Although Marvel and DC have dominated the industry when comic book adaptations are concerned, other publishing studios have also produced top-quality content, bringing their fan-favorite graphic novels to life.
While some well-known series, such as The Boys, aren't technically covered by the DCEU's umbrella, their studio, WildStorm Productions, cannot make the same claim. Similarly, The Last of Us live-action series (and its handy comic book component) is based on a video game, and the Buffy the Vampire Slayer graphic novels were published by Dark Horse Comics as a continuation of the show. But have no fear; several other series will satisfy viewers' comic book cravings with a wide range of content to choose from.
9 Riverdale (Archie Comics)
Graphic Novelist: John L. Goldwater and Vic Bloom (the Archie Comics series pub. 1941)
Riverdale revitalizes the iconic roles of Archie, Betty, Jughead, Veronica, and the rest of their crew as they navigate through the treacherous waters of puberty and school politics, with some LGBTQ+-friendly twists added to the tale for good measure. The Riverdale drama is certainly more intense than in the comics, particularly following Jason Blossom's untimely demise, whereas each episode draws inspiration from a different feature film.
Things get significantly dark and twisty when it turns out that there is a serial killer on the loose, and anyone in the friend group could be next on the chopping block. After successfully honoring the Archie fanbase, Riverdale is set to return with Season 7 on March 29, 2023, to finish off the celebrated story with a bang.
8 The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Archie Comics)
Graphic Novelist: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (pub. 1971)
Not to be confused with the iconic Sabrina the Teenage Witch show (also based on an Archie comic series), The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina takes a much darker journey through the world of magic, whereby the fan-favorite blondie is a direct descendant of Satan himself.
The teen angst is turned up a notch when Miss Spellman transfers from her human school to one that is more appreciative of the mystical arts, accompanied by its own set of, ahem, assets (like the dashing Nicholas Scratch) and threats in the form of magical mean girls. Those who enjoyed the original series but yearn for something more sinister, scary, and sexy are in for a treat as the Church of the Night is here to captivate the senses with four seasons of spine-chilling content!
7 The Walking Dead (Image Comics)
Graphic Novelist: Robert Kirkman (pub. 2003)
Rick Grimes lies at the forefront of the zombie craze that took over the entertainment industry in the early 2000s, after awakening from a coma to discover that the world is overrun by hungry, reanimated corpses. He soon discovers that surviving the brain-eating monsters isn't the only issue at hand, as deceptive politics and dastardly human nature prove to be just as fatal.
This post-apocalyptic tale has been terrifying viewers for over a decade, providing eleven seasons and two-spin off series, Fear the Walking Dead (with Season 8's debut on May 14, 2023) and Tales of the Walking Dead. The AMC franchise is also set to expand with The Walking Dead: Dead City, a six-episode adventure following Maggie and Negan (as of June 2023.)
6 The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse Comics)
Graphic Novelist: Gerard Way (pub. 2007)
It's safe to say The Umbrella Academy barely needs an introduction after knocking Stranger Things off its pedestal as the most-watched English-language series on Netflix in 2022, and even giving the diabolical Boys a run for their money! Sir Reginald Hargreeves' makeshift family of heroes has been falling apart at the seams. However, his sudden death conveniently reconnects his adoptive children as they embark on a time-traveling quest to solve the mysteries surrounding his demise.
Each Hargreeves is empowered by a distinctive ability and accompanied by the demons of their dark past, which refuse to remain buried while they try to save the world, repeatedly. Fans were devastated to learn that these superpowered "siblings" will be finalizing their story with Season 4, which is expected to air sometime in 2024.
5 Locke & Key (IDW Publishing)
Graphic Novelist: Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (pub. 2008)
After Rendell's brutal murder, his grieving family packed up their lives to explore the Locke legacy by taking up residence in their ancestor's mysterious mansion. Little Bode has some time to kill before school starts; however, his open-minded curiosity lands him and his family in trouble when he unknowingly befriends a villainous Echo, who "teaches" him the ways of the Locke's magical Keys.
Bode and his two older siblings, Kinsey and Tyler, find themselves journeying through alternate dimensions as each Key opens their minds to unimaginable possibilities; however, everything comes at a price. Locke & Key wrapped up with their third and final season in 2022, the perfect portion for a weekend of binge-watching!
4 Happy! (Image Comics)
Graphic Novelist: Grant Morrison (pub. 2013)
This dark-comedy drama explores the life of Nick Sax, a cop gone rogue who now resorts to the life of a hitman while frequently losing touch with reality as he begins fraternizing with an imaginary flying unicorn. Not much phases the psychopathic drug addict at this point; however, things take a turn for the worst when the young, innocent Hailey gets kidnapped by Very Bad Santa, and Sax is called to the rescue.
Despite what the name and cure blue mascot suggest, Happy! is not for the faint of heart or easily offended, as it plunges head-first into the morbid side of the comedic pool. Considering there are only four comic issues to adapt, the fact that there are two seasons of worthwhile content (with 40+ minute episodes) to watch is quite a feat in its own right!
3 Deadly Class (Image Comics)
Graphic Novelist: Rick Remender (pub. 2014)
Arguably the most underrated series in Netflix's 2018 lineup, Deadly Class is a must-see for all comic book and anime fans with a keen interest in the life of assassins. The elite academy, Kings Dominion, has a wide variety of natural-born killers in its ranks, who "welcome" the destitute Marcus Lopez into their folds and share the harsh lessons of life, death, and everything in between, with their new classmates.
Each clique has its own distinctive characteristics, but somehow Marcus manages to find commonalities all over, forming unlikely alliances (and unsurprising enemies) along the way. Sadly, fans shouldn't get too invested in Marcus and Maria's journey, as Syfy has pulled another Firefly stunt, and will not be pursuing the project any further.
2 Wynonna Earp (IDW Publishing)
Graphic Novelist: Beau Smith (pub. 2016)
Get ready for some hardcore monster slaying and demon hunting, as Wyatt Earp's great and gorgeous granddaughter is here to take up the challenge of protecting the innocent from sinister, otherworldly forces. Poor young Wynonna was virtually orphaned, left to figure out her gifts alone, which unfortunately lands her institutionalized in St. Victoria's psychiatric facility from the age of twelve, not to mention several run-ins with the law.
All "grown up" now, Wynonna reconnects with the Earp family, along with her inherent powers and the long-awaited acknowledgment that the demonic realm is far from a delusion. This comedic, girl-powered supernatural action series with a Western twist has enough variety to keep everyone entertained, and although Syfy planned to continue with more cursed content after renewing the show for a fifth season, they reevaluated their decision and canceled the show in 2021.
1 Resident Alien (Dark Horse Comics)
Graphic Novelist: Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse (pub. 2011)
This quirky science fiction satire explores how an alien might act if they attempted to integrate into the human world and learn all the intricacies of societal expectations. As Patience's official live-in alien, no wait, Doctor, Harry Vanderspeigle's complete lack of experience with social norms is terribly awkward and highly entertaining, while the children give him a particularly hard time with keeping up his rouse.
Little does everyone know, the likable Harry is actually bent on Earth's destruction; well, at least he was. Now that he has gotten to know the strange inhabitants of this bizarre land, participating in their extinction surprisingly becomes a moral dilemma for this otherwise coldhearted conquerer. Season 3 of Resident Alien has been promised for 2023; however, the official release date is yet to be confirmed.