Netflix seeks to use Mark Millar’s new comics as previews of new shows and movies

By Eric Brackett November 11, 2017

Superior comic — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Netflix recently announced that it had purchased comic book writer Mark Millar’s company, Millarworld. This purchase gives Netflix access to Millar’s past library of works, but the streaming giant isn’t stopping there. Netflix has also announced that it will support Millar’s future comic books, with an eye towards adapting them to its streaming service.

Despite the success of DC and Marvel, it can be difficult to make money in the comic book industry, so it is unlikely that we’ll see Netflix move heavily into the sector — at least at first. Rather, it may use Millar’s new comics as a launchpad for new intellectual properties. Millar has developed a loyal fan base that has followed him as he moved from Marvel and DC to the world of independent publishing. It’s likely that Netflix is hoping those fans will follow Millar as he moves to create new comics that Netflix can turn into TV shows and movies.

Currently, Marvel and DC dominate the superhero space and the two companies charge Netflix and other streaming services for access to their IPs. However, with Millarworld, Netflix will have complete access to everything Millar produces, with no need to pay extra fees or negotiate a new contract every time it seeks to create a new show or movie. With Marvel leaving Netflix in 2019, the company’s move positions it to create its own superhero universe that can stand up to the big two publishers.

As of right now, Netflix hasn’t given us much in the way of details regarding how it plans to handle Millarworld content, but it should be noted that a couple of his proprieties, such as Kick-Ass and Kingsmen, are already tied up in Hollywood deals. Of course, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of great comics that Netflix could use. Here are five of our favorites.

Netflix’s first comic, The Magic Order, follows a family of sorcerers who are systemically being hunted down. It is set to launch next spring and is being referred to as Millar’s first franchise. It remains to be seen whether or not Millarworld will be a success, but Millar has produced plenty of successful works in the past, so Netflix’s bet should be a safe one.

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