A Fan’s Guide to Louisiana Key Issues in Marvel and DC Comics
Ever notice how often Louisiana shows up in your favorite comics? It’ might not just be a coincidence. There’s definitely something about the state’s unique vibe...from mysterious culture to disturbingly sprawling landscapes, writers and artists just can't seem to resist The Boot.
Here's what we're talking about.
More Than a Backdrop: Why Louisiana is a Comic Book Star
For years it served as a perfect setting for incredible stories, but lately, that connection has absolutely exploded onto the big screen.
The first appearance of Louisiana in comics dates all the way back to one of the biggest comic books of all time. Detective Comics #27 was released in 1939, and featured the first appearance of Louisiana in comic books. That fact gets overshadowed, because Detective Comics #27 is also the first appearance of a character named Batman.
This doesn't mean Batman and Louisiana were in the same story, because these old books included multiple stories. While Batman appeared in one, Louisiana was first mentioned in the story "The New Orleans Mardi Gras Murders, Part 1".
Since then, the state has appeared as a focal point in books like Suicide Squad, Witchblade, and even the X-Men.
From the Bayou to the Big Screen
You've really seen Louisiana hit the big time in Hollywood recently through these comic book ties.
In Marvel, both Monica Rambeau and Captain America himself, Sam Wilson, have stories deeply rooted in the state. Their on-screen adventures actually make a big change to Sam Wilson/Falcon/Captain America, in the MCU they changed his origins from New York to Louisiana. It adds an awesome layer of authenticity, especially in "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" series.
DC isn't sleeping on Louisiana, either. They set up the Suicide Squad's gritty home base in Terrebonne Parish (which is taken from the comics). One of the few aspects that stayed the same in the 2016 and 2021 movies.
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Of course, all this Hollywood attention didn't just come out of nowhere. It's built on decades of comic book history. The Louisiana swamps are practically legendary as the home of characters like Swamp Thing, who also had a TV series produced with Louisiana as the setting.
Back to the comics...there's a lot of Louisiana you can find in the pages of funny books. Just check these out.