The zombie pop culture apocalypse also known as ‘80s nostalgia continues, as the alchemists at NBC Universal have decided that while they continue to attempt to turn primetime lead into Seinfeld, they are once again going to call upon old titles to remind us of what once was. Saved by the Bell, Miami Vice, Knight Rider, Airwolf and Punky Brewster are all being resurrected thanks to a new deal with Lion Forge Comics, as the “classic” TV shows will become digital graphic novels and comic books.
And while NBC has yet to consider my idea for a futuristic, dystopian version of Empty Nest, the network’s Jack Donaghys (or Chris Lucero, director of Global Consumer Products Licensing, to be precise) think this is a good way of establishing these old series as more than just faded memories.
“Partnering with the team at Lion Forge to bring classic TV properties to life in graphic novel format was a natural step for us as we continue to identify new ways to entertain our fans in the digital space. We’re excited to give fans a chance to revisit some of their favorite shows and characters in a completely new way.” (Via Comic Alliance)
The comics will be available later this year for Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks and Barnes & Noble’s Nook, so those of you jonesing for a new chapter in the love life of Screech Powers and Lisa Turtle don’t have to beg the gods of cheesy Saturday morning sitcoms for salvation much longer.
While nostalgia may be a cheap and unoriginal tactic that no self-respecting network should have to ever resort to, I do hope that the new writers of the Saved by the Bell digital series use this opportunity to explore new possibilities with the Bayside gang. Specifically, I’d like to see Jessie’s stepbrother, Eric, returning, but this time to actually have a Mazda Miata dropped on him. Seriously, he was the worst.
