Mad Cave Studios has inked a deal with Konami Cross Media NY to produce comics and graphic novels based on the run-and-gun video game Contra, which was first released in 1987 and was one of the top-grossing arcade games of the year; NES also released a home version.
The deal, as reported in License Global, includes a 12-issue comic series as well as trade paperbacks and a deluxe edition. Aside from a comic produced by Konami to go with the Japanese release of the 2002 game Contra: Shattered Soldier, and available only in Japanese, this appears to be the first comic based on the Contra video games. Mad Cave has not announced a creative team, but they plan to release the first issue in January 2027.
“Contra is a cornerstone of gaming history, and we are honored to take the mantle of bringing its explosive energy to the page,” said Mad Cave CEO and Chief Creative Officer Mark London in a statement accompanying the announcement. “Our team is dedicated to cultivating an impactful, character-focused story that honors the source material while pushing the boundaries of what fans expect from a sci-fi action comic. We can’t wait to show the world what we’ve been building.”
“The adrenaline-pumping world of Contra has always been rooted in rich, character-driven action, making it a perfect candidate for the comic book medium,” added Jennifer Coleman, SVP, licensing and marketing, Konami Cross Media NY. “Mad Cave Studios has a proven pedigree for delivering high-impact narratives across a diverse range of genres.”
Mad Cave recently licensed another 1980s property, The Last Starfighter (see “Mad Cave to Publish New Stories in ‘The Last Starfighter’ World”).
Source: ICv2
