The world of comics has taken the film and television industry by storm over the past 20 years. More and more optioned comics are hitting the screens as adapted screenplays.
These are our top-10 independent comics yet-to-be released in video format.
Proctor Valley Road
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Visionary writer Grant Morrison (Klaus), Alex Child (BBC’s Holby City) and Naomi Franquiz (Tales from Harrow County) present a chilling new horror series about the mysterious monsters that haunt Proctor Valley Road — and the four misfit teenagers who must stop them.
August, Rylee, Cora & Jennie have organized a “Spook Tour” with their classmates on the most haunted, demon-infested stretch of road in America to fund attending the concert of their dreams.
When their visit turns deadly, these four friends race to rescue the missing students… before the town tears them limb from limb.
Now they must slay the evils roaming Proctor Valley Road… along with the monsters lurking in the hearts of 1970s America.
In November 2021, Child told the SPEC TALES PODCAST that Proctor Valley Road has been optioned.
Snow Blind
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
What’s to Love: With books like Hit and Day Men in our library, you can tell we absolutely love noir stories, and the more unconventional, the better! Critically acclaimed writer Ollie Masters (The Kitchen) and artist Tyler Jenkins (Peter Panzerfaust) have crafted a tense noir story in the tradition of Criminal, Scalped, and 100 Bullets, set in the bleak, snow-covered landscape of Alaska, a perfect setting to highlight the cold nature of crime.
What It Is: What happens when you discover your dad isn’t the man you thought he was? For high school teen Teddy, life in a sleepy suburb in Alaska turns upside-down when he innocently posts a photo of his dad on Facebook, only to learn he and his family are in the Witness Protection Program. A man seeking revenge invades their town, and soon FBI agents arrive, too. But what if his dad’s reasons for going into the program aren’t as innocent as he says?
In June 2020, Apple streaming services won the bidding war for the adaptation. Jake Gyllenhaal is set to star in the film.
Oblivion Song
Publisher: Image Comics
A decade ago, 300,000 citizens of Philadelphia were suddenly lost in Oblivion. The government made every attempt to recover them, but after many years, they gave up. Nathan Cole…won’t. He makes daily trips, risking his life to try and rescue those still living in the apocalyptic hellscape of Oblivion. But maybe…Nathan is looking for something else? Why can’t he resist the siren call of the Oblivion Song?
Written by Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead, Invincible) and art by Lorenzo De Felici (Infinity 8).
In August 2021, New Republic Pictures announced it optioned the rights to the story, with plans to turn it into a feature film. Jake Gyllenhaal will star and produce the movie.
Letter 44
Publisher: Oni Press
Newly-elected president Stephen Blades hoped to tackle the most critical issues facing the nation: war, the economy, and a failing health care system. But in a letter penned by the outgoing president, Blades learns the truth that redefines “critical”: seven years ago, NASA discovered alien presence in the asteroid belt, and kept it a secret from the world. A stealth mission crewed by nine astronauts was sent to make contact, and they’re getting close—assuming they survive the long journey to reach their destination. President Blades has just become the most powerful man on the planet. This planet.
Written by Charles Soule (Star Wars, Curse Words) with art by Alberto Jiménez Alberquerque (A Calculated Man).
In October 2021, Soule updated the world saying some pretty significant movement just happened on Letter 44. He stated if there are 10 steps between writing the comic and seeing it on the screen, Letter 44 is on step five with most not making it past step two.
The Department of Truth
Publisher: Image Comics
Cole Turner has studied conspiracy theories all his life, but he isn’t prepared for what happens when he discovers that all of them are true, from the JFK assassination to flat Earth theory and reptilian shapeshifters. One organization has been covering them up for generations. What is the deep, dark secret behind the Department of Truth?
Bestselling writer James Tynion IV (Batman, Something is Killing the Children) debuts his first Image ongoing series alongside breakout artist Martin Simmonds (Dying is Easy)!
In February 2021, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that The Department of Truth has been optioned, secured by Elisabeth Murdorch after a competitive bidding war.
Nailbiter
Publisher: Image Comics
Buckaroo, Oregon has given birth to sixteen of the vilest serial killers in the world. An obsessed FBI profiler investigating the town has suddenly gone missing, and now an NSA Agent must work with the notorious serial killer Edward “Nailbiter” Warren to find his friend and solve the mystery of “Where do serial killers come from?
Co-created by Mike Henderson (Masks & Mobsters) and Joshua Williamson (Birthright, Evolution, Ghosted).
In October 2019, Skybound Galactic / Sony optioned the Nailbiter for television.
Undiscovered Country
Publisher: Image Comics
Journey into the near future, and an unknown nation that was once the United States of America—a land that’s become shrouded in mystery after walling itself off from the rest of the world without explanation over thirty years ago. When a team seeking a cure for a global pandemic breaches U.S. borders, they quickly find themselves in a struggle to survive this strange and deadly lost continent!
Undiscovered Country was co-created by writer Charles Soule (Letter 44, Star Wars, Curse Words) and artist Scott Snyder (Batman, Nocterra, Wytches).
In September 2019, New Republic Pictures acquired the rights to Undiscovered Country. In October 2021, Soule said he and Snyder were in the thick of writing the second draft of a script for the film.
The Recount
Publisher: Scout Comics
When the US President is assassinated by one of his own security detail, a female Secret Service agent named Bree Barto must protect the Vice President at all costs from a mass conspiracy by a group calling themselves ‘The Masses’. With nowhere to turn and no one to trust, these two women with completely opposing political views and beliefs must work together to preserve what’s left of American democracy.
The Recount was written by Jonathan Hedrick with art by Gabo Ibarra Nuñez.
In November 2021, Peter Landesman (Parkland, Kill The Messenger) was tapped to write and direct a feature film for Jonathan Kaden and Motor Films.
Stray Dogs
Publisher: Image Comics
It’s scary being the new dog. Sophie can’t remember what happened. She doesn’t know how she ended up in this house. She doesn’t recognize any of these other dogs. She knows something terrible happened, but she just…can’t…recall…WAIT! Where’s her lady?
A five-issue Don Bluth-style suspense thriller by My Little Pony comic artists Tony Fleecs (My Little Pony, Star Wars Adventures) and Trish Forstner (My Little Pony), Stray Dogs is Lady and the Tramp meets Silence of the Lambs.
“My favorite thing about comics is when someone shows you something you didn’t know you needed. The Secret Life of Pets meets Seven? Yes, please!! Welcome to Stray Dogs. I was blown away!” — Brian Michael Bendis
In September 2020, Paramount Pictures announced they had purchased the rights to Stray Dogs for a dark animated adaptation prior to the comic’s release.
Something Is Killing The Children
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
When the children of Archer’s Peak—a sleepy town in the heart of America—begin to go missing, everything seems hopeless. Most children never return, but the ones that do have terrible stories—impossible details of terrifying creatures that live in the shadows. Their only hope of finding and eliminating the threat is the arrival of a mysterious stranger, one who believes the children and claims to be the only one who sees what they can see.
Her name is Erica Slaughter. She kills monsters. That is all she does, and she bears the cost because it must be done.
Co-created by writer James Tynion IV (The Department of Truth, Batman) and artist Werther Dell’Edera (X-Force).
In April 2021, sources revealed SIKTC was being developed for a television series.
