In a year where movies based on comics saw both critical (Peanuts) and financial (Age of Ultron) success, it was the small screen that dominated our lists this year. Agent Carter, Supergirl, and the atypical One Punch Man all earned heavy favor from the Multiversity staff, though none broke into the top three. So what were our favorite comics adaptations of 2015? Read on!
3. Jessica Jones
(Jess Camacho) The Flash gave us campy comic book action and Daredevil gave us dark vigilante justice and we were happy fans. But then Jessica Jones happened and we realized that comic book television shows could be something so much more. Jessica Jones has plenty of superhero action but it’s everything else that makes this show so special. It explores what being a victim is like in ways that no other television series ever has and while it’s tough to watch at times, it’s important and special because of the care it takes with heavy issues like rape, brain washing and domestic abuse. Everyone from Jessica to random people living in New York City are hurt by Kilgrave but this isn’t a story about getting hurt and staying hurt. It’s a story about recovery and how difficult that truly is.
Every performance is top notch, especially Krysten Ritter’s portrayal as Jessica Jones and David Tennant’s portrayal of Kilgrave. As a fan of Doctor Who, watching Tennant completely become this monster was mostly terrifying but also mesmerizing from a performance standpoint. Kilgrave was also the best villain Marvel has had because despite an attempt to make us feel bad for him, thus humanizing him, the twist with his parents made us loathe him even more. The supporting cast was highlighted by Rachel Taylor as Trish Walker and if anyone should get a shot at their own show at some point, it’s her. The show also succeeded in getting everyone more hyped for the upcoming Luke Cage series thanks to how he was used and the performance by Mike Colter. Jessica Jones is a dark show but it’s the most important show that Marvel has done so far.
2. Daredevil
(Alice W. Castle) Even though we’re putting it down as one of the best apadation of a comic, what really made Marvel’s Daredevil so special was that it didn’t chain its inspiration to single tale of ol’ hornhead’s adventures from the comics. Instead, it borrowed liberally not just from the gritty noir of Frank Miller, but also from more modern takes on the character from the likes of Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev, Ed Brubaker, Michael Lark, Mark Waid, Chris Samnee and even Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale to create a show that felt entirely true to the character while building its own mythology.
The first season of Daredevil is pretty much essential viewing regardless of whether you’ve read every “Daredevil” comic or if you’ve never heard of him before simply due to the way that the series creates an origin story for the character without burdening itself by only being about that origin, instead opting to create an engaging and dramatic story that just happens to contain the origins of both Daredevil and the Kingpin. I cannot wait for Season Two.
1. The Flash
(Brian Salvatore) What else can I say about The Flash that I haven’t said over and over again? The show is something incredibly special and, especially in light of what DC is doing on the film side of things, so unexpected.
The show is the perfect antidote to the glut of brooding and gritty versions of comics that we get on screen all the time. There’s nothing even remotely dark about the show; Barry’s mother was murdered by a time traveler who pretended to befriend him, his dad was jailed for most of his adult life, and people around him suffer all the time, but the show takes an optimist’s approach. Barry isn’t fueled by sadness, he’s fueled by the dispelling of it. The show isn’t dark; it is the embodiment of light. And hope. And potential. And friendship. And family. And superheroes.
Continued belowEditor’s Notes:
Mike Romeo – The Flash and Daredevil were no surprise to me, but I was really taken by how high Jessica Jones ranked on everyone’s list despite our voting happening the week the show dropped. I think it’s a sign of how successful the Marvel/Netflix partnership has turned out to be.
Brian Salvatore- As the resident reviewer of The Flash and Arrow, I found myself at times this year feeling like comics television was doing a better job at being comics than the comics themselves were. I’m not sure if that’s an indictment of comics or a praise of television, but I hope that people realize why these shows work, and continue to make shows that work in similar ways.
Now if only we can get the movies up to snuff.
