The 21st century has been a great time for comics fans. Superheroes have become one of the biggest genres on movie and TV screens, bringing some of the greatest characters of all time to live-action. And while the quality may shift from story to story, it’s still a dream come true.
But, even after 25 years, and with no signs of ending, there are so many amazing characters and comics that Hollywood has yet to adapt. The reasons are surely varied, but at this point, it’s becoming harder and harder to understand how studios can continue to ignore these iconic tales. These stories, some of the best comics to ever see print, are waiting to have their moment in the sun.
Grendel
Matt Wagner’s Grendel is an epic tale that starts as a grounded crime saga before turning into a galactic odyssey spanning hundreds of years and dozens of characters. The story starts with Hunter Rose, the first Grendel, as he works to take over all crime in America. As the persona is passed on, the legend of Grendel grows to become the political powerhouse of the world, leading to the creation of Grendel Prime.
From crime noir to sci-fi fantasy, Grendel is unlike any other comic out there, with enough material to cover countless seasons of TV. One of the greatest independent comics of all time, Matt Wagner’s Grendel was actually made into a TV series for Netflix, but the streamer ended up shelving the completed show, never letting fans see it.
Bone
Jeff Smith’s Bone took the comics world by storm when it debuted in 1991, and has continued to find new fans year after year, despite ending two decades ago. The series, a family-friendly fantasy story, features cute and funny characters, harrowing adventures, and plenty of action to keep everyone entertained.
While there have been attempts to adapt Bone for the big screen, none have made it far into production. In some cases, like Nickelodeon’s plan to fill the movie with teeny-bopper music by N*Sync and Britney Spears, are better off never happening, but it’s hard to believe that no one has been able to crack the code after all these years.
We3
Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly’s We3, something akin to a sci-fi version of Watership Down, wouldn’t be the easiest sell, but it would surely make for an amazing movie. The story, which follows three escaped animals who have been turned into ultimate killing machines by the US government, is as charming as it is violent.
We3 was published by DC Comics under the Vertigo label, and DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn has long expressed his love for the series, so there is a good chance that a movie or series could happen in the not-too-distant future. Fans of We3 surely noticed how Gunn took elements of the series for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Ex Machina
Brian K. Vaughn and Tony Harris’s Ex Machina took a big chance when it came out in 2004. The series, about Mitchell Hundred, a former superhero who becomes mayor of New York, is set in a world where Hundred used his ability to talk to machines to stop the 9/11 World Trade Center attack, but not before the first tower was hit.
Ex Machina mixes superhero action with political intrigue, creating something wholly unique. It is, essentially, Iron Man meets The West Wing, which is why it’s so hard to believe that the comic hasn’t been adapted yet. The last rumblings of an Ex Machina movie was in 2020, when Oscar Isaac signed on to produce and star, though the title would be changed to The Great Machine to avoid confusion with Isaac’s 2014 film.
Saga
Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples pulled off a rare thing for comics: they broke into the mainstream with Saga. The series, a space opera that follows the lives of a husband and wife from warring alien races trying to raise their daughter, was an instant hit.
Saga mixes the best elements of Star Wars and Game of Thrones to create a story that connects with readers on a personal level. While it is too dense for a simple film, it would almost certainly be a must-watch series for any channel or streaming service as long as it stays faithful to the comic. Sadly for fans, it looks like Vaughn and Staples have no interest in adapting Saga for live-action.
Mage
A trilogy covering the adult life of Kevin Matchstick, the latest incarnation of King Arthur, Matt Wagner’s Mage not only features some amazing fantasy elements, but showcases the realities of responsibility and aging. Called an “allegorical autobiography” by Wagner, Mage is broken up into three parts, each focused on a different time in Kevin’s life.
Perfect for a trilogy of films, each part of the series also stands on its own, ensuring that the audience never feels cheated when the credits roll. The story is epic in nature, but personal in execution, and seeing the changes in Kevin’s life as he matures from a despondent loner in his 20s to a family man in his 40s gives it a special element rarely seen in comics or movies.
The Wicked + The Divine
Created by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie, The Wicked + The Divine focuses on the lives of The Pantheon, 12 people who are reincarnated deities. The world treats The Pantheon like rock stars, and the 12, for the most part, happily play into those roles, even as they know that their lives will end in two years.
The Wicked + The Divine digs into the pros and cons of fame, with the added element of superpowers to make it all the more interesting. An introspection on how so many celebrities are chewed up and spit out by the populace, and how egos and talent often clash, the series walks the line between fantasy and humanity’s obsession with parasocial relationships.
Afterlife With Archie
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla took the most wholesome comic characters of all time, the residents of Riverdale, and twisted their world into a horror movie. The results were amazing, and Afterlife with Archie brought the most famous teens in fiction back to the forefront.
Mixing Archie with The Walking Dead was more than just a gimmick. Aguirre-Sacasa and Francavilla created a truly exciting and original story that grabbed the reader and didn’t let go. While The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Riverdale helped show the world a new side of Archie comics, an Afterlife with Archie movie or TV series would forever change how the world sees the characters. Thankfully, one may be on the way.
A Contract With God
Will Eisner’s A Contract with God is one of the most beloved graphic novels of all time, and with good reason. The four stories Eisner tells in the book create an intimate look at tenement life in New York, capturing a time and place that was like no other.
While he is best known for The Spirit, which was turned into a rather terrible movie, Eisner’s best and most personal work can be found in A Contract with God. The graphic novel is the perfect material to become an anthology movie or TV mini-series. A heartbreaking examination of the human condition, these are four stories that deserve attention from outside of the comics world.
Love And Rockets
One of the earliest and most celebrated books to come out of the alternative comics movement of the 1980s, Love and Rockets is a passion project by the three Hernandez brothers. While the comic is set in one world, the brothers create their stories separately, giving readers three different styles and narratives to follow.
Jaime and Mario Hernandez set their stories in Los Angeles, following the lives of Maggie and Hopey, who live in California. Meanwhile, Gilbert Hernandez focuses his work on the residents of a fictional Latin American town. The series, which happens in real time, has followed the characters through the ’80s into today, and readers have been able to experience the joys and sorrows of life with them.