The comic book movie genre is still experiencing a boom, and it shows little sign of slowing down. More and more studios outside of Marvel and DC are exploring the properties they have available and bringing them to the big and small screen for their own cinematic moments - and recognizing that it's not just superheroes that lead to box office success.
This isn't a completely recent trend though. In fact, before the current form of the DCEU and the MCU ever took shape, some of these studios were taking risks and betting big in the hope of capturing the inspiration of the audience. There's been some huge hits and some real flops, but the comic book industry has grown thanks to these experiments.
Honorable Mention: Imprints
It seems difficult to ignore the success of imprint brands on the big screen. While well known names such as Vertigo and Icon may have had hits with movies such as V For Vendetta and Kingsman, they are also owned by DC and Marvel respectively.
Nonetheless, they have made huge cinematic impacts, on the small screen as well. It's hard to deny the industry changing Watchmen on HBO, based on the Vertigo comic book and it's noteworthy to mention the success of shows like Icon's Powers or Vertigo's Preacher.
Image
Image Comics might be on the independent scene, but it is also considered to be one of the largest comic book publishers outside of Marvel and DC. They own some truly unforgettable properties and have already made their debut on the big screen with major characters.
The anti-hero Spawn is perhaps one of the most well known on-screen adaptations for Image Comics, which of course is also getting a reboot in the near future. Other huge franchises like The Walking Dead also found their start at Image though.
Valiant
Valiant Comics has been a little more recent in terms of its big-screen debut, with Bloodshot really being their first major appearance in cinema. The film was in development for quite some time and may just launch a new shared universe for the company.
There are plenty of other Valiant characters who would thrive on screen and while there are always projects in progress, the studio will continue to focus on Bloodshot sequels, since this has proven to be a small-scale hit amongst fans.
Dark Horse
Dark Horse Comics is the other major brand in the industry. It may be well known for doing comic book adaptations of major film franchises such as Star Wars, but it also has its own line of memorable characters who have made a splash on the big screen.
Judge Dredd is a character that has made multiple appearances on screen, and Hellboy has had his own fair share of adaptations, despite the fact that his trilogy was never completed. There's plenty of other projects in the works though including Tank Girl and The Mask.
IDW
IDW Publishing also have their fair show of movie and TV show adaptations, which they focus heavily on. They also have a partnership with Disney and therefore take on some of their own exclusive content. But, there are independent comic book stories that they have control of.
Locke And Key is a great example of a TV show that they helped to develop, which was under their own publishing company. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fall under their own jurisdiction as well sometimes, as does The Crow.
Archie Comics
Archie Comics is famous for its namesake Archie, a character that has gone on to absolutely take the TV world by storm thanks to the hit show Riverdale. Its spin-offs may just be the start of larger cinematic adaptations for the company though.
Sabrina is another character that falls under their banner and it's easy to see how much these shows have developed since their first episodes. The publishing house has had a bit of a crash course in adaptations thanks to the high number of them in recent times.
Boom! Studios
Boom! Studios is a slightly lesser-known company but nonetheless, they have also made their way into the film and TV market and are currently working on more projects based on their diverse range of graphic novels.
The Empty Man was released last year and the momentum will continue for future releases such as Irredeemable. The company has made deals with Netflix and 20th Century Fox to help them adapt some of their well-known work.
Beano
Beano is a British company that has been famous for making kids comics for years. Their character of Dennis the Menace is perhaps the most famous, although one many wouldn't attribute to having much cinematic success.
Despite this, he has made a huge splash on the small screen in animation and did indeed have a live-action adaptation; although not one that resembled the comics at all. In recent years the company has started to shrink but it was once a powerhouse of the industry.
Millarworld
Millarworld is the general name given to all of Mark Millar's properties. He has recently signed a deal with Netflix which means he can have some of his properties adapted to the small screen on the streaming platform. It wouldn't be the first time though.
The most notable of his adaptations, a huge vigilante IP within the industry, was the Kick-Ass franchise. The original was a huge success and demonstrated that there was definitely an audience for some of Millar's other properties.
Aircel Comics
Aircel Comics is a now defunct comic book company, that has eventually been bought out by Marvel Comics. However, originally they were the home to the Men In Black comics, which of course spawned the movie series.
These comics managed to inspire a whole big screen franchise and while the company itself may be no more, its legacy lives on thanks to the work that Sony Pictures did in adapting their content to the big screen.
Oni Press
Oni Press really made it big with the Edgar Wright adaptation of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World which demonstrated that comic book movies could be totally different to what had been put onto the big screen thus far.
Since then a range of other comic books from their archives had been adapted, including Atomic Blonde which also proved to be a success. The company has specialized in really unique content and it's translating well for cinema-going audiences.