This week, I’ve got comics on my mind. Comic-books-to-TV and movie adaptations, that is, and there are a lot hitting the small screens soon. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to get excited about any of these yet. Maybe the first episodes will change my mind?
This is happening:
Inhumans
Oh ABC. You’ve got to commit.
So the costume reveal went over like the-Friday-before attempt at a cosplay, and the first trailer wasn’t any more encouraging. They’ve since redone the trailer, but it still looks low budget as hell. What can I say, we’ve been spoiled by the movies, and we’re not going back.
Movies have raised the bar on superhero action sequences, and shows have got to be either super smart about the superpowers they showcase (Legion, Sense 8, Agent Carter, Jessica Jones, etc) or put their budget where their mouth is (Heroes, Supergirl, Constantine). Or, you know, embrace the camp a la Freeform. But you can’t waffle and then expect to eat your waffle and have it too.
Release date: September 29, 2017. So, this Friday.
The Gifted
Fox looks like it’s going to try a bit harder with this Heroes meets X-Men show which follows a couple mutant powered kids whose father works for the creepy government agency charged with catching and containing mutants. I wonder if we’ll get a lot of awkward Breaking Bad-style dinners out of this one.
On the bright side, Amy Acker will be in this show. (Unfortunately, looks like she’ll be playing Mom-normal. As opposed to, you know, a badass hacker assassin prophet (Person of Interest) or soulless alien goddess (Angel).)
X-Men lineup includes Blink, Polaris, and Thunderbird.
Release Date: October 2, 2017
Professor Marston & the Wonder Women
Small detour into movie land.
Here’s the thing, I…don’t exactly remember Marston’s biography painting him in such a rosy glow. But hey, bondage + Wonder Woman’s coattails guarantees at least a decent showing in the theaters.
Release date: October 27, 2017
Marvel’s Runaways
Okay, back to the small screen. Hulu is going to hit us with Marvel’s Runaways – group of powered teenagers who discover their parents are supervillains. Will this be comedy? Drama? Dramedy? Showrunners are Josh Schwartz (Chuck, Gossip Girl) and Stephanie Savage (Gossip Girl, Hart of Dixie), so…comedy?
How is this coming out in two months and we still have no trailer?
Release Date: November 21, 2017
Krypton
IMDB lists this as a TV Movie – so are we talking made-for-TV movie after all? It also looks like they’re trying for a Superman version of prequel Gotham here.
That said, Syfy can be incredibly hit or miss when it comes to high stakes drama. They’re the folks who brought us Ascension, The Expanse, and 12 Monkeys…and the ones behind Defiance, Dark Matter, and Killjoys. With writer/producer Damian Kindler at the lead (Sanctuary, Sleepy Hollow, Stargate SG-1), my bets are on this being much lighter than the dramatic teaser trailer implies.
Release date: Fall 2017
The Punisher
If you loved him in Daredevil and did a jig at the closing credits on The Defenders, rejoice, for Jon Bernthal is back. We’ll also see some new blood to the superhero TV show genre with showrunner Steve Lightfoot. He’s got Hannibal and Narcos under his belt, so (spoiler alert) expect this to be dark.
Release Date: According to rumors, maybe November 17?
Black Lightning
So…y’all ever hear of this show called Arrow? What about Legends of Tomorrow? Supergirl? Showrunner Greg Berlanti is bringing another show to the inexplicably popular Arrowverse with Black Lighting, which follows a retired(?) superhero who is (probably, tragically) pulled back into superheroing while having to deal with family demands and general superhero angst.
Some early chatter has implied that this one will be slightly grittier than the usual CW fare, so there’s that I guess?
Release Date: 2018
Cloak and Dagger
It’s a Freeform show. Do I really need to say anything else? I do? Okay, well, from first glance, it seriously looks like it’ll be all about the teenage angst, with the odd token superpower popping up here and there.
Then again, showrunner Joe Pokaski was the dude behind Heroes and involved in Daredevil, so maybe I’ll end up eating my words.
Release date: 2018
Is this happening?
New Warriors
Marvel hasn’t had the best track record on TV so far. For every Agent Carter, there’s the 327 tedious episodes of Agents of Shield, for every Jessica Jones, there’s an Iron Fist. With New Warriors, it looks like Marvel is diving into teenage comedy. So…I guess we’ll see? Right now, I’m super keep to know two bits of info: What channel, and which showrunner.
Release date: Maybe 2018
Titans
And no, not the animated series. Live action, donchaknow. Greg Berlanti of the CW/Arrow fame (See Black Lightning entry above) is rumored to be heading this project. Not being a fan of CW’s superhero shows, I’m a skeptic hoping to be converted.
Release date: 2018?
More Book Watching posts:
- Book Watching: Upcoming adaptations and a definite to-read list.
- Book Watching: Superhero edition
- Book Watching: I’m really struggling to get excited about these
The Book Canaries 
I also heard (in my class book discussion) that Watchmen is getting a HBO series. Since I wasn’t a huge fan of the comic, I’m not too impressed, but at the same time it is HBO, so you never know…
Oh THAT is interesting! Haven’t heard, but I’d definitely be curious to see where they’d go with it. I’m weirdly mixed on my reaction. On the one hand, the Watchmen movie did a fine job representing the comic, so my gut reaction is to feel like it’s been done. On the other, HBO could totally surprise us. (Though I’d almost be more excited if it were SyFy looking at a reboot…)