From Watchmen to The Penguin: 6 comic book adaptations that got Emmy nods
The staggering Emmy nominations for The Penguin cement its place among the most acclaimed comic book adaptations in television history. This HBO Max crime drama, spinning out of Matt Reeves' The Batman, continues a growing tradition of graphic novels and superhero comics being transformed into television. From Alan Moore's deconstructive masterpieces to Marvel's multiversal adventures, comic books have increasingly become a fertile ground for Emmy-winning content. The Penguin stands as the latest example, joining an elite group of adaptations that have successfully transitioned from the four-color pages of comics to the golden statuettes of the Television Academy.
The Penguin elevates a classic Batman villain into a complex lead. Unlike most superhero projects that prioritise spectacle, this series leans into the gangster noir roots of Oswald Cobblepot's character, delivering a performance-driven story that clearly resonated with the audience.
From searing political allegories to stylistic fever dreams, these adaptations have redefined what superhero storytelling can be. Here are six comic-based shows that have dominated the Emmys.
Damon Lindelof's genre-defining sequel to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' graphic novel reimagined the superhero myth through a razor-sharp lens on race, trauma, and American identity. The series focuses on events surrounding racist violence in present-day Tulsa, Oklahoma. A white supremacist group called the Seventh Kavalry has taken up arms against the Tulsa Police Department because of perceived racial injustices, causing the police to conceal their identities with masks to prevent the Seventh Kavalry from targeting them in their homes following the 'White Night'. Regina King's powerhouse performance as Angela Abar, aka Sister Night, led a cast that walked the tightrope between surrealism and social realism. With 26 nominations and 11 wins, including Outstanding Limited Series, Watchmen made an impact on the jury and audience.
Marvel Studios' first foray into prestige streaming television, WandaVision reinvented superhero storytelling as a metafictional journey through grief. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany received acting nods for their roles as the tragically intertwined Wanda Maximoff and Vision, while the show earned widespread acclaim for its inventive format, shifting from '50s sitcom pastiche to full-blown MCU drama. Its 23 nominations reflect both technical brilliance (costumes, VFX, title design) and emotional resonance. WandaVision proved Marvel could deliver both spectacle, and subtext.
The Penguin (HBO, 2025)
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The latest breakout from DC Studios, The Penguin is less comic book, more crime opera. Spun from Matt Reeves' The Batman universe, the series follows Colin Farrell's grotesque-yet-charismatic mobster Oz Cobb as he claws his way through Gotham's underworld. The performance is transformative, thanks to Mike Marino's Emmy-nominated prosthetic design. But The Penguin goes deeper, with richly textured writing and noir-laced direction earning nominations across acting, production design, score, and stunt coordination.
The Boys (Prime Video, 2021–Present)
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Eric Kripke's The Boys offers a brutal, satirical takedown of superhero culture, and the society that worships it. With a growing number of Emmy nominations over its seasons (including Outstanding Drama nods), the series fuses high-octane gore with biting political allegory. Antony Starr's Homelander stands as one of TV's most chilling villains, a warped Superman reflecting populist menace. Its visual effects, writing, and acting have pushed The Boys into serious awards conversation.
Though lighter, Legion deserves mention for pushing the form. Noah Hawley's trippy adaptation of the Marvel character David Haller became a cult-favorite mind-bender. With its kaleidoscopic visuals, nonlinear storytelling, and abstract cinematography, Legion received nominations for cinematography and visual effects, cementing its place as one of the boldest artistic experiments in superhero TV.
Marvel's grittiest street-level hero earned critical praise and several Creative Arts Emmy nominations for its action choreography, sound editing, and visual effects. Charlie Cox's haunted Matt Murdock and Vincent D'Onofrio's kingpin Wilson Fisk gave the series its emotional and narrative heft. While never a top-tier Emmy darling, Daredevil helped pave the way for serious-minded comic adaptations on streaming platforms.
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