Summary
Netflix’sSupacellis the latest streaming series to tackle the idea of a darker, grittier superhero story, but it’s far from the only one to do so. The series takes place in South London, in which a group of five strangers suddenly manifest superpowers at the same time, with each having a different idea of what to do with their newfound gift.Supacellis a completely original storythat explores superhero concepts in a darker universe alongside themes like exploitation and racism, but is far from the first to do so.
Many series, both live action and animated, can matchSupacelltonally, existing in the same delicate boundary between the fantastical concept of superheroes and the gritty reality of what they’d really be like. More often than not, unlikeSupacell, these shows are based off of pre-existing comics. From the darkest corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s TV series to wholly original ventures, there are plenty of options to reach for during the wait forSupacellseason 2.
10The Boys
4 seasons (ongoing)
Examining the intersection of superheroes, government action and dangerous celebrity worship,The Boyshas quickly become the face of brutal realism in superhero TV. Loosely based off the comic of the same name while imparting plenty of its own style, the Amazon original series takes place in a world in which the experimental drug, Compound V, is capable of bestowing superpowers to those who manage to get their hands on it. The company who creates the wonder drug, Vought International, uses it to privatize costumed peacekeeping.
The superheroes ofThe Boysare not what they seem on the surface, with nearly all of them having some terrible skeletons in their closet. This leads to the formation of the titular anti-hero group, The Boys, who are each against Vought’s heroes for their own personal reasons. The character development, brutal applications of superpowers, and raunchy sense of edgy humor keepsThe Boysendlessly rewatchable as one of the best, and darkest, superhero series ever made.
9The Umbrella Academy
3 seasons (ongoing)
Across all the more mature superhero TV shows,The Umbrella Academymight be the closest in concept toSupacelldespite being drastically different in tone. Based on a comic written by Gerard Way of My Chemical Romancefame, the series follows the lives of a group of children who were born to virgins around the world, with each of them manifesting a unique superpower. An eccentric wealthy scion, Reginald Hargreeves, adopts seven of them, using them to form his own child superhero team.
Flash forward a few decades, and Hargreeves dies, bringing the adopted siblings together again for the first time in ages. The sudden re-appearance of one of the Umbrella Academy’s missing members throws their whole world into disarray, with the end of the world looming over the maladjusted kids. WhileThe Umbrella Academycan get more fantastical and even straight-up goofy in tone, it tackles some similarly serious issues asSupacellacross its limited runtime.
8Invincible
2 seasons (ongoing)
The most popular currently-premiering adult animated superhero show,Invinciblehas proven that Amazon has not one, but two great, mature superhero series under its belt. Based on the famous Image Comics storyline of the same name,Invinciblefollows the adventures of Mark Grayson, a half-human, half-alien superhero following in the footsteps of his famous father after his powers manifest. Soon, Grayson’s father, Omni-Man, is revealed to be much more than he seems, and the fate of the Earth is forever challenged by his existence.
In just three short years,Invinciblehas influenced other superhero shows, boasting some incredible pop culture staying power. The brutal tear-down fights of the series explore just how bloody two super-strong opponents duking it out in real life would get, alongside haunting storylines featuring PTSD and guilt balanced alongside lighter storylines that revel in the series' multi-faceted world. With an all-star voice cast and some excellent source material to adapt,Invincibleis one of the best mature superhero stories to ever fly.
7Titans
4 seasons
Most are well-acquainted with the Teen Titans via cultural osmosis of the early 2000s Cartoon Network showTeen Titans, or it’s immature comedy spin-offTeen Titans Go!That being said, DC wasn’t afraid to take one of their most beloved superhero teams in a more serious direction with 2018’sTitans.Right off the bat, the TNT drama made it clear in no uncertain terms that this would be a very different incarnation of the Teen Titans, with one of Dick Grayson’s earliest lines infamously being “F*** Batman.”
Beyond simply being an edgier version of its famous teenage heroes,Titansdid a good job balancing its ensemble cast. The slow extra addition of faces recognizable to those familiar withYoung Justicefelt very natural and believable, and the ultra-violence and moody tone had a certain level of charm to it. ThoughTitanshas already come and gone, it’s a great series to reach to for DC fans interested in seeing an edgier take on the famous IP.
6Daredevil
3 seasons
By far the darkest Marvel series ever created at the time of its release, Netflix’sDaredevilwas a shockingly dramatic and dark take on a classic superhero. Adapting the same titular Marvel Comics character that had only previously had a single film adaptation,Daredeviloffered a stark contrast to the sanitized quips of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with its realistic, and often grim, universe. The series told the story of Matt Murdock, a young blind lawyer who becomes the vigilante Daredevil thanks to his extra-sensory abilities.
Compared to other live-action Marvel fare,Daredevilgets quite serious, with disturbing gore, vicious crime, and complex characters. For a time, it seemed as though this tone would forever clash with the MCU, meaning Daredevil had no hope of becoming canonized in the titanic film franchise. However, in recent years this would become the case, retroactively making the critically-acclaimedDaredevil a part of the MCUdespite its darker tone.
5Punisher
2 seasons
The success ofDaredevilprompted Netflix to create a whole series of spin-off shows featuring other heroes in New York City, includingJessica Jones, Luke Cage,Iron Fist, and finally,The Defenders, which saw all four heroes come together. Of all the spin-off series produced by Netflix, however,Punisherwas by far the darkest, fittingly so for the tortured Frank Castle. The Punisher is first introduced inDaredevil, but the gun-slinging vigilante eventually got his own time to shine in a solo series.
Even by Netflix standards,Punisheris incredibly dark and downright bleak at times, with Frank Castle consistently eschewing any sense of normalcy to continue waging his never-ending crusade on violent crime.Punisheris so moody, atmospheric, and rife with drama that it hardly feels like as superhero property at times, being more like a crime thriller on par withBreaking Badmore than anything else. Still, the series technically qualifies thanks to its comic inspiration, resulting in one of the most raw comic book stories ever told.
4Peacemaker
1 season (ongoing)
It’s rare that a character in a superhero film is popular enough to warrant a spin-off series of their own, butPeacemakeris a rare exception. Reprising John Cena’s role fromthe cast of James Gunn’sThe Suicide Squad,Peacemakerfollows the exploits of its titular vigilante. The original film was incredibly violent and darkly comedic, and the streaming series does its best to replicate this tone on a smaller scale.
Admittedly,Peacemakeris much more comedic than most superhero series, especially those willing to get as gory and brutal asPeacemakerdoes. But for all the comedy,Peacemakeralso manages to be a surprisingly thoughtful character study, examining what could make someone so violent in the first place. Balancing extraterrestrial villains and cheap jabs at the Justice League with a character-driven look behind the curtain of one ofThe Suicide Squad’s most eccentric players,Peacemakeris a promising start to the DCU.
3Watchmen
1 season
Though it only lasted a single season, Max’sWatchmenwas a fascinating return to Alan Moore’s beloved universe for the first time since the mid 2000s Zack Snyder film. Advancing the alternate history of Alan Moore’s famous comic to the modern day,Watchmenis a natural exploration of the original comic, examining the fallout of the actions of superheroes in that universe. The series follows the advent of a racist group in Tulsa, Oklahoma known as the Seventh Kavalry, inspired by the former superhero, Rorschach.
In the wake of a deadly terror attack orchestrated by the group, the few surviving members of the Tulsa Police Department are forced to become superheroes in order to protect their identity. TheWatchmenseries presents an utterly unique take on not only the famousWatchmencomic, but the very conceits of the genre itself. With heavy themes of racism, government intervention, and the same philosophical quandries floated by the original comic,Watchmenwill feel right at home for fans ofSupacell.
2Moon Knight
After the success of the official integration ofDaredevil, the Marvel Cinematic Universebegan to experiment with darker content. Among this shift in tone was the first official adaptation of the Marvel Comics character Moon Knight in his own eponymous series. A unique character for several reasons, Marc Spector, a.k.a. Steven Grant, a.k.a. Jake Lockley, a.k.a. Moon Knight is a man with Dissociative Identity Disorder, who must balance his many lives with his new status as the avatar of the Egyptian god, Khonshu.
Unlike most MCU heroes, Moon Knight is more than willing to use lethal force on his foes, painting a much darker series emboldened by a lack of boundaries. WhileMoon Knighthas a number of fantastic elements, including a certain jovial hippo-headed Egyptian goddess, it’s a remarkably grittier entry in the MCU unafraid to get complex and sinister. Hopefully, asecond season ofMoon Knightcan continue this trend.
1Legion
Legionis one of the lesser-known live-action Marvel TV show offerings, but shouldn’t be discounted on the subject of dark superhero stories. Based on the X-Men-adjacent comic line of the same name,Legionisn’t just morbid, but veers into horror territory altogether. The series follows a young mutant who, alongside suffering from schizophrenia, must avoid shadowy government agents in order to keep his powers from being controlled for nefarious purposes.
Legiontook big swings with its tone and narrative, willing to take risks in the name of innovating superhero stories. David Haller is far from a reliable narrator or even a morally-secure protagonist, often veering dangerously close to villainy in his harrowing journey. For its presentation and themes,Legionis a great place to look next for those who enjoyed Netflix’sSupacellmixing horror and comic books in a decidedly unique superhero TV show.
