9 Greatest TV Superheroes of the Modern Era (PHOTOS)
Oliver Queen/Green Arrow (Stephen Amell)
Oliver is the hero that started the current CW takeover. He began as a billionaire playboy on Arrow, but his return from a five-year shipwreck leads to him becoming a vigilante determined to stop crime in Star City.
Luke Cage (Mike Colter)
Originally introduced in Jessica Jones, Luke became the first black superhero to headline a show in Netflix’s Luke Cage. As a former convict with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin, Cage is not someone you want to mess with.
Barry Allen/The Flash (Grant Gustin)
This DC Comics speedster delivers heroic moments and plenty of comedy on The Flash. His superhuman speed makes him the perfect person to protect Central City from threatening supervillains.
David Haller/Legion (Dan Stevens)
In the comics, David is focused on as the son of X-Men’s Professor Xavier. In FX’s Legion, his being a mutant sets him up as an unexpected but intriguing protagonist.
Kara Danvers/Supergirl (Melissa Benoist)
Superman may be a legendary superhero, but The CW’s Supergirl proves his cousin is no slouch, either. Kara Danvers puts on the cape every episode to save National City from danger as one of the last surviving Kryptonians on Earth.
Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Charlie Cox)
Blind lawyer by day, masked vigilante by night. Daredevil has become one of the more captivating heroes from the Netflix series. His investigation into the criminal underworld of Hell’s Kitchen allows him plenty of chances to take on the bad guys.
Clark Kent/Superman (Tom Welling)
Superman predictably lands a spot on this list. However, it’s CW’s Smallville version who is the true hero in our hearts. Watching him endure high school, the death of his father, and plenty of villains lead to an interesting evolution that we couldn’t stop watching.
Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter)
Jessica means business. The Netflix series explores her life as a part-time private investigator, part-time superhero in New York City. What could be more conflicted than that?
Jefferson Pierce/Black Lightning (Cress Williams)
The newest installment in the CW superhero lineup is the first live-action portrayal of Black Lightning. Jefferson’s return to the hero life is sparked by the kidnapping of his daughters. He is prepared to get them back and fight crime with his ability to create and manipulate electricity.
Back in the day, superheroes were hard to find outside of comic books. Today, they are everywhere, saving the day in video games, in films, and on TV.
Television in particular has helped evolve the genre. And now, the heroes we once saw on paper have to come to life, entertaining audiences with their supernatural skills.
Click through the gallery above for our 9 favorite TV superheroes of the modern era. Sound off in the comments below if we forgot your favorite!
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