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Supernatural's imminent return is a better future for the show than season 16 (for now, at least). Since its premiere in 2005, Supernatural has become one of the most popular paranormal horror dramas of all time, running for an incredible 15 seasons. Few TV duos are as beloved as Sam and Dean Winchester; it's not surprising that fans have been clamoring for the show to return. Even the stars have had ideas about a potential revival, with Jared Padalecki pitching a Gilmore Girls-esque limited series and Misha Collins suggesting a time travel narrative device.
So far, though, there have been no reports of a confirmed reunion. Finding the right story and a window of opportunity for production isn't easy, especially with Jensen Ackles' and Eric Kripke's ongoing commitments to Prime Video's The Boys franchise. Instead, fans have recently been able to enjoy Dynamite Entertainment's Supernatural comics, which feature a canonical but timeline-preserving new story.
The first 10-issue series, which takes the brothers back to the show's humble, episodic beginnings between seasons 1 and 2, is set to end on August 26. The company's next confirmed release, the supersized one-off Supernatural: Wayward Special #1 by Paulina Ganucheau and artist John Amor, will launch a massive new Supernatural narrative event on September 2, with Sam and Dean forcibly separated and each leading their own full, intertwined comic spinoff series: Supernatural: Sam Winchester and Supernatural: Dean Winchester.
Supernatural's comic return may feel like a poor substitute for a proper small-screen revival. After all, the show's greatest strength is its actors, their characters, and their relationships with one another. Still, given Hollywood's recent track record with like-minded reboots, revivals, and spinoffs, waiting longer for a new Supernatural TV adventure may be the best thing for the show and the franchise as a whole.
The Winchesters spinoff only lasted for one season before its cancellation. Meanwhile, fellow genre hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer's reboot, which would have seen the return of Sarah Michelle Gellar and been spearheaded by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao, was unceremoniously axed before it could even air its pilot. Hopefully, Firefly's upcoming animated return won't suffer the same fate. The comics represent a safe, no-strings, fun return to Supernatural's world, keeping the show's legacy alive and proving its continued popularity.
Supernatural's New Comic Series Is A Risk (But A Worthwhile One)
While the prospect of a new Supernatural comic series is exciting, especially as the long wait for news of a proper reunion continues, the upcoming event is still risky. After all, it will split up Sam and Dean after Sam "[does] something to Dean that he can never take back," starting with Supernatural: Wayward Special and continuing into their respective spinoff series. The first two issues, Supernatural: Sam Winchester #1 by Paulina Ganucheau and Kendall Goode and Supernatural: Dean Winchester #1 by Chuck Brown and Rapha Lobosco, are set to be published in October.
The brothers' relationship is at the very heart of the franchise. Even when Misha Collins' Castiel arrived on the scene, eventually shifting the show's core duo into a trio, it was Sam and Dean that held everything together. The series finale's divisive ending separated the two by killing Dean during a random vampire hunt, sending him to Heaven and letting Sam live out the rest of his days on Earth until they eventually reunited in the afterlife.
Sam and Dean working together is essentially the show's most sacred rule, and the comics are taking a big leap by splitting them up for such a massive story event. It's hard to predict how readers will respond. Even so, it'll be interesting to see how Sam and Dean handle their respective stories on their own. It's not just a test of their characters but a test of their relationship. Since this event is being told in a different medium, there's more leeway for the comics to play with.
The synopses for both stories sound undeniably intriguing, with Sam being "drawn to an abandoned town deep in the heart of Appalachia," and Dean "determined to close a case his dad never could, but to do so, he might have to murder a god." It's been confirmed that the stories will be interconnected and that Dynamite Entertainment will continue the wayward brothers' journeys after this massive new event, so Sam and Dean won't be separated for long. As Supernatural proved time and again, they'll always find their way back to each other, both on the page and, hopefully, when the time is right, on the small screen.
Supernatural: Wayward Special #1 is on sale September 2.
