5 Great Comic Adaptations for Television

A compilation of fantastic graphic novels that were successfully adapted for the small screen

Gone are the days in which graphic novels were considered lesser work. Art Spiegelman’s Maus, the first-ever comic to receive the Pulitzer Prize, Joe Sacco’s comics journalism, and Alan Moore, possibly the greatest artist in this genre’s history, are brilliant proof that a great story can be told in all sorts of formats.

Over the last few years, to confirm comic books’ growing standing, we have seen many characters leave the pages and come to life in cinema, TV, and other platforms. The most significant success in the history of cinema, Endgame, earning 2798 million dollars at the box office, is based on the superhero comic book, The Avengers.

We have listed below five great graphic novels that were made into a fantastic TV series:

Watchmen, HBO, 2019

This HBO series is a sequel to the classic Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons graphic novel, published over 12 issues by DC Comics between 1986 and 1987.

David Lindelof’s rendition, developed 34 years after the original story, sticks to the idea of deconstructing the superhero figure existing in Moore and Gibbons’ version. It deals with the racial issue through its plot of masked police agents fighting against white supremacists.

Preacher, Amazon Prime, 2016-2019

Produced by AMC and available on Amazon Prime Video, Preacher is based on Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s comics, published between 1985 and 2000 under the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics.

Over its four seasons, we watch Jesse Custer, an alcoholic pastor from Texas, with the power to give people orders with his voice. Together with his girlfriend Tulip and vampire Cassidy, Jesse is on a quest to meet God, who has left heaven. Despite its high quality, the TV version is not a faithful adaptation.

The Umbrella Academy, Netflix, 2019 (still in production)

The series, based on the story of Gerard Way, lead singer of the band My Chemical Romance, illustrated by Brazilian artist Gabriel Bá, and winner of the Eisner prize in 2008, was confirmed for a third season in 2021.

Adopted siblings with superpowers, educated at The Umbrella Academy, meet again after their father’s death and need to learn to cohabit while trying to avoid a global catastrophe.

The End of the F***ing World, Channel 4, 2017-2019

This adaptation of Charles Forsman’s debut in the independent comics world in 2013 balances tense moments with fun ones. Originally screened in the United Kingdom by Channel 4, it is currently included in the Netflix catalog internationally and tells the story of James, a 17-year-old who believes he is a psychopath.

James kills animals for pleasure and, when this becomes boring, he decides to find a human victim. He sees the perfect opportunity when his school friend Alyssa suggests they run away together. Not everything goes to plan, of course.

The Boys, Amazon Prime Video, 2019 (still in production)

The Boys is based on the comic series of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson and was published first by DC Comics and later by Dynamite Entertainment.

The two seasons explore the clashes between the Seven, superheroes admired by society despite their dubious characters, at the service of a major corporation—Vought International—and The Boys, without special powers but willing to unmask any rivals.

So, what’s your favorite comic book series?

English version by @acesarato

You may also be interested in:

- Script Writing for Movies and Television, a course by Julio Rojas.
- Screenwriting for Fiction Short Films, a course by Alejandra Moffat.
- Script for Animation Series, a course by Fer Salem.