Cowboy Bebop: The Comic Series, the Netflix series becomes a comic
Cowboy Bebop
The historic hit anime series Cowboy Bebop is also making its way to comics, coinciding with Netflix's upcoming live-action adaptation.The all-new Cowboy Bebop comic
Scheduled for Debuting this December, Titan Comics' Cowboy Bebop: The Comic Series will see the crew of bounty hunters chasing a former gang member who owns a vest that grants him "unlimited luck". The complete series will consist of 4 issues will be written by Dan Watter, while the tables will be created by Lamar Mathurin. Below you can find the cover of the first issue of the Cowboy Bebop comic:Set about one hundred years in the future, Cowboy Bebop follows the exploits of three bounty hunters (called "cowboys" ) who travel across the universe hunting down criminals and doing commissioned tasks. The original anime series became an instant hit when it debuted in the late 1990s for its elegant and bold take on space adventures.
Netflix's Cowboy Bebop series stars John Cho as Spike Spiegel, Mustafa Shakir as Jet Black and Danielle Pineda as Faye Valentine.
According to the announcement of the Cowboy Bebop comic, this agreement is between Titan and Netflix, so it is to be expected that the comics will be based on the live-action version of Cowboy Bebop rather than the original anime.
While this will be Cowboy Bebop's debut in comics, the work has been adapted into previously in the manga format on two occasions: a two-volume adaptation by Cain Kuga called Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star, and a three-volume original series by Yutaka Nanten.
In addition to the comic series, Titan also plans to release a Cowboy Bebop novel set prior to the TV series called Cowboy Bebop: A Syndicate Story: Red Planet Requiem and an artbook titled Cowboy Bebop: Making the Netflix Series.
The Cowboy Bebop live-action series will debut November 19th on Netflix and the comic series is expected to start rolling out in December, and the four-issue collection is expected to be complete by May 2022.
You can find all the episodes of the original animated series complete with Cowboy Bebop on DVD and Blu-Ray and many themed gadgets in this very rich page on Amazon!
When will John Cho’s ‘Cowboy Bebop’ arrive on Netflix?
Live-action anime remakes are sort of a touchy subject. Some of life’s greatest disappointments come from poor anime adaptations that leave fans feeling disrespected and flat-out pissed. That’s why when Netflix announced a live-action reboot of Cowboy Bebop, there were plenty of skeptics.
However, as more details are revealed about the upcoming adaptation, fans are starting to get their hopes up. With a diverse cast and plenty of our favorite storylines, Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop may break the curse of bad anime remakes. Take a look at all the details of the upcoming Cowboy Bepop series and its fall release date.
John Cho stars as the suavely brooding bounty hunter, Spike Spiegel. Despite the age difference, Cho being forty-seven years old and Spike being twenty-seven, we couldn’t imagine a better choice for the role.
For the rest of the beloved Bebop crew, Faye Valentine is played by Daniella Pineda who also starred in hit series such as The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. Fans can’t wait to see Pineda play the sultry con-woman with a heart of gold.
As for the level-headed bonsai tree designer, Jet Black will be portrayed by actor Mustafa Shakir who starred in the 2018 Marvel series Luke Cage. Also, Vicious, the gangster we love to hate, is played by British actor Alex Hassell. As for the tragically beautiful Julia, she will be portrayed by Elena Satine. Satine has been in popular series such as Twin Peaks (2017) and Strange Angel.
Last year, writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach explained that Cowboy Bebop will not only be a remake but also expand on the original storyline.
“We’re not going to go one-to-one on all of those stories because we’re also trying to tell the broader story of Spike Spiegel and the Syndicate, Spike Spiegel and Julia, Spike Spiegel and Vicious, and all that.”
He continued, “But we are looking at the show and saying, ‘Who are some of the great villains in this show, and how can we put them into this broader narrative?’ So that we are telling both of the big stories that Cowboy Bebop tells.”
Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop is developed by André Nemec and Jeff Pinkner who worked on Alias. The directors of the new series include Alex Garcia Lopez and Michael Katleman. Lopez has directed popular series such as Daredevil and The Witcher.
Aside from new writers such as Christopher Yost, Netflix has brought back some of the series’ original writers. Keiko Nobumoto and Hajime Yatate will be returning back to Cowboy Bebop after working on the original 1999 series and 2001 film.
However, perhaps the most exciting news is that composer Yoko Kanno will be returning with a new soundtrack for Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop. Kanno’s iconic jazz-inspired soundtrack has become one of the most recognizable soundtracks within the anime genre.
A Cowboy Bebop adaptation has actually been in the works for far longer than many realize. The iconic anime’s remake was first planned back in 2008. 20th Century Fox had a movie screenplay rather than a series. Additionally, Keanu Reeves was set to play Spike Spiegel.
Original creator Shinichiro Watanabe had been completely on board with the project. He and other fellow original writers were hired as executive producers. With everyone on board, the movie was set to release in 2011. However, the release date never came into fruition and in 2013 Reeves revealed on Reddit, “Cowboy Bebop does not look like it’s going to happen with me in it. . . It would cost, like, half a billion dollars to make it. . .”.
However, in 2019 production began for the anime’s revival on Netflix starring John Cho. Yet, after filming only a few scenes, Cho was injured and production was delayed by nearly six to nine months.
After all these trials and tribulations, Netflix has confirmed that the live-action Cowboy Bebop series will finally be released on November 19th, 2021.
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Are you ready for the new Cowboy Bebop series on Netflix? Do you think expectations are too high? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
