I was born in the '80s, but I grew up in the '90s, making me a true '90s kid. And, nothing was cooler in the '90s than Pogs, Slim Jims, Arizona Iced Tea, and comic books. Now, let it be known, I didn't read The Sandman comic back when new issues were coming out in the '90s, as I read those as an adult. But, with one of Netflix's top trending TV shows in early August being The Sandman, I thought, well, what other comics from the '90s would be cool for a Netflix live-action TV show?
And, this is the list that I came up with. Now, I had to change this list a bit once I remembered that Channing Tatum wants to make a movie based on The Maxx, and that there was already actually a Bloodshot movie starring Vin Diesel that had less than stellar CGI. So, here are the other '90s comic book characters that I'd love to see get their own live-action Netflix show after The Sandman.
The Savage Dragon
Drawn and created by one of Image Comics founders, Eric Larson, The Savage Dragon is a police officer for the Chicago P.D. and is one of the last lines of defense against "the superfreaks," most notably the criminal gang, The Vicious Circle. The Savage Dragon is cool and tough, but also sensitive, making him a fairly well-rounded character.
I think it would be great to get a live action version of him working a desk job occasionally, but mostly fighting crime. Disney+ already has their green hero in She-Hulk, and Netflix could use a green hero of their own in The Savage Dragon (Or even The She-Dragon, which was also a thing in the comics). Now, there was an animated version back in 1995, but that was forever ago, and I want a live-action version now, dammit. Make it happen, Netflix!
Gen13
Created by Jim Lee, Brandon Choi, and illustrated by J. Scott Campbell, Gen13 is like a sexy (okay, sexier) version of the X-Men. They're a young superhero team and the children of another superhero team called Team 7, giving them "gen-active" abilities, like super strength, gravity effects, and weather manipulation (which is SO not like Storm from the X-Men).
There was actually a Gen13 animated movie back in 1998, but what I would really love to see is a Gen13 TV series that leans heavily into the '90s esthetics like the early comics did. The MCU looks to be getting a line-up of the Young Avengers in the near-future, so I'd love to see an edgier, sexier young superhero team over at Netflix that's also '90s as hell.
Pitt
Created by Dale Keown, Pitt was basically Image Comics' version of The Incredible Hulk, which makes sense since Dale Keown once worked on The Hulk. That said, Pitt was also extremely different since he has an alien backstory, where he arrives on Earth and is being chased by this alien race called The Creed. So, in a lot of ways, Pitt is actually kind of like a super metal version of Lilo & Stitch, and how awesome does that sound?
I would really love to see a super brutal alien chase story featuring Pitt on Netflix, and it wouldn't even have to be dragged out, since Pitt's original run only went for 20 issues. Short and sweet. That's the Pitt way. Actually, not really, but you get what I mean.
Prime
Created by Bob Jacob, Gerard Jones, Len Strazewski, Norm Breyfogle, and Bret Blevins under the Malibu Comics' now defunct Ultraverse, Prime is '90s as hell. Essentially, it's basically an updated version of Shazam!, as it features a teenage boy who can transform into this giant, muscle-bound superhero named Prime. But, unlike something like Shazam! where magic plays a role in Shazam's transformation, in Prime, it's all about shady scientific research. Not only that, but when he turns back into his teenage self, he has to melt through the goo of his muscle bound flesh. So again, '90s as hell.
Prime, believe it or not, used to be super popular back in the '90s, and there was even a short-lived animated series based on the UltraForce universe that he came from. It lasted for 13 episodes. Look, all I want is a grittier version of Shazam! on Netflix. Is that too much to ask?
WildC.A.T.s
Another series created by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi, WildC.A.T.s (The C.A.T. stands for Covert Action Teams), are a group of heroes who are born from an alien race called Kherubim who must battle against another alien race called Daemonites. But the Kherubim came to Earth eons ago and mated with humans, which is why their ancestors who make up the WildC.A.T.s look like humans, and… well, the '90s were an interesting time.
There was a cartoon of the WildC.A.T.s back in the '90s that wasn't very good, but what I love about WildC.A.T.s is how it connected to other series like Gen13, Wetworks, and Stormwatch underneath the WildStorm imprint. In fact, I'll just come out and say it: I want Netflix to make an interconnected WildStorm universe similar to the MCU. And if that ever happened, then WildC.A.T.s could be the jumping off point, since it was the first series of many in the WildStorm collective.
ShadowHawk
Created by Jim Valentino, ShadowHawk features HIV as a major plot point, as the first version of ShadowHawk, Paul Johnstone, is injected with HIV, and he seeks vengeance as a vigilante superhero because of it. There were other, later versions of ShadowHawk, such as Eddie Collins, but the first ShadowHawk is one of the few notable Black superheroes, much like Spawn.
And I would love to see another Black hero on Netflix following the canceling of Luke Cage. A show that really dug into street culture on a level like ShadowHawk would be really cool. He's also more grounded, creating another awesome street fighter for the modern age.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Last but not least, I want a live-action show of the heroes in a half shell! Now, I know. This is never going to happen because Paramount has the rights to the turtles now, but throughout all of the many Ninja Turtles movies and the multitude of Ninja Turtles TV shows, only the first movie came even close to replicating the original comic book.
And, after recently reading The Last Ronin story arc, which is basically the Old Man Logan of Ninja Turtle stories, I would really love to see a grungy, dirty, live-action TMNT show on Netflix where the turtles dismember people and swear. Again, it will never, ever happen, but a boy can dream, can't he?
And, that's the list. But, which '90s comic would you love to see get a Netflix series? For more news on everything Sandman, make sure to swing by here often.
