Way back when... Marvel used to do comic versions of films, such as Planet of the Apes, Doc Savage (Think that was Marvel) etc.
So they were taking something originally from film and making it a comic.

So my question is. Could they create an original hero as a film character and have it succeed as a comic series afterwards?

I think it would be hard to do and it would depend on the character and how he/she is used. I think they couldn't just headline a film then go into their own comic. However if they were to be introduced as a supporting character, if they were cool enough they may get a short run in a comic.
Creating a character in Thor on Asgard would likely be the easiest.

well Agent Coulson is a creation of the movies, and is doing pretty well.

As for the question about a hero, yes I guess they could, but im not overly sure why would want to.

Marvel has a massive library of heroes, that sit unused, it really has no need for anymore, unless it is in relation to specific plots for current characters, meanwhile movies are 1 every few years, and an expensive affair, for this reason, you are obviously going to make movies out of your bigger names, its going to be harder to green light a movie about a newbie, when you can green light one with some history.

To create a new hero, who can survive outside the movies, they will need to give that character enough screen time, which due to the reasons above, cant happen.

On the flip side Will Smiths Hancock did well (even if it hasnt produce any sequels or made a massive amount of appearances in other media) Marvel sibling Pixar did well with The Incredibles, but again that was pretty much a 1 shot deal.

From the comic POV, comic books have to sell to the people who buy comic, so its going to sell them comics of characters they already know, rather than risk a new character.

Another original character in the Marvel movie verse is Erik Selvig, again not a hero, but with his appearance in The Avengers, his character has legs outside of the Thor movies.

a side comment to say, If Xena was not a copyright character I would not be surprised if she showed up in comics, alongside that comic book versions of Hercules and the other Greek Gods. Heck you might be able to get away with a passing reference to her in a Wonder Woman movie.

Over at DC, Smallville didnt have much to work with, when it created Lionel Luthor, Man of Steel also features Whitney Fordman a Smallville creation, but these are support characters and not heroes.

Because if they were to create an original one it would come with no baggage. No matter which character they use in silms as soon as it's announced they are in a film the speculation and "demands" of who should be playing the part. Then the person is announced and usually they get slammed as baing crap, wrong, too small and so forth.


Of course you are right, but how many times have you seen films or a TV series where a character that isn't the main star or focus just catches the imagination?
I don't know if you saw a TV show called Prison Break. There was a character in that called T-Bag who people immediately caught onto as being something special as he was so creepy and nasty.

If Marvel were to create a new character and use them in the Avengers, or Fox do one in the X-Men so a film doesn't rely on them too much. It could work. Especially The Avengers as pre the movie's release they could announce that later in the year that character is getting their own mini series comic. Automatically people will be as curious about who he/she is as any of the established characters.


The Incredibles is supposed to be getting a sequel. Why it's taken so long I'm not sure.


Now they do as they play safe, but that wasn't always the case.

Dazzler and Moon Knight weren't established characters with huge fanbases before they got their own comic. I could be wrong but I don't think Moon Knight had appeared in any comic before his one was launched.


Like Agent Couson and him, Erik isn't a superhero, so would be unlikely to get a comic book of his own or make much of a fuss if they were to appear in comics.


I think that Xena would be possible. I'm sure if they wanted too, Marvel could work out a deal with Robert Tapert to use the character. But, would they want too? Going back to what I said at the start about fan reaction. If anyone except Lucy Lawless played the character the you know what would be hitting the fan.

you misunderstand all that baggage, and discussion of who should play the character.

That is an inbuilt fan base, that is a good thing.


I know what you mean about break out characters, but its much easier to allow those to grow on TV over 100 episode, then over say a trilogy of movies, and then one of their own.

100 episodes means you have space to develop recurring characters, something you simply do not have in a movie franchise.


certainly its true that this COULD happen, however if that character will ever distance themselves from being a movie character, I dont know.

I also just dont know what character you think they are going to create, that has not already been created for the comic books already.


lets not say its getting a sequel till its in production.


times of changed, when I went to see one of the Spiderman movies, I over heard a kid say he couldn't wait for the DVD, he did not say "I want to read some Spiderman comics"


fair enough, but again there is more space across an entire line of comics, for a character to develop than in a movie franchiser.


I think people would be excited to see Agent Coulson appear in a S.H.I.E.L.D comic.

He has already appeared in Ultimate Spider-Man, he is also the lead of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, he is very much the break out character, but yes he plays a support role to the super heroes.



people accepted a recast Star Trek, so its possible, and in comics you wont need to recast.

In conclusion, I think the movies can create supporting characters, who can live on, but heroes, im not sure about.

Not quite the same but Firestar was one of Spider-Man's Amazing Friends along with iceman who had been around since the first issue of X-Men, the show's creators couldn't get the Human Torch into the show because of rights issues so they created Firestar to take his place..she then appeared in X-Men comic after the show went off the air.
And at DC Harley quinn was created just for Batman animated adventures and was such a popular character she became a part of the batman universe in the comics.

that reminds me, there was a Fantastic Four animated series in 1978, and the Human Torch was replaced with a robot called Herbie, because of a) rights issues or b) the studio was worried kids would set themselves on first.

Herbie would go on to feature in the comics, and in the recent movies, so as ive said its possible to create new supporting characters.

Lionel wasn't created for Smallville, he first appeared in 1961, in issue 23 of Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane.
http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Lionel_Luthor

hence the "didn't have alot to work with" rather than him being a Smallville creation.