Superheroes not only dominate the big screen during the summer blockbuster season, they’re also dominating the small screen this fall as the new season begins.

An influx of new shows will be debuting this fall, including Gotham (the Batman prequel series), The Flash, Constantine, and Marvel’s Agent Carter (slated for midseason). The latter is based on a Marvel Comics character, whereas the previous three are based on DC Comics (commonly known as DC) properties.

These four will join returning shows Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (which enters its second season and was spun out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe series of movies, which began with 2008’s Iron Man and continued through this summer with the Guardians of the Galaxy) and Arrow (which enters its third season). While it’s not a superhero show, The Walking Dead – which enters its fifth season, chronicling the survivors of a zombie apocalypse – is based on the popular comic book series of the same name published by Image Comics.

“I see several factors behind the popularity of the superhero in TV and theaters. The technology behind the visual effects has become significantly better and more economical. Being told ‘You’ll believe a man can fly’ (the tagline for 1978’s “Superman”) is very different than seeing Spider-Man swinging through a completely realistic and immersive New York City. The days of comics only being for kids, or for adults, have been gone for decades. Nowadays, there is quality comic book material being produced for just about any demographic you can think of,” explained HFC alumnus Dan Merritt, co-owner of Green Brain Comics in Dearborn.

He continued: “And many of the comics’ writers and artists are not only gifted creators, but also savvy marketers who have created the audience for their books. When The Walking Dead No. 1 hit the stands (more than) 10 years ago, we could barely sell a dozen copies. Writer/creator Robert Kirkman busted his hump every day, writing scripts, attending comic cons, getting interviewed on podcasts, creating the audience that helped propel The Walking Dead onto a much bigger stage. [Today,] Walking Dead comic book sales are amazing! This is one of our best sellers, not only in a regular monthly comic book format, but also in trade paperback and hardcover formats.”

According to Merritt, new readers have been coming to Green Brain to check out the comic series on which these shows are based.

“The public is hungry for the original material… Undiluted, straight from the source, pure entertainment awaits those adventurous enough to step inside our doors. I can’t wait to blow people’s minds when they come in for the comics that inspired Constantine. We’ll start with his current series, then… Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing. And if you’re old enough, we’ll throw you in the deep end and introduce you to the Hellblazer series,” said Merritt.

There have also been graphic novels based on ABC’s Castle, Once Upon A Time, and Revenge, as well as NBC’s Grimm, all of which return this fall. TV shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly – all created by Joss Whedon, co-creator of S.H.I.E.L.D. – may no longer be on the air, but new, original stories considered canon and blessed by Whedon continue on in comic books.

“The Whedon comic books are great sellers for us,” said Merritt. “As many Buffy and Angel fans know, Whedon has continued the stories where the TV series left off. Now, he is unfettered by the constraints of meddling studio execs, as well as casting and effects budgets.”

Of the new and returning shows based on superhero comics, DC seems to have the market cornered with Gotham, The Flash, Arrow, and Constantine, whereas Marvel only has S.H.I.E.L.D and Agent Carter, the latter slated to fill the slot when S.H.I.E.L.D. goes on a mid-season hiatus. However, Marvel has conquered at the box office, given its string of successful films in the last several years, including this year’s aforementioned Guardians, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier (the events of which had repercussions on S.H.I.E.L.D).

“DC is really powerful on the small screen, but Marvel has really taken over the box office in the last couple years. We’ll see what happens when the ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ movie (currently being filmed in Detroit) hits theaters (in 2016),” explained Merritt. “I’m a firm believer that having Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman on the big screen is going to make DC a lot of money.”

This Season’s Super-Hero Shows:

Gotham (debuts Monday, Sept. 22, at 8 p.m. on FOX): This series centers around Det. James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) years before he becomes commissioner and allies himself with Batman. In fact, Batman is not in this series, but alter-ego Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) is. Only a child, Bruce sees his parents murdered and Gordon is assigned the high-profile case. Gotham – which is as much a crime noir drama as a prequel story – features many characters from the Bat-mythos: a pre-Catwoman Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova), the Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), Detective Bullock (Donal Logue), and Detective Montoya (Victoria Cartagena).

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (season premiere Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 9 p.m. on ABC): After it was revealed in The Winter Soldier that S.H.I.E.L.D. was corrupted to its core by terrorist organization “Hydra”, Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) has been assigned the unenviable task of rebuilding the spy agency in the show’s second season. He’s going to need some allies, including super-spy Mockingbird (Adrianne Palicki).

The Flash (debuts Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 8 p.m. on The CW): Spinning out of Arrow, The Flash features Grant Gustin as the titular superhero. After forensic scientist Barry Allen (Gustin) is struck by lightning, he becomes the fastest man alive. The pilot features a cameo from Green Arrow (Stephen Amell). John Wesley Shipp – who played the Flash in the 1990-91 TV series of the same name – plays this incarnation’s father.

Arrow (season premiere Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 9 p.m. on The CW): Based on DC’s Green Arrow, Oliver Queen (Amell) battles the forces of evil in Starling City as a masked vigilante wielding a bow and arrow. Joining him are Diggle (Detroit native David Ramsey), Arsenal (Colton Haynes), Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy), and Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards).

Constantine (debuts Friday, Oct. 24, at 10 p.m. on NBC): Cynical and foul-mouthed, John Constantine (Matt Ryan) is a chain-smoking street magician/conman who becomes an actual sorcerer. Working as a supernatural detective, Constantine protects the world from otherworldly threats, guided by an angel named Manny (Harold Perrineau).

Marvel’s Agent Carter (debuts January 2015 on ABC): In this period piece set after World War II, Hayley Atwell’s Agent Peggy Carter (who debuted in 2011’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier) is one of the architects who lays down the foundation of what will become Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.). Dominic Cooper reprises his role as Howard Stark, father of future Iron Man Tony Stark.