses from the paranormal is to cover up it's existence to world at large.

[Spidey-kid1]

I'd love to see a Green Arrow spinoff but given the strong possiblity of the CW going under next year I don't think they are going to open the bank for an effects laden show that costs a lot when they could put a cheap teen drama on.

I'd rather see an impulse spin off, but Green Arrow would be cool too.

[Jared]

Agreed on Punisher and Daredevil. I've never seen the GA episodes of Smallville.

Blade had potential, but the biggest flaw was poor casting in the lead role. Blade has to be a martial artist, and he really should be a big guy too. Being on a better network than Spike would have probably helped too.


Shang Chi and Luke Cage could work pretty well. Two dynamic characters. More action than Heroes, and probably a smaller budget.

[meethraa]

Gotham Central... except it could seem a tad redundant seeing as the book felt a lot like a cop show already...

[Jared]

I think in a TV show set in Gotham City, you'll never be able to overcome the audience's expectation of seeing Batman.

[Pól Rua]

I think in a TV show set in Gotham City, you'll never be able to overcome the audiences expectation of seeing Batman.

No reason you can't have Batman in it AT ALL, just not as the main character.

[Guybrush]

Actually a show based on Gordon could be pretty good, it would be a bit weird having Batman as a supporting character tho.

[Jmacq1]

I think they tried a Daredevil pilot in the 1970's, but it didn't go anywhere. I seem to remember that it was part of an incredible Hulk episode.

The late 80's, actually. You're probably thinking of "The Trial of the Incredible Hulk" which was one of the TV-Movies that spun off from the older TV show. I seem to recall rumormongering at the time was that it was indeed intended as a backdoor pilot for a Daredevil spinoff that never materialized. For our moment of geek trivia: The movie also included the Kingpin, as portrayed by John Rhys-Davies. Anyway, while the costume was pretty lousy, the Daredevil bits worked pretty well, as I recall. In a late-80's TV sort of way.

Now there was actually a "Dr. Strange" pilot in the 70's. It's hard as heck to track down nowdays (I think?) but I actually caught it on Sci-Fi Channel several years back. (You know, back when they used to rebroadcast all kinds of older TV goodness during the days/afternoons?) As I recall, it wasn't too bad. Certainly it changed a whole heck of a lot of stuff and the costuming got a little cheesy, but as the premise for a TV series, it was pretty solid.

Actually a show based on Gordon could be pretty good, it would be a bit weird having Batman as a supporting character tho.

And they'd have to work hard not to use Batman as a deus ex machina that does the GCPD's job for them.

[ForeverTaskmaster]

The Question. I want the Question with a Hub City that is rotten to its core. All darkness and stuff and the Question kicking ass. And Richard Dragon and Shiva need to be in it.


@Jmacq1: The Dr Strange pilot is available on the net. It was a very enjoyable movie even if it had a very small budget for FX and stuff.

[David Walton]

Spiderman was a TV series, both on Sesame Street and on Prime Time. The Sesame Street one was quite good, for its genre, but the Prime Time one was just so-so.

I believe it was "The Electric Company," not Sesame Street. I remember because I actually liked Sesame Street but I suffered through most of Electric Company in the hopes of seeing one of their Spider-Man skits, which weren't even in every episode.

[David Walton]

There's no reason why you couldn't have a show about Bruce Wayne traveling the world as a young man and studying under various detectives and masters of martial arts.

And you'd have to adapt Waid's 'Tec Annual from '89!

[frankiedetroit]

Spiderman was a TV series, both on Sesame Street and on Prime Time. The Sesame Street one was quite good, for its genre, but the Prime Time one was just so-so.

Spidey on prime time was SOOOOOO disappointing. His webbing looked like nets and his spider-sense was some strange special effect. I've not recovered.

But I'm just waiting a return of this guy:
http://host40.ipowerweb.com/~bradybun/gah/gahflagspread.jpg

[Typo Lad]

There's no reason why you couldn't have a show about Bruce Wayne traveling the world as a young man and studying under various detectives and masters of martial arts.

And you'd have to adapt Waid's 'Tec Annual from '89!
The crew from Smallville has pitched that more than once.

[BoosterBronze]

There's no reason why you couldn't have a show about Bruce Wayne traveling the world as a young man and studying under various detectives and masters of martial arts.

And you'd have to adapt Waid's 'Tec Annual from '89!

I read somewhere that was the original idea, and "Smallville" was created when the network put a kibosh on "Young Bruce Wayne."

[Augusto]

But I'm just waiting a return of this guy:
http://host40.ipowerweb.com/~bradybun/gah/gahflagspread.jpg

Believe it or not...
I'm walking on air....
Never tought I could feel so free.

Nostalgia.

[marshal99]

Jessica Jones or Jessica Drew , Private PI . A show of a private investigator with extraordinary powers , taking on strange cases that the police wouldn't handle. No cheesy superheroine name , just use their real names.

Or

Gabriel (the devil hunter). After his wife was killed and his lovely assistant Desadia kidnapped by the forces of darkness , he vowed to spend his life hunting them down , avenge his wife and save Desadia.

[The Xenos]

The Question. I want the Question with a Hub City that is rotten to its core. All darkness and stuff and the Question kicking ass. And Richard Dragon and Shiva need to be in it.

That would be amazing.

[Bradpinder]

Now there is popularity with Smallville on a scale that we have never seen in recent years. I mean Wonder woman and the Hulk were great... many years ago, but what comic do you think would work as a series today?

the ones I would vote for are:

Ultra, and older book, 2004 I think, but it has some great TV type characters.

Invincible, it is one of the best pure super hero books out there that reads like a TV series.

What do you think would work?

[Mr.EZ]

X-Men.

There are already a huge amount of shows with ensemble casts and inhuman action, why not this one?

Have it be an hour long drama with a 8 member cast. 4 leads and 4 supporting leads.

[Ontir]

Birds of Prey should have been the easiest to translate.

Young Avengers would be cool

Robinson's Starman would be good. Too bad Balthazar Getty is already booked, because after Charlie Sheen, who's now too old to start off as "Jack", Getty is my 2nd choice.

Roleau's take on the Metal Men might work as a live-action/CGI hybrid.

I've been thinking a lot about Don Simpson's unfinished Border Worlds of late. I'd love to see something done with that.

A series set in 1938, dealing with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the rest of the JSA, a la Astro City would be interesting.

[drwho]

I wouldnt mind seeing a Spider-Man 2099 live action show. Have it based in the future so it would be superheroics in a future setting plus you would not have to worry about the Spider-Man brand.

[EZMOHR]

Wow, I can't believe I'm gonna be the 1st to say it.....The Walking Dead.

But, since everyone else will eventually say it, and has said it before me, my original entry would be Just a Pilgrim.

[1WEBHEAD]

Kick Ass!!!!

[StoneGold]

Chuck.
.

[EZMOHR]

I hope people start watching it more in the fall....but I doubt they will. Oh well, Zachrey Levi will go onto better things afterwards.

[StoneGold]

I hope people start watching it more in the fall....but I doubt they will. Oh well, Zachrey Levi will go onto better things afterwards.

Who knows, next TV season is going to be all wacky, with shows debuting at bizarre times.

[insidemyhead]

As others have said elsewhere, I think Runaways would translate well to an ongoing tv series, though hopefully we'll have a movie instead...but why not both?

[Monty_Cristo]

Irredeemable Ant-Man. it'd be like a mix of NCIS and Dawson's Creek.

[Bouncing Boy]

I'd like to see a Smallville-type Spider-Man show that's fairly close to the early comics. Start out with him as a Junior in High School, Liz Allen is his love interest, Flash Thompson is his tormentor, he works part time at the Daily Bugle, yada yada. Don't introduce MJ, Gwen or Harry until he starts college in the third season. Unlike Smallville Spidey would have to have the tights though.

I also think a Legion live action show would kick ass. Make it kind of a Star Trek with Super-Powers.

[Arvandor]

Negation and Crossgen's Sigilverse would make a great tv series.

Fallen Angel would be potentially good as well.

Manhunter would be good too.

[StoneGold]

I'd like to see a Smallville-type Spider-Man show that's fairly close to the early comics. Start out with him as a Junior in High School, Liz Allen is his love interest, Flash Thompson is his tormentor, he works part time at the Daily Bugle, yada yada. Don't introduce MJ, Gwen or Harry until he starts college in the third season. Unlike Smallville Spidey would have to have the tights though.


Except for when the college friends got shoved in, that's basically The Spectacular Spider-Man right there.

[Black Atom]

Birds of Prey should have been the easiest to translate.


Done as a 54 style behind-enemy-lines show, it'd be great.

Also, Jonah Hex.

Captain America set during WWII.

A law and order type Daredevil show.

[brundlefly]

A law and order type Daredevil show.

Beat me to it. Part legal thriller (a la L&O, The Practice, etc.) and part street vigilante/noir tale, a DD series would appeal to multiple TV audiences. Plus his major rogues (Kingpin, Bullseye, Mr. Fear, Gladiator, Owl, The Hand, Typhoid Mary, etc.) and allies (Elektra, Black Widow, Stick, maybe a Spidey guest appearance) are all pretty down-to-Earth and believable, so no big concern over a bloated special effects budget, either.

I think Hellblazer, done correctly, would work very well on either HBO or Showtime as a TV series, along with 100 Bullets. And I totally agree with the previous suggestion of the Jack Knight Starman.

[StoneGold]

Kickers, Inc.!

[brundlefly]

Kickers, Inc.!

Heh, pair that up with "Friday Night Lights" for an evening of football-themed dramas and there you go. They can even cross over into each other's shows!

[TradePaperbackTraitor]

Ultimate Spidey.... Marvel's version of Smallville. (Although I think the F/X and stunts would be a lot more difficult to pull off.)

The Walking Dead.... Praps to whomever mentioned it first. Wouldn't work though unless it was on an uncensored premium cable network. With the success at the movies, hard to believe no one has ever tried a continuing zombie television series.

Y: The Last Man.... Has TV or some cinematic version written all over it, starting with the opening countdown sequence that feels like a script for "24."

Hero Squared... Scrubs meets The Tick? LOL

Conan.... Yeah, there was some lame attempt a few years back. (Okay, I admit, I watched it!) Is it that hard to pull off a serious fantasy televison series instead of a tongue-in-cheek Zena? Maybe another series that demands premium cable?

[Lightbend]

She Hulk, Attorney At Law.

I really don't need to add anything to that, do I?

[Siddon]

I'd love to see an HBO/Shotime seires of The Girls, bunch of hot naked women running around a small town.

Thor has never recieved an animated show, I'd like to see what they could do with that.

You can do a live action Captain America type show, none of the villians are to FX heavy besides can you imagine a giant puppet Modok

And for the Sci Fi channel, I would really like to see Nova

[Jmacq1]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Powers yet.

Black Widow could probably work pretty well as a series, though I suspect she'll be saved for the Avengers franchise.

The Punisher is another one that might work better on the small screen than the big screen. Bonus points if it's a HBO or Showtime production based on the MAX series....

However it might be better to make it a major network show that airs alongside a Daredevil series and have them occasionally cross over.

Batman is tied up on the big screen, but why not try a Nightwing or Robin series on TV? Particularly if they're not likely to show up in the movies.....Nightwing's probably easier since he's less dependent on Batman by the time he's "grown up." But still, people don't have any trouble differentiating between Smallville Superman and Superman Returns Superman, so they could probably handle a Nightwing that's in a different continuity than Nolan/Bale's universe.

[StoneGold]

Power Man and Iron Fist, done all retro-70s. Although that kind of failed when they did G vs. E way back when. Still, it'd be awesome. Like the first half of Law & Order, except with a super strong black dude and a white martial arts cat. Hell, you could even make it like most of this season of Law & Order, where the black guy is the experienced one, and the white guy is just returning "to the world."


Heh, and then for the second half, you can have Matt Murdock and She-Hulk prosecuting. OK, so Matt was never a DA, but Jen was.

[Greenian]

superhero live action shows won't work if it involves a superhero costume.its hard to pull off on screen
and to pull it off is quite expensive

so better off going with someone who doesn't need a costume

Y-The Last Man
Wolverine
Jessica Jones
or young Bruce Wayne
I reckon would work well in tv

[Deep_Sleeper]

Today, I think a DD TV show would be so easy. Just make it hardcover like from Showtime or something.

[stealthwise]

Martian Manhunter.

And he's NOT a 20-something-playing-a-teen as per the WB.

I think a paranormal show that has a character learning about Earth and its denizens, while also discovering his place in it, speaks to a lot of universals, and makes for a pretty malleable show.

[Greenian]

Daredevil seems to be a popular vote
but I don't think Daredevil would work well on tv

just too hard too pull off the costume

I still recokon its better to go with someone who doesn'tt need a superhero tight outfit

[Jmacq1]

Daredevil seems to be a popular vote
but I don't think Daredevil would work well on tv

just too hard too pull off the costume

I still recokon its better to go with someone who doesn'tt need a superhero tight outfit

So use the movie costume or something similar. It was fine for what it was (A movie costume). The main problem with costumes is the continuing mentality by producers/execs that they just look silly.

Costumes aren't the biggest problems with superhero TV show budgets. It's the FX. They made the Flash over 10 years ago, I think they can manage just about any superhero that isn't actually superpowered a lot easier now.

[Mr.EZ]

Martian Manhunter.

And he's NOT a 20-something-playing-a-teen as per the WB.

I think a paranormal show that has a character learning about Earth and its denizens, while also discovering his place in it, speaks to a lot of universals, and makes for a pretty malleable show.

He's on Smallville and he's not played by a 20 something, he's played by Phil Morris, who I think does a good job, considering Smallville's "comic shame."

[Bradpinder]

WIth the popularity of superheros in films and other media would allow sufficent funds to filter into a show, Smallville has decent effects, The Flash was OK for what it was. Even the Tick had great effects.

[stealthwise]

He's on Smallville and he's not played by a 20 something, he's played by Phil Morris, who I think does a good job, considering Smallville's "comic shame."

I pretend that that show was cancelled years ago.

[herogirl]

I like to see either Green Arrow Spin-off from Smallville or more so a Supergirl show after smallville ends. LV is the best onscreen fit for Kara, she has the actions of the character down set and the look as well.

as long as they kept with the darker tone supergirl has had in the darker season of smallville and she doesn't go too deep into a secret Identity crap. If she continues to have edge and have a gritty feel she be fine.

If they go the tony/puckett route it would suck.

I've heard rumors that a Supergirl spin-off is planned. Whether they're true or not...who knows?

[herogirl]

In the last season of Smallville I would personally love to see an introduction of Bruce Wayne. Not Batman, necessarily, but just Bruce. Especially with Martha's political position and her rubbing elbows with the "deep pockets" of the DC world.

[herogirl]

He's on Smallville and he's not played by a 20 something, he's played by Phil Morris, who I think does a good job, considering Smallville's "comic shame."

Tom Welling's actually a 30-something (31 to be precise).

[SlightlyMad]

The Question. I want the Question with a Hub City that is rotten to its core. All darkness and stuff and the Question kicking ass. And Richard Dragon and Shiva need to be in it.


That was my first thought when I saw the thread title. They could use pretty much all of Dennis O'Neil's series as the template. It would be great!

I always thought that the 1990s Marvel Midnight Sons title: Darkhold (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darkhold#Midnight_Sons) would work well as a TV show.

[The Xenos]

The Question. I want the Question with a Hub City that is rotten to its core. All darkness and stuff and the Question kicking ass. And Richard Dragon and Shiva need to be in it.That was my first thought when I saw the thread title. They could use pretty much all of Dennis O'Neil's series as the template. It would be great!
Hell yes! On a Question message board I visited, someone said it could be something closer to something like The Wire than your typical superhero story.