There are no fewer than 10 comic book TV adaptations in the works including Constantine, Gotham, The Flash and Hourman
It has never been a better time to be a nerd. With Marvel dominating the box office and DC looking to finally bring the Justice League to the silver screen, everyone is looking to get in on the comic book action. But the superheroes aren’t just constrained to the big screen. DC and other companies are also looking to bring their properties to TV. As a lifelong dork, I am ecstatic about seeing some of my favorite characters make the jump to the small screen in this golden age of television. But it’s important to take these upcoming shows with a pinch of salt. Historically, live action TV shows based on comics just haven’t been very good (see Human Target, Night Man, Painkiller Jane). So, here are 10 upcoming shows based on comic books and how excited you should be excited about them.
Constantine
What it’s about: Forget about the Keanu Reeve’s movie. While fun in it’s own way, it wasn’t really Constantine. John Constantine, star of the long-running (but recently cancelled) Vertigo series Hellblazer, is a smarmy, foul mouthed British cynic who sucks down cigarettes while dealing with the forces of heaven and hell. Considered one of the most powerful sorcerers of the DC Universe, Constantine only relies upon his magic in dire situations, preferring to use his wits to best his enemies. At times morally ambiguous, Constantine has been known to play hero, but he’s also just as comfortable using others to achieve his own goals. Also, he looks like Sting, because the 80’s were weird.
Should you be excited: Definitely. Recently revealed pictures of star Matt Ryan show a Constantine that looks like he stepped out of the pages of the comic. The show will deal with John Constantine battling demons while also contending with supernatural forces, aided in his battle by a bumbling sidekick named Chas and a love interest named Liv. The pilot will also incorporate Constantine bad guy Papa Midnite, a voodoo practitioner who can see the future. All in all, Constantine sounds pretty damn promising.
