Comic book runs often prove very influential on the portrayal of superheroes and their universes in other forms of media, but that influence is not always immediately recognized in such adaptations. With the rise of superhero movies and TV shows in the 21st century, it has become commonplace for their comic book origins to provide a story basis that is much more direct than simply pulling characters and elements generally from the comic book page. It has become increasingly commonplace for specific comic book stories or runs of particular artists and writers to serve as the primary basis for an adapted work, a trend seen throughout many DC and Marvel movies and TV shows in the modern age of superhero popularity.
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However, there have also been instances where specific comic book runs have been tremendously influential without receiving much, if any, mainstream recognition for their role in directly inspiring adapted works. Nonetheless, a look beneath the surface frequently shows how much a popular comic book movie or series draws from both well-known and not-so-well-known comic book runs. Here are four comic book runs that were hugely influential without getting much recognition for it.
4) The New 52’s Justice League Origin
The post-Flashpoint DC Comics continuity reboot the New 52 has both fans and detractors, but wherever one falls on it, there were plenty of great stories to be found, with arguably the best being the Justice League’s introductory origin story that kicked off the New 52. With Darkseid preparing an invasion of Earth, each of the League’s individual members bump into each other (and in many cases have some memorable superhero brawls), with each issue of their origin building the League’s roster until they’re fully united, on the same page, and prepared to take down Darkseid. In the time since the New 52 began, its version of the Justice League’s origin story in it has been adapted in whole or in part multiple times.
The 2014 animated movie Justice League: War directly adapts the Justice League’s New 52 origin story to great effect, with the movie swapping Aquaman for Shazam in its version of the League’s origin. Zack Snyder’s Justice League is also greatly inspired by the League’s New 52 origin, particularly in the role of Ray Fisher’s Cyborg as a founding member of the League, the New 52 being the first comic book story to make Cyborg member of the Justice League. Additionally, Superman’s New 52 suit dropped the Last Son of Krypton’s red trucks, which proved highly influential on future live-action Superman suits, Henry Cavill and Tyler Hoechlin’s suits both similarly ditching the red trucks. The suit worn by David Corenswet’s Man of Steel in James Gunn’s Superman also incorporates elements of Kal-El’s New 52 suit, merging them with Superman’s iconic Kingdom Come “S”-shield, showing the influence of the New 52 in both storytelling and costume design continues to be strong.
3) Peter David’s Aquaman Run
For decades, the name “Aquaman” was the butt of more fish jokes than can possibly be counted, a trend that carried over into many live-action and animated adaptations featuring Arthur Curry like Superfriends and Smallville. However, the King of Atlantis was given a major re-design in Peter David’s acclaimed ’90s comics run on Aquaman. Among the changes were Arthur having a much more grizzled, battle-hardened personality, with much longer hair and a full-beard. Additionally, Aquaman also lost his right hand under Peter David’s run, trading it out for a launching harpoon. As for the influence of Peter David’s Aquaman outside of the comics, two words – Jason Momoa.
With his roles in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Zack Snyder’s Justice League and the Aquaman movies, Momoa’s Aquaman clearly follows the model of David’s Aquaman run with his beard, long hair, and gruff personality reflecting the chip on his shoulder Arthur has long had. To be sure, David’s run is certainly not the only influence on Momoa’s Aquaman, with the New 52 and particularly the Throne of Atlantis story arc also being major influences on the Aquaman films. Nonetheless, the absence of Arthur’s harpoon hand aside, Jason Momoa’s Aquaman truly brought Peter David’s take on Arthur Curry to life on the big-screen.
2) Iron Fist #1 – 2 (1996)
As K’un Lun’s protector and exalted master of kung fu, Danny Rand a.k.a. Iron Fist has long found his most determined rival in Davos, a.k.a. Steel Serpent. The son of Danny’s sifu, Lei Kung the Thunderer, Davos believed he was the true worthy candidate to face the dragon Shou Lao the Undying to earn the mantle and power of the Immortal Iron Fist. In the two part Iron Fist story released in 1996, Davos finally gets his wish when he manages to steal the Iron Fist from Danny, gaining all the chi-based power of K’un Lun’s Immortal Weapon and forcing Danny to fight harder than ever before to defeat Davos and get the Iron Fist back. This story also provides a clear basis for season two of Marvel’s Iron Fist Netflix series.
The season shows a flashback to the punishing showdown in K’un Lun between Danny Rand (Finn Jones) and Davos (Sacha Dhawan), with the former emerging victorious and becoming the next Iron Fist. Feeling cheated by Lei Kung’s decision to call the fight for Danny and angered after Danny returns home to New York City, Davos kidnaps Danny and performs a ritual transfer the Iron Fist from Danny to himself. With Davos becoming a far more brutal Iron Fist than Danny and leading a group of kung fu students as his personal army, Danny eventually manages to transfer the Iron Fist from Davos into his own chosen successor Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick), though Danny later regains the power of the Iron Fist alongside Colleen in the season’s final scene. While not a direct adaptation of the two-part Danny vs. Davos showdown, Iron Fist season two provides plenty of outstanding martial arts action while using the story of Davos stealing the Iron Fist from Danny Rand as its basis.
1) DC Earth One
Long before the comic book phenomenon of DC’s Absolute Universe, DC Earth One was delivering the exact same kind of goods with greatly re-imagined versions of DC heroes like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the Teen Titans. DC Earth One’s frustratingly irregular publication schedule ultimately proved to be its downfall, with Earth One more or less ending with Batman: Earth One Vol. 3 in 2021. However, DC Earth One told some of the most compelling alternate reality DC stories in modern times, and the graphic novel line has been surprisingly influential on numerous DC movies.
The first volume of Superman: Earth One in particular is a very clear story foundation for Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, both focusing on Clark Kent as a hero in hiding who is forced to don his cape when an alien invasion arrives demanding he be handed over, and both stories effectively introducing Superman in stunningly similar ways. Additionally, the influence of Batman: Earth One can be seen in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, both focusing on a younger version of Bruce Wayne crafting his Batman persona and tech from the ground up and being much more prone to mistakes and on-the-job injuries than the veteran crime fighter he’s usually portrayed as. However unfortunate it is that DC Earth One’s full potential as an alternate continuity comic book line was never truly met, its influence has been felt on the big-screen, and hopefully, DC Earth One will continue to provide more source material to adapt for future DC movie and TV projects.
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