I recently bought the first volume of “The Wicked + The Divine” comic series, and I’m enjoying it immensely. One of my first thoughts while reading it is how it would make a great HBO or Netflix TV show. Well, I guess I’m not that much of a visionary, as Deadline reports Universal Television is interested in producing a TV show based on the series by Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, and Matt Wilson.
[amz asin=”1632150190″ size=”small”]The Eisner nominated series follows the exploits of a group of young people who are possessed with the spirits of deities who become reincarnated every 90 years. Becoming instant celebrities, these gods will only exist in this form for two years before dying.
This description, in my opinion, doesn’t do it justice. It’s a beautifully written and drawn book that has the potential to transcend and become a phenomenon much like “The Walking Dead.”
“The Wicked + The Divine” is being developed through Milkfed Criminal Masterminds, which is run by married comics creators Kelly Sue DeConnick and Matt Fraction. The couple recently signed a deal with Universal TV to develop their own properties, but they want to also help other creators. The comics pedigree involved with this deal is enough to get me excited.
The biggest question associated with this deal is where the show might end up. Given the appropriate budget and creative freedom, you have the potential for something special. Let’s just hope the good people at HBO or Netflix snatch this up. Neutering this series to make it suitable for network TV would be a travesty.
AMC is taking a chance on “Preacher“, which is another comic series based on religious ideas with adult situations. I’m betting if “Preacher” takes off and becomes a hit, we could see “The Wicked + The Divine” sooner than later. So, if you needed another reason to root for “Preacher”, you now have it.
It’s hard not to celebrate this news, but it’s still in the early stage of development. Expect more news in the coming months.
