Our writers and editors have made their picks of the best performers in a screen adaptation of a comic book in the past year, including movies and TV, and you, the readers of ComicsAlliance, have voted for your favorites.

Check out the best screen performers in 2016, including our critics’ picks and the comics you voted the runners up and winner in this category! This is the very best of 2016!

  • Critics' Pick: Chyler Leigh as Alex Danvers

    Supergirl / The CW

    It's hard being a big sister, especially when that younger sibling is adopted... and also Supergirl. Chyler Leigh’s portrayal of Alex Danvers never wavers, and the relationship she has with Kara is the foundation of what makes Supergirl so fantastic. Leigh’s been given a lot to work with this year, from the challenges of being in an adoptive family, to her character's coming out arc this season — which was delivered with heartbreak and honesty atypical of superhero TV. The personal relationships on this show are what make it so great. That wouldn’t be possible without someone like Chyler Leigh being the anchor that grounds Supergirl. [Luke Brown]

    The CW
    The CW
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  • Critics' Pick: Ruth Negga as Tulip O'Hare

    Preacher / AMC

    Ruth Negga was probably the most charismatic performer I saw on television in 2016. Tulip O'Hare was never a character I had much interest in, but with Negga in the role I wanted to spend all my time with her. The expressiveness of her face, the depth of her eyes, and of course her smile, make her endlessly charming without ever seeming unrealistic in a challenging part. If I wasn't planning to watch Preacher Season 2 for work, I’d be planning to watch it for Ruth Negga. [Elle Collins]

    AMC
    AMC
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  • Critics' Pick: Tyler Hoechlin as Clark Kent / Superman

    Supergirl / The CW

    When it comes to onscreen Supermen, the last three live-action portrayals have pretty soundly missed the point, but Tyler Hoechlin in Supergirl gets it right on the money. Superman is Clark Kent at all times — even when he’s Superman — and Hoechlin plays The Man of Tomorrow with a sincere earnestness that has been missing since Dean Cain's take in the '90s, and makes us believe again that a man can fly. [Kieran Shiach]

    The CW
    The CW
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  • Critics' Pick: Mahershala Ali as Cornell 'Cottonmouth' Stokes

    Luke Cage / Marvel Studios, Netflix

    Netflix’s Luke Cage series is flush with excellent actors, but Mahershala Ali's performance as Cottonmouth is a vivid depiction of masculinity and rage. He's at his best in those small moments of vulnerability, demonstrating the pain and confusion that leads to those acts of violence. Ali shows the schism in Cottonmouth, the disconnect between who he wants to be and who he ends up being, which makes him a sympathetic villain despite everything else. It's a powerful performance. [Emma Lawson]

    Netflix
    Netflix
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  • Third Place: Tom Holland as Peter Parker / Spider-Man

    Captain America: Civil War / Marvel Studios

    As the second new Spider-Man of recent years, the odds were stacked against Tom Holland more than that one time Spider-Man had to overcome great adversity from falling debris to make it home in time for Aunt May’s birthday. Amazingly, in just 20 minutes of screentime, Tom Holland managed to reinvigorate the beleaguered cinematic version of Spider-Man and make audiences excited about the character again. Holland captures everything we love about teen Peter, and his performance was so strong, he outshone movie stars like Downey and Evans. Not so bad for a nerdy kid from Queens. (Or in Holland's case, southwest London.) [Luke Brown]

    Marvel Studios
    Marvel Studios
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  • Runner Up: Melissa Benoist as Kara Danvers / Supergirl

    Supergirl / The CW

    Melissa Benoist continues to radiate in the role of Kara Danvers in Supergirl, and it's amazing that the showrunners were able to find an actress to play a solar-powered superhero that looks as though she literally has sunlight beaming out of her. There is an utter joy to her performance that makes you remember how fun superpowers seemed when you were a kid, but she also manages to convince viewers that she could knock a supervillain into next week. Powerful, graceful, kind, and just a tiny bit dorky; she’s not just a wonder, she's absolutely super. [Chris Haley]

    The CW
    The CW
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  • Winner: Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa / Black Panther

    Captain America: Civil War / Marvel Studios

    Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther was the best thing about Captain America: Civil War. From that first trailer that showed him in full costume with his claws extended, it was official: he was our new favorite MCU character. Boseman brings a lot to the table. Not only does he manage to hold his own against established MCU characters, but his portrayal of T'Challa is full of emotion and nuance. After seeing Boseman in the role, I honestly can't imagine anyone else playing T'Challa, or be more excited about his solo movie in 2018. [Zina H.]

    Marvel Studios
    Marvel Studios
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