Welcome back to We Want Comics, a column exploring intellectual properties, whether they’re movies, TV shows, novels or video games, that we want adapted into comic books. This month, we dive into one of the most popular – and divisive – shows of the early 21st century, LOST.
For those that were watching it when it came out, LOST was a mystery that kept deepening, revealing new layers, twists, and characters, leading to one of the most jam-packed viewing experiences in recent memory. This also coincided with the explosion of podcasts, and so not only were forums and websites built around LOST, but so were podcasts, some of which still exist in a mutated form. But the show’s producers also launched a podcast, and so there was a seemingly direct pathway between the show’s creators and the viewers, which caused fandom to grow even more feverish. It was a glorious time to be a LOST fan.
Since the show ended, aside from a 10 minute epilogue (more on that later), there hasn’t been anything LOST related to devour. No novels, no video games, no spin-off series, nothing. In a way, that’s probably good; there was enough LOST ephemera to last a lifetime during its original run. But that doesn’t mean that we wouldn’t want to keep reading about the Island and its inhabitants.
If somehow LOST comics were to be birthed into existence, despite the Island’s electromagnetism, here are the stories that I’d like to see them tell.
“You All Everybody: The Story of Drive Shaft” – Written by Kieron Gillen, Illustrated by Mike Allred
One of England’s hottest bands, and most tragic stories, gets the illustrated comics treatment. 4 issues.
There’s a long history of bad rock comics; look no further than the dollar bins at your local shop for graphic adaptations of Aerosmith and the Grateful Dead’s careers for proof of that. But two creators over the past couple of decades have really stood out for how they were able to make comics about music: Kieron Gillen and Mike Allred.
Gillen’s “Phonogram” is the clearest example of how to do a musical comic correctly that I can think of, and Allred’ “Red Rocket 7” took what was always a theme in his work and blew it out into a full on meditation on music, God, and the cosmos. If anyone could find a way to make the story of Drive Shaft, including bassist Charlie Pace’s tragic death in Oceanic Flight 815, interesting, it is these two.
“Tales of the Others” – Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Illustrated by Francesco Francavilla
Young Walt was kidnapped by the Others, and the experience left him damaged. Over his years at the Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute, Walt had many nightmares about his time away from his father. These are the nightmares that haunted Walt for all those years. 8 issues.
The team behind “Afterlife With Archie” returns with a twisted, kaleidoscopic look at events both from LOST itself, as well as events suggested by it. The big Others moments are here: “Light ’em up!,” “We’re gonna have to take the boy,” polar bears, and Room 23. But these are not just Walt’s memories, they are his nightmares, so that is just the surface of what will be explored in this miniseries.
“Chopper 15: A Frank Lapidus Adventure” – Written by Larry Hama, Illustrated by Tom Scioli
Frank Lapidus is a piloting, terrorist punching, one man wrecking crew. 15 issues.
Larry Hama is the single greatest “G.I. Joe” writer of all time. Tom Scioli creates 80s inspired, Kirby-esque wonderment with big colors and a healthy dose of self-awareness. Together, these two creators will show the favorite gruff airman’s adventuring days fighting the scum of the Earth with little more than a machete and a pilot’s license. He may be working for the government, but he won’t say.
“See You in Another Life, Brother” – Written by Jonathan Hickman, Illustrated by Michael Walsh, Becky Cloonan, Box Brown, Nick Pitarra, Fiona Staples, James Harren, Tyler Boss, Annie Wu, Brandon McCarthy, Tradd Moore, Ryan Browne, Tomm Coker, Ray Fawkes, Jeff Lemire, Stjepan Sejic, Daniel Warren Johnson
Continued belowDesmond Hume is unstuck in time. 16 issues.
Dumb LOST fans in 2006: My favorite character is Jack!
Me, an intellectual: Desmond is where it’s at.
Everyone knows “The Constant” is among the best episodes of television ever produced. The emotional resonance, mixed with time travel weirdness, led to an unforgettable hour of television. This series dives deeper into Desmond’s adventures in the time stream, throwing bits and pieces of all 16 stories – illustrated by 16 of the best artists in the business – across the whole series. One issue might be all one story, whereas another might have 7 or 8 bits in it. It’ll be the sort of mindfuck that needs an organizational mind like Hickman to pull off.
You want this book pretty badly right now, don’t ya?
“Dharma Fish” – Written by Magdalene Visaggio, Illustrated by Jim Rugg, Marley Zarcone, and Sonny Liew
A look at the Dharma Initiative in three specific years: 1970, 1977, and 1992, featuring Dr. Pierre Chang backups by Jason Latour. 23 issues.
The DeGroot’s founding; the “incident,” and the “purge.” The three biggest events of the Dharma Initiative are given the graphic treatment. Rugg handles the first year of the Dharma Initiative, Zarcone deals with the nuclear explosion at the heart of the “incident,” and Liew details the Hostiles takeover of the Island. Visaggio has become one of the best dialogue writers in all of comics, and will have her work cut out for her with the various oddball characters throughout the series. Dr. Pierre Chang, the pseudonym-changing scientist, gives a tour of the various Dharma stations, as well as some profiles of key Dharma members by Latour.
“Dude” – Written by Damon Linedelof, Illustrated by Jon Davis Hunt
Hurley, Ben, and Walt begin their journey after the events of the series finale. 42 issues, with a Rose and Bernard backup, written and illustrated by Joelle Jones.
After the events of “The New Man in Charge,” the internet-only epilogue, the next phase of the Island’s history is detailed. With the island free of the Oceanic 815 survivors – well, most of them – Hurley can shape the Island into what it was always meant to be. Or, at least whatever Ben, Hurley, and Walt believe it to be.
Everyone’s favorite couple, Rose and Bernard, will be the subject of the backup matter, as they build their permanent life on the Island. Vincent the dog, of course, still accompanies them.
So, what did I miss? Anything else you’d like to see? Let me know in the comments!
