'Orphan Black' makes smooth trip from TV to comics

It seems as if comic books are taking over TV. But it goes the other way more often — occasionally with great success.

Such is the case with "Orphan Black," the BBC America sci-fi show about a woman and her many clones on the run from various forces that seek to control or kill them. "Orphan Black" the comic book launched last month — and according to Diamond Comic Distributors Inc., which distributes the vast majority of comics in North America, it was the No. 1 title in February.

Internal Correspondence (ICv2.com), a comics industry website, attributes the book's success to being included in March's Loot Crate. John Jackson Miller, the Star Wars novelist who runs a website analyzing comics sales data (comichron.com), agrees.

But it's still pretty impressive for a book based on a TV show published by No. 4 publisher IDW to beat the rest of the top 10 in February, which included four Spider-Man books, four Star Wars books, "Batman" and "Justice League." Miller notes that "this is the first time a publisher besides Marvel, DC and Image has made the top slot since Dreamwave with 'Transformers' back in 2002."

And it deserves it. "Orphan Black" No. 1 ($3.99) is very good. The story in the first issue is titled "Sarah." It follows Sarah Manning through her origin, as she discovers her identical "twin" Elizabeth Childs, and takes over the latter's identity when Childs commits suicide. It also introduces the clone that is killing the other clones, as well as giving hints about the as-yet-unnamed Dyad Institute and the Proletheans. These elements, so familiar to fans of the show, were parsed out perfectly for newbies, laying down just enough to intrigue without spilling too much.

The book is written by "Orphan Black" creators Graeme Manson and John Fawcett, along with writer Jody Hauser. Artist Szymon Kudransky is more than equal to his task as well, utilizing the scratchy Bill Sienkiewicz style that allows for convincing facial renderings. In other words, actress Tatiana Maslany is instantly recognizable no matter which clone is being depicted, which is an absolute necessity for following this kind of story.

"We're working hard to make sure the comic reads well for those who haven't seen the show yet," Hauser explains in an afterword, "but I think fans of the show who already have a love for these characters and are hungry for more of them will get the most out of it. It's really because of the fans that comics like this even get made, so making sure that there's plenty for them to chew on only makes sense."

"Batman '66" takes place in an endless 1966, with all the characters, gadgets and sets modeled on the show. West, Young, Frank Gorshin (Riddler), Burgess Meredith (Penguin), Victor Buono (King Tut) and all the rest are recognizable in the same roles they played on TV. Even Cesar Romero, who famously refused to shave his mustache to play the Joker, is drawn with facial hair evident beneath pancake makeup.

One can laugh with "Batman '66" or at it; the choice is up to the reader. Either way, it's that rarest of all titles, one that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

Two "Batman '66" collections have been released, but are somewhat marred by uneven art. The jewel, however, is the recently released "Batman '66 Meets the Green Hornet" ($22.99).

Perhaps inspired by the actual 1966 episodes in which the two crime fighters meet, Jeff Parker, who does the bulk of the writing, makes this unlikely crossover look easy. His clever dialogue and fast pace allow the Gotham Gangbusters to remain somewhat silly and the Green Hornet and Kato to remain more serious, without either "breaking character." Parker's fluid grace in making this work is a joy to behold. Meanwhile, the art couldn't be more satisfying. Artist Ty Templeton has long been known for his effective blend of cartoonish style with realistic rendering, and that works perfectly to carry Parker's breezy tone.