Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: Comics, HRL

One to Watch in 2018: Netflix Comics

Published Sat, 06 Jan 2018 15:00:25 -0600

Last year, Netflix Comics announced they had bought Mark Millar's Millarworld Comics, a comic book imprint that has published through other publishers including Bleeding Cool's owner Avatar Press, Dark Horse Comics, Top Cow, Titan Comics, Marvel Comics, and (mostly) Image Comics.

Much has been made of Millar's work being adapted by Netflix and as announced film adaptations of Jupiter's Children, Supercrooks, Superior, Nemesis and the like faltered, even as Kingsman got a sequel, it was a good deal for Millar to get these on the screen and provide backing for his new works.

Because Netflix appears committed to publishing new comic books as well as creating TV shows and films for their streaming service.

This includes the upcoming series The Magic Order, a six-issue comic written by Mark Millar and drawn by Olivier Coipel.

But how will they approach this, knowing this Netflix owns the rights to these works? They are no longer creator-owned comics but work-for-hire, though the creators are very well compensated.

They could be published by Image Comics, as most Millarworld titles have been of late, even though they are no longer creator-owned. Publishing through Image gives them access to the deals enjoyed by Diamond's Premier Publishers, Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Image and IDW, denied to others.

But they could also be published as their own entity, through Diamond, or even directly to comic stores. Though Netflix are out of the habit of sending things out by post.

They could also be published digitally, through the Image App, through ComiXology, or directly to consumers.

Indeed, what's to stop Netflix Comics publishing Millarworld comics through… Netflix? Letting people read The Magic Order through their Netflix app?

There are all sorts of people reporting to me regarding Netflix making major moves in comics for 2018. Setting up shop, hiring creators, editors, producers. It is going far beyond Mark Millar's next comic books. I'm not getting hard names, but I understand that Marvel and DC have found it harder to recruit the talent they may have been relying on for this year, and are blaming whatever Netflix Comics will be. No wonder C.B. Cebulski is looking in Manila and Jakarta next week.