Black Magick, a fantastic fantasy comic penned by Greg Rucka and featuring art by Nicola Scott, is the latest Image Comic to be optioned for the screen. The auction, which featured several bidders, was won by Groundswell Productions, run by Michael London and known for producing compelling series such as The Magicians. 

The comic itself blends the genres of crime and the occult, with a protagonist who is both a robbery/homicide detective and a witch. Rowan Black struggles to keep her two lives separate, but a gruesome and mysterious murder brings everything to the forefront. It’s a gripping five part series, that originally ran from October 2015 to February 2016. 

Groundswell Productions is rumoured to be producing Black Magick as an hourlong crime drama, for television or streaming services. Rucka spoke of the competition, and explained why the rights were eventually awarded to London’s company:

We had a lot of attention and some very difficult choices to make when it came to finding Black Magick a home. Ultimately, MIchael and Groundswell took the day with a passion and sincerity that certainly made Nic [Niclola Scott] and I feel that Rowan is in very good hands.

London was also pleased at the prospect of bringing Rowan’s story to the screen, saying:

Greg and Nicola have created an indelible small town character and put her at the centre of a gripping mystery driven by a fresh take on the mythology of witchcraft. Our plan is to find a world class creator who can realize their vision for the series and then take it to the cable and streaming networks. 

Rucka may be best known as the writer of a number of intriguing and exciting Batman story arcs, and has written for a number of different companies, including Marvel, Dark Horse, and Oni Press. His other Image Comics property, Lazarus, has also recently been optioned for the screen. 

Black Magick is available in single issue or trade paperback format, at your favourite comic book shop or online retailer of choice. If the team up of Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott is at all appealing to you, check out DC Comics’ ongoing Wonder Woman comic. There are currently two stories running at the same time in the Rucka-penned series, with Scott providing artwork in every other issue (i.e. once a month).