The wild popularity of the superhero genre across TV, film, comics, books – and pretty much any form of entertainment – has soared for many years now. But where does it all start from? What about the first ever people to be bestowed with these unreal powers?

New Netflix series Jupiter’s Legacy is here to look at just that. It’s adapted from an American superhero comic book series that drew influence from Star Wars and King Kong, and looks at what happens when you inherit extraordinary things from your parents, but aren’t totally sure if you know them as people. With explosions and spandex, of course.

The comic book series was written by Mark Millar, who also penned the comic origins of big-screen favourites Kick-Ass and Kingsman: The Secret Service. 

Here’s what else you need to know about the TV adaptation.

What’s the plot of Jupiter’s Legacy?

The show will follow the story of the children who are due to take over the mantle of their parents’ superhero responsibilities.

This doesn’t prove simple, as living up to your parents’ expectations can be difficult at the best of times but these parents in question form an ‘elder guard’, or The Union – the first group of people to ever have these powers. Talk about pressure.

We also are taken on a series of flashbacks to understand how the ‘elder guard’ got hold of their superhero identities in the first place.

Is there a trailer for Jupiter’s Legacy?

You can watch the full-length trailer for Jupiter’s Legacy below:

Who stars in Jupiter’s Legacy?

Josh Duhamel (of Transformers fame) will appear as a member of the ‘elder guard’. 90210’s Matt Lanter will also join the main cast.

Ben Daniels, Leslie Bibb, Elena Kampouris, Andrew Horton and Mike Wade will also comprise the central cast, joined by Ant-Man writer and actress Anna Akana. She will play a hero for hire who wields two swords.

When will Jupiter’s Legacy be available to stream on Netflix?

The first volume (!) of the TV series will be launched globally on Netflix on 7 May.

Images: Netflix/Steve Wilkie