5 Essential Vertigo Comics That Should Become TV Shows

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As a longtime comic fan, I still get excited thinking about Vertigo. Launched in 1993 by Karen Berger, it completely changed the game. Before Vertigo, comics were really constrained by the Comics Code, but Vertigo gave creators the freedom to tell more mature, complex stories. That’s how we got incredible titles like The Sandman and Hellblazer – they took characters from the DC Universe and used them to explore really deep themes, like philosophy, the occult, and even postmodern ideas. These weren’t your typical superhero stories; they moved away from the usual capes and tights and really delved into what it means to be human, often with a surreal, dreamlike quality. Vertigo also became a place for experimentation. Take The Invisibles, for example – it was a truly groundbreaking series that pushed the boundaries of what comics could be. Honestly, I think that story is almost impossible to adapt into any other medium – it just works as a printed comic.

As a long-time comic fan, I’ve been thrilled to see so much renewed interest in Vertigo lately. Though DC eventually moved away from the Vertigo name itself with the Black Label, it’s clear the spirit of those books is back. We saw it with the fantastic The Nice House on the Lake from James Tynion IV in 2024, and it feels like the success—even with some mixed reactions—of shows like Preacher and Y: The Last Man paved the way. Now, with James Gunn and Pete Jackson developing a V for Vendetta series for HBO, it’s clear there’s still a huge demand for Vertigo’s stories. Luckily, Vertigo built up an amazing library of original comics that just feel perfect for the kind of high-quality TV we’re seeing now.

5) Scalped

Created by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guéra, Scalped is a 60-issue crime story taking place on the made-up Prairie Rose Indian Reservation. The story follows Dashiell Bad Horse, an FBI agent working undercover, as he returns to the Oglala Lakota community he left behind to investigate Lincoln Red Crow, a powerful crime boss and tribal leader. Scalped is a complex, gritty story that explores the connections between poverty, crime, and what it means to be Native American. The way the story unfolds over many issues lets readers experience both the excitement of the investigation and the long-lasting effects of past trauma on the reservation’s people.

The comic book Scalped is especially well-suited for television due to its realistic portrayal of life and its use of different characters’ viewpoints. In 2017, WGN America filmed a pilot episode starring Alex Meraz, but ultimately decided not to create a full series. However, the story’s rich themes and powerful depiction of the conflict between the U.S. legal system and Native American tribal independence remain largely unexplored, making it a compelling project for the future.

4) Transmetropolitan

Transmetropolitan follows Spider Jerusalem, a rebellious journalist, as he navigates the wild, futuristic city simply called The City, fighting against widespread corruption and oppressive power. Created by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson, the comic uses its futuristic world to sharply criticize things like excessive consumerism, organized religion, and the way the media operates. Its format, with self-contained investigations and a striking, often disturbing depiction of a society falling apart, would work incredibly well as a high-quality streaming series. The world allows for a constant stream of unusual characters and compelling villains, creating a strong base for imaginative storytelling and biting satire.

Although the comic series Transmetropolitan remains popular, a movie or TV show adaptation hasn’t been made, likely because it would be expensive to realistically portray the gritty, futuristic setting and the story deals with sensitive topics. Still, with today’s divided political landscape and the spread of fake news, the main character, Spider Jerusalem’s, relentless pursuit of truth feels incredibly timely.

3) We3

Created by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, We3 is a powerful and visually striking miniseries about three animals – a dog named Bandit, a cat named Tinker, and a rabbit named Pirate – who have been secretly turned into weapons. After escaping the government program that modified them with robotic armor, the animals are pursued by the military. The story is told with very little dialogue, relying instead on stunning artwork and the deep emotional connection between the animals to explore themes of what it means to be human and the ethical treatment of animals.

As a huge fan of both Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Grant Morrison’s We3, it totally makes sense that James Gunn drew inspiration from that comic for the animal characters. I even heard Seth Rogen was talking to Morrison about adapting it! Honestly, We3 would be amazing as a limited series or a big-budget movie. Imagine how incredible it would look with a mix of practical effects and animation – really bringing home the idea of these intelligent weapons just trying to find a place to belong. It’s a really tight, powerful story, and it feels like exactly the kind of thing that does so well with those prestige miniseries we’re seeing everywhere now.

2) Fables

Bill Willingham’s Fables takes familiar characters from fairy tales and folklore and places them as refugees hiding in modern-day New York City. They’ve been forced to flee their homes after a powerful enemy conquered them. The story primarily follows Bigby Wolf, formerly the Big Bad Wolf, who now works as the sheriff of this hidden community, keeping the peace among immortals. Over its 150 issues, Fables built a rich and complex world, allowing for stories that range from gritty detective mysteries to large-scale fantasy battles. This broad range of possibilities makes it a great choice for a long-running TV series, which could delve into the histories of individual characters while also unraveling a larger, ongoing mystery.

Warner Bros. has tried to make a Fables movie before, and the story was successfully turned into the video game The Wolf Among Us. However, a TV series seems like the best way to bring this story to life, given its large number of characters. Considering how well similar shows have done, a mature, true-to-the-source adaptation of Fables’ dark and intricate world could be very popular with viewers worldwide.

1) 100 Bullets

100 Bullets is a groundbreaking crime comic created by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso. The story starts with a compelling idea: a man called Agent Graves gives a gun and 100 bullets to people who have been seriously harmed, offering them a chance for revenge. What begins as individual stories of morality and justice gradually expands into a complex conspiracy involving a powerful, centuries-old organization called The Trust and its ruthless agents, the Minutemen.

The way the 100 Bullets comic starts – with self-contained stories – would work really well as a TV show, letting each episode focus on different characters while slowly building up the bigger story. David S. Goyer once tried to make a show for Showtime, but it didn’t move forward. Now that the comic is being relaunched in 2026 with a new series, 100 Bullets: The US of Anger, it’s a great time for a streaming service to consider adapting it for television.

Out of all the stories Vertigo publishes, which one do you think would make the best TV show? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-02-23 23:16