Comic books and live-action TV adaptations have been a mixed bag, with some success stories, such as The Incredible Hulk and Smallville, and plenty of duds, like Birds of Prey and the 1970s Spider-Man series.
However, with comic book adaptations continuing to find success in the movies and the comic book-based The Walking Dead a big hit, TV networks – both broadcast and cable – are looking at developing several comics, both high profile and obscure, into TV series. That being the case, we decided to give you a rundown of many of the comics-to-TV adaptions currently in the works. Keep in mind that, so far, none of these projects have gotten the go-ahead for series orders, and only one of them has even shot a pilot – and this year, Wonder Woman and Locke & Key were reminders that shooting a pilot doesn't mean a show will air. But chances are, at least a couple of the following projects will eventually make it to your TV screen.
Update: A certain golden clad DC hero added to the first page below...
Based on the DC/Vertigo comic, Brian Azzarello's 100 Bullets changed quite a bit through the years, but began as the story of Agent Graves, a man who approaches strangers with all the information they need, plus a gun -- and, yes, 100 bullets -- to get revenge on those who have greatly wronged them. Go-to comic book adaptation writer David S. Goyer (Blade, Batman Begins, Man of Steel) is the writer behind the potential series, which Showtime's president called "an important piece" for the network this summer. It's unclear how Goyer might juggle 100 Bullets – should it go forward -- with Da Vinci's Demons, the new series he is launching at Starz.
Melissa Rosenberg, who wrote for Dexter for the first four seasons (cool!) and wrote the screenplays to all the Twilight movies (…) is adapting the Brian Michael Bendis comic book Alias for ABC. Jessica Jones is a former superhero turned private eye, covering cases within the larger Marvel universe. Both Luke Cage and Carol Danvers (Ms. Marvel) would be among the supporting characters in AKA Jessica Jones, but fans wonder if ABC is the right fit for a story whose source material was decidedly adult and dark. However, Rosenberg does describe Jessica, in her adaptation, as, "an incredibly damaged, dark, complex female character that kicks ass." According to Rosenberg, there is hope for AKA Jessica Jones to make it onto ABC for next fall, but so far, there hasn't been any official word about it going into production on a pilot.
Syfy is developing a one-hour drama about this DC Comics character, a washed-up athlete from the future who travels to our time where he seeks fame and fortune via his superhero identity, Booster Gold. While unrelated to the Syfy version, a well-received appearance by Booster Gold on Smallville's final season helped show how the character could work on TV. Andrew Kreisberg (Fringe, Warehouse 13, The Vampire Diaries) is writing the pilot script, with Greg Berlanti (one of the writers on the Green Lantern movie) producing.
Based on the Image comic, Chew is being developed as a quirky half hour crime show, with its darkly comic and macabre concept of a federal agent who reads psychic impressions from things he eats. And yes, that road leads to cannibalism… This would be way too out there for network TV, but Showtime could be a good match for the project.
Disney acquiring Marvel has led to many potential TV projects you'll find on this list, especially given the networks – including ABC and ABC Family – that fall under Disney's wide umbrella. The teen-aimed programming at ABC Family has resulted in it being the home for Cloak and Dagger, which would adapt Marvel's story of two runaways who find themselves with powers that evoke darkness and light.
Yep, Showtime has three different comic book adaptations in development. The Damned is an Oni Press comic about Eddie, a cursed man who finds himself in the middle of a turf war in Chicago, where the mobsters involved are actually demons. Unlike the comic, which was set in the prohibition era, the TV version, written by X-Men/Watchmen screenwriter David Hayter (Solid Snake!), would be set in modern days. What should hopefully remain intact is Eddie's curse, which causes him to be resurrected from the dead when someone touches him – but at the cost of that person's life.
The creator of Supernatural tackles a DC character, Frank Castle gets a double life, Guillermo del Toro looks at Bruce Banner's angry side and more on Page 2...
Once one of our favorite shows, here's why Dexter needs to p...