‘Cobra Kai’ Comic Book Will Retell the Events of ‘The Karate Kid’ From Johnny’s Perspective

Cobra Kai comic book

The YouTube Premium original series Cobra Kai has been continuing a story that first got underway back in 1984 with The Karate Kid, depicting the ongoing rivalry between Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) and Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) decades after they clashed as teenagers. Daniel was the protagonist of that original movie and Johnny was depicted as a villain, but what if the story is more complicated than that?

A new Cobra Kai comic book intends to explore that question by giving Johnny Lawrence his own Maleficent moment, retelling the events of The Karate Kid through his eyes instead of Daniel’s. Learn more about the upcoming comic below.

A new press release informs us that IDW Publishing, Overbrook Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Television are teaming up to “develop new stories set within the continuity of the YouTube Premium original series, based on iconic characters from the cultural touchstone Karate Kid film series.”

First up is Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues, which will be written by Denton J. Tipton (The X-Files) and illustrated by Kagan McLeod (Infinite Kung Fu), with McLeod tackling the cover art for the first issue. The story will re-examine the events of The Karate Kid “through the eyes of Johnny Lawrence, two-time All Valley Tournament champion. When the new kid makes moves on the girl that broke Johnny’s heart, he vows to settle the score and win back his love…or so goes the story Sensei Lawrence tells his students nearly 35 years later.”

Here’s a piece of art that accompanied the press release:

Cobra Kai comic cover

Personally, I’ve never gotten passionate about reading comics that fill in some gaps in major movie franchises. But even though I still haven’t watched any of Cobra Kai yet (maybe I’ll check it out now that you don’t have to subscribe to YouTube Premium to watch it), I have to admit that this idea sounds interesting to me – if for no other reason than to read what Johnny and his idiot pals truly thought about the time an old man came out of nowhere to absolutely destroy their asses after a Halloween party.

“I saw The Karate Kid for the first time during a lock-in at the Y. The skeleton costumes captured my attention, while the Miyagi-isms pulled me into the story. And like everyone else at the time, I caught Karate Kid fever. Fast-forward 35 years, and being just a small part of the franchise has made me feel young and inspired all over again,” Tipton said in a statement.

The first issue of Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues will crane-kick its way onto comic book store shelves in October 2019.

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