The comic book industry remains the greatest enigma known to mankind. Despite the explosion of comic book movies and TV shows, the industry doesn’t see the same growth in the profit margins. Look, it isn’t like the major companies are pleading poverty by any means; however, the on-screen popularity doesn’t always translate to success in the comics world.
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Now, this isn’t due to the lack of talent or effort exerted – quite the contrary. Publishers continue to try different and innovative ideas to attract and retain readers – all the way from how the shape of the books to the types of stories created. One of the formulas that stands out is the revival of popular animated series from the ’80s and ’90s through the comic book medium. Even though it might be impossible to see these shows return to television for a variety of reasons, they are allowed to live on here and continue the adventures. In fact, three of these series are the hottest titles in comic books right now.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles original animated series continues
Anyone born in the ’80s knows all about how Turtlemania swept over the world. Even the likes of Batman and Spider-Man couldn’t contend with the four turtle brothers as they reached their peak in popularity through the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series. Of course, like any other kids’ programme in the ’80s, the show was designed to sell toys first and foremost; nonetheless, a generation of fans fell in love with this iteration of the Heroes in a Half-Shell.
The release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, which serves as a video game tribute to the era, brought back the nostalgia and good times. It revived interest in fans who missed a bygone era of the Turtles. Capitalising on the hype, IDW Publishing hit a home run by releasing a limited series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures, which was helmed by a creative team featuring Erik Burham, Tim Lattie, Sarah Myers, and other talent. Not only did it nail the look and feel of the original show, but it also maintained the whimsical storytelling and light-hearted nature. It doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, choosing to ride on the comfy tyres everyone loved in the first place.
Originally, the comic book featured standalone stories, but after the overwhelmingly positive response to the title, a decision was made to make it an ongoing series titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures Continued. Speaking about the title and how it honours the original show, Burnham told CBR: “I’ve tried to centre it vaguely between Seasons 7 and 8, but it may not always line up perfectly. Sometimes what Nickelodeon or IDW or I want will require some changes. In any case, the ongoing is meant to happen in a more-or-less linear fashion, and that’s how we got there.”
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Batman: The Animated Series lives on
It’s strange how Batman: The Animated Series remains one of the best versions of the Dark Knight created – and the best cartoon period – but DC largely fumbled the ball on revival attempts several times. In 2020, DC got it right, releasing a series titled Batman: The Adventures Continue.
More importantly, the publisher brought back two of the most important minds behind the show: Paul Dini and Alan Burnett. Along with Ty Templeton and other creative talent, they pick up events after The New Batman/Superman Adventures. Using the same aesthetic and narrative devices from the original show, they expand this part of Batman’s lore by introducing a plethora of characters – such as Deathstroke, Jason Todd, Azrael, and the Court of Owls – that didn’t appear in the animated series. DC also decided to divide the book into seasons. While there are longer arcs and standalone stories in these “seasons,” the connective tissue holds tight throughout – so what happens in Season 1 does hold a bearing to what happens in Season 3.
Now, while DC has more than its fair share of Batman titles on offer each week, Batman: The Adventures Continue remains the highlight of the bunch. The reason for its success is simple: It isn’t trying to change the Dark Knight’s status quo or force its mark on the character’s history. Instead, it understands what the audience wants from these stories and focuses on that. It’s quintessential Batman, and that’s exactly what readers want from Bat books.
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The Gargoyles comic rocks
As an original IP, Gargoyles bolted out of the blocks in 1994 with a thrilling animated series. Even after the show ended after three seasons, fans continued to rally for a comeback. Dynamite Entertainment heard the calls and secured the license from Disney to carry on the story in comics in 2022. Naturally, they enlisted creator Greg Weisman to write the ongoing series, while he was joined by superstar talent such as George Kambadais.
Weisman is well known for his involvement in other popular animated shows such as The Spectacular Spider-Man and Young Justice, and he brings the same sensibilities to the Gargoyles narrative. He understands that it’s important that the story doesn’t get lost in the weeds of appealing to diehards, so that it remains accessible to everyone.
Speaking to CBR, Weisman said: “[Dynamite editor Nathan Cosby] and I agreed from the beginning that we wanted this series to be an entry point for new fans, as well as a treat for old fans, so we’re reintroducing all concepts from scratch. We didn’t want the first few issues to be solid exposition or flashbacks, so there are certain aspects that we glide over, acknowledging but not explaining, because they aren’t immediately relevant to the story at hand.” Without a doubt, Gargoyles achieves this, knowing why fans loved these stories to begin with and how to set them up for new readers to not feel overwhelmed by the continuity. In fact, there’s an argument to be made that these comic book stories are even better than the original animated series’ run.
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Tell us, are you reading any of these comic books based on animated series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below.
The Best Comic Books Right Now Are Animated Series Adaptations Written by Sergio Pereira for Fortress of Solitude