It'll be a sad day for comic book fans when 'Smallville' ends its 10-year run after the upcoming season. Where else can we turn to for a look at the impossible, like people leaping tall buildings in single bounds or being more powerful than locomotives? The superhero on TV will cease to be.

But that doesn't have to be the case.

There are a number of comic book characters that can do extraordinary things, which would be easy to translate onto the small screen. The networks don't have to go all 'Iron Man' with their special effects to thrill the comic-buying public. Here's a look at some possible shows and thoughts on the tricks needed to pull them off ...

The Show: 'Cage and Iron Fist'
Based on: Marvel's Power Man and Iron Fist
The Show's Premise: Luke Cage, a super-strong ex-con with steel-hard skin and a disposition to match, and Danny Rand, a martial artist with the power to channel his chi into his right arm--making it "like a thing of iron"--help protect the weak in the gritty Big Apple. Think of it as the cops part of 'Law & Order,' but these cops have super powers.
Special Effects Needed: Making bullets appear to bounce off superheroes and having them perform feats of strength has been around since the '40s with Superman serials, so replicating Cage's powers is as easy as duck soup. For Iron Fist, just create some lighting effect to go around his fist and you're home free.

The Show: 'The Urban Jungle'
Based on: Marvel's Black Panther
The Show's Premise: King T'Challa of the tiny nation African nation of Wakanda comes to America (I promise, this isn't a rehashed Eddie Murphy movie!) to learn more about the culture of the U.S. He disguises himself and works as a teacher in an inner-city high school during the day, but at night prowls "the urban jungle" as the powerful Black Panther. It may sound far-fetched, but that storyline worked for his early comic book adventures! There's a Black Panther motion-comic cartoon now, but there's no reason it can't be pulled off in a live-action capacity.
Special Effects Needed: In the comics, the Panther has heightened speed, strength and agility, as well as enhanced senses, easy tricks to replicate. You don't need CGI to simulate super-hearing or a good sense of smell!

The Show: 'Future Shock'
Based on: DC's Booster Gold
The Show's Premise: Starting off in the future, Michael Carter works as a security guard in a museum and one night decides to swipe some high-tech equipment to travel back to the 21st century to become a superhero. Equipped with a ring that enables him to fly, a force field and gauntlets that shoot lasers, Carter becomes Booster Gold: a guy looking to cash in on his newfound fame, while trying to figure out how his gadgets work amid ensuing hilarity: It's "The Greatest American Hero" redux!
Special Effects Needed: Lasers and flight -- that's Superheroes on TV 101.

The Show: 'The Astonishing Ant-Man'
Based on: Marvel's Ant-Man
The Show's Premise: Scientist Henry Pym creates a special gas that allows him to shrink to the size of an ant. Sure, that sounds kind of lame, but he then builds a special helmet that enables him to telepathically communicate with and control the ants. He decides to fight crime as the Ant-Man, commanding his insect army!
Special Effects Needed: You'd probably need a huge studio to house the larger-than-life props for Ant-Man to stand next to, giving the appearance of size reduction. There probably aren't too many ant trainers out there, but computer-generated ants shouldn't be too difficult to pull off.

The Show: 'Black Magic'
Based on: DC's Zatanna
The Show's Premise: Zatanna Zatara is the world's greatest illusionist with the schtick of speaking backwards before she does a trick. But few people know that her backwards "spells" are actual incantations she uses to accomplish the impossible. She secretly protects the Earth from the forces of evil looking to take over the world through sorcery.
Special Effects Needed: Sure, performing feats of wizardry might sound difficult, but going the 'Charmed' route would keep the comic book cognoscenti enthralled. And if magic could be pulled off on a weekly basis with "Bewitched" back in the day, imagine what could happen in 2010!