Nintendohas a long history of comics, but it has let several of its biggest properties die out in publishing over the years. I’ve read more than my share ofKirby, Animal Crossing,Legend of Zelda, andPokémonmanga and comics. However, Nintendo has severely limited its storytelling potential by leaving its biggest properties to remain solely manga or dropping them altogether from the comic medium.
Given that Nintendo is a Japanese video game company, it makes sense for it to have primarily branched out its biggest properties to manga. However, in the early 90s, official Nintendo comics were also being published by Valiant Comics. These were short-lived and have failed to make a comeback. Yet there is no shortage of readers who would love to have more comics specifically from Nintendo, similar to the way Sega fans have been supportingSonic the Hedgehogat IDW Comics.
Nintendo’s Comic History
FromSuper Mario Bros. toAnimal Crossingand Beyond
Nintendo Comic Systemwas published by Valiant Comics from 1990 to 1991. It featured several hit franchises that are still releasing today:Legend of Zelda,Super Mario Bros., andMetroid. The series had spin-off issues that centered on particular stories. This was true in the case ofThe Legend of ZeldaandGame Boy, withGame Boyfocusing onSuper Mario Landspecifically, while theSuper Mario Bros. also received a few spin-off issues. Each of these could be identified with a “Nintendo Comic System"logo or banner at the top or bottom of the cover.
The Witcher Gets a Western Sequel as Geralt Fights to Retire
Dark Horse Comics delivers a new adventure for Geralt in the upcoming miniseries, The Witcher: Corvo Bianco, set to release in May 2024.
Nintendo Powersimilarly featured comics on occasion, including a story focused onStar Foxthat was released throughout 1993. However, most of Nintendo’s American style comics and periodicals would come to an end, replaced solely by manga iterations of a limited few titles. A few translations of reprinted manga have also been released in recent years. Offerings as of late have includedSuper Mario Bros., Kirby Manga Mania,assorted adaptations ofLegend of Zeldagames, stories inspired bySplatoonand its sequel games,Animal Crossing, and variousPokémonmanga.MetroidandStar Foxhave failed to have a resurgence in the comic landscape.
The Current Publishing Landscape of Video Game Comics
Dark Horse Comics Has a Large Catalog of Video Game Comics
Dark Horse Comics and Nintendo were supposed to join forces for the canceled original graphic novel forArms. It was slated to have the creative team of Ian Flynn and Joe Ng. A preview was even featured in one of Dark Horse Comics' Free Comic Book Day offerings in 2018, but it never came to fruition. However, the publisher has several other video game-inspired comics that have been successful, many of which I’ve had a great time reading. These have includedHalographic novels, comics inspired byThe Witcher,Assassin’s Creed,Cyberpunk 2077, Borderlands,andMinecraft. Several series forMinecrafthave been released, highlighting a family-friendly desire for video-game comics Nintendo could excel at.
Somehow, Nintendo Began Secretly Publishing a Comic Over a Year Without Anyone Noticing
Nintendo might be known for its video games, but it also produces other media, including one comic series I can’t believe I’ve never heard of before!
Other video game developers and companies have similarly had mixed success with comics and manga, such as Square Enix/TokyoPop’s assortedKingdom Heartsmanga adaptations, and Capcom/Kodansha’sMonster Huntermanga.Of particular note with this trend is the continuous popularity of Sonic the Hedgehog. While the character debuted in 1991, he has since been featured in an animated series and a trilogy of well-received, theatrically released films. Sonic’s comic history has seen publisher shifts over the years, as well as legal battles. Nonetheless, the iconic speedster’s time at IDW has come with a major revitalization ofSonic’s comic adventures.
Nintendo Can Deliver Greatness By Learning From Sega
Sonic has had several great arcs since its return to comics a few years ago. Nothing has been able to get him down, with the stories being true to the game’s art styles and several fan-favorite characters continuing to appear.Shadow the Hedgehog, the current spotlighting-stealing star of the Sonic franchise is even getting his own comic series this year. Already, IDW and Sega know what fans want more of when it comes to Sonic and his friends. Nintendo has not seemed to catch onto this as readily and should highly consider finding a licensing partner that could deliver its properties as well as IDW does for Sega.
With so many video game-based comics, it’s shocking Nintendo hasn’t tried to bring back some of its prominent franchises in the medium in North America. When you have some of the best-selling games and most beloved characters, not using them in more stories truly feels like a waste.Metroidespecially never had a full opportunity to shine in comics despite having broad lore. Though it has had a few series in the past,Super Mariocould have greater potential considering the success of its recent animated feature film and regular interest in the characters and world of the games across multiple generations.Nintendoshould reconsider its approach to comics inspired by its properties and bring them back sooner rather than later.
