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.