Let's get some Comic Book based shows on cable television!

Let's get some Comic Book based shows on cable television!

Why hasn't HBO picked up any comic book based shows? How about other cable television channels? Hopefully we can make a strong case as to why they should!

Editorial Opinion
By shabat - Jun 14, 2014 12:06 PM EST
Filed Under: Other
Source: LA Times

Time Warner Inc. recently held their annual shareholder meeting in which the biggest news was really concerning the future of their CEO.  None of us care about that part.  Well, maybe some do, I don't know.  What we all took interest in was what Warner Brothers' Kevin Tsujihara had to say about possible female driven superhero movies among other franchises.

Hidden in the LA Times article was something that I had been unaware of before.  Along with Warner Brothers, Time Warner Inc. owns HBO!  Most of you probably already knew this, but I was completely oblivious.  So my question is, why have they not put a comic book property on HBO by now?

I want to take a minute to list some of HBO's fantastic shows:




and my personal favorite (so far):


Other GOAT shows that have been on HBO include 'The Wire', 'Rome' and of course 'Sopranos'.  I'm sure there are others, but these are ones that I have seen.  I point out these shows because HBO has a proven track record of providing quality television.  

HBO's lineup runs the full gamut of genres and comic book based shows shouldn't be excluded.  What if this were on HBO:



I like Arrow and all, but we do have to realize its cheese factor by being on the CW.  I have a feeling show creators would pick better actors (Colton Haynes and Caity Lotz), more epic feeling story lines and overall dialogue.  LIke I said, I like Arrow, a lot, but it does miss in some areas that I think HBO would clean up.

Other characters that would flourish on cable television:



For that matter, the entire Justice League Dark would work.  And of course:


I know that Constantine has a TV show coming up, but damn, if put on HBO, it'd be killer.  Penny Dreadful on Showtime comes to mind here.  Also, yes Wonder Woman is getting her own movie, but if HBO can manage to give True Blood all those seasons, imagine what they could do with Wonder Woman in, say, just 4 or 5 seasons.  The very thought of all this seriously makes me wonder why they haven't tried it.  The Walking Dead is all the proof they need to know it works!

Some may say it could be a ratings issue.  True Detective's season finale drew 3.5 million viewers.  I believe this is more than Arrow has on CW.  Hell, Game of Thrones is up to 7 million!  Is it necessary for me to bring up Walkind Dead's ratings?

I'm only bringing up HBO because Time Warner Inc. owns it same as they do Warner Brothers.  We all know AMC puts out good stuff: Walking Dead, Mad Men and...



(Sorry for the use of this logo, but I effing love this show and it deserves it!)  In addition to AMC, Showtime has been known to create quality programming as well.  Cinemax is coming around with Banshee and Starz had Spartacus.  The talent is definitely there for comic book based properties to be given a proper treatment and pick up a vast audience.

I believe it goes without saying that Marvel should tap into this as well.  I know everyone is excited about their upcoming movieverse slate, but imagine Dr. Strange on one of these channels.  I actually think it would serve him better than to give him a movie.  Marvel is currently getting into Netflix, and though I haven't seen any of their originial programming, everything I'm hearing is good, so I think it's safe to say Marvel's properties will flourish as well.  

Like I said, many of you probably already knew this.  If this was something that has been common knowledge, I apologize for living under a rock.  My point of all this is that comic book based shows would be taken way more seriously by airing on cable television as opposed to network.  Here's to hoping it happens soon.

 
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diogosanto
diogosanto - 6/14/2014, 12:53 PM
HBO could do an adaptation of the Watchmen. Just imagine it.
CherryBomb
CherryBomb - 6/14/2014, 1:42 PM
X-Factor Investigations need to happen!
Detective shows are very popular, combine that with MUTANTS.



BUT for HBO, I'd love to see Teen Titans (just titled The Titans or something).
CherryBomb
CherryBomb - 6/14/2014, 1:44 PM
@RebelVulcan

That would be amazing! But WB owns HBO so Marvel wouldn't have their material on it unfortunately.
EhMaybeSays
EhMaybeSays - 6/14/2014, 1:55 PM
Preacher is for HBO.
drunkenjunk
drunkenjunk - 6/14/2014, 2:02 PM
@sniktbub

Yes that would be so awesome. I really wish Young Justice could of gotten another couple seasons. I think its up there with Batman TAS as far as best animated series.

@cherrybomb
An X-Factor series would be badass, let the guy from True Detective make it.
shabat
shabat - 6/14/2014, 2:15 PM
@CherryBomb

I was thinking X-Men would make a great cable television show, but you are right, X-Factor would be awesome! I like that even better.
Odin
Odin - 6/14/2014, 2:41 PM
I was thinking that since Havok, Toad, Ink and some other mutants were at Vietnam in DOFP; how about show about mutant-platoon fighting at the Vietnam war.
TheOverlord
TheOverlord - 6/14/2014, 3:04 PM
TheOverlord
TheOverlord - 6/14/2014, 3:07 PM
DeusExSponge
DeusExSponge - 6/14/2014, 4:02 PM
Cherry - I thought it was Time Warner that owned HBO not WB, but either way it's still a company that has been competing with Disney.
DEVLIN712
DEVLIN712 - 6/14/2014, 4:14 PM
HBO's best TV show:
DEVLIN712
DEVLIN712 - 6/14/2014, 4:17 PM
@diogosanto
That'd be one of the most beautiful things to come out of the CBM genre
shabat
shabat - 6/14/2014, 6:32 PM
@Harrowing

That would be incredible man!
ager
ager - 6/14/2014, 8:58 PM
Good article here, its got people talking.Marvel's heading in the right direction with their urban heroes on Netflix. Hellblazer was a smart move, too, by DC. Im with this group, X-Investigations and Runaways is great.

Fables, Preacher and those comics are ripe for TV

For the record, if it were up to me, Wonder Woman would be a part of N52's JLA Dark with Shazam, Fate, the Hawk couple, Zatanna, Swamp Thing, Raven and Etrigan would be their Oracle.
BlackIceJoe
BlackIceJoe - 6/14/2014, 10:19 PM
I've said it before and I'll say it again it's shocking the Caped Crusader isn't on HBO. A Batman to show could get into so much more then can be shown on the big screen with a PG-13 rating. We would finally see a Batman that knows martial arts and can be the sociopath that he is. It could show villains like Professor Pyg, Hush, Black Mask etc.

HBO also I thought was the perfect place to show Sandman. But it sounds like we will be getting a movie instead. I also thought
Y: The Last Man would worked on that channel too. Even Fable would be great on HBO. People wouldn't call Fables A Once Upon a Time inspired show then.

I think Guillermo del Toro getting to work on a Hellboy tv show could also work. I know it isn't dark like the other comics I have listed but I think an Atomic Robo show could be cool. Spawn would really work on a premium cable channel.

I hope that in the future more comics will be adapted for tv. Because there is so many great ones that I would watch if that happens.
kong
kong - 6/15/2014, 3:38 AM
@diogosanto

THAT'D BE AWESOME!!!!!!! Even a before watchmen series would get me excited.
CherryBomb
CherryBomb - 6/15/2014, 6:10 AM
@Deus

Time Warner owns HBO and Warner Bros. If I'm not mistaken, haha double check through!
MightyZeus
MightyZeus - 6/15/2014, 7:06 AM
I not exactly hyped about HBO. I understand they have great set design and amazing costumes but screen play wise when it comes to some of these shows they mostly fall flat. I did enjoy the first season of GOT but it didn't get me excited. Maybe if HBO cut down on the sex and nudity i could see some shows on HBO working.

I would like for Justice League Dark, Fables, The Darkness, X-force, Moon Knight and Nightwing to get the tv treatment.
cimmerian
cimmerian - 6/15/2014, 9:01 PM
MisterHolmes
MisterHolmes - 6/15/2014, 10:58 PM
Batman would be the best fit, maybe Daredevil, Constantine, but hell why not something we havnt seen before.
shabat
shabat - 6/16/2014, 6:39 AM
Thanks @Harrowing!
SteveBosell
SteveBosell - 6/17/2014, 5:42 AM
The only shows HBO offers are MA (R-rated) rated. They always put excessive amounts of nudity in their shows. There are only a handful of comics that would work.
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