Like many stuck at home, I have been looking forward to warm days that could coax me outdoors and read a good comic while basking in the sun. However, us Washingtonians do expect a spat of rain every now and again to water our Evergreen state and it is a given that most of us are back indoors when it pours.
As a fan of graphic novels and comics, I decided to spend some of my free time researching (or more accurately, binge-watching) television shows and movies that were inspired by the illustrated medium that I so enjoy. Thanks to online streaming there are quite a few titles available, and I admit that I have not watched or read most of what I’ve listed (though not for a lack of trying!) and I made it a point to explore outside the expansive DC and Marvel universe.
This will be the first of three posts featuring graphic novels and comics as the original source material of popular movies or shows. If you liked what you’ve seen on screen, try reading it…because sometimes the comic book is better.
Archie: 75 Years, 75 Stories by Bob Montana
Did you know that over 300 Archie comics are available on Hoopla? Fans of the show Riverdale can find Archie and the gang across a platform of genres ranging from the light-hearted feel-good classics like The Best of Archie Comics to a more serious coming-of-age story set during the start of WWII in Archie: 1941. And who could forget that time zombies infested the town (Afterlife with Archie) or when Predator came to crash Spring Break in Archie vs. Predator? There are also several titles set in the silver screen universe of Riverdale Digest for die-hard fans of the show.
I Am Not Okay With This by Charles Forsman
Life as a Highschooler is not easy for Sydney, especially with the added complexity of family trauma (the bizarre death of her war veteran father) and the realization that she is in love with her best friend (who is boy-crazy) She then discovers that she has telekinetic superpowers to add to her growing list of ‘normal’ teen problems.
iZombie by Chris Roberson
Gwen keeps an unusual job as a gravedigger in Eugene Oregon, though what is more unusual about Gwen is her need to eat a brain once a month in order to keep her memories and intelligence intact. Fortunately she has friends (a were-terrier and 1960’s ghost) to help with that pesky problem of inheriting the deceased’s ‘thoughts’ every now and again.
Lucifer, Volume One: the Infernal Comedy by Dan Watters
This spin-off from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman universe follows Lucifer running a piano bar in LA after abandoning his lordship from Hell. Why, did you ask?He had become rather bored with ruling the underworld and is curious to see what this human concept of ‘free will’ is all about.
Next time I’ll be focusing on the original comics behind classic movies and children’s shows… stay tuned!
~Posted by Ryal H.
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