This Is the Best TV Comic Book Tie-In (And We Moved on From it Way Too Quickly)

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It’s pretty common for popular TV shows and movies to also have comic book adaptations. When something becomes a hit, creators often want to tell more of the story in different ways – sometimes adding details that wouldn’t work on screen, and other times continuing the story after the show or movie ends. For example, both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural have had ongoing comic book series after their TV shows finished, and both Marvel and DC have created comics that tie into their movies.

It’s common for popular movies and TV shows to have accompanying comic books, but those comics aren’t always well-made. Often, they’re just average or clearly created to quickly profit from the show’s success. However, sometimes a tie-in comic stands out as genuinely good – not just as an extension of the source material, but as a strong story on its own. One of the best examples is a comic book many people have forgotten about: Pennyworth.

Pennyworth Wasn’t Just a Fun Tie-In, It Was a Great Comic

Before diving into the comic, it’s helpful to understand the series it’s based on. Pennyworth premiered in 2019 on Epix (now MGM+) and tells the story of a young Alfred Pennyworth, a former British soldier with the Special Air Service. After leaving the military, he starts a security firm in London, which attracts unwanted attention from a dangerous group called the Raven Society. This leads him to team up with American agents – Thomas Wayne and Martha Kane – who are part of a CIA-linked organization known as the No Name League. Set in an alternate version of London, the show serves as a backstory to both Fox’s Gotham and the film V for Vendetta. The series ran for three seasons, eventually moving to HBO Max for its final season and being retitled Pennyworth: The Origin of Batman’s Butler.

The Pennyworth comic, launched in 2021, continues the story of the TV series but is set before the rise of Gotham City. Written by Scott Bryan Wilson, the comic picks up after the third season of the show and follows Alfred’s adventures during the Cold War. However, the timeline is complex, jumping between different points in Alfred’s life – from his childhood to the present day – and exploring a decades-spanning story involving the Soviet Union, nuclear weapons development in the Arctic, and its lasting consequences.

Though the Pennyworth TV series and comic book share a connection, they each work incredibly well as independent stories. This was intentional – writer Scott Wilson has said he hadn’t even watched the show when creating the comic. As a result, the book appeals to both Pennyworth fans and those who simply enjoy Batman lore, particularly the character of Alfred. The comic expands on Alfred’s established backstory – his time as a spy and a Shakespearean actor – and finally lets us see those skills in action. This added depth makes his death in the 2019 Batman storyline, “City of Bane,” even more impactful.

Pennyworth Proves DC Needs More Stories About Alfred

Though initially intended as a companion to the TV series, the Pennyworth comic book actually stands on its own as a compelling spy story. It offers a fresh look at Alfred, one of the most well-known supporting characters in comics, and proves that his adventures deserve to be explored further. The comic delivers everything we rarely see from Alfred—action, suspense, high stakes, and even a touch of romance—which deepens our understanding of his crucial role in Bruce Wayne’s life and how he shaped Batman. Because this is just one glimpse into Alfred’s past, it’s clear there are many more untold stories waiting to be discovered, and he deserves his own spotlight.

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2026-02-15 03:10