The Resident Evil series was one of the bigger video game properties to gain notoriety out of the ‘90s, and it’s been able to maintain that reputation and grow into one of the most successful franchises in the industry. Resident Evil has been able to effectively spin off this success to push the zombie series into new directions, and it’s one of the more natural fits for a video game property that goes on to become a comic.
Resident Evil goes even further in this regard, and it doesn’t just have a comic series, but also a manga, and a Chinese manhua series as well. Resident Evil’s manhua are some of the most satisfying adaptations of the lot, and they deserve greater visibility.
10 They’re All Loose Adaptations Of The Video Games
There are many different approaches that can be taken when it comes to literature that’s based on video games, but Resident Evil’s comics, manga, and manhua all adopt slightly different philosophies. The Chinese manhua series are all officially licensed by Capcom, and they take advantage of this with each different series directly adapting a different major Resident Evil release. Resident Evil 2, 3, CODE: Veronica, and the prequel Resident Evil Zero all get explored to deeper degrees in these five respective manhua series. They result in some of the best stories of the lot.
9 It Tells The Events Of Leon, Claire, & Ada During Resident Evil 3
BIOHAZARD 3 Last Escape is a more direct manhua that sticks to the events of the third Resident Evil game. Supplemental Edition is the second manhua that’s based on this game, and it instead tells a side-story that centers on the characters from Resident Evil 2. BIOHAZARD 3 Supplemental Edition is a nine-issue series that looks at what Claire Redfield, Leon Kennedy, and Ada Wong are up to during the events of Resident Evil 3. It’s an enlightening bridge between both of these beloved games. It’s a narrative approach that’s a lot more common today.
8 Its Resident Evil 2 Adaptation Lasts For 60 Volumes & Goes Far Beyond The Source Material
Resident Evil 2 has the reputation for being one of the best entries in the franchise. Accordingly, the Resident Evil 2 manhua, BIO HAZARD 2, is the most successful of the manhua, and it ran for multiple years. To the manhua’s credit, it turns out 60 issues, only the first 14 of which follow the events of the game.
This means that the majority of the Resident Evil 2 manhua gets into fresh territory. It turns the game’s story into something that’s significantly bigger, and it’s one of the wildest developments in the Resident Evil series, manhua or otherwise.
7 The Resident Evil 3 Manhua Makes William Birkin Responsible For The Nemesis Mutation
Resident Evil 3 has become one of the more popular entries in the series, but it was initially an outlier due to where it fits into the larger Resident Evil chronology. BIOHAZARD 3 Last Escape attempts to connect some dots between Resident Evil 3 and its predecessor in a manner that’s quite helpful. Last Escape makes Resident Evil 2’s William Birkin responsible for Nemesis’ G-2 mutation. It’s a revision that works, and the manhua also finds justified uses for other Resident Evil 2 characters, like Leon Kennedy and Sherry Birkin, albeit in small doses.
6 The Resident Evil 2 Manhua Culminates In A Showdown Between Leon & God
Resident Evil 2’s story is hardly groundbreaking, but many don’t criticize it as a downfall in the game. The manhua for Resident Evil 2 doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel, but it decides to take some serious risks with the story’s ultimate villain: God. BIO HAZARD 2 positions Umbrella’s CEO, “God,” as someone who is locked in an ancient prophecy that involves the G-Virus. The manhua includes a lot of resurrection, multiple versions of Leon, and his final battle against God taking place in heaven among familiar angels. It moves the horror game into decidedly more spiritual territory.
5 The Resident Evil CODE: Veronica Manhua Has A Localized Comic By Wildstorm
Most of the Resident Evil manhua series haven’t left China, so they’re left to be a mystery for many fans of the video game series. That being said, the exception is that the manhua for CODE: Veronica did receive a localization that was turned into a comic and distributed through Wildstorm, like most of Resident Evil’s North American comic releases.
This decision is somewhat confusing since CODE: Veronica has always been a dark horse entry for the franchise, but it’s still appreciated that this entertaining media is more readily available.
4 Special Tyrant-Sized Issues Of The Resident Evil 2 Manhua Were Released
There is no shortage of special edition video games that get released. This practice has been around for even longer when it comes to comics, and there are certain Resident Evil manhua series that play into this custom. There was such enthusiasm around the release of BIO HAZARD 2 that 3000 specialty versions were released. These larger Super “G” Size Limited Editions take their inspiration from William Birkin’s hulking size. The special edition included a booklet, poster, and two character cards for Ada Wong and Barry Irons, who are surprising but appreciated additions.
3 The Resident Evil 3 Manhua Explains That Four Nemesis Were In Production
Resident Evil 3 was such a groundbreaking and terrifying game for its time because of Nemesis, an antagonist who often feels invincible and turns the game into a perpetually tense experience. One Nemesis is more than enough, but BIOHAZARD 3 Last Escape indicates that there were actually four Nemesis experiments in progress, all of which apparently have memories of their past lives as humans. Last Escape details the rebellion and destruction of one of these renegade Nemesis projects, but it also turns them into considerably more tragic figures due to how it digs into their genesis.
2 Three Different Publishers Handled The Five Manhua Series
Ownership and licensing can be a real headache in the comic industry, and it’s responsible for the death of many popular series. Resident Evil’s North American comics were primarily handled by Wildstorm, which centralized everything. The situation in China with Resident Evil’s manhua is not nearly as simple, and the five separate series are divided between three publishers. Tinhangse Publishing is responsible for CODE: Veronica, BIOHAZARD 3: Last Escape, and BIOHAZARD 3 Supplemental Edition. King’s Fountain is the publisher for the long-running BIO HAZARD 2, and finally, Yulang Group handles the Biohazard 0 manhua adaptation.
1 The Resident Evil 2 Introduces Enhanced Zombies & A Supernatural Realm Of Giant Lickers & Dinosaurs
The Resident Evil manhua have a deep history of monsters to pull from for its material, but some series try to bring their own abnormalities into the mix. The most egregious examples of this occur in BIO HAZARD 2 because of the presence of “God” and how he pushes many creatures to evolve. This results in “Enhanced Zombies” that have comprehensive tentacles that can disembowel their prey. Leon even briefly enters a supernatural realm that’s full of gigantic Lickers and actual dinosaurs, so there are considerably greater heights explored in the manhua, with even wilder implications behind them.
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