10 Comic Book Characters Long Overdue for Their Own Video Games

With DC and Marvel both competing to see who can crank out super hero film franchises faster, the genre is becoming a summer blockbuster puppy mill. Accompanying most of these releases is the inevitable 'based on the film' video game.

We can't think of a faster way to get a video game shunted into the bargain bin than by making it an officially licenced tie-in. Just ask about those Green Lantern, Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America games that no one remembers.

What we need are comic book video games independently released of any movie tie-in. Here are 10 that we think would be amazing given the proper love. Let us know who you think which other heroes would be deserving of their own titles.

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Mike Mignola's incredible Hellboy series from Dark Horse Comics has been treated rather shabbily when it comes to film and video games. The series has introduced some of the most memorable occult and paranormal characters in comics, and the one video game tie-in was an un-playable mess. One character from the Hellboy universe that would be perfect for their own title would be Lobster Johnson.

Lobster Johnson has the makings of what could make a phenomenal video game. A 1930s pulp-era vigilante who battled everything from mobsters to werewolves to Nazis, Lobster Johnson burned his lobster claw symbol into the heads of all his enemies. A super violent, pulpy, detective/open-world steatlh game would fit Johnson perfectly.

Publishes by DC's more mature Wildstorm imprint Warren Ellis and Johns Cassaday's Planetary is one of the most missed series in comics. Granted, it's a bit niche and many haven't heard of it. Which is tragic considering how damn near perfect Ellis and Cassaday's universe has been constructed.

The series revolves around an organization, Planetary, intent on discovering the secret history of the universe. Think the CIA meets the JLA meets a heroic dose of of the psychedelic drug DMT. Elijah Snow is one of the main characters and was a century baby (born on January 1 1800, 1900, etc.) which gives him prolonged life and the ability to manipulate cold. The series would make for a massive sci-fi epic in the same vein of Mass Effect. The huge breadth of mythology provided by the series would be perfect for a science-fiction, RPG/action, space opera. Heart breaking that this one is guaranteed to never see the inside of a console.

This one actually has a bit more possibility of becoming a title since Marvel has just optioned Black Panther for a feature film. Criminal that His Majesty The King of Wakanda had to wait for three Iron Man films to get made before seeing some big screen love.

T'Challa is a genius level intellect in the Marvel Universe that is also the king and protector of Wakanda (a fictional African country). As such, he's granted access to a sacred herb which gives him in mystical connection with the Wakandan Panther God. Yes, that does sound that bad ass when you read it out loud. The third person stealth genre would be greatly served by an appearance of a Black Panther title. The guy is running on the same level as Batman in his power set and has been a member of both the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. Someone get on this.

The tragedy behind this is that there was an actual Sin City game being written by Frank Miller that was cancelled in 2008. It didn't get very far in production, but the fact that Miller was involved at all would have meant that the game would have been more graphic novel flavored than movie tie-in flavored.

Marv would be the obvious choice for the protagonist, but the whole cast would be just as easy to make interesting and playable characters in a Sin City title. Think Grand Theft Auto meets Max Payne, and keep the whole thing monochromatic and give fans of both the comic and the film an open world bloodbath that they deserve.

After seeing Wonder Woman finally get some screen time in Injustice: Gods Among Us it seems only logical for Princess Diana of Themyscira to get here own title. A demi-god that has over 60 years of source material to work with, this should be a no-brainer for DC.

Paul Dini, the writer who has done amazing runs on Wonder Woman for DC, has shown a remarkable ability in making a contemporary relatable Wonder Woman. Get him behind the script, highlight all of the Greek Mythology, never mention an invisible jet, and use that Lasso like Kratos in God of War to give one of the longest standing members of the DCU a title we can all get behind.

Considering that Alan Moore removed his name from the Watchmen film, we're fairly certain that he'd want nothing to do with a Watchmen video game either.

Especially one where Rorschach was the main character, but man that would be stunning. A detective title where the massively damaged masked vigilante was the protagonist would be akin to having Christmas giving us a lap dance. Think about a Rorschach title with the same tone as say Alan Wake and a similar look to Telltale Game's Walking Dead series. Throw in that grapple gun he packs and tons of visceral violence. Perfection.

Another title that we will probably see on the big screen sooner than later, Mark Millar and Steve McNiven's Nemesis is ripe for a video game adaptation.

Operating on a very simple premise: What if a Batman type were completely, criminally insane? You'd get Nemesis. A complete inverse of everything that Batman is, Nemesis does with style and bloodshed. Lots of bloodshed. A perfect title where players would get to be the 'bad guy' and pull off some of the most twisted, evil shit ever though up. Millar's Kick Ass was a massive success at the box office, why not capitalize on that and give us a Nemesis title?

Aside from the occasional cameo or bit part in some rather meh X-Men video game, Kitty Pryde is more than ready for here own title. If she's good enough for a rapper to cop her name as an homage, then she's more than good enough for a stand alone game.

Her ability to phase through solid objects, ninja training, kicking Dracula's ass in the 70s, and her fire-breathing dragon BFF should all provide more than enough to work into a new title for Marvel. Imagine how sick it would look to be able to move freely through walls and walk on air in a world where Shadow Cat was main bad ass?

Swamp Thing has recently had his whole identity rebooted thanks to DC's New 52 publishing move. This is great, because we think the character is a wildly under used property.

Alan Moore did a run on Swamp Thing in the 80s, deconstructing the character in the same way Watchmen deconstructed the modern super hero. Brilliant, but ultimately too heady to be turned into a video game though. The new Swamp Thing, is much more of a brawler in the traditional sense and would be perfect for his own game. He got his own title on the NES and Game Boy back in 1992, but they were pretty terrible.

With the ability to construct anything out of plant life and manipulate the growth and death of vegetation, a Swamp Thing game would be gorgeous if done correctly. If you're sleeping on the current run of Swamp Thing, it'd be best to fix that. It's one of the best titles being published.

How has this not happened yet? One of the most popular mutants (behind Wolverine, Wolverine, and Wolverine) Storm should have been the star of her own title years ago.

Sure we've seen her as playable fighter in the Marvel vs Capcom series, and as a bit player in other releases, but the fact that she isn't featured in a stand alone seems like a missed opportunity. Flight, weather control, and a back-story that would produce an amazing script.

New York, Kenya, mohawks, The Shadow King, lightning from her finger tips; the list could go on for why one of the strongest female characters in the history of comics is deserving of her own title. Make it big, make it open-world, pepper in mutant cameos, and make the flight mechanics tight and you've got a massive hit on your hands.