Ever since Iron Man stormed into cinemas in 2008, superheroes have had a non-stop presence on the big and small screens. But rarely have we been in a situation like this, where there are three terrific superhero shows all running at the same time that all offer something different.
Those shows are Daredevil: Born Again, currently running its second season on Disney+; Invincible, currently running its fourth season on Prime Video; and The Boys, currently running its fifth and final season, also on Prime Video. Which of these series you like best comes down to taste, but having all three of them on at the same time makes me want to compare and contrast, and finally to choose a victor.
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Daredevil: Born Again
No shame in third place when the competition is this strong
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been marching on for nearly two decades now, and while it can sometimes feel like it’s running on fumes, shows like Daredevil: Born Again prove there’s still a lot of life left in it.
That said, that this show exists at all is a small miracle, never mind the fact that it’s quite good. The original Daredevil show ran for three seasons on Netflix before Disney decided it didn’t want Marvel IP on a rival streamer and pulled the plug. It wasn’t certain that Charlie Cox’s version of the blind crime-fighting lawyer from Hell’s Kitchen would ever resurface, but Disney brought him back for this new show on Disney+. Along for the ride are Vincent D’Onofrio as Daredevil’s arch enemy Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin, and a couple of other original series veterans who have gotten less attention than many fans were hoping.
The first season of Daredevil: Born Again seemingly tried to reset things by shuffling a lot of the Netflix lore under the rug, which resulted in a hit-or-miss group of episodes. The current second season, which sees Daredevil match wills with the Kingpin over control of New York City, has been better and more consistent. The most recent episode, “The Grand Design,” might be the best so far.
Daredevil: Born Again is at once a pulpy comic book affair where non-superpowered humans are somehow able to take on whole rooms of baddies by themselves, and also a gritty, realistic-ish crime drama. Those two instincts are sometimes in conflict, but overall the show is fun, grim, and action-packed. And the stakes keep getting higher, so it feels like the showrunners know where they’re going.
- Release Date
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March 4, 2025
- Network
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Disney+
- Showrunner
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Dario Scardapane
- Directors
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Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, David Boyd, Jeffrey Nachmanoff
- Writers
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Jesse Wigutow, Jill Blankenship, Thomas Wong, David Feige, Grainne Godfree
Invincible
The second most exciting superhero show on TV
Invincible is an animated adaptation of the comic book of the same name by Robert Kirkman, the creator of The Walking Dead. When it starts, our hero Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) is a more-or-less ordinary teenager whose dad happens to be the most powerful superhero on the planet (J.K. Simmons). By season 4, Mark has embarked on his own superhero career, stopped a Martian invasion, fought foes from alternate universes, gained a younger half-brother who ages at an accelerated rate, gotten into a serious relationship, and is currently battling against an alien race of tyrannical super-beings bent on conquering the universe. It’s been a journey, and there are miles to go before the show completes its seven-eight season plan.
Unlike Daredevil: Born Again, Invincible has no compunction about seeming realistic. The characters are sympathetic and the stakes real, but the show is perfectly willing to engage in off-the-wall comic book lunacy. One minute Mark’s girlfriend Atom Eve (Gillian Jacobs) can be grappling with what to do about an unexpected pregnancy, and the next Mark can be descending into Hell to help Satan himself reclaim his throne from a lava monster. The show can be charming and funny, but also thrilling and extremely violent, with some scenes all but guaranteed to turn the stomachs of all but the most hardened viewers. But somehow it all fits into the one canvas.
The voice cast for Invincible is also fantastic, with Yeun and Jacobs joined by the likes of Sandra Oh, Walton Goggins, Seth Rogen, Zachary Quinto, Jon Hamm, Mahershala Ali, Zazie Beetz, Aaron Paul, Lee Pace, and many more. Some episodes can be a little slower than others, but overall this show seemed destined to be one of the greats by the time it’s over.
- Release Date
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March 26, 2021
- Network
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Amazon Prime Video
- Showrunner
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Robert Kirkman, Simon Racioppa
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Steven Yeun
Mark Grayson / Invincible (voice)
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Sandra Oh
Debbie Grayson (voice)
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J. K. Simmons
Nolan Grayson / Omni-Man (voice)
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The Boys
The Boys is building up to a big finish
If I’m being honest, The Boys might not be quite as consistent a show as Invincible. There are times over the first four seasons when the show repeats itself, but it gets points for sheer chutzpah, and it’s showing itself willing to go the distance in this fifth and final season.
The Boys is set in an alternate universe where superheroes are real…and they’re mostly horrible. The breakout character of the show, the Superman-esque Homelander (Antony Starr) is the worst of them: he’s narcissistic, insecure, mentally unwell and strong enough to make it everyone else’s problem. The show has charted his growth from preening corporate frontman to megalomaniac ruler of the United States, although in the fifth season he appears to be losing his grip on his empire as his paranoia and psychosis kick into overdrive. Meanwhile, a crew of anti-superhero activists called the Boys vow to take him down.
When it comes to onscreen violence, The Boys is more or less the live-action equivalent of Invincible; it loves to shock the audience seemingly just for the fun of it. That said, it never forgets to ground the story in relatable human emotion, with the sensitive Hughie (Jack Quaid in his breakout role) often serving as an audience stand-in. There may even be hope for the revenge-happy William Butcher (Karl Urban), but don’t put too many eggs in that basket.
But the best thing about The Boys is that it has a very specific point of view on our world, drawing plenty of comparisons over its run. This satirical aspect angers some fans, but I think it shows a lot of guts and makes The Boys something more than just a fun romp. The show has something to say and isn’t shy about raising its voice.
Also, the first couple episodes of season 5 have raised the stakes by killing off a couple of longtime characters, which makes me think the show is ready to give us a no-holds-barred final season to remember.
- Release Date
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2019 – 2026-00-00
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Jack Quaid
Hugh Hughie Campbell
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Antony Starr
John / Homelander
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Erin Moriarty
Annie January / Starlight
Superheroes storm screens big and small
None of these three shows are especially family friendly, but they are all fantastic. Maybe Spider-Man: Brand New Day or Invincible: Doomsday can fill that niche when they land in theaters later this year. And then there’s Lanterns, a high-profile DC TV show coming to HBO in August. Let’s hope those projects keep up the momentum started here.
