Entertainment
10 Perfect Superhero Shows To Watch After ‘Invincible’
If you’re a bit sore that Invincible‘s fourth season has already come to a close, we have some good news for you. On one hand, the Prime Video animated series has been renewed for a fifth season already, but on the other, if you’re in the mood for more superhero adventures in the meantime, there are plenty of great shows you ought to give a chance. From DC Comics to Marvel, live-action and animated, here are some of the very best superhero productions worthy of post-Invincible viewing.
These shows offer everything from classic comic book-inspired superheroics to modern coming-of-age super-powered adventures. Just about everything you could hope for from Invincible can be found in these different shows, which you will have no problem binging through while you wait for Season 5. Some are longer than others, of course, and others ended too soon, but however you slice it, they’re perfect for fans of Robert Kirkman‘s famed superhero drama.
‘Batman Beyond’ (1999–2001)
For those who love coming-of-age tales that honor the hero’s journey while still leaning full-force into the action and adventure, Batman Beyond is one of the absolute best superhero shows to binge through. Set in the distant future where an elderly Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy) has been retired for decades, the series follows teenage Terry McGuinnis (Will Friedle) as he becomes the next generation of the Dark Knight. Talk about the perfect superhero succession story.
Spanning three seasons and 52 episodes, Batman Beyond cleverly combines superheroics with futuristic sci-fi material that comic book fans will simply devour. With great villains and lots of Gotham-centric action up its sleeve, this series (which effectively concludes with the animated feature Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker) is a powerhouse of superhero media. As one of the best Batman animated shows out there, Batman Beyond is the gold standard for how a classic superhero can be reimagined as a legacy character who transcends the original.
‘Stargirl’ (2020–2022)
Originally featured on the short-lived DC Universe streaming service before hopping to The CW, Stargirl is based on the comic book character of the same name created by Geoff Johns. Following teenage Courtney Whitmore (Brec Bassinger), who discovers that her stepfather used to be a superhero, she becomes Stargirl to pick up where the Justice Society of America left off. Balancing high school with superheroics is no small feat, especially not when you have to save the world (or at least Blue Valley) before curfew.
Stargirl is a standalone series that ran for three seasons and 39 episodes, but they fly by as the new generation of the JSA is born. Full of teenage angst and hopeful enthusiasm for the future, it’s a show you’ll find yourself enamored with from the first episode. Although the character has been brought to live action before, Stargirl is a great show to help you connect with your superhero roots.
‘Alphas’ (2011–2012)
From the minds of Zak Penn and Michael Karnow, Alphas was a short-lived series that followed a group of super-powered individuals who band together to take down a terrorist cell known as “Red Flag.” What made Alphas particularly unique was that the powers of the main “Alphas” in question each come with their own downside — from heart problems to floods of emotion to uncontrollable obsession. It’s only a shame that this sci-fi series that’s better than it was given credit for ended before its time.
Alphas ran for two seasons and 24 episodes back in the day, and was loosely connected to other SyFy shows like Warehouse 13 and Eureka. But while the series ends on a pretty massive cliffhanger, don’t let that deter you from giving this one a shot. If anything, it offers a glimpse at what a world with super-powered individuals might actually look like — and how those abilities may affect those involved.
‘Young Justice’ (2010–2022)
For an animated series that emphasizes the younger generation of superheroes, Young Justice is one of the very best. From the beginning, the series highlighted the sidekicks of some of the Justice League’s most popular heroes, showing their potential to be the next generation of the “World’s Greatest Heroes.” Like Batman Beyond, there are some coming-of-age elements involved, and you’ll find yourself easily addicted.
Although Young Justice ran for a total of four seasons, hopping from Cartoon Network to DC Universe to HBO Max, the first two are the best that the program had to offer. Still, with a rich collection of characters, unforeseen plot twists, and an overarching conspiracy, the show only further expands the DC Universe as it continues. It would certainly have better thrived in the streaming era.
‘Wolverine and the X-Men’ (2009)
Although X-Men: The Animated Series and its revival sequel, X-Men ’97, are arguably the “gold standard” for the X-Men in animation, Wolverine and the X-Men is a worthy take on Marvel’s favorite mutants that deserves to be remembered. The short-lived series follows Wolverine (Steve Blum) as he reunites the X-Men to investigate an attack on Xavier’s mansion and the disappearance of some of their teammates. With Logan at the helm, the mutant heroes face persecution from all sides.
As one of the best non-Disney+ Marvel shows, Wolverine and the X-Men was a boatload of X-Men potential. What could have been a fascinating long-form series only lasted a single 26-episode season, but the adventure was well-worth the ride. The X-Men may be back in their classic ’90s get-ups, but this early 2000s take is far better than it’s given credit for.
‘The Flash’ (2014–2023)
When it comes to live-action superhero television, one of the most beloved shows on the list is undoubtedly The Flash. Grant Gustin‘s Barry Allen defined a whole generation of TV superheroes, and although it was technically a spin-off of Arrow, it far outran the franchise’s flagship series. As Barry and his allies race to save Central City from supervillains, multiversal threats, and even telepathic gorillas, there’s a reason this series is considered among the greatest modern superhero programs.
The Flash ran for an impressive nine seasons on The CW. That’s no small feat, and if you’re looking for a superhero show that offers enough material to last you a few years, you’ve come to the right place. Sure, some seasons of The Flash are better than others, but as a whole, the show is largely consistent.
‘Heroes’ (2006–2010)
Okay, Heroes is not quite as consistent as The Flash. In reality, it’s a pretty inconsistent series by comparison, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth the strange ride. Following a group of super-powered individuals from across the globe, Heroes blends the love of classic comic books with our modern views (or, at least early 2000s views) of what long-form television should entail.
Spanning four seasons and 77 episodes, Heroes‘ original run (not including the Heroes Reborn miniseries) was groundbreaking at the time. While the series sometimes struggles to pay off its promise, the first season especially is a masterclass in genre television that fans of Invincible will no doubt love. Just be warned, Heroes is one of those superhero shows that are definitely not for kids.
‘Batman: The Animated Series’ (1992–1995)
The definitive animated take on Batman, Batman: The Animated Series is everything you could ever wish for in a program following the Dark Knight. From Kevin Conroy’s iconic portrayal to the reinvention of many of Batman’s rogues to being the launching point of the DC Animated Universe, this is the show that shaped Batman (and continues to shape him) for decades to come. Conroy’s Batman alone is worth all the time you can give him.
If you consider The New Batman Adventures to be an official continuation (and we do), there are 109 episodes total to pull from with this take on the Caped Crusader. Any self-respecting fan of superhero animation ought to look back on Batman: The Animated Series for its intelligent, nuanced, and timeless take on the genre. Here are some of the best episodes to start with.
‘Smallville’ (2001–2011)
Not all great superhero coming-of-age stories are in animation, and perhaps the very best live-action attempt at this style of comic book adaptation is Smallville. A reinvention of the traditional Superman mythos, the series picks up with a teenage Clark Kent (Tom Welling) long before he dons the cape and tights. As he befriends Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum), pines over Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk), and eventually falls for Lois Lane (Erica Durance), Clark discovers what it means to truly be a hero, moving past his own self-doubt to become none other than, well, you know.
As the longest-running series on this list, Smallville spanned 10 seasons and 218 episodes total, making it not only the longest-running Superman-related series but also the longest running live-action superhero series proper. In our ranking of Superman-related shows, it ranks pretty high due to its unique reinterpretation of the mythos, its ability to grow with its characters and audience, and the way in which it paved the way for superhero television into the 2010s.
‘The Spectacular Spider-Man’ (2008–2009)
Invincible fans already know that there are some similarities between Mark Grayson and Peter Parker, and those traits are perhaps best highlighted by the terribly short-lived The Spectacular Spider-Man. A reinvention of Marvel’s greatest web-slinger that is far better than anyone believed it would be, Peter Parker (Josh Keaton) finds himself balancing his personal life with his powers when he takes up the mask to become Spider-Man. In a world that hates him, he remembers that “with great power, comes great responsibility.”
With two seasons and 26 episodes, Spectacular Spider-Man could have (and arguably should have) lasted for far longer than it did. As one of the most rewatchable Spider-Man cartoons, it’s full of all your favorite Spidey villains and supporting characters, honoring the original Stan Lee and Steve Ditko material while still making a name of its own. While his story did end too soon, fans at least got a small cameo from the character in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
The Spectacular Spider-Man
- Release Date
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2008 – 2009-00-00
- Directors
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Victor Cook, Jennifer Coyle, Dave Bullock, Troy Adomitis, Dan Fausett, Kevin Altieri, Michael Goguen
- Writers
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Greg Weisman, Kevin Hopps, Matt Wayne, Andrew Robinson, Randy Jandt, Nicole Dubuc
- Franchise(s)
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Marvel
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