New series The Antagonists from Godhood Comics is receiving a television adaptation, after the multi-media production company Braham Entertainment acquired the rights from the independent publisher.
Created by Godhood Comics founder Tyler F. Martin, The Antagonists tells the story of married supervillains Desructus and Ultima, who have retired from their lives of wrongdoing after succeeding in taking over the world. Their retirement is constantly disrupted by government officials, however, who are still in pursuit of the villains. Married life, racial issues and hiding their true identities from their children are constant themes within the comic.
Nominated for a Daytime Emmy for the short Watchtower, Braham Entertainment head, producer and filmmaker Noel Braham shared the company's excitement towards the upcoming project with Deadline. "We are extremely excited about this new partnership," said Braham, who was also intrigued to see how the franchise develops on the small screen. Braham mentioned that Martin's hometown was also Atlanta, GA, creating a "full circle moment" for both professionals. She also touched on The Antagonists' original storytelling regarding topical issues, and Martin's decision to put the spotlight on characters that are rarely exhibited on Hollywood's mainstream stage.
Martin confirmed that the comic series was a "bittersweet project" for all creatives involved, alluding that the premise includes arcs that thread powerful messages through their core to trigger original dialogue. Martin and co-creator Felipe Dunbar focused on building an "authentic representation of the African American family, despite their shortcomings." According to Martin, The Antagonists poses the questions: "What is a villain?" and "What makes one?" The creator also said the story depicts "the underdog, the little guy and those of us who feel unseen and unheard." Martin believes that The Antagonists is Godhood Comics' "calling card."
Mega Woman, Sharpshooter and Galactic Patrol Delta are other titles created by Martin and published by Godhood Comics, delivering a variety of stories about Black superheroes. Keisha Carter becomes Mega Woman after discovering that she is the last child of Zeus, Chris Hill is an Olympic gold medalist turned Sharpshooter after being blinded by a terrorist attack and the Galactic Patrol Delta establishes order in the Milky Way, led by Sargent Sufi Kahn.
The Antagonists is a Kickstarter-funded project, which received 525 backers with $25,425 pledged for the production of the first three issues. The campaign ended in December 2020 and received positive feedback from supporters, with reviews labeling the series as an entertaining mix between Power, The Incredibles and Ozark.
Source: Deadline