These days, independent comics are being optioned left and right for movies or TV shows. Some comics get the option treatment shortly after they are released and some will receive notification after being in the market for years. The risk of investing and speculating in comic publishers, not named DC or Marvel, can be kind of complicated.
For every hit TV show based off a comic such as The Boys, (which is a great show on Amazon Prime btw), there are many that either never gained the same popularity as the comic such as Deadly Class (RIP, I thought the show was great on Syfy), or some that experience delays in production for years and are stuck in tv show purgatory such as Y the Last Man.
I think the risk is worth the squeeze for independent publishers. Here are some exciting comics that could use the option boost.
Monstress:
Monstress is a fantasy comic written by the fabulous Marjorie Liu and drawn by Sana Takeda. Liu has gained much popularity for this comic where it received five Eisner awards, four Hugo awards, and the Harvey Awards book of the year in 2018. By the way, I met Liu and Takeda last year at New York Comic Con and it was worth the thirty-minute wait to chat with them and sign my Monstress books.
Monstress #1 is the key book to grab here, as it has multiple first appearances that pertain to the comic. Prices are starting to pick up a little with the rumors of the comic being optioned to a TV series on HBO Max. FMV for this 9.8 graded comic is at $150 and raw sales settling between $25-45, depending on the grade. Be sure to grab a copy to read for yourself and snag another one for the long haul.
Bitch Planet:
A story that places women in an off-planet prison where they are forced to fight each other in a Hunger Games-style atmosphere for the entertainment of men. This comic plot belongs to Bitch Planet. It is written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and drawn by Valentine De Landro. DeConnick is known for her works in writing for Marvel for Captain Marvel and for Image comics in Pretty Deadly.
She is known for instilling aspects of feminism in her comics and Bitch Planet falls right in line with that. In addition, Bitch Planet follows other successful tv shows that revolve around feminism such as Orange Is the New Black and The Handmaid's Tale, so the outlook of this being optioned could be coming soon.
Also, the rumors are starting to get warm since DeConnick signed a deal in 2018 with Legendary Entertainment in their TV division, Legendary Television, to adapt creator-owned comics produce original programming for broadcast television and streaming services. FMV for 9.8 graded comics for Bitch Planet #1 is $18, with raw sales available just over cover price.
There are always risks!
Bitch Planet and Monstress are a few examples of indie comics that are a great read, with the potential to be a good investment. It is important that if these titles do receive the option treatment, that it is not guaranteed to be successful in the movie or TV world. Make sure you enjoy reading the comic first and then decide to invest in it. At least with that thinking, you can enjoy reading the comic regardless if it fails epically on the big screen.
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