![]() In 2016, Supergirl had joined the fray, coming over from a solo series on CBS to become a major player in the Arrowverse. The rotating cast of characters kept things constantly fresh and opened the doors to the most diverse cast of any Arrowverse series, making its cancellation a true loss for viewers.įor folks who grew up reading comics and understanding the joy of diving into the back issue bins at your local comic shops, The CW was a smorgasbord of superheroes. It was free to fly its freak flag from the Waverider as the extremely queer crew delved into the kind of multiversal mysteries the MCU could barely dream of. Vibrantly colorful, absolutely ridiculous, and totally joyful the show traversed deep space cults, killer unicorns, the French Revolution, and much, much more under the guise of superhero science fiction. Though grit and grime are so often at the center of "serious" superhero storytelling, Legends of Tomorrow rejected that wholesale. The lesser known heroes and freedom the creators were given allowed Legends to become one of the most experimental, fun, and ambitious superhero projects ever while also utilizing impactful - and sometimes emotionally devastating - storytelling. But the Legends quickly became TV's queerest superhero team, reintroducing Caity Lotz as the immortal bisexual Sara Lance, and over the years filling their ship with other iconic queer heroes like Constantine (Matt Ryan), Ava Sharpe (Jes Macallan), and Charlie (Maisie Richardson-Sellers), as well as an alt-universe version of Leo Snart (Wentworth Miller). Debuting in 2015, the show began as a time-traveling romp led by Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill). With the casting of the brilliant Candice Patton as Iris West, The Flash blazed a trail for more inclusive superhero storytelling while setting the stage for the wildest, queerest, and - in this writer's opinion - best Arrowverse show of all: Legends of Tomorrow. Sure, the MCU was making superhero movies the biggest films on the planet, but The CW was presenting a huge audience with comic book storytelling literacy as well as seeding an acceptance of just how weird and wacky things can get. This was accessible comic book storytelling that could be watched for free on broadcast TV or the next day on the two ad-supported CW apps. Whether you like it or not, The CW Arrowverse shows have played a large part in keeping DC Comics characters on the map and in the public consciousness for over a decade. While DC's live-action movies had massive ups and downs and quickly became divisive talking points, The CW crafted an expansive world which viewers could visit weekly rather than waiting years for the next installment, making these characters household names. The Flash quickly became the most watched show on the network and began to introduce broadcast TV watchers to deepcut comic book concepts like the Speed Force, Metahumans, and outrageous characters like Gorilla Grodd and Captain Cold. did have some issues with characters from film being used in the CW’s television series, leading to some weird on-screen deaths and character departures, and a distinct lack of Gotham-focused storytelling during its early years but that’s an editorial for another day. One of the coolest things about the immense amount of characters that The CW had access to was that it allowed the shows to reimagine many lesser known heroes and villains, something that would ultimately make The CW one of the most diverse spaces on television.ĪSIDE: Warner Bros. was part owner of The CW meant untold access to 1000s of characters who, unlike Marvel's roster, mostly weren't tied up in licensing contracts at other studios. It was clearly a reaction to the MCU, but the long-form storytelling of TV gave the creators a leg up. It was there that The CW set a new precedent: Creating a connected world of linked TV series that could cross over just like the comics before them. When Arrow became successful enough, it inspired creator Greg Berlanti and Warner Bros. ![]() And yet in 2012 The CW launched its DC Comics series Arrow and changed superhero TV forever. If you want to find a live action Marvel equivalent you'd have to go back 2001 with the less impactful Mutant X, and before that it was the far more beloved 70s Hulk TV series. The CW had form with Smallville - that it brought over from The WB - but other attempts like Birds of Prey had failed. In our world where every second blockbuster is based on a comic book - and every streamer has multiple superhero TV series - it might be hard to realize just how unusual it once was to have a successful primetime show based on comics. ![]()
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