25 modern book-to-screen adaptations that didn’t let us down

The Umbrella Academy

Gerard Way is best known for his time leading the band My Chemical Romance, but The Umbrella Academy comic-book series he created with Gabriel Bá and Dave Stewart developed a cult following over the years. Naturally, fans were thrilled to find out that Netflix had plans to adapt the comics into a television series, which was well-received when it released earlier this year.

Both series take place after 47 children with extraordinary abilities are suddenly born to women who hadn’t previously been pregnant. The series itself follows seven of these children, all of whom were purchased and adopted by a wealthy man who begins what he refers to as “The Umbrella Academy.” The seven kids grow up in a dysfunctional environment where their “father” forces them to hone their skills to fight evil. Years later, when his death reunites them, they’re forced to utilize their skills once more — this time to save the world.

The Netflix series successfully manages to portray the dark and bizarre tone of the comic books, and it does a solid job of painting the picture of this dysfunctional Umbrella Academy family as well. Naturally, the siblings have plenty of pent-up emotions, as well as complicated relationships to one another, and the show explores that in much the same way that the comics do.

And the series did such a good job of adapting the books that Netflix renewed it for a second season, during which it will further dive into the Hargreeves family (and hopefully clear up the cliffhanger season one left off on).