COMIC-BOOK HEROES FLOCK TO TV, BUT WHY ARE THEY SO POPULAR?

When “Marvel’s The Punisher” debuted on Netflix last month, it was greeted with great interest and high anticipation.

But it arrived as just one of many comic-book adaptations. “The Punisher” is only the latest in a flood now comprising some 28 shows across nine broadcast, cable and streaming platforms, with no end in sight.

Granted, all comic-book shows aren’t created equal.

AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” beset by zombies, differs markedly from the teen adventures of Archie Andrews on the CW’s “Riverdale” and from Amazon’s superhero spoof “The Tick.”

But the majority exists within either