The Men in Black
are a secret organization that protects Earth by eliminating threats that are extraterrestrial by nature, with the MiB’s wacky sci-fi antics consistently making for a fun and entertaining romp into the unknown — or at least that’s what Hollywood would want you to believe. Created over 30 years ago as a black-and-white comic, the original Men in Black is a far darker and more dangerous story than fans who have only seen the movies know, with the proof being in the series’ very first chapter.
Published by Aircel Comics in 1990, The Men in Black, written by Lowell Cunningham with art by Sandy Carruthers, featured Agent J and Agent K as they dealt with the various extraterrestrial, paranormal, demonic, mutant, and conspiratorial dangers bubbling just under the surface of everyday life.
Getting a decidedly different take on its story in 1997’s Men in Black, the film whittled down the series’ threats to only its alien-related elements while doing away with the darker parts of its comic tale, specifically how the Men in Black were allowed to kill others rather than simply wiping people's memory.
Men in Black Faced (and Killed) More Than Aliens in The Original Comic
The Men in Black - 1990 (Lowell Cunningham and Sandy Carruthers)
Given a three-issue story in 1990 and then another three-chapter tale in 1991, (Marvel commissioned only a select few issues after it bought Aircel Comics, at the time Malibu Comics, in 1994), The Men in Black offered a serious noir-like tone that focused on the inherent grittiness and paranoia of the book’s concept and consistently showed Kay killing enemies while the newly hired Jay looked on disapprovingly. In conjunction with their signature “nuerolysers,” this MiB had the clearance to assassinate people who knew too much and could use lethal force when necessary — a stark contrast to the movie's mind-wipe-only tactics.
The Men in Black franchise stumbled after Men in Black: International underperformed. Will there be a Men in Black 5 movie, and who will star?
Dealing with a drug cult, UFO sighting, and even a demonic game of Dungeons and Dragons in its inaugural issues, the comic version of MiB has virtually no oversight, allowing them to do whatever was needed to keep their actions a secret as they continued their alleged attempts at controlling Earth — another difference from the films as that MiB was put in place to protect rather than control. Furthermore, it’s suggested that even when using the nuerolyser, the agents of MiB implant some controversial motives and memories into people, throwing into question what else they may be unethically involved in.
The Men in Black Have Gone Missing From The Comic Scene
Custom image by Yeider Chacon
While Men in Black in both its comic book and live-action forms has laid dormant ever since its original ‘90s miniseries and the critically panned and commercial failure that was 2019’s Men in Black: International film, fans should never say never, as a quick realignment with the series darker source material would be a fresh way to reintroduced Agent K and Agent J to the next generation. Furthermore, with Marvel still owning the comic rights to the franchise, there’s no reason why a limited series couldn’t be commissioned that mixes Men in Black’s differing tones into something entirely new!
The Men in Black is available from Aircel Comics/Malibu Comics/Marvel Comics.
Men in Black (MIB) is a science fiction franchise that began with the 1997 film, based on the Marvel comic series by Lowell Cunningham. The franchise follows a secret organization that monitors extraterrestrial activity on Earth. The series includes four films, an animated TV series, and several video games, blending action, humor, and sci-fi. The franchise is notable for the performances of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, who portrayed Agents J and K, respectively.
Created by
Lowell Cunningham, Barry Sonnenfeld
First TV Show
Men in Black: The Series
Latest TV Show
Men in Black: The Series
First Episode Air Date
October 11, 1997
TV Show(s)
Men in Black: The Series
Character(s)
Agent J, Agent K, Agent O, Agent H, Agent M, Zed, Frank the Pug, Edgar the Bug, Boris the Animal, Serleena
Summary
Men in Black (MIB) is a science fiction franchise that began with the 1997 film, based on the Marvel comic series by Lowell Cunningham. The franchise follows a secret organization that monitors extraterrestrial activity on Earth. The series includes four films, an animated TV series, and several video games, blending action, humor, and sci-fi. The franchise is notable for the performances of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, who portrayed Agents J and K, respectively.
Custom image by Yeider Chacon
:quality(85):upscale()/2025/04/01/930/n/1922729/e427233467ec5871e55d15.22652482_.png)
English (US) ·