Much like video games, comics have a hidden depth that most people don’t see past the initial portrayal. Where from the outside games seem to be all Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto’s and zombies, comics seem to be about superhero with never-ending plots and…zombies. But being the contrarian I am, I must hate all things popular.
Comic inspired games have a chequered history, some “based”(the term is used loosely) on the source material and others based on movies based on comics. From the XIII game being related to the comic only with the most tenuous of links, to the spiritual adaptation of “A Serious House On Serious Earth” in “Batman Arkham Asylum”. Comics permeate sometimes without us even realizing it, and when they are obvious it is either terrible (looking at you Iron Man) or cancelled and forgotten. News like the Fables comic series becoming a game is a rarity, but astep in the right direction.
In the spirit of forward thinking here are six comics that I think should be made into video games. Now while these aren’t meant to be taken seriously due to issues such as money and fantastic things always being cancelled, it is always good to think “what if”. The majority of these ideas would be practically impossible, no company would take the risks. That doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun though, so here we go!
Written by Warren Ellis
By prolific comic writer Warren Ellis, Transmetropolitan had a 60 issue run between 1997 and 2002. Following journalist Spider Jerusalem as he works for “The Word”, Transmetropolitan can best be summarised with the short phrase “Hunter S. Thompson in the future”. If by this point you are already lost and confused I suggest to do a quick bit a research into who that is.
This isn’t the usual image of the future though. It is the future if all of our dirtiest habits, kinks and desires became fine and were taken to the furthest extreme possible. Sesame Street becomes The Sex Puppets, drugs are legal with substance abuse is easily solvable and humans have begun turning into area 51 style aliens for sexual kicks and to become future-hipsters.
You would think this could be used to show a dark mirror to society and how our needs our desires lead to self-destruction. It is all played for laughs though, and Spider is a focus of rage and humour as we, the reader, explore this undated future world of ultimate perversion.
How Can You Not Love This Man Already?
So why not turn it into an open-world game? Exploring The City would be a joy. Walking the streets as Spider uncovering stories of perverted politicians and unreported murders could make a Transmetropolitan game one of the most imaginative adaptions ever made. Using his unique Bowel Disrupter (a gun that makes you crap-yourself), spreading a wave of chaos and angry terror could equal the Saints Row series.
If written by Ellis himself, the story could be a side-note to the original run, taking place sometime in the years Spider returns to The City. It would also make it one of the funniest and thoughtful open-world game scripts. His talent to equate these abstract futuristic tales to current events and trends would be a great chance to once again delve into one of the best comic series out there.
Written By Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman has a hard earned reputation for being one of the world’s best living authors. This was earned through years pumping out book after book as well as one of the mediums most critically loved comics.
Sandman centres around Dream, one of the Endless, seven siblings that personify facets of life in the universe. Dream has ultimate power of all things to do with sleep. He creates our nightmares and the worlds we see as we slumber in his realm known as “The Dreaming”. In his domain he houses everything we imagine, including all the books we dream of writing in an endless library that continuously grows.
The Cast Features God’s, Mythical Creatures And Personifications Of Abstract Concepts
During the 75 issue run Gaiman set up this world of characters that show how dreams tick. Characters range from the bumbling Abel, brother to his murderous sibling Cain, or Lucien, confidant to Dream and Librarian. Instead of a game focusing on Dream himself however, why not try something, or someone, else. In more than one issue a “dreamer” enters the castle and meets the staff and the world, this could be the premise for a Sandman game.
Taking and approach similar to Dear Esther, the player would be a dreamer as they enter The Dreaming. Guided by the voice of Dream as they explore the ever changing world of the dream landscape, players could interact with the menagerie of characters to perhaps solve an issue with the dreaming. Cameo appearances would of course be rife, with fan favourite Death being centre-stage.
Given the nature of dreams it would be an amazingly surreal experience, with visuals ever shifting and a vibrant cast of characters. While it would have to be a rather short experience, much like Dear Esther or the Stanley Parable, it could be different with each playthrough. Perhaps an approach more similar to Proteus would better fit the world, allowing for multiple playthroughs to see it all.
Written By Brian Wood
With a more serious premise compared to the last two entries, DMZ follows Matty Roth as he lives in the demilitarised Zone of Manhattan island. Set during a civil war between the Free States Army and the remaining US government, Manhattan is where the war has ground to a halt, with the remaining civilians unable to escape. Trapped in a ruined city with nothing to do but wait out the war, the comic explores themes of Fox News style patriotism and media news manipulation.
Hard themes of survival and a unwinnable struggles cross over into the roguelike genre. This deeply challenging genre has yet to see a wider release outside of indie games on windows, with the very rare console port. What if a big publisher took a crack at creating a AAA with a fully explorable ruined New York. Scavenging for meals, safe places to sleep and avoiding roving gangs would be the core aims. Additional missions could be given out by key characters from the comic and give fans an extra window into Brian Wood’s world.
Another Journalism Related Comic. This One Features Less Drugs And Profanity. Yay!?!
Interacting with the various factions while avoiding specific areas would be similar to the STALKER series, with a more realistic twist. Go down the wrong road without the right protection, BOOM snipers. Go into the wrong building and get into a scuffle with another survivor.
While it wouldn’t follow the story of Matt Roth, it could take place in the time before he arrives in the DMZ. While New York has been done to death in games, it would be a twist on the oft-seen city at the centre of the world.
Written By Brian K. Vaughan
Y: The Last Man has a simple premise, what if every creature with a Y chromosone suddenly died at the same time. Following the only man left alive, Yorick Brown, and his pet monkey Ampersand the story follows them as they attempt to make their way to Australia to find his girlfriend Beth. Accompanied by agent 355, a mysterious government again, the trio head to find beloved.
Yorick is not what would be called a “strong” protagonist. He rarely wins in a fight and he doesn’t jump into the air firing guns. Yorick is an escape-artist, and a fairly good one at that. This would lend a possible game to being an adventure, possibly episodic. Like Kentucky Route Zero Y: The Last Man could follow them as they travel across the world. While the vast majority of the 60 issue run took place during this journey, there is a lot of room to fit in these extra scenarios, or even go through the comic’s narrative.
A Movie Is Currently In The Works, Making It A Slightly Larger Possibility
While adventure games don’t pull in the gamers like it used to, it would be more tempting if it were tackled by Telltale Games after their work on The Walking Dead and Fables. Who knows, at this rate they just might. It is not like there is any shortage of material.
Written By Mike Carey
How about a God game with a twist? Instead of controlling a world with religion and war, how about doing the opposite? That game could be Lucifer.
Originating as a spin-off to Sandman, Lucifer follows the titular character after he quits his charge in hell. Running a bar in LA, Lucifer decides to create his own reality outside of God’s existence. This of course rubs God the wrong way and so he sends the host of heaven to close the gates to this other reality.
During the series it follows Lucifer setting up this other universe the way he sees fit. No one will worship a God or other being, not even himself. It will be a bastion of free will and no one will bow down to any mystical being or higher power. Even immortal beings are required to check their eternal youth at the door to keep Lucifers image intact.
Magic How The Gloves And Trousers Stay On
Now put yourself in his shoes. You have a new universe that you want to keep pure of influence. As the creator you want to make sure your canvas isn’t corrupted. As various factions creep into the many entrances of thee world, you must prevent them influencing the various creatures and groups in planets, galaxies or otherwise. Odin decides he wants to play rough, so stamp him out by raising an army. An army of angels converts a city, crush it with some fire and brimstone.
Looking after a new universe is a little grand in scale, but you are the most powerful being with the exception of God after all. Twisting the usual God game formula, playing a fallen angel may make crushing the believers a distraction.
Written By Warren Ellis
This one is by far the most impossible, but most interesting of the ideas. Just go with it. Global Frequency had a short 12 issue run from 2002 – 2004. It even had a pilot for a TV series made. Each issue focuses on a different member of the 1,001 strong organisation, with each member having their own special talent. Some are free-runners, some are boxers and others are just smooth talkers. All linked by one individual named Miranda Zero, each issue had a small self-contained story about one, or a couple members.
This by itself perfectly suits an episodic release, each episode having a new character in a new situation perhaps eventually uncovering a vast conspiracy. Now here is the kicker, what if each episode was a different genre? One episode has an athlete running over roof-tops Mirror’s Edge style, the next has you commanding a unit of troops as a retired general. It can go in any direction, only held back by imagination and talent.
The main issue with this this not being a possibility would be that no studio could tackle this many genres in an episodic timeframe without additional help. When that happens quality assurance becomes an issue as multiple studios get involved in a single project. Shipped out to the right studios it could be a cavalcade of fantastic short games from particular teams doing what they do best. But by this point it hits truly impossible. The cost and trouble just wouldn’t be worth it. Costs would soar, arguments would arise and it just wouldn’t be worth it.
CSI: Unorthodox Autopsy Unit
A man can dream though…A man can dream.
So there we go. Six ideas we will most likely never see. But if we always got what we wanted what would we dream about? At the very least this let you know about some extremely good comics that are out there and don’t go beyond 100+ issues.
What do you think? Were you disappointed a certain comic didn’t make it on? Disagree with some of the picks? Let us know what you think in the comments.