It’s a great time to be a comic book fan: favorite works are constantly being adapted, revitalized, and re-celebrated, from publishing moves like DC’s Rebirth initiative to upcoming on-screen adaptations like Justice League and Luke Cage. There is always something new to look forward to, whether it be your upcoming local convention, a live stream with your favorite creators, or the premier of a new title or TV/film adaptation.
Thanks to the Internet, even fans are able to create their own adaptations of their favorite works and share them widely, and many creators have also taken advantage of these tools in order to connect directly with fans. These resources are especially important for fans of comic titles outside of the Marvel-DC binary, who may not have the financial means to achieve big-budget adaptations. Today, fans of Image Comics title Youngblood received some awesome news when the title’s writer, Rob Liefeld, announced via his website that he would release a full Youngblood screenplay to fans.
Youngblood, which ran under Image Comics from 1992 to 2009, follows the escapades of a four-person superhero team as they deal with the pressures of youth, fame, and crime-fighting in a world that idolizes superheroes. Though there was talk of a Youngblood movie for some time in 2010, the project never took off – but that doesn’t mean it’s dead. In anticipation of the upcoming Youngblood comics revival and the title’s 25th anniversary, Rob Liefeld stated in a blog post today that he would distribute PDFs of his Youngblood script to fans on his mailing list. The creator wrote:
“A short while back I penned this Youngblood screenplay, it was a story that I wanted to tell, it was a tale I’d been sitting on for years. This is my vision of what a Youngblood movie would look and how it would feel like. I know that fans who have loved Youngblood through the ages are certain to be thrilled by some if not many of the beats throughout this script. This has not been exposed at the studio level and that is certainly not the purpose here. This is for YOU! It costs me nothing to give this to you as a free pdf, something created and written for the most extreme Youngblood die-hards!!!”
Deadpool fans know Liefeld from his work creating the iconic Wade Wilson, and may even recognize him from his cameo as a Merc in the 2016 film. Though he was not involved in penning the Deadpool script, this nearly 130-page Youngblood adaptation shows that the comics creator is still enthusiastic to adapt his own work for the big screen. Yes, we downloaded a copy – and while we encourage you to do the respectful thing and sign up for Liefeld’s mailing list yourselves, a PDF link is also not that hard to find. The script isn’t exactly groundbreaking: a team of superheroes (featuring one “gorgeous female” with a “sleek figure”) take down some fairly unoriginal antagonists, with Liefeld’s trademark quips and campy violence mixed in for good measure. What is cool about the adaptation is that it introduces the “unwarranted fame” aspect of superheroism to the team, in a world where their battles are broadcast live.
Regardless, it’s fun for true fans of any series to see its creator generate more content, so it’s worth giving the script a read-through at least once. Once you do, let us know if you think the Youngblood film deserved to live past 2010 – or not – in the comments below.
We’ll keep you updated on Youngblood as more information becomes available.
Source: Rob Liefeld
