Q&A: 'Arrow' EP Previews Oliver's Rocky Road to Hero, New Antagonists and Season 2

Which is, really, more than anyone can say for any other live-action superhero show, well, ever. (You will note that I’m specifically saying “live-action,” as Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League would duke it out atop that list.) Of course, the competition isn’t all that fierce: The '60s Batman, Wonder Woman, M.A.N.T.I.S., The Flash, The Incredible Hulk, The Amazing Spider-Man, Blade, Superboy, Birds of Prey, even Smallville. Some of them may have had their moments -- after all, in 10 seasons, Smallville would have to, simply by the law of averages, deliver some entertaining television -- but none of them have sustained a real, consistent quality. (And, yes, Heroes had one legitimately great season -- which was all but erased by the seasons that followed.)

You'll notice that I didn’t include Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD in that list. It is still finding its footing, locating its voice. But where Arrow is telling a serialized story, driven by emotion, starring a diverse cast of characters, each of which has their own motivations and scars, Agents of SHIELD…isn’t. By design. It’s as though SHIELD is running away from its comic-book roots instead of finding ways to embrace them, while subverting them.

Could Agents of SHIELD find its way? Will Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage be what viewers want them to be? Sure. If Marvel lets them.

Marvel may rule the big screen -- and Thor: The Dark World is set to conquer this weekend -- but Arrow is single-handedly winning the superhero-TV space.

E-mail: Marc.Bernardin@THR.com

Twitter: @marcbernardin