Long before films adapted from comics were the dominant force at the box office year in and year out, it wasn't uncommon to see a popular genre film (or two) make their way into the funny books. Over the years, titles like Aliens, Predator, RoboCop, and even Star Wars were given comic book adaptations to see their stories continue and their worlds built into even more fantastical settings – thanks in large part to the lack of budgetary constraints on the imaginations of the writers and artists bringing them to life.

While converting the seemingly limitless worlds of Aliens, Star Wars, and more into comics probably felt like a foregone conclusion following their respective theatrical releases, it's been awhile since a film-to-comic adaptation took readers by surprise. But that's just what Dynamite Entertainment has done with the announcement that it plans to bring Keanu Reeves' headshot proficient hit man John Wick to his very own book in 2017.

As reported by CBR, the title comes from a partnership between Dynamite and Lionsgate Entertainment (the studio behind the burgeoning film series) as a way to capitalize on the character's unexpected popularity and to bring fans more tales from his increasingly fascinating world – no doubt there is many an unfortunate sucker who will find out too late John Wick is not a man to be trifled with. Let's just hope the foolish behavior on the part of any soon-to-be-dead antagonists doesn't involve the untimely death of one of Wick's four-legged friends.

John Wick Designs Giovanni Valetta
John Wick Art by Giovanni Valetta.
John Wick Art by Giovanni Valetta.
John Wick Art by Giovanni Valetta.

While he didn't address the lingering question of what sort of role doggie death will play in the book, Dynamite CEO and Publisher Nick Barrucci did have this to say about the upcoming series:

“John Wick was such an exciting film, mixing martial arts action with snappy dialogue and smart writing. As the credits rolled, you were left wanting more, and it was obvious that they had the makings of a franchise. We were quick to pursue the opportunity to develop a comic book series, and are thrilled to have been granted the rights to tell all-new stories with the character!”

Meanwhile, Sheila Clarke, SVP Global Consumer Products Lionsgate Entertainment offered this statement:

“A comic series is the perfect vehicle to engage in a different way with fans as well as expand the John Wick universe. We found a great partner in industry leader Dynamite Entertainment who shared our passion and enthusiasm for the franchise.”

A creative team was not mentioned at the time of the announcement, but Dynamite did provide a few pieces of artwork from Giovanni Valetta (above) to whet fans' appetites. The art, along with the promise of expanding the John Wick universe will likely be enough to get even casual comic fans interested in checking the series out. With any luck, the series will make good on providing more insight into the strange world of assassins populating the films and maybe even influence a detail or two in the inevitable John Wick Chapter 3.

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Screen Rant will have more details for you on the upcoming John Wick comic series from Dynamite Entertainment as information is made available.

Source: CBR

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