12 Actors You Probably Didn’t Realize Were Comic Book Writers

Anyone who has picked up a comic book, watched a sci-fi movie, or attended a comic book convention needs no introduction to William Shatner. The actor is iconic for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the “Star Trek” franchise and has been a pop culture figure for seven decades. The multihyphenate has worn many hats, including director, singer, and championship horse breeder. Still, in the late ’80s, Shatner took a stab at creating his own science fiction franchise, developing “TekWar” alongside co-author Ron Goulart. His first novel resulted in a series of books, multiple movies, and a short-lived television series.

Shatner’s “Tek World” series was adapted into a comic series under Marvel branding, and it wasn’t the last time the famed actor put his name on a comic book. Other novels and concepts created by Shatner received their own adaptations, including an original “Star Trek” novel, “The Ashes of Eden.” More recently, Shatner was involved in launching a new method of comic book reading, with a “revolutionary new digital format.” Backed by crowdfunding, Shatner’s novel series “Man O’ War” was adapted into a “cinematic graphic novel” in 2015. Available on smartphones and other devices, the format included music and sound effects, and could be viewed as an animated film.

Anyone who has picked up a comic book, watched a sci-fi movie, or attended a comic book convention needs no introduction to William Shatner. The actor is iconic for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the “Star Trek” franchise and has been a pop culture figure for seven decades. The multihyphenate has worn many hats, including director, singer, and championship horse breeder. Still, in the late ’80s, Shatner took a stab at creating his own science fiction franchise, developing “TekWar” alongside co-author Ron Goulart. His first novel resulted in a series of books, multiple movies, and a short-lived television series.

Shatner’s “Tek World” series was adapted into a comic series under Marvel branding, and it wasn’t the last time the famed actor put his name on a comic book. Other novels and concepts created by Shatner received their own adaptations, including an original “Star Trek” novel, “The Ashes of Eden.” More recently, Shatner was involved in launching a new method of comic book reading, with a “revolutionary new digital format.” Backed by crowdfunding, Shatner’s novel series “Man O’ War” was adapted into a “cinematic graphic novel” in 2015. Available on smartphones and other devices, the format included music and sound effects, and could be viewed as an animated film.