10 Best Comic Book TV Shows Of The Decade

It's been quite the decade for comic book inspired television.

It's hard to believe there was ever a time when the world wasn't overrun with costume-clad superheroes, but before 2010 that's kind of what it felt like (well, as far as television was concerned at least). Yes, even though the appeal of comic book films were at an all-time high in the first decade of the century (due to the success of The Dark Knight and the early days of the MCU), the truth is that heroes never really had that kind of revolution on the small screen.

When this decade began, the long-running Smallville was about to bid us farewell and superhero shows were something of a rarity. But it didn't take long for that to change because, in a matter of years, one CW series changed everything and kicked off what is now known as the Arrowverse, while Marvel would venture into its own world of TV heroes through network television as well as launching its own R-rated shared universe on Netflix.

This decade has witnessed a renaissance of comic book TV and, as a result, we have more superhero shows than we can even count. But with the end of the decade upon us, let's take a look back at the best that it had to offer.

Supergirl made history with its debut on CBS by becoming the first female-led superhero series since Lynda Carter's classic Wonder Woman. Centered on Superman's cousin, it tells the story of how Kara Zor-El eventually made it to Earth after her pod got knocked off-course and, after years in hiding, stepped into the light as National City's saviour: Supergirl.

Though the show remained a phenomenon throughout its first season, its move to The CW resulted in it being talked about a little bit less. However, one thing that didn't suffer from less exposure was the narratives because, for the most part, Supergirl has been one of the Arrowverse's most consistent shows.

Granted, some of its dialogue occasionally lets it down, but it thrives on its strong, emotionally-driven storylines that always manage to reflect some of the real world's issues. Sure, it may not be quite as heroic as it once was, but it did reach new storytelling heights in its fourth season which, if anything, suggests that its continued evolution is actually a good thing. Melissa Benoist is also nothing short of a triumph in the titular role, bringing the character to life with ease.

What allows Supergirl to stand out in a very crowded landscape are its rather traditional superhero values. There's just an overwhelming sense of triumph about it that is reminiscent of classic superhero films/TV shows.