These Are the Most Surprising Movie Tie-In Comics (& Some Are Very Weird)

When a franchise gets big enough, it almost feels inevitable that it’ll eventually get some comic book tie-ins. It can start as a show or movie, but that won’t stop it from getting a comic series, or prevent the comic series from getting very strange at times. In truth, some comic book tie-ins are welcome, like the Stranger Things comics, which help to keep the universe going while we wait (and wait) for season five. Likewise, not every tie-in gets the same amount of media, so a shocking number of them slip under the radar. That said, not every franchise is suited for a tie-in! As funny as the idea may be, if the idea isn’t there, maybe leave it alone.

Let’s take a step back real quick. A tie-in is a term for connecting different properties to the same universe. A great example of this is the Star Wars universe. Originally, we had the movies, but more and more tie-in comics appeared (not to mention games, shows, etc.). Now, they feel like part of the larger whole, which is the goal. There are hundreds of other examples of a tie-in franchise done well, but we’re not here to talk about those! We’re here to talk about the most surprising or strangest versions.

The Evil Dead

Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead blew fans out of the water, and it’s safe to say it created a loyal community in the process. So, some fans won’t be surprised to learn that the franchise has several graphic novels to its name. The comic tie-ins include everything from comic adaptations of the movies to limited runs complete with surprising crossovers. Yes, you read that right! The Evil Dead comics played with a bunch of famous characters, including Xena, Darkman, Marvel Zombies, and Red Sonja, just to name a few. The rabbit hole is deep for this franchise, totaling over 60 comics.

Over the years, different publishers have worked on the Evil Dead franchise, including Dark Horse Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, and Space Goat Publishing.

The Abyss (1989)

James Cameron’s The Abyss was released in 1989, so fans may or may not have realized that a comic book version was released that very same year! The comic is less a classic tie-in and more an adaptation, telling the film’s story in comic book form. It’s still worth checking out, especially for those who want to set their own pace while diving into this adventure. It tells the story of Deepcore, an underwater drilling rig that is about to make the discovery of a lifetime – a statement that may be more literal than some realize. It’s not the sort of thing one can easily walk (or swim) away from.

The Abyss was a two-part comic published by Dark Horse Comics, created by Randy Stradley, Michael Kaluta, and Todd Klein.

28 Days Later (2009-2011)

28 Days Later was a post-apocalyptic film that took the world by storm. Unsurprisingly, it resulted in a sequel and a comic series. The first part of the comic series is tucked between 28 Days Later and the sequel (28 Weeks Later), though the last few issues directly address the second film. Essentially, the comics help to fill in the gaps about the Rage Virus and what it’s doing to the world. As such, much of the main cast is present, including Selena, Clint, Derrick, and Captain Stiles. It is worth noting that the comics are not considered canon, which explains some disparities between the comics and the films. It’s still worth reading for those who want to see more of the world.

28 Days Later was published by BOOM! Studios and totaled 24 issues, it was created by Danny Boyle, Michael Alan Nelson, Declan Shalvey, Malek Oleksicki, Leonardo Aragon, Ron Salas, Pablo Peppino, Ed Dukeshire, and Nick Filardi.

[RELATED: Is 28 Days Later a Zombie Movie?]

Alien, Alien vs Predator, & Predator

So, fun fact: there have been a lot of comic book tie-ins for this franchise. Alien, AVP, and Predator have all made their way into the comic book industry, continuing the story in some places and creating surprising crossovers in others. Much like The Evil Dead, it’s quite the rabbit hole to fall into. For example, there are classic adaptations of the films, such as Alien: The Illustrated Story, created by Archie Goodwin. Then there are the crossovers and boy; there are plenty of them. Judge Dredd, Superman, Green Lanterns, Batman, and Vampirella have all gone up against Aliens and/or Predators. Finally, Marvel has done several one-shot and limited-run series experimenting with stories inside the Alien universe.

Multiple publishers have been involved with the franchise, including Dark Horse Comics, Image Comics, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Dynamite Entertainment.

Batman ’89

Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992) have lived rent-free in our minds for decades, so it may not be so shocking to learn that there are comics based on these films. The series is appropriately called Batman ’89, referring to the first film’s publication year. To put it another way, here we have a comic series based on a movie based on a comic series. Yes, it’s complicated, but that’s part of the fun, right? The story picks up where Batman Returns ended, where Gotham City is still in a bit of chaos, necessitating Batman’s intervention (as always).

Batman ’89’s first issue dropped in 2021, running for six issues. It has since continued in Batman ’89: Echoes. Published by DC Comics, Batman ’89 was created by Sam Hamm, Joe Quinones, Clayton Cowles, Carlos M. Mangual, and Leonardo Ito.

[RELATED: New Sequel Novel Brings The Riddler Into The World Of Tim Burton’s Batman (Exclusive)]

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Comic Book (1991-1992)

In case it wasn’t obvious, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Comic Book is based on the film Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, but with more of that classic humor fans have come to love. The series lasted 12 issues and continues from where the second film (Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey) leaves off. It’s every bit as chaotic and funny as fans could hope for, starting with a party before Death demands the center of attention, leaving Bill and Ted to solve the problem at hand (yes, really).

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Comic Book was published by Marvel Comics and created by Evan Dorkin, Stephen DeStefano, and Marie Severin.

Coneheads (1994)

The Coneheads film dropped in 1993, re-introducing the world to a strange family of extraterrestrials with one iconic feature. The film is actually based on a comedy sketch from SNL, but that’s a different story. The film inspired a comic series, which lasted four issues. The comics contain new events/plots but are all set after the film, so those missing this strange family or their weirder adventures will be happy to learn that they can continue the adventure (well, for a bit, four issues won’t last you very long).

Coneheads (1994) was published by Marvel Comics and created by Terry Collins, Tom Richmond, Marie Severin, John Kalisz, and Dave Sharpe.

Die Hard: Year One

The first Die Hard movie created a franchise that fans fell in love with. In addition to creating one of the biggest debates of Internet history (is it a Christmas movie?), the movie also created a string of several films and even a comic series. Die Hard: Year One is an eight-issue series telling the story of rookie cop John McClane – before he ever stepped foot in Nakatomi Plaza. In other words, it looks back at a much younger version of the character, explaining how he got to this point. Here’s where things get really funny, as this comic series almost got a film adaptation! That was canceled, but for a moment, we were looking at another movie/comic/movie spiral.,

Die Hard: Year One was published by BOOM! Studios. It was written by Howard Chaykin and illustrated by Stephen Thompson.

Star Trek

Given our above example about Star Wars, it probably is less surprising to hear that Star Trek also has a bunch of comic series. Gold Key Comics was the first to make some Star Trek comics, focusing on the same beloved characters but giving them different missions that deviate from the shows. Later, Marvel made a comic adaptation of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Marvel would later return to cover some of TOS, TNG, and Deep Space Nine. Finally, IDW began producing Star Trek content in 2022, creating several limited series across several Star Trek adventures, films, and shows. Given the expansive nature of Star Trek, it almost makes sense that the comic book side is just as broad.

Over the years, many publishers, including Gold Key Comics, Marvel, DC Comics, and IDW, have created Star Trek comics.

The Aristocats (and a lot of other Disney Films)

Believe it or not, many of the classic Disney movies have, at minimum, a comic book adaptation. For example, The Aristocats is a beloved and classic film about a family of cats and their adventures. Their story has been adapted into comic book form (created by Carl Fallberg), but that’s just the beginning! Several one-shot comics stem from the film, including The Aristokittens (yes, really) and O’Malley and the Alley Cats.

Gold Key Comics published The Aristocats adaptation and all one-shots.