It’s been well documented that I love Archie Comics, but another fun fact is that I love comics of all sorts (I even wrote my college essay about The Adventures of Tintin)! I know some people still have an aversion to long-form comics, but I honestly think they’re just as valid an entertainment form as TV shows. In light of that, here are some comic recommendations based on TV shows.
If you like Firefly or Game of Thrones, try Saga
Saga is an epic story about Alana and Marko, two individuals on the opposite side of an intergalactic, interspecies conflict that has been going on for generations. The comics follow them as they try to protect their daughter and evade the harm that those on both sides of the conflict wish to do to them. The series also features an ever-expanding corps of side characters who are all fascinating in their own right. The illustrations are incredible, and there’s plenty of action, both romantic and violent (it’s definitely for mature audiences only). It’s exciting and funny and makes one think about the uselessness of violence and the importance of friends and family.
If you like Orange is the New Black, try Bitch Planet
Don’t let the shock value of the title turn you away from this clever deconstruction of the pressures women face from society. While Orange is the New Black follows a group of diverse women in a Connecticut prison, Bitch Planet follows a group of diverse women on an off-world prison planet. It takes place in a world roughly similar to our own, where women can be punished for not conforming to societal norms by being sent to an off-world prison camp.
If you like Once Upon a Time, try Fables
When I came upon Fables, a series about a group of fairy-tale and storybook characters displace from their homelands by an evil adversary, I was really happy because it does a lot of what I liked from Once Upon a Time, and not as much of the annoying stuff. Fables, which started in 2002, features Snow White as the main leader of Fabletown and follows the trials and tribulations that result from various people trying to take control or revenge. There’s romance and danger and humor, plus the characters actually change and grow over the course of the series.
If you like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Wet Hot American Summer: First Day At Camp, try Lumberjanes
I’ll admit, I had a little trouble thinking of a TV show that perfectly matched up with Lumberjanes, but it does share certain characteristics with both of the ones I chose. Lumberjanes is a fun, family-friendly fantasy about a group of girls at summer camp who run into all sorts of supernatural danger. It mixes one part silliness, one part action, one part humor, and one part intrigue with a large helping of friendship and kindness. Lumberjanes celebrates female friendship, the value of pushing yourself to the limit, and the magic of summer camp.
If you like Drunk History, try Hark! A Vagrant
Drunk History is comprised of unconnected episodes dealing with different moments in history, and Hark! A Vagrant isn’t a continuous storyline like the other comic series, but I wanted to include them because they’re both fun ways of looking at history. Kate Beaton, the author and artist of Hark! A Vagrant, has a deep knowledge of history and literature, as well as a wonderfully odd sense of humor. Her comic strips point out absurdities and quirks in history and literature in a delightfully off-kilter way.
That’s all I’ve got for you for now, but rest assured there are many, many, more intriguing and worthwhile series out there! Also, you might like the comics I’ve suggested even if you don’t like the shows I paired them with, so give them a try.
Image credits: Wikimedia, photobucket, squarespace, jeded.com, boutiquesandgeeks