I've been on a massive graphic novel kick this year. Thus far I've read IDW's entire Ghostbusters run, Gotham by Gaslight, Thor (the one where he brings Asgard back from the dead), and the Green Lantern/Green Arrow Denny O'Neil run from the early 1970s which is a masterpiece.
Currently I'm on the hunt for the entire John Byrne 1980s Superman run. This is where Byrne completely reboots the character and does some absolutely revolutionary things with the character. One of the most significant changes Byrne does is make Clark Kent is the "real" person and Superman is the disguise.
I've read some reviews online that states this the definitive run on Superman. I for one cannot wait to read the entire run. There is a total of 8 volumes, I currently have 3 purchased.
It is a well known fact that I love superheroes. Always have, more than likely always will. With that being said, it is safe to say that we are currently in a golden age of superhero live action television shows. From The Flash to Arrow to Daredevil, they are all unique and incredibly enjoyable.
The number of superhero programs will expand in the 2015-2016 season, as CBS enters the superhero fray with Supergirl, and earlier today we got our first sneak peak with a 6 plus minute trailer of Supergirl. (Which is awesome. Kidos to CBS for putting the footage online.)
I am really excited for Supergirl for a number of reasons.
1. It's being produced by the team of Greg Berlanti, Allison Adler, and Andrew Kreisberg. The same great team that has brought Arrow, The Flash, and the forthcoming Legends of Tomorrow to the small screen. That alone is enough for me to check the show out.
2. A superhero for women. For too long, the superhero genre has been dominated by the guys. It's long overdue that a female superhero is presented to the public so that young female fans can have a hero that they can relate to. And the best part, the show creators are not simply making Supergirl an overtly sexualized object. Based on the footage in the extended trailer, they are presenting her as a human being, and relatable.
3. It's bright and fun. A long held complaint against DC films and TV is that they are too dark, humorless, and gritty. Well Supergirl doesn't look like it will have that problem. Supergirl appears to be is bright, humorous, full of cool action sequences, and sprinkled with a little bit of that old Superman mythos.
4. It's another superhero show. It doesn't matter if it is Marvel or DC, it's all superheros. So in my book, it's all good.
So over the past two months or so, I've been binge watching Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. I know what you are thinking, another Star Trek nerd on the Internet talking about it. Well yes and no. When I was little, I used to love watching the Star Trek movies, but I never really got into the TV shows until I watched them on Netflix. (I watched Star Trek: Next Generation about a year and a half ago. Awesome show by the way.)
I find myself really enjoying how Deep Space Nine is a character study in space. You see how these characters evolve with one another. One season a set of characters distrust one another. In the next season they are uneasy allies, and then finally in the next season they are friends. I feel like it does an excellent job mirroring everyday life. And for me, this is what makes the program relatable.
Even with the series taking place in space, it is the characters that ground it, and make it very relatable. And you don't even have to be a fan of science fiction to enjoy it. It's just a fun television show. And in an era where TV takes itself very seriously, it's enjoyable to watch a show that takes itself seriously, but can have a little fun.
