It's a good time to be a superhero, especially on TV.
Though the last year had us saying goodbye to WandaVision, Black Lightning and Supergirl, there's still plenty of superhero content to enjoy. Between Batwoman, The Flash, Stargirl, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Doom Patrol, Titans, Superman & Lois, Watchmen, The Boys and CW's new addition Naomi, there's something for everybody—an ever-growing rainbow of role models, anti-role models and powerful badasses to inspire and entertain us. This Black History Month, we're celebrating the fact that more of those superheroes are Black than ever before.
In 2020, Batwoman welcomed Javicia Leslie, a Black bisexual woman, as its new lead. Black Lightning wrapped up its impressive run in 2021 after having introduced one of TV's first Black lesbian superheroes with Thunder (Nafessa Williams). And, on the wildly successful WandaVision, a new Marvel hero joined the fold in the form of Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), and if the comics are any indication, she's about to be a real force to be reckoned with.
Even as the world is still mourning the loss of Chadwick Boseman, who played the incomparable Black Panther and died in August 2020, there are a lot of heroes to celebrate.
A few superheroes from some of TV's biggest shows opened up to E! News about what it means to play a superhero or comic book character, and who their biggest personal heroes and inspirations are and were growing up.
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Now, if you're anything like us, you might be asking "Where is the live-action Static Shock we all deserve?"
The answer to that question is a good one: Michael B. Jordan is producing a movie for Warner Bros. about the high schooler with electromagnetic powers. Static had his own animated show in the early 2000s, and now we may finally get to see him on the big screen! Good news for all.
(A version of this story originally published on Feb. 20, 2021 at 9 a.m. PT)