Kelly Sue DeConnick and Matt Fraction adapting ‘Sex Criminals’ for TV, sign deal with Universal TV

Kelly Sue DeConnick and Matt Fraction

Holy fucking shit. Two of my favorite writers (and the First Family of Comic Creators as far as I am concerned) are not only adapting Fraction’s Sex Criminals for the small screen. They’ve also straight-up signed a two-year development deal with Universal TV.

The Mary Sue:

According to an exclusive from Deadline, everybody’s favorite comic-book writing couple is making the jump to television thanks to a new two year deal between their production company, Milkfed Criminal Masterminds, and Universal TV.

Presumably their celebrated work with Marvel (Hawkeye, Captain MarvelAvengers Assemble) will not be eligible for adaptation given rights issues, but the pair is already working with the company to produce Sex Criminals as one of their first projects. The Image Comics-produced series by Fraction and Chip Zdarsky was named Time Magazine’s best comic of 2013 and won Best News Series at the Eisner Awards, and is also just generally ridiculously awesome.

“We’re always excited to usher in fresh voices to the television space, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with Matt and Kelly Sue, a fantastic pair whose award-winning comics are as deeply realized as they are entertaining,” Universal TV EVP Bela Bajaria.

Other possible projects might include TV versions of DeConnick’s Eisner-nominated magical realism western with Emma Rios, Pretty Deadly; Fraction and Christian Ward’s all-female Homerian space opera ODY-C; DeConnick and Valentine De Landro’s dystopian feminist exploitation series Bitch Planet (PLEASE MAKE A SHOW OF THIS OH MY GOD), or Fraction and Howard Chaylkin’s film noir-inspired Satellite Sam. 

Fraction and DeConnick also plan to use Milkfed Criminal Masterminds as a launchpad for IPs from other comic creators, as well as for original TV content not adapted from comics. This is ridiculously exciting news and we couldn’t be happier for them, what about you?

My only concern? Sex Criminals gotta be Rated R, right? Like, does Universal have a station where it can run an adaptation in its purest form?