After USS Callister, Neil Gibson Is Bringing Black Mirror’s Most Acclaimed Episode to Comic Form

After the success of the USS Callister graphic novel adaptation, Neil Gibson’s Twisted Comics has cited fan-favourite Black Mirror episode San Junipero as the next story to get the comic book treatment. 

Charlie Brooker’s dystopian sci-fi Black Mirror is the most popular anthology series in the world right now, and season 8 is already in development at Netflix. The series has also expanded into the comics medium through Neil Gibson’s Twisted Comics (formerly known as TPub), which has licensed fan-favorite episodes and begun adapting them into comics. Helmed by Gibson, whose esteemed portfolio includes titles like Twisted Dark, which explores the macabre and the darker side of humanity. His work at Twisted has been likened to cult franchises like The Twilight Zone and Tales of the Unexpected. So when it came to adapting a series like Black Mirror to comics, it was a match made in heaven. 

When Neil Gibson first pitched the idea of making Black Mirror comics, it was met with plenty of enthusiasm. “It was just good luck, really,” he said. “We sent the pitch in at the right time when they were looking to expand. They liked the pitch, and my previous work, and that was that. It didn’t hurt that my previous work has been compared to The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror a few times by reviewers! Regardless, we were and are very lucky.”

Despite one successful graphic novel launch in USS Callister, Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker has not yet commented on the foray, although he is apparently quietly happy. “I know he has the comics, and I sent him some special art I had done from Silvano, [the illustrator for USS Callister]. Apparently, he is happy, but all my information is second-hand – I haven’t had the opportunity to meet him yet!”

There are currently over 30 Black Mirror episodes in total. Out of all of them, Gibson chose two of the most popular to adapt for comics. “They happen to be stories that are my favourites,” he says. “But I was also scientific about it. I compiled data from over 20 websites that ranked the best episodes of Black Mirror. I then used box plots to see the spread from different reviewers, and USS Callister and San Junipero were clear winners in terms of being the most beloved.”

For the upcoming San Junipero adaptation, Gibson has teamed up with artist Phil Buckenham, colorist Agnese Pozza, and letterer Rob Jones.

Picture Credits: Twisted Comics

The biggest challenge in bringing these stories to the comics medium was “honouring the source material but also giving something fresh,” Gibson explains. “I have to respect the source material, and so I rewatched the episode and took notes, trying to think what the creators were trying to do — what did they want the viewers to think and feel and then try and capture that.”

Of course, bringing these stories to comics is one thing, but I wanted to ask why. What can comics do with Black Mirror that television cannot? What do the stories lose, and what do they gain?

“What I love about comics as opposed to a book is that a picture says a thousand words. You can look at one panel and get so much inference from the body language and the facial expression, but unlike TV or film, a comic lets you spend as much time as you like on a page,” he explains. “Comics can also overlay competing thoughts at the same time, or show subconscious imagery. You can show the past and present at the same time and really play with the medium. For example in an upcoming Back Mirror story, when things get intense the panel itself fractures – symbolising her mind.”

“Having said all that, there are certainly things that TV does better. For example, a brilliant actor’s micro-expressions or performance can never be replicated. And sound makes TV much more intense – but that’s not always a good thing. I hate horror films, but I love horror comics because they are not so intense. Every medium has advantages and disadvantages, but I suggest against asking me for details because I will really rabbit on about the science of comics and studies about blood flow to the brain and memory retention, etc. I do nerd out a bit.”

When adapting a work made for television to comics, Gibson found that stories translated in unexpected ways. One creative way was the idea to hold a competition to actually immerse readers in the story. But narratively, there’s a very specific scene in San Junipero that translates in a unique way. “It was the scene where Kelly first invites Yorkie to spend the night with her, but Yorkie chickens out. She then changes her mind and goes back to approach Kelly, but it’s too late and she has gone. She then leaves dejected. The way Phil drew the art for that scene and the choice of shots was perfect and surprising. We see Yorkie’s leg step in a puddle and then the water reflects and reforms. For some reason it works so well.”

KELLY (1 of 1 Collectible cover)

What’s in store for the future of Black Mirror comics? 

Right now, Neil Gibson is happy to continue adapting existing Black Mirror tales into the comics medium. “We have plans for more Black Mirror stories, but I can’t say which ones just yet,” he teases.

As for the potential of telling new, completely original Black Mirror stories made for comics, he’s always interested. “Frankly, I’d love to tell new Black Mirror stories, ideally with Charlie’s input, but that is out of my hands and for the powers that be to decide,” he admits. 

The Kickstarter campaign for the San Junipero graphic novel launches on March 10, giving backers some benefits. Check out the official page here. 

Picture Credits: Twisted Comics