We covered Sony deciding to give Powers a shot as a series, the next in a long line of comic book adaptations that are saturating the media landscape. Most are well aware of the numerous super hero offerings on both television and at the theater, but the success of The Walking Dead proves that there is room for more mature adaptations of comic properties.
That said, it isn’t a sure bet. The past hasn’t shown that attempts to adapt non-superhero comic properties can be a total failure. Take Human Target or Wanted for example. These were stories that were watered down or changed to the point of becoming generic and essentially failing to grab onto any following that might have existed.
Any successes have been scattered, such as The Walking Dead and A History of Violence, and failed to gain the traction needed to really push the field forward, until now. Maybe now the time is changing? With Powers, DMZ and Preacher on the way, does this open the doors for other series or film properties away from the realm of superheroics?
With newer avenues of production like Netflix and the growth of the Internet in general and there’s never been a better time to take the risk. So with that, I thought I’d take a look at some more personal choices that should see new life in this current era of comic book interest.
Now I stress, these are personal choices. We’re basically spoiled as comic readers today and there’s plenty I’ve only skimmed or glanced at that should probably be included. Some honorable mentions should be series like Chew, Fables, and Planetary.
Fables especially seeing as it has been screwed over by both NBC and ABC who coincidentally would go on to produce Grimm and Once Upon A Time respectively.
If you have any suggestions, they are always welcome in the comments. Here is my personal list of comics I’d like to see come to series.
Transmetropolitan
The Warren Ellis classic deserves an adaptation more than most. It’s probably my favorite series outside of Preacher and my next choice to be kicked around the production avenues and never see the light of day. When I first got the word that Preacher might finally be coming to the screen, this was my next thought.
There was a really good comment on the whole Terry Gilliam/Zack Snyder fiasco that mentioned Gilliam needing to be at the helm and I think it’s a brilliant idea. Spider Jerusalem is larger than life and needs to be in people’s lives via either television or film. There hasn’t been word of an adaption since Ellis addressed rumors on Twitter in 2010 and pretty much dashed hopes back beforehand at a convention in London. A man can dream though!
Y: The Last Man
This was one I was sure was going to be adapted into some sort of project, be it a mini-series or multiple films. But as of January of this year, Brian K. Vaughn noted that the rights were about to revert back to his possession unless New Line went ahead with their adaptation.
Nevertheless, Y: The Last Man has to be adapted eventually. It’s almost a given. It has the post-apocalyptic feel of The Walking Dead, the political thrills of 24 and all the mystery of Lost in one great tale.
It is a testament to the kind of hurdles one has to jump in Hollywood to get anything made. The Last Man it seems like a winner on paper, but is forced to toil in development hell. It’s a shame.
Mad Man
Now this is probably where I go off the beaten path a bit, but I can’t deny my oddball fascination with Mike Allred’s superhero. Allred has brought his oddity to the mainstream with art on X-Force and currently on FF, but Mad Man is still where it all matters for me.
According to the wiki, Robert Rodriguez has owned the film rights since 1998 and the property has been in play since 1992. That’s twenty years that the idea has been gestating in someone’s mind and hasn’t started. Rodriguez went all out with his Sin City adaptations and is a fan of the completely CGI fueled movie set, kinda leaving me wondering why the Mad Man movie isn’t a fit for his schedule.
Throw it on the El Rey Network or at least do something with it! If they can make a Hellboy movie work, they can make Mad Man work!
Dork / Milk & Cheese
If there were ever a fire in my home and I could choose a personal item to save, it’d be my pair of Dork trade paperbacks. It is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read and it has lent much enjoyment to my bathroom excursions.
Now this little peek into the mind of Evan Dorkin isn’t like the others and I’m well aware of that fact. There is no real plot, there’s plenty of stream of consciousness humor being thrown around and the references are probably as obscure as they come. But I think all that could really lend itself to the type of late night, Adult Swim type of humor that really helped the network grow to what it is now.
Dorkin did a stint on Space Ghost: Coast to Coast and even managed to get a pilot on the air for Welcome To Eltingville, a half hour spun from a series of strips that appeared in Dork from time to time. As much as I like Eltingville, I think it failed to be picked up due to an adherence to some traditional structure. Dork is all over the place and I think the show needed that, in the vein of things like Robot Chicken.
I’m just happy that Dorkin is still around and churning out funny books. And Dork lives on for Dark Horse Comics as House of Fun, so I can’t complain too much.
Kamandi
Come on! Jack Kirby! Planet Of The Apes with all different species of animal! It’s prime for greatness! Ehh, you guys don’t know great comics when you see them!
I only included this as a joke really, but I wouldn’t not watch a Kamandi animated series, possibly drawn in the style of Kirby. Yeah, we already sort of got this with Thundarr The Barbarian, but I’m just putting it on my wish list. Or hey, if you don’t want Kamandi, give me a full season of Korgoth of Barbaria.