5 Comics That Would Make Amazing Podcasts

Comic books and graphic novels are inherently a visual medium. They combine art and writing together to create a piece of work that serves as both art and storytelling. The art is just as integral to the understanding of the work as the dialogue or narration, as it is often used to convey things that are better shown than said. However, that is not to say some comics are only carried by their art. There are many comics out there whose story is so tight it can, and deserves to, transcend the medium. Such as with the recently begun podcast series adapting some of Batman’s best stories.

With all that in mind, let’s take a look at five other comics that could function just as well in an audio adaptation. While it would be a shame to lose out on so much of the beautiful art these works bring to the table, the narration and ambience the podcast format offers could elevate these stories to a whole new level.

Superman Smashes the Klan

This three-part miniseries written by Gene Luen Yang follows Superman and a Chinese-American family in post World War II Metropolis as they all struggle to fit in with a world others tell them they don’t belong to, and literally battle bigotry along the way. What makes this story so compelling an adaptation is that it is based losely on the old The Adventures of Superman radio show story arc called “Clan of the Fiery Cross,” where Superman exposed the secrets and hate-filled nature of the Ku Klux Klan, based on real evidence gathered by activist Stetson Kennedy. This led to a major decline in the Klan’s popularity from which it never recovered. Seeing this story go full circle and hit the airwaves would be a poetic feather in its cap, and we can always use more stories of Superman standing up to racism and hate.

Sheriff of Babylon

This twelve-issue comic book is one of Tom King’s best works, and that is high praise considering just how many phenomenal storylines he has penned. Mister Miracle, Superman: Up in the Sky, and Love Everlasting are just a few names on his long resume. What sets Sheriff of Babylon up to be a great podcast (though I can easily say the others would be great podcasts themselves) is that this is a very down to earth, intense detective story. The story follows a police officer turned military consultant who tries to solve the murder of an Iraqi police recruit during the Iraq War. It is based on King’s own experiences as a CIA counterintelligence officer during this time period, and is an excellent dive into mystery and a dissection of the war itself. A must read, and hopefully must listen, for fans of mystery and war stories.

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Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals

This seven-issue story arc was written by George Pérez, Greg Potter and Len Wein, and is the start of what is often called the definitive Wonder Woman run. It is the heroine’s first comic in post-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity, which was an event that solidifed the previously ambiguous DC continuity by wiping the slate clean and starting over. This arc details the origins of the Amazons and follows Diana’s first steps into the World of Man, all the while she fights to save her home, earth, and the gods themselves from the unstoppable war god Ares. Not only is this an epic of Greek proportion, it is the beginning of the series that revitalized Wonder Woman as a character. She was taken from being a near C-lister to one of DC’s biggest and most loved names, and it all started here.

Daredevil: Born Again

The comic that the Disney+ shows draws its name from and where season three of the Netflix show drew inspiration, this story-arc by Frank Miller is widely considered one of Daredevil’s best. In it, the Man Without Fear’s identity is discovered by the Kingpin, who systematically destroys his life one piece at a time, leading to Daredevil having a mental breakdown and reaching a new rock bottom. This adaptation would bring a voice to Matt’s deeply personal struggles in this book, where the fight isn’t just against his archenemy, but the idea of rebuilding his life after tragedy. We can all relate to that on some level, which is what would make an audio version of this story hit so hard.

X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga

This is an absolute classic X-Men storyline, detailing the first time Jean Grey became the godlike being named the Phoenix, and is definitely the best time it happened. This section of Chris Claremont’s Uncanny X-Men run is more than a classic story, it is one of the most popular comic book storylines of all time. It is a space epic, classic superhero adventure, tragedy, and love story all at once, and they all mix together perfectly. Fan favorites like Kitty Pride and Emma Frost first debuted in this arc, and its events are as beautiful as they are heart-breaking. It is the most adapted X-Men storyline, and deserves to be so. So one more adaptation couldn’t hurt, right?

Any other comics that you think deserve to get the podcast treatment? Comment them below!