There is nothing I enjoy more than recommending comics for people, especially those who are not typical comic readers. However, doing so it not easy because everyone has different tastes for what they like in their stories. Having an idea of what someone typical likes does make the task so much easier. With that idea, I am starting a new series were I take popular TV series and try to think what type of comics fans of those shows may enjoy.
Now it is never a perfect comparison. For one people enjoy things for different reasons. You may like a TV show because of a certain actor or character while another person is far more invested into its themes and allegorical implications. So what I attempted to do is isolate certain factors both the television show and comic have in common. It could be the style of storytelling, certain character similarities, or other elements that both properties share. Some may disagree with my comparisons but ultimately my biggest hope is to celebrate great books that need your attention.
I was tempted to try to link Game of Thrones with another fantasy story but felt East of West is a much more intriguing comparison. For one like Game of Thrones with East of West you have another story of a multitude of warring factions fighting for world superiority with a looming end of the world threat simmering in the background. Both have a massive cast of characters where the line between hero and villain are blurred to the point where only those on the extreme edges can be labeled as either.
As the title indicates East of West does maintain a Western aesthetic even though it takes place in an alternative future. Â One where the Civil War ended differently and the United States never fully formed. There is a contested peace between all these different factions but complicating matters more are the actual Horsemen of the Apocalypse waiting to bring about the end times. Similar to Game of Thrones being able to politically maneuver is just as important as the physical might you and your army possess.
Having all these different pieces on the board leads to a narrative that likes to take its time. If you are not paying close enough attention you can easily get lost with everything that is happening. There is not a lot of hand holding that explains all the finer details. So while it may not have dragons, knights, or white walkers it does share much in common with the tales of Westeros.
Of all the pairings on this list, these two probably have the most in common. So could complain that it is far too obvious. You have two female lead properties focused on a group of women living in a prison system. Where Bitch Planet differs from Orange is the New Black is that it brings Science Fiction into the mix as it takes place in the future on an off-planet prison colony. Despite the fact that both take place in two very different distinct times they do share many thematic connections.
Again looking at the most obvious both incorporate female empowerment and the systems that have been created to oppress it. Bitch Planet is more exaggerated using an exploitation type of style to make its grander points. Its future is one that has come under the rule of an authoritarian group named the Council of Fathers that have a public persona that would make you think they are direct descendants of Mr. Rogers, but in reality are far more nefarious and use Bitch Planet to run brutal sporting events designed to alleviate the primal urges of men.
They also use similar storytelling devices. For example the use of flashbacks to build many of the main and side characters. Giving you a sense of who everyone is only to go back and inform you of who they were before they ended up in prison. Making it easy to invest in the story as you know all the major and minor parties involved. These are the type of characters we need more of in fiction and through their stories, the narrative can go places that will surely make many uncomfortable. If you enjoy boundaries being pushed Bitch Planet will push the right buttons.
Both Royal City and This is Us are deep-rooted family dramas centered on broken households still recovering from the tragic loss of a loved one. Although the death occurred decades earlier the void left behind has only grown to cause this underlying fracture between everyone. What perhaps is most intriguing about these two properties is how different they approach the temperament of their characters.
With Royal City, that fracture is much larger as the family has been broken to the point of resentment. As the narrative dives deeper into their history it becomes apparent that this was a family unit that has a weakening foundation to start. That is important to mention as one of the biggest differences between Royal City and This Is Us is that writer Jeff Lemire crafts challenging characters that are not necessarily individuals that you would want to fall in love with. Despite their differences in likeability both though center on broken characters that are yearning for a reason to be complete.
Similar to how This Is Us showcases a number of different time periods as it moves throughout its family history Royal City does something similar as much of it is influenced by the nineties. Nods to alternative music are everywhere and if you listen closely you may even hear bands like Sonic Youth playing in the background. There is a rush of nostalgia without being obnoxious about it or overly reliant on it. Unlike This is Us it does not shift back and forth within a given installment. It tends to stay with one time period for an extended time until an arc is complete.Â
Another major difference that should be pointed out is that Royal City has more of a supernatural element to it as well. To go into it too much would ruin much of the surprise of the book but it is good to be aware that there is more going on here than your typical drama. Never does it get lost in the weeds trying to overtly explain what is giong on as it is simply a vehicle to tell a more complex story. Bottom line is if you enjoy family dramas that feel earnest and authentic there is great reason to believe Royal City will work for you. Â
When they first announced the Gotham television show way back when I was rather excited because I was hoping we would be getting the TV version of Gotham Central. It seemed like a very simple pitch. Take the framework of a show like NYPD Blue but put it into the world of Batman. Batman would be a tertiary character and his villains may pop up from time to time, but ultimately the main characters would be the Gotham PD. That obviously did not happen.
Still, if you are a fan of NYPD Blue or similar cop dramas you will find much of what you like in Gotham Central. Written by two of the best writers in comics Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka it took the world of Batman and provided a different perspective. Batman“s relationship with the police tends to be limited to a few select cops like Comminsher Gordon. With Gotham central, it gave a more holistic view of how those in law enforcement viewed what Batman was doing, and as one would expect with writers like Brubaker and Rucka it was not very cut in dry.
Many of the typical procedural cop elements are here. A major crime occurs and two main detectives work that case bit by bit to find answers. It is not rewriting the recipe of how to do a crime story just executed to an amazing degree. Until the series nears its end the Batman elements never come off as forced nor do they overshadow the main characters in the book. They did not need to because characters like Renee Montoya and Charlie Fields were strong enough on their own. While we never got a TV version of Gotham Central, if you are a person who feels like that would be a show worth watching you have this fantastic series to read.
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- A fan of all things comics. Growing up on a healthy diet of 90's Batman and X-Men cartoon series ignited a love for the medium that remains strong today.
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