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Television: The New Frontier for Comic Books

DrIanMalcolmDrIanMalcolm Registered User regular
edited March 2010 in Social Entropy++
So yeah there are some interesting television shows based on comic books that are getting made right now

Script review for Frank Darabont's pilot script for The Walking Dead
So, here is the big question: does Darabont's Walking Dead pilot have the necessary ingredients to be not just a decent horror TV series but a good drama?

The answer: Yes, it does.

Contained in Darabont's 60-page pilot script are all the elements to make the show a success. There's plenty of horror that happens in those 60 pages. The director's script covers the broad range of the zombie horror emotional spectrum, such as giving us moments of extreme gore (hey, any zombie TV show wouldn't be a zombie show if it didn't have folks being munched on!), moments of shock value (hey, you didn't think that there was a zombie hiding behind that car, did you?) and the moments that I believe are the best indicator that The Walking Dead TV series has what it takes to transcend the boundaries of being simply labelled a horror show, the psychological horror scenes. Those scenes are the hammers that you're going to remember and the ones that are going to propel this show to be viewed as something more important than just a scary show.

The Walking Dead pilot doesn't sell out its concept for the sake of finding a wider audience. This is a show set in a world where families have died and the survivors haven't had the time to cope with their losses, much less come to terms with civilization collapsing around them. Knowing the course that Kirkman's comic book takes and now after seeing how Darabont's chose to make the pilot more of a drama than a flat-out horror action show, AMC's Walking Dead has fantastic potential. The Walking Dead could even do for horror what the new Battlestar Galactica did for science fiction. Cross your fingers and hope that the show comes together as well as it did on the page.

There's a lot more stuff about the actual story at the link

'Journeyman' creator Kevin Falls is adapting Powers for FX
On Sunday, I spoke with John Landgraf, FX’s President and General Manager, to get the latest update on the network’s attempts to transition Brian Michael Bendis’s “Powers” from comic book to the small screen. Not only did he confirm that the pilot was indeed still in the works, he also let slip that Bendis was now collaborating with an outside writer, describing this other individual as “a really, really good writer who got really excited about the project. The new writer and Brian have got a good take on it. They came in about two months ago and pitched what they were doing, and it was great.” What Landgraf did not tell me was the name of this writer, as he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to release the information yet, but he assured me that he would get in touch with me once he could.

Well, he just did…and, frankly, I couldn’t be much more excited about it. Bendis’s collaborator is none other than Kevin Falls, the man behind NBC’s late, great “Journeyman.” Given how well Falls kept the mythos and storylines of “Journeyman” weaving in and out, he seems like an excellent pick to work on such a complex series as “Powers” is likely to be. I’ve already dropped a line to Mr. Falls’ folks, in hopes of chatting with him about the gig, so keep your fingers crossed just as tightly this time as you did last time. (It worked pretty well, after all.)

And while this isn't based on a comic book, The tv series based on the somewhat recent film Push has superheroes (basically)
io9 wrote:
Push, the vastly underrated film about people with special mind powers - and basically everything Heroes should be but isn't - is getting a TV series. This could be the clever real-world superhero series we've been asking for.

Summit announced that screenwriter David Hayter has signed up to pen the pilot.
E1 and Dark Hero Studios, co-owned by Hayter and producing partner Benedict Carver, will jointly produce the series based on the screenplay created by David Bourla for Summit Entertainment. Hayter and Carver will be executive producers, along with E1's Noreen Halpern and John Morayniss...
The television series will be an extension of the film, a science fiction thriller, centered on people with paranormal powers who band together to take down a corrupt government agency.

Granted, David Hayter is the voice of Snake in Metal Gear Solid and wrote the first two X-Men movies - but I was burned forever by his screenplay for Watchmen, with its neutered ending. That said, the world-building in Push is absolutely worth exploring in an ongoing series. Plus, the powers that the main characters have make them much more capable of having real relationships and real issues, as opposed to watching a shape shifter fight a guy with tattoo powers or whatever nonsense is happening on Heroes this week.

Also Smallville is still going on

Smallville_promo-34.jpg

INTERESTING STUFF! Any other comic book tv shows you guys wanna see? I'm secretly praying for one based on Ex Machina, or a disney channel version of Pet Avengers

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    The Lovely BastardThe Lovely Bastard Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    The only comic book show I'd kill for would be Hitman

    The Lovely Bastard on
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    BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    god it seems like that Powers show has been in the works FOREVER

    Balefuego on
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    World as MythWorld as Myth a breezy way to annoy serious people Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    walking deeeaaad yes awesome

    where's my preacher news

    World as Myth on
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    BogeyBogey I'm back, baby! Santa Monica, CAModerator mod
    edited January 2010
    I still want to see the Global Frequency pilot they made a while back.

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    Calamity JaneCalamity Jane That Wrong Love Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    human target is also a show again

    usually comic book shows in live action are really shit

    but i'm excited for a walking dead show

    Calamity Jane on
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    The Lovely BastardThe Lovely Bastard Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Human Target is actually really neat

    also anjin

    THE MIDDLEMAN WAS NOT SHIT

    The Lovely Bastard on
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    Lord DaveLord Dave Grief Causer Bitch Free ZoneRegistered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I like Batman, they should make a show about him.

    Lord Dave on
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    Calamity JaneCalamity Jane That Wrong Love Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    HOW LONG DID IT SURVIVE

    WITH WHAT YOU ADMITTED AS BEING OVERLY LONG DIALOGUE, MAN

    Calamity Jane on
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    Calamity JaneCalamity Jane That Wrong Love Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    smallville is basically why they should never make live action superhero shows again

    Calamity Jane on
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    The Lovely BastardThe Lovely Bastard Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    THERE WAS NO OVERLY LONG DIALOGUE IN THE MIDDLEMAN

    IT WAS PERFECT

    IT WAS TOO PRECIOUS FOR THIS WORLD

    The Lovely Bastard on
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    Calamity JaneCalamity Jane That Wrong Love Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    it's gonna be nice seeing the walking dead play out as a drama

    because good god it is hard to bring onesself to start reading it again regularly

    Calamity Jane on
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    BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    also I think Powers is exactly the kind of comic book show that can work


    cannot wait

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    Lord DaveLord Dave Grief Causer Bitch Free ZoneRegistered User regular
    edited January 2010
    They should do a show about what would happen if, like, regular people had superpowers

    Lord Dave on
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    FramlingFramling FaceHead Geebs has bad ideas.Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Man, Walking Dead I just stopped caring about once I realized any character could die at any time and there was no point getting invested in any of them.

    And Preacher wasn't that good.

    But I fucking love Powers.

    Framling on
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    BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    they should hire me to play Kutter

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    BusterKBusterK Negativity is Boring Cynicism is Cowardice Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    justice_league_the_new_frontier.png
    I just watched this again recently
    I liked it better the second time around

    BusterK on
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    VisionOfClarityVisionOfClarity Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I enjoyed the first episode of Human Target. It was good enough to get me to watch again, we'll see how long it can keep my interest.

    VisionOfClarity on
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    VisionOfClarityVisionOfClarity Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    BusterK wrote: »
    justice_league_the_new_frontier.png
    I just watched this again recently
    I liked it better the second time around

    I love New Frontier so much I can't quite put it into words. It's one of the few ones I bought the Absolute edition of and it was totally worth it.

    VisionOfClarity on
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    DrIanMalcolmDrIanMalcolm Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    About the Preacher tv series, it's cancelled because HBO thought it was too dark. However Sam Mendes is going to direct a film based on the comic so that's good news

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    The Lovely BastardThe Lovely Bastard Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Still hope someone finally releases the second Spawn animated series

    The Lovely Bastard on
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    CogliostroCogliostro Marginal Opinions Spring, TXRegistered User regular
    edited January 2010
    That's kind of what they did in BSG... they weren't afraid to kill off what had become main characters.

    Sometimes they brought them back, sure, but like the case with Billy (the president's advisor the first couple of seasons) he was dead dead.

    Cogliostro on
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    QuestionMarkManQuestionMarkMan Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I'm pissed about Powers since I wanted to adapt it

    QuestionMarkMan on
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    BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    No BSG would be like walking dead if they had murdered the entire cast and started over after every season

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    BusterKBusterK Negativity is Boring Cynicism is Cowardice Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Billy dying didn't make me hate the show
    But it did make me hate Dualla

    BusterK on
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    FramlingFramling FaceHead Geebs has bad ideas.Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    About the Preacher tv series, it's cancelled because HBO thought it was too dark. However Sam Mendes is going to direct a film based on the comic so that's good news

    I wonder if someone will get shot in the dick.

    Framling on
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    DrIanMalcolmDrIanMalcolm Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    Had to make sure I put that Smallville picture in the OP

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    BlankspaceBlankspace __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2010
    About the Preacher tv series, it's cancelled because HBO thought it was too dark. However Sam Mendes is going to direct a film based on the comic so that's good news
    Wow, HBO thought it was too dark?

    Blankspace on
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    DrIanMalcolmDrIanMalcolm Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    wikipedia wrote:
    HBO announced in November 2006 that they commissioned Mark Steven Johnson and Howard Deutch to produce a television pilot. Johnson was to write with Deutch directing. Impressed with Johnson's pilot script, HBO had him write the series bible for the first season. Johnson originally planned "to turn each comic book issue into a single episode" on a shot-for-shot basis. "I gave [HBO] the comics, and I said, 'Every issue is an hour'. Garth Ennis said 'You don't have to be so beholden to the comic'. And I'm like, 'No, no, no. It's got to be like the comic'."

    Johnson also wanted to make sure that one-shots were included as well. However, Johnson refrained his comments, citing new storylines conceived by Ennis. "Well there would be nothing new to add if we did that so Garth [Ennis] and I have been creating new stories for the series," he said. "I love the book so much and I was telling Garth that he has to make the stories we are coming up with as comics because I want to see them." By August 2008, new studio executives at HBO decided to abandon the idea, finding it too stylistically dark and religiously controversial.

    Johnson would've been terrible

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    The Lovely BastardThe Lovely Bastard Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    but it would be just like Watchmen dr ian

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    DrIanMalcolmDrIanMalcolm Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    If Watchmen were made into a mini-series yes

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    AntimatterAntimatter Devo Was Right Gates of SteelRegistered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I think I remember someone on here suggesting Sandman turning into a show on HBO, with different directors doing each episode

    Antimatter on
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    BrimfieldBrimfield Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I can't really find much to like about smallville except that one episode that was a rip on The Big Sleep and that The Spectre is in the picture in JSA HQ. And Dr. Fate being in it is as close as I'm going to get to a Sandman or Hellblazer show.

    Walking Dead would be the most depressing show ever. I'd watch it, but I'd be real bummed the whole time.

    "dies, dies, dies, almost dead"

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    The Lovely BastardThe Lovely Bastard Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    gonna have to watch the jsa smallville episode

    it looks too ridiculous to not watch

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    World as MythWorld as Myth a breezy way to annoy serious people Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I have the first book of powers, I totally didn't like it at all

    I love bendis but man what is going on with the art in that book

    World as Myth on
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    Sars_BoySars_Boy Rest, You Are The Lightning. Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I have the first book of powers, I totally didn't like it at all

    I love bendis but man what is going on with the art in that book

    cue bale tearing your eyes out through the internet

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    BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    IS SOMEONE TALKING SMACK ABOUT MIKE OEMING IN HERE

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    Lost SalientLost Salient blink twice if you'd like me to mercy kill youRegistered User regular
    edited January 2010
    I have such a secret soft spot for Preacher. I would watch the hell out of an adaptation of it. Even a really shitty adaptation.

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    TethTeth __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2010
    Walking Dead I'm all about.

    I still watch Smallville, working my way through season nine on the PSN. It's both better and worse than it used to be.

    I think Y: The Last Man and Fables would make good movies or television series - but only on a major cable network like HBO where they could actually explore adult themes without the banal censorship typical of American programming. I realize both are in the works, Y for film and Fables for an animated series - which is more than enough for me.

    Hellblazer (the real deal), Lucifer, Hexxed, and Rex Mundi could also all easily find stable footing on HBO.

    Teth on
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    FramlingFramling FaceHead Geebs has bad ideas.Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    God I fucking love the art in Powers.

    Framling on
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    BalefuegoBalefuego Registered User regular
    edited January 2010
    although to be honest, much like Fables the first arc of Powers is a little weak on it's own. (There's a later story that ties back into it and makes it way better)

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