Grant Morrison On Why He Thinks ‘Happy!’ Was Adapted For TV

Christopher Meloni as Nick Sax — Grant Morrison thinks that “Happy!” became his first comic book property to get adapted for film or TV because it condenses every other story he’s done. Syfy

“Happy!” is Grant Morrison’s first comic book to be adapted for screen. But because Morrison has written a lot of comic books in his career, fans were surprised when it was announced last year that Syfy was adapting “Happy!” for TV.

In a recent interview with Boing Boing, Morrison explained why he thinks “Happy!” was his first comic book property that made it to the screen. “It’s a really simple story, but it condenses every other story I’ve done,” said Morrison, who also wrote DC Comics’ “All-Star Superman,” Vertigo’s “The Invisibles,” and Fleetway’s “2000 AD.” “It’s got all of those things, because it ultimately says ‘Okay, we acknowledge the world is a nihilistic hellhole plunging toward screaming entropy, but ... we have hope.’”

“In some of my other stories, [hope has] been Superman and it’s been the Justice League or it’s been something,” Morrison continued. “But [in ‘Happy!’] it’s so down to nothing, it’s the tiniest last little candle flame. I think Happy (voiced by Patton Oswalt on the series) just dramatizes that so nakedly as a way of condensing all my themes and all my ideas into something that’s primal and simple enough that it actually has this mass appeal.”

Morrison also told /FILM that the boom of material on TV helped “Happy!” find its way to the screen. “I think because there’s so much content now that that content is kind of stretching people’s imagination,” Morrison explained. “They’re capable of dealing with a lot more on TV. The imagery that people consume is a lot more fantastical and based in the kind of work that I’ve always done — the superhero and comic book stuff. I think it’s just opened up a whole ecological niche of potential. I think people are willing to have material that’s slightly wilder, slightly more out there and slightly more symbolic or allegorical. Honestly, if I was to say anything, I think that’s what’s cracked open the door for me and my stuff.”

Are there other Grant Morrison comic books that you’d like to be adapted for film or TV? Sound off in the comments section below!

“Happy!” airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EST on Syfy.