Anthology projects are not a new idea. From EC Comics to Marvel and DC, publishers have used the anthology comic to introduce new characters, experiment with new ways of storytelling, and try out new talent. For instance, many popular characters like Thor and Spider-Man first started out in an anthology before getting their own title.
As more media companies clamber to find new and exciting comic book properties to adapt for film and television, the anthology comic format seems to be overlooked. From horror stories to western tales, these anthologies are ideally suited for live-action or animation adaptations.
Strange Tales
The series responsible for introducing the world to Doctor Strange, Gamora, and S.H.I.E.L.D., Strange Tales premiered in 1951 and was a Marvel anthology series that originally focused on all things science fiction and horror.
Creating a television series under this title would allow for an endless supply of strange and interesting stories to adapt. Even if by choosing to move away from the original stories featured in the comic series, S.H.I.E.L.D. could act as a possible “host” to this anthology and could fill the void fans of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. need by continuing that group’s adventures.
Dark Horse Presents
This anthology series from Dark Horse Comics first premiered in 1986 and is one of their first and longest-running comics. Besides featuring original work like Boris the Bear and Black Cross, Dark Horse Presents also showcased licensed properties like the Predator. The series is a standout for many reasons, one of which being it provided a vehicle for the first appearance of popular titles like Paul Chadwick’s Concrete and Frank Miller’s Sin City.
Creating a Dark Horse Presents series would be a great way to introduce audiences to an array of lesser-known stories and Dark Horse Comics creators. The series could build on the success of already established multimedia properties like Mike Mignola’s Hellboy and Gerard Way’s The Umbrella Academy by featuring supporting characters from those comics like Abe Sapien or Luther Hargreeves.
Marvel Comics Presents
First appearing in 1988, Marvel Comics Presents was a popular anthology series that brought together a vast array of artists and writers. The series had many recurring characters from the Marvel Universe like Ghost Rider and the Silver Surfer. In addition, one of the most groundbreaking storylines of the series, Weapon X, dramatically redefined Marvel’s most popular hero of that era, Wolverine.
With the MCU presenting the animated What If…? series this August, it could show the potential of a Marvel Comics Presents animated series focusing on both popular characters and unknowns. To connect even more to the comic series, it could be an effective platform to show upcoming diverse animated styles with each episode.
Weird War Tales
First hitting the shelves in 1971, Weird War Tales was an anthology that presented war stories with bizarre characters and supernatural undertones. Throughout the series, almost every issue was hosted by none other than Death itself, who was depicted as a skeleton dressed in various military outfits.
This would make for an interesting series as it could not only present genre-bending war stories, but also show different wars and battles throughout history. In addition, a subject like war in fiction can be a great way to insert political commentary on all modern-day issues.
Marvel Spotlight
Created to test the viability of new characters, Marvel Spotlight first premiered in 1971 and featured a talented group of writers and artists like Gerry Conway and Roy Thomas. This series was known for introducing such Marvel favorites as Ghost Rider, Werewolf by Night, and Spider-Woman.
This could be a great way for fans of Marvel Cinematic Universe to see solo stories of their favorite supporting characters. Wong, Okoye, or even the Warriors Three would be great additions to an action anthology like Marvel Spotlight.
Weird Western Tales
The alternative to DC’s Weird War Tales was the gripping 1972 comic, Weird Western Tales. The series was similar to War Tales except it focused on strange stories in the Old West. Weird Western Tales was popular for featuring the DC western hero, Jonah Hex, and the long-forgotten El Diablo.
The series would make a great anthology for modern audiences because of the comparative lack of western programs on television. But instead of following traditional western tropes, Weird Western Tales will show modern viewers a subversive take on the genre that is similar to the Coen Brothers film, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, which some argue is the best western the directors ever made.
House of Mystery
This DC Comics horror anthology was first published in December of 1951, where it predominantly featured supernatural and horror tales. Though the series would introduce superhero aspects, it would later fall back to its roots in the 1970s with gruesome and bizarre tales of murder and mayhem.
What would make this a perfect anthology for an adaptation is the host of this series, Cain. First seen in issue #175, Cain spoke directly to the reader and played host to DC’s most macabre tales. His profile was raised significantly when Neil Gaiman used the character for his famous Vertigo series The Sandman. With Sanjeev Bhaskar playing the horror host in Netflix’s Sandman series, a spinoff could always be on the table.
Noir: A Collection of Crime Comics
Featuring writing from the likes of Jeff Lemire and Ed Brubaker, Noir was a 2009 Dark Horse Comics collection of crime stories. Keeping with the typical noir shadow aesthetics, the artwork of the comic is in black-and-white with no color used in the interior pages.
In a world where science fiction and horror anthologies rule, a diverse arrangement of crime stories like these would stand out perfectly. Especially if the series were to be closely stylized to Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez’s Sin City stylizedvision of noir.
Plop!
A spinoff of the many horror anthologies DC had produced, Plop! swings a bit closer to comedy than horror. Toeing that line between the two genres, this darkly humorous comic first premiered in 1973 and was hosted by the characters Cain, Abel, and Eve.
Complete with short one-off jokes, short stories, and strange commentary, Plop! would lend well to a format similar to a sketch show with extended stories. With its dark humor and dizzying non-sequiturs, the show could be a modern-day successor to Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
DC Pride
Released on June 8th of this year, DC Pride is an anthology series featuring nine stories featuring LGBTQIA+ characters in the DC Universe. Characters highlighted in this series are Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, Batwoman, and other popular heroes.
This would make for a great television anthology series in either animation or live-action because it would spotlight less celebrated heroes who belong in a traditionally underrepresented community. With DC Pride still in stores, there is a possibility that it could expand even further with an ongoing series. A possible adaptation would thus have a host of great stories to adapt across a variety of mediums.
