Comic Books That Would Make Great TV Shows

Many years ago characters like; Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Incredible Hulk were no strangers to the television screen. Many people have the greatest memories about these pop culture icons  not from comics and movies but from the small screen in their own living room. That no longer seems to be the case; but with the success of shows like, The Walking Dead, the upcoming Green Arrow series and the various animated programs featuring iconic superheros like; Young Justice and Batman: Brave and the Bold it seems like comic books are ripe to mined for the inspiration of great television. Here are a few comics that would fit perfectly on the small screen.

American Vampire: A blood soaked history lesson from white hot writer, Scott Snyder. The Walking Dead already proved you can make a powerful television show based on a horror comic and True Blood has proven that there is an adult audience for vampires on TV. It can combine the gritty  period piece style of Hell on Wheels but with that horror edge that show needs, American Vampire could easily be the smartest horror series on television.

Batman: The Dark Knight is no stranger to television screens but a like action series with a serious take on the character has yet to be seen. With a relatively big budget for a show (or creative use of a small budget) a Batman series would not only work but be a ratings bonzanza.

Daredevil: If ever there a gritty hard boiled character in the Marvel stable, Daredevil is it. Over the years the red clad vigilante has had fair share on run ins with supervillains, but the est Daredevil stories were simply about a man at the end of his rope against insurmountable odds. This is a show that would not require a great deal of special effects, it can just be about Matt Murdock dealing with the dual identity of being a lawyer while being a super hero, with the shadow of the Kingpin’s influence looming over him.

The Question: A little known but much beloved comic book character. Another potential series that would not need a huge budget for world ending super battles; but a smart group of writers who can come up with a tense conspiracy laden plot that will keep the character going.

The Punisher: A simple premise for a character that it’s surprising nobody has gotten it right in Hollywood yet. A war veteran has his family killed and in return brings his skills to the streets in his own war against crime. A show like that would be a perfect fit on a channel like HBO, Starz or AMC who are no strangers to violent and gritty shows.