The 5 Best Comic Book TV Shows Of 2015, So Far….

We haven't always had it this good. For decades, TV producers were unable to surpass the success of Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk, which didn't seem so bad back in the 1970's. Flash forward to the 2000's though and with little else other than Smallville and some animated shows to enjoy, it was clear that TV had a long way to go before it could match the big screen success of the X-Men franchise and Batman Begins. Summer blockbusters are great and all, but diehard fans need a weekly dose of superhero antics to keep their addiction going. Fortunately, as our cinemas are flooded with more and more superhero fare, the overall rise in quality has begun to seep into small screen ventures, too. We may only be halfway through the year, but 2015 has been one of the best years yet for comic book TV shows. New programs have made a huge impact on pop culture, while veteran shows have mostly continued to maintain the high quality set by previous seasons. Join us then as we count down the five best comic book TV shows of the year so far... and keep praying for that Howard the Duck epic which is destined to hit our screens any day now. 5) Marvel's Agent Carter Season 1 Captain America: The First Avenger was enjoyable enough, especially if you're a fan of a) Chris Evans, b) tight white shirts and c) a winning combination of the two, but who would have thought that movie could produce a great spinoff TV show based on one of its supporting characters. Fortunately, Marvel's Agent Carter set itself apart from other rivals with its unique WWII setting and a much needed boost of estrogen. While we're yet to see a female lead in a Marvel movie, Hayley Atwell's portrayal of the secret agent is refreshingly human, finally providing us with a direct feminine perspective on the sausage-fest that the MCU has become. The decision to focus on the drama first and the hero antics second may have been partially responsible for the show's decreasing viewership, but critical reception for Marvel's Agent Carter was still strong enough for a second season to be commissioned. Fingers are crossed for a 60s setting where Carter faces off against Dr Evil. 4) Arrow Season 3 If the current success of TV comic book shows could be attributed to any one person, many would point towards Greg Berlanti, the producer behind Arrow, The Flash and a million more spinoffs coming our way soon. As the first program of its ilk to become popular in recent years, Arrow managed to fill the hole left in the absence of Smallville, but became less cheesy and more gritty as time went on... like an aging cheese-like substance. Season two of Arrow was gripping from start to finish, improving upon its predecessor in almost every way, so expectations were high coming into season three. By killing a major cast member in the opening episode, the high quality of the show looked set to continue, but many complained that season three lost its way, throwing Oliver out of the picture for a large chunk of the season. If this seems strangely negative for a run down of the most popular comic book TV shows, it's simply because season two of Arrow set the bar so so high that many ultimately felt let down by season three as a whole. However, there were still highlights that guaranteed Arrow a spot on this list, including the moment Oliver revealed his identity to Thea, The Flash crossover and that midseason finale. Moments that cost season three a higher ranking include the insipid Laurel Lance's unbelievable transformation into the Black Canary, the Lazarus Pit nonsense and that ridiculous ending in the season finale. People, did we learn nothing from how cheesy Smallville was!? 3) The Walking Dead Season 5 Most shows lose viewers as each season passes. This sad fact is as inevitable as a zombie apocalypse, yet season five of The Walking Dead broke the mould and somehow received the highest ratings of any season so far. Critics and fans alike applauded the mix of intense action that the show runners managed to carefully balance with quieter moments based around the group's dynamics. The second half of season five opened with the aftermath of a key character's death, an event that shook the rest of the survivors and fans alike. Things turned hopeful though once the group found refuge in the Alexandria Safe Zone, where everything was exactly as safe and peaceful as one would expect. Rick Grimes and co lived happily ever after. The end. Except of course, that's not how things ever work out in The Walking Dead. While the Governor was clearly evil for the most part, the human threat in this season was far more relatable and therefore more terrifying. This allowed the writers to explore the grey areas of survival in an apocalypse and ultimately what it means to be human. Let's hope the group move on soon though. Alexandria has a lot of potential, but we all remember the snoozefest that happened in season two when the farm setting was dragged out more than Carl's grimy hair. 2) The Flash Season 1 Arrow initially worked so well because it strived for realism, despite revolving around a playboy who wears a green hood and shoots arrows in bad guys. Once The Flash spinoff was announced, potential for the newly christened 'Arrowverse' to become silly or absurd grew tenfold. On top of that, spinoffs don't always work well at the best of times, yet despite a clunky pilot episode, The Flash's popularity grew and grew as the season developed. Yes, there are still some clear issues that need to be dealt with in season two, including silly dialogue, some two-dimensional characterization and the entire Iris/Barry relationship, but there's a key reason why The Flash surpassed many fan's expectations and even bettered Arrow this season. The Flash just doesn't take itself too seriously. Sure, there are mature moments, but in a genre where darkness is often equated with quality, The Flash's light-hearted approach is extremely refreshing and sets itself apart from other shows of its ilk. It also helps that the overarching story arcs improved dramatically as the season progressed, building up towards a pulse-pounding finale with one of the best villains seen on TV in years. Now would be the ideal time to make some time traveling pun, so we don't have to wait any longer for the season two premiere... suggestions in the comments section below please! 1) Daredevil Season 1 The Flash may represent the ultimate in good old-fashioned comic book fun, but Daredevil takes the genre to an entire new level. When Marvel first announced plans to produce shows through Netflix, it's fair to say a few among us were sceptical, especially as the first program would be based on one of the worst superhero films in recent memory. We're talking Velma from Scooby-Doo levels of scepticism here, guys. Fortunately, we had nothing to worry about. Not only did Daredevil live up to the hype, it somehow managed to defy all expectations, becoming the most popular original Netflix show of all-time. What's even more impressive is that Daredevil somehow managed to be better than the vast majority of the Marvel movies, despite the famous casts and budgets that could feed entire countries. Daredevil is the perfect example of how to approach superheroics in a grounded, realistic fashion that genuinely appeals to adults. Not once are the audience talked down to and often, the show feels more like a HBO crime or courtroom drama than a program that shares a world with super soldiers and hammer-wielding gods. Sure, there are occasional references to the Marvel Universe, but these are woven seamlessly into the narrative, which thankfully takes precedence over cheap cameos or throwaway mentions. It may not sound like it on paper, but the story of a blind lawyer seeking his own brand of justice is the perfect comic book TV show for people who don't like superheroes. And for those who do? Us geeks have never had it so good.