Writing for the Toledo Free Press, Jim Beard notes that despite the plethora of Harry Potter paraphenalia out there, there as yet hasn’t been any comic book spin-offs. Citing a poll on ComicBloc, he lists some of the fans’ reactions to the idea:
“I think this would really bring some kids into comics,” said one poster, referring to one of the basic problems of the industry, that it is rarely for children anymore. Potter comics are seen by some as a savior of sorts, doing for the medium what Rowling’s books have done for the publishing business. Still another excited fan imagined a very particular avenue for the comics when he noted, “‘Fred and George Weasley: The Comic Book’ I would read!”
Those who are squarely against any sort of Harry Potter comics are as thoughtful as their opposite number, usually citing Rowling’s own statements against others continuing her wizarding universe.
“She has created a wonderfully realized world, and to have anyone else attempt to duplicate it would be a disaster,” stated one pragmatic fan. If the comics could not follow Harry himself, as many guess would be the case, one fan points out the ludicrousness of other Potter spin-offs. “Do we really need Ron visiting his brother? Malfoy’s summer vacation? ‘Snape: I Was a Teenage Death Eater’?”
I dunno. I kind of always thought “Life At Hogwarts” would make a pretty good comic series, depending on who you got.
July 17th, 2007 at 9:22 am
It certainly sounds like a good idea, although I’ve gto to hand it to J. K. Rowling for keeping control over her plot. Do you really want to have to deal with “what’s canon and what’s not” by adding writers to the mythology? It might happen some day and I hope it’ll be done well, but in the meantime it’s very nice to have just the novels (oh, okay, and the movies) speak for themselves.
That said, there’s a graphic novel adaptation of the first Artemis Fowl movie coming this fall, and tho’ I’m not a big fan of the books, the excerpt of the GN I’ve seen so far looked pretty good. And does anyone remember the newsstand magazine comic apaptation of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events? That was very beautfully and quirkily done, and should have been republished as a slim paperback.
July 17th, 2007 at 9:41 am
There are Harry Potter Comics books already out there… it is called the Books of Magic, and it features a main character that was seemingly cloned to make Harry Potter.
July 17th, 2007 at 9:46 am
I work in in-theatre marketing, my company makes those great movie themed popcorn tubs and cups you see, and the word we got was that J.K. Rowling decided Harry Potter was becoming too commercialized so no one was allowed to make any Potter themed merchandise in our industry. I’m assuming this thinking spreads over into other areas as well.
Besides, why would she want anything out there to directly compete with her book sales? Even if they were EU styled books it might take away from her hardcover and paperback sales and then she would only be a millionaire instead of a multi-millionaire.
Of course that’s just my opinion, I could be wrong.
July 17th, 2007 at 11:42 am
I am not sure it would be worth it, the rights to make a Harry Potter comic book would probably be insanely expensive
July 17th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Rowling called it correctly on this one.
July 17th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Like someone said, BOOKS. OF. MAGIC.
I don’t think accusations of plagerism hold up since J.K Rowling apparently had the ideas of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone moldering in a drawer for 20 odd years but really, would a comic add to the stories at all?
July 17th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
I don’t think a Harry Potter comic book is a good idea; neither a Snape/Weasleys/Muggles/Whatever-else-in-the-HP-universe comic book.
The magic (pun intended) in the books is the detailed and coherent story; surely a comic book (or books) with several writers/artists would destroy that.
However, a graphic novel (or novels) retelling the story of the books could be something really great. Or several volumes of a manga.
(BTW, I also think that an anime would be great.)
I think the Harry Potter universe can be explored in several media: but it has to stick with the original story. Maybe add some things that Rowling think of, but didn’t make it to the novels (like the story of the real father of Dean Thomas being a wizard).