One of the biggest TV surprises of this year might be Bodies, which quickly topped the Netflix charts and prompted a lot of conversation when it debuted earlier this year. For some fans, this surprise was further confounded when they realized Bodies’ source material — a short-lived comic miniseries published under DC’s Vertigo imprint.
While a sophomore season of Bodies does not appear to be in the cards, the series’ runaway success is proof (alongside fellow Netflix series’ The Sandman and Dead Boy Detectives) that DC has a number of titles that can translate into standalone television. These projects might not connect to James Gunn and Peter Safran’s forthcoming DC Universe, but they have potential as Elseworlds series — and here are ten more that we’d like to see realized.
American Vampire
As a franchise published off-and-on since 2010, American Vampire quickly established itself as something distinct. The sprawling series chronicles the evolution of vampires across history, from the Old West to the silent film era and beyond.
Written by Scott Snyder (and very briefly, by Stephen King) with art by Rafael Albuquerque and Mateus Santolouco, the concept and context of American Vampire could easily thrive as a multi-season television series. And honestly, having the connection to King, whose work is continuing to be adapted on movies and television, probably wouldn’t hurt, either.
Books of Magic
Part fantasy epic, part coming-of-age tale, Books of Magic chronicles the adventures of Timothy Hunter, a young boy destined to become the DC Universe’s biggest magician. Written by Neil Gaiman with an array of artists, Books of Magic traverses the DC Universe, as well as tenets of historical myth, with cameos from characters like John Constantine and Phantom Stranger.
Maybe Books of Magic could be a less-prickly bit of counterprogramming to Warner Bros.’ planned Harry Potter television reboot. At very least, it could be another fascinating fantasy series — and it could possibly handle its DC connections in a nebulous manner, like how The Sandman tackled Joanna Constantine and Lyta and Hector Hall.
Clean Room
Clean Room, which Vertigo published from 2015 through 2017, feels tailor-made for a weird and gruesome television adaptation. The series, from Gail Simone and Jon Davis-Hunt, follows the cult surrounding self-help guru Astrid Mueller, and the deadly consequences that might be hidden within her work.
Between the recent influx of cult-related documentaries, and gnarly mysteries like Bodies and Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher, it’s easy to imagine Clean Room thriving on television.
