Posted in: Comics | Tagged: managing your shop

What Comics To Order Alongside What Movies In 2020?

Published Mon, 10 Feb 2020 11:00:34 -0600

Last updated Mon, 10 Feb 2020 12:52:39 -0600

Brian Garside is the founder of Manage Comics, subscription pull list software for comic shops, and he's dedicated his life to helping comic stores grow, survive and thrive. This post is part of his series "Managing Your Shop".

In my previous life as a slinger of four color stories, I thought of myself as a bit of a "Comics Sommelier", I would ask people to tell me their three favourite movies, and figure out what comics would best hit their pop culture taste buds.

A sommeliers job is to pair the perfect wine with various foods. A good sommelier will enhance and improve the food with the absolute perfect choice. Much like a sommelier for wine, from time to time we enjoy pairing a good movie with a great comic to enhance the experience of the movie, provide some color and backstory, and just generally give a deeper dive.

This is not intended to be a "perfect guide", it's a jump off point, and some of these choices are tonally similar but none are adaptations. Sometimes I go for the classic "definitive source material", other times it's a more "inspired by" take.

This year continues to offer new movie adventures to share with our non-comics loving friends. This list of 2020 comic movies and our recommended comics to pair with is a great jumping on point for your friends who are interested in the comics around the movies that are in multiplexes.

Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (Release Date: February 7)

Out now, this mature take on Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey follows the Birds of Prey as Harley, Huntress, Black Canary, and Renee Montoya's paths inevitably collide, leaving no choice but to take Roman Sionis down.

Harley Quinn Rebirth Deluxe Edition Book 1

Collecting Harley Quinn 1-13 by Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner, there is a ton of this comics flavor infused into BoP, and fun tidbits like Harley's stuffed beaver Bernie and her roller derby side-gig feature prominently in the movie.

The King's Man (Release Date: February 14)

The King's Men fight to end World War I while a team of threatening tyrants take the lives of millions in the process.

Kingsman The Red Diamond

This follow up to the original comic series The Kingsman continues the story of Eggsy. While still following in his mentor's footsteps, Eggsy embarks on an international mission to save Prince Phillip while dismantling a deadly terror plot.

Bloodshot (Release Date: March 13)

Vin Vin Diesel stars as Ray Garrison a solider who returns from the dead enhanced with nanotechnology, only to discover his former life held more secrets than he knew.

Bloodshot Volume 1 Setting the World on Fire

The reboot from 2013 featured a story by Duane Swierczynski and Manuel Garcia. The man known as Bloodshot MIGHT be Ray Garrison, a reservoir of top government information that can destroy the world, and he has just been captured.

The New Mutants (Release Date: April 3)

Originally scheduled for 2018, we'll finally see this horror inspired take on Marvel's youngest mutant team. Five fresh mutants come to terms with their emerging power at a haunting secret facility.

New Mutants – The Demon Bear

From the duo of Chris Claremont and Bill Seinkiewicz, discover the deathly hardships of being a teenager and controlling your mutant powers within the X-Men universe. The Demon Bear was horror in the Mutant Universe before we knew that was what we wanted.

Black Widow (Release Date: May 1)

After the U.S.S.R disbands, learn how the Black Widow (aka Natasha Romanova) became a free agent after escaping the government's attacks to kill her. Introducing Widow's sister Yelena Belova.

Black Widow – The Itsy Bitsy Spider

The Black Widow is assigned a mission by both the Pentagon and Russian Intelligence, however, Yelena Belova is following her to eventually take her place.

Wonder Woman 1984 (Release Date: June 4)

Diana Prince, the powerful force in the Justice League, faces off with the Cheetah, under the bright neon lights of the eighties.

Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals

George Perez's mind-bending run on Wonder Woman also included the definitive origin of Dr. Barbara Ann Minerva, AKA – The Cheetah!

Morbius (Release Date: July 31)

Biochemist Michael Morbius is on the hunt to cure his rare blood disease, during the process he accidentally infects himself with a form of vampirism.

Morbius – The Man Called Morbius

Joseph Keatinge and Dan Slott bring a new look at Morbius, the Living Vampire. Morbius just wants a second chance at life, but after making new enemies he must protect his friends and a horrible secret.

Venom 2 (Release Date: October 2)

A plot has not been confirmed, but rumors and IMDB listings suggest some sort of symbiote war, an appearance by Cletus Kassiday, and maybe even a cameo by a certain wall crawling webhead?

Carnage Classic

It all started here when Venom's symbiotic span transforms serial killer Cletus Kasady into Spider-Man's sickest foe – Carnage!

The Eternals (Release Date: November 6)

A race of immortal beings help to shape the Earth and history as we know it. Also…how about those abs on Kamil Nanjiani?

Eternals

Written by Neil Gaiman with art by John Romita Jr. The Eternals are slowly awakened to learn that their true identities are more complex and majestic than they have thought to be.