With Krypton making its debut on Syfy last month, we now have two live-action TV series set before the rise of an iconic DC hero. Krypton explores the struggles of Superman’s grandfather, Seg-El, while Gotham has spent the past four years chronicling the rise of the future Commissioner Jim Gordon and Batman’s rogues gallery. One thing both shows share in common is that they’re not content simply to anchor themselves in the past. Both series devote a lot of time and energy to introducing characters and elements from the present-day DC Universe. But while that’s often been one of the larger flaws with Gotham over the years, in Krypton’s case it’s helping to build a more compelling story.