Marvel Studios and DC may be slowing down in their theatrically released projects, but that just means there’s more room for television-focused projects.
Summer has had some great series so far, and while some have wrapped their season, there is still a load of other comic book adaptations on their way to the small screen.
X-Men ’97 (Now Streaming, Disney+)
June was buzzing as Disney+ had brought back the classic version of the X-Men from the 90s. Picking up from where the original series left off, Beau DeMayo’s take on the Children of the Atom finds the X-Men picking up the pieces after the death of Professor Xavier; that sounds complicated enough as it is, but they’re suddenly faced with having to have the team be run by their oldest nemesis Magneto.
The series has been applauded for its somber take on themes of discrimination and racism, but fans have also been impressed by how the show has adapted comic storylines like the mutant island of Genosha and the rise of a newer kind of mutant-hunting sentinel.
It is a treat for X-Men fans and anyone who enjoyed Marvel’s animated world from the 1990s.
The Boys (Now Streaming, Amazon Prime Video)
Marvel and DC properties may not be flying as high as they used to, but audiences seem to love anything that satirizes the genre, and The Boys has managed to deliver with every single season.
The Boys follows the story of Billy Butcher and his ragtag team of specialists as they go up against their world’s version of the Avengers/Justice League. While Captain America and Superman may be incorruptible symbols of freedom, the “supes” in The Boys are the opposite.
Though the public perceives them as heroes, the members of “The Seven” are tyrannical sociopaths who use their power and celebrity to walk all over regular citizens—and that’s why The Boys are coming out to stop them.
Like Deadpool without the meta-humor, The Boys realistically examines superheroes and how regular personalities can be corrupted by literal power and greed. Chockful of violence and corporate satire, The Boys is a perfect companion piece for anyone looking for a break from mainstream comic book media’s boundless optimism.
The Boys is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Suicide Squad ISEKAI (Now Streaming, Max)
DC may still be playing catch-up with Marvel regarding the status of their superhero IP, but that hasn’t stopped WB from going more experimental with their comic book properties.
Named after the anime genre “ISEKAI,” where modern-day characters are thrust into a fantasy world (i.e., Mushoku Tensei, Re: Zero), Suicide Squad ISEKAI finds Task Force X—specifically Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Peacemaker, King Shark, and Clayface—forced by Amanda Waller to be her special soldiers in a mission to take control of an alternate dimension filled with orcs and dragons.
The series gives a new anime spin on established characters and has been commended for fresh new looks for DC heavy hitters like Joker and Harley. The ending theme featuring a dancing Amanda Waller should be enough to get fans interested in checking it out:
The studio behind the series, Wit Studio, has been behind hit anime properties like Attack on Titan, Spy x Family, and Ranking of Kings.
Kite Man: Hell Yeah! (July 18, Max)
No release date has been announced for the next season of the animated Harley Quinn series yet, but the show is getting a spinoff in the form of Kite Man: Hell Yeah!
Putting the spotlight on one of DC’s more obscure heroes, Kite Man will follow the misadventures of Kite Man—Ivy’s ex-fiance, who she left for Harley in the original HQ series. Now Kite Man is partnered up with Captain Cold’s sister, Golden Glider, and it looks like they will be running a bar that’s a regular place for all kinds of supervillains in HQ’s DC timeline.
Other villains from the Harley series are expected to appear in Kite Man, but fans expect appearances from other DC heroes. It’s unclear how the show will set itself apart from Harley Quinn, so fans will just have to wait and see.
Batman: Caped Crusader (Aug. 1, Amazon Prime Video)
There have been multiple iterations of Batman for various eras, but Batman: Caped Crusader promises to set itself apart by bringing the gritty Dark Knight and his rogues gallery back to the 1950s.
Produced by J.J. Abrams, Matt Reeves, and Bruce Timm, Caped Crusader brings Batman closer to his original appearance when Bob Kane and Bill Finger first created him. They are bringing in Batman and taking some of the newer rogues created in the last few years to play with Batman and his classic villains, even though they didn’t exist back in the 50s. Characters like Harley Quinn and Harvey Dent/Two-Face are expected to have their own fresh retro takes in this series, and it won’t be played for laughs like the 60s version of Batman with Adam West.
Watchmen Animated (Aug. 13, Digital)
A lot of DC fans can argue that Zack Snyder’s Watchmen is the best adaptation they could ever get with a comic, but WB Animation found an opportunity for another stab at Alan Moore’s classic superhero comic.
The animated Watchmen is divided into two parts and is said to be a ‘faithful animated adaptation of the iconic graphic novel.’ A teaser has been released for the special, and many fans have admitted that its animation style resembles Marvel’s What If…? series.
Unlike Snyder’s version, though, the costumes are accurate to the comic, and fans are certain to expect that the climax will be a lot more faithful—since a giant squid killing millions was considered a bit too unrealistic back in 2009.
Fingers crossed there would be hint for HBO’s Watchmen from 2019, but that could just be another excuse for the comic purists to hate on this project.
Part I of Watchmen comes out Aug. 13 and Part II is expected to release sometime later in the year.