Jupiter’s Legacy Volume One Review: A Comic Book Show Like No Other

Netflix’s new show Jupiter’s Legacy is based off a comic book and boasts creative dialogue, a captivating plot, and gorgeous cinematography.

Jupiter’s Legacy is a superhero show like we have never seen before. There is so much to love about this show, and so very little to dislike about it, that it is sure to be a massive hit for Netflix. This show is unique and doesn’t follow the classic superhero tropes that fans have come to recognize — it is an entirely different beast, and that should be celebrated.

Based off the graphic novels by writer Mark Millar and artist Frank Quitely, there is a lot of fantastic source material to draw on. Jupiter’s Legacy follows a group of heroes, called The Union, as they grow older and have superpowered children of their own. Of course, the world is different now, and perhaps their code just isn’t working anymore, and the new generation of heroes will have to do something different. 

But don’t worry, this show doesn’t just show the kids getting more extreme and then wash their hands of the story, it isn’t predictable like that at all. There are many unexpected twists and turns that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats. It also gives perfectly timed flashbacks to tell the story of how this group got their powers in the first place, but it feels like one cohesive plot, and that is hard to pull off. Jupiter’s Legacy does it perfectly with the help of the musical score, the set production, and the cinematography.

What Works With Jupiter’s Legacy

In Jupiter’s Legacy, the aspect ratio changes between time periods, which is something that I found to be an interesting, in a good way, choice. This lets the viewers know if they are in the past or the present, and also alerts them that things are about to change. 

Even though this change separates the two time periods, it is the musical score that helps make it one cohesive story. Even though the time periods are changing, the music is staying very much the same, bringing it all into one, separating them. When a show jumps back and forth it is easy for the audience to get lost or confused, thanks to the music and the cinematography, the story is pulled together, allowing an almost seamless transition. 

 

Speaking of the cinematography, Jupiter’s Legacy is a beautiful show to watch – the scenery, the set production, the costumes – are all visually stunning and hard to look away from. Each and every superhero, and villain, costume is unique and provides so much to look at. When compared to the graphic novel, they are pretty darn accurate too, which is sometimes hard to pull off. The sets themselves make it obvious which time line the characters are in, without distracting the audience. 

 

With a superhero based show you can expect a lot of action, and trust me when I say these action scenes do not disappoint — they are fun, bloody, and have some great special effects. There are a lot of jaw dropping moments, in the action and in the dialogue and plot itself. The characters themselves are all very interesting and it was easy to become invested in their stories — which makes that cliffhanger ending even harder to stomach. I was honestly surprised by just how good the acting is in this series, with every actor stepping up to the table.

What Doesn’t Work With Jupiter’s Legacy

There is not much that disappoints about Jupiter’s Legacy, but if we are nitpicking sometimes the story goes off course, although admittedly not for long, and they do a great job of reeling it back in. I very rarely found my eyes drifting away from the screen, partly because it is just so pretty to look at, but also because of the intriguing plot.

The jumping through time can be a bit distracting, however they do a great job of letting you know what time period you are in, so it is not too confusing. The worst part about the time jumping is there is no suspense in the past, as you know the characters clearly survive because they are in the future — and powered. Which is why the past story becomes so intriguing, as you wait for how they got their powers to be revealed.

However, there were a handful of times that I felt the show was a bit too slow, or not engaging enough. My biggest issue is Chloe’s attitude and the fact that she can get a bit annoying. That does seem like the point of her character though, so I can allow it. 

Overall Thoughts

Jupiter’s Legacy is action packed, visually stunning, and features an intriguing and captivating story. It is so much more than the superhero themed shows fans are used to, and will likely be an instant hit. There are gorgeous costumes, sets, and scenery, and the fight scenes are just gross enough that you don’t have to turn away and can enjoy them without looking through your fingers.

The cliffhanger ending all but ensures a second season, that many viewers will be waiting on the edge of their seat for. There is plenty of more source material in the graphic novels, so fingers crossed for multiple seasons to follow. 

You have to take this show for what it is, a superhero movie with some awesome fight scenes, and quite a bit of drama.

About Jupiter’s Legacy

After nearly a century of keeping mankind safe, the world’s first generation of superheroes must look to their children to continue the legacy. But tensions rise as the young superheroes, hungry to prove their worth, struggle to live up to their parents’ legendary public reputations — and exacting personal standards.

Based on the graphic novels by Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, Jupiter’s Legacy is an epic superhero drama that spans decades and navigates the complex dynamics of family, power, and loyalty. From executive producers Mark Millar, Frank Quitely, Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, Dan McDermott, Steven S. DeKnight, James Middleton, Sang Kyu Kim. Jupiter’s Legacy stars Josh Duhamel, Leslie Bibb, Ben Daniels, Elena Kampouris, Andrew Horton, Mike Wade, and Matt Lanter.

Jupiter’s Legacy is available to watch on Netflix now!