5 ways Netflix’s Dead Boy Detectives is different from its comics

The tendency of television shows and movies to divert from the original is a common thing, and Dead Boy Detectives on Netflix is the newest series to do so. While keeping most things true to its comic book counterpart, the series takes creative liberties for the sake of storytelling, and for the most part, such an idea seems to work.

Although originally meant to be a part of the Doom Patrol universe, the show when picked up by Netflix finally was adapted into The Sandman Universe. In other words, both the Dead Boy Detectives and The Sandman are canonical in each other's storyline. This new show is made of eight parts and was developed by Beth Schwartz and Steve Yockey.

---

5 ways in which Dead Boy Detectives differs from the comic series

Crystal's origins and powers are different

Crystal was one of the main characters in the comic books and remains so in the show. However, there are certain key differences. For instance, she was originally introduced in the comics as a girl that Charles saved from a bomb, following which she would ally with the protagonists.

In the show, however, Crystal is introduced as a girl whose demonic ex-boyfriend possessed her, following which a ghost girl asks the main characters for help. Additionally, she was originally a kinder person who could act as a medium or talk to ghosts. The Dead Boy Detectives show retcons that by having her become a psychic who can enter people's minds and a bully who slowly redeems herself.

---

Charles' demons are more real and human

In the original comic book storyline, Charles could see ghosts with the help of a special sixth sense. However, the show decides to omit that entirely. Instead, Charles in the Netflix show Dead Boy Detectives finds his bullies in his abusive parent and his school bullies.

It is the school bullies that lead to his death after he falls into a lake. There, he has hypothermia leading to him becoming a ghost and partnering up with Edwin.

---

The Dead Boy Detectives are older

One of the key details that immediately pops out to viewers of Dead Boy Detectives (after reading the comics) is the disparity between the ages of the protagonists. In the comic series, which was primarily aimed at teenage audiences, the ghosts of Edwin and Charles were shown to be 13 years old, aka the same age at which they died.

However, the characters in the show are older, about 16 years of age. This helps them tap into more adult-oriented themes, and tackle mature storylines like parental abuse, high school romance and heartbreak, and bullying.

---

There is no teleportation anymore

World-building is a vital part of every work of urban fantasy, and the world showcased in the comics had teleportation as a key mode of travel. In the source material, mirrors were the objects that ghosts used to teleport from one place to another.

However, Dead Boy Detectives television show omits these details altogether. While they still retain the ability to move through solid objects and have often been seen travelling through walls, the use of portals has been totally omitted.

---

Tragic Mick has his appearance tweaked

Remember Tragic Mick from the comics? He was the half-man, half-walrus character whose existence in the universe of Dead Boy Detectives was easily believable. Mick is an ally of the main characters who ran a pawn shop in England in the comics. The show retains this aspect of his character by having him run an antique shop that contains many relics.

However, in the comics, the character was originally a walrus-human hybrid who was cursed to become so after leaving his home, aka the ocean. The show omits that, likely because not using CGI would help cut costs.

---

The show premiered on Netflix on April 25, 2024, with all the episodes released on the same day.