Indy Comics Writer

Take a trip to your local comic shop and visit the independents aisle. I know it’s hard to force yourself away from Marvel and D.C., but do it anyway.

Here’s what you’ll find on the shelves devoted to independents: multiple versions of Doctor Who comics, Battlestar Galactica comics, Transformers comics, G.I. Joe comics, graphic Indiana Jones adaptations, Buffy the Vampire Slayer stories, Star Trek comics, Star Wars graphic novels.

Yes, the independents — at least many of them — have embraced the idea of taking well-known characters and spinning them off into their own comics. The hope is that casual readers familiar with the TV shows will take a chance on a comic series starring their favorite characters.

I haven’t read many of these tales. I have read a few issues of IDW’s Dr. Who comic and a few of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer stories. I liked Buffy far more than I did the Doctor, a shame because I do like the new Doctor Who series quite a bit.

The problem I do have is that there are too many adaptations. I look to independent comics for creativity. Many deliver. Slave Labor Graphics, for instance, has put out some of the most intriguing comics out there. The adaptations of licensed characters almost feels … well, lazy.

Marvel and D.C. have their own problems with a lack of imagination and creativity these days. We don’t need the independents to follow their example. Adaptations are fine, in smaller doses. We really don’t need quite so many Doctor Who comics.

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