Gritty Superhero Detective Comic ‘Powers’ Is PlayStation Network’s First Original TV Show

What happens when superheroes either commit or are the victims of violent crime? That’s the question Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming set out to answer with Powers, their original comic book series when it debuted in 2000. Now, 14 years later, the series is still going strong and will also provide the material for a new series from Sony’s PlayStation Network – the first original series from PSN.

Sony Pictures Television is developing the adaptation of the comic, which follows detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim as they solve crime related to superhuman individuals, hiding and revealing their own deep dark secrets along the way. The series is one of the longest running creator-owned titles in the comics world, and one of the only where the writer and artist combo hasn’t changed since the series’ origin. Oeming and Bendis haven’t always been consistent with their release schedule for the title, and it has had long spurts of inactivity, but it has been one of the most consistently entertaining comics ever created.

It has a loyal following among comics aficionados, and a formula that could work well on TV; arcs are episodic in nature, focusing on individual crimes just like you’d see from a standard TV police procedural. Expect something like Almost Human – a standard cop show with a sci-fi angle. The overarching plots whipped up by Bendis for the comic series should make good background fodder for a live action show, too.

Powers has flirted with TV before, with a failed FX pilot in 2011, and film projects have been reported as well. The PlayStation Network audience might be the best fit for this somewhat odd combination of comic book power fantasy and film noir detective style, however. And the PSN exclusive is a U.S.-only thing; Powers will be distributed via license to other networks internationally by Sony Pictures, according to THR.

I’m really looking forward to this, since I’m a huge fan of the series personally. You may just have convinced me to get a PS4, Sony, and I suspect that’s at least part of the motivation behind PSN exclusive programming to begin with.

Via Engadget