Fan-Favorite Supernatural Era Proves to Be Perfect for New Stories

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This feature highlights great contemporary comics. Today, we’re discussing the clever decision by the new Supernatural comic series from Dynamite Entertainment to take place near the end of the first season of the original TV show.

I understand why many fans would hesitate to support a new Supernatural series that doesn’t include Castiel right away. It’s tough to imagine those early adventures without him. If that’s a dealbreaker for you, I respect your opinion and understand why you might not agree with my perspective. I wish you all the best.

If you’re still interested after hearing that, let me explain why setting the new Supernatural comic series from Dynamite Entertainment – written by the talented Greg Pak – during the first season of the original TV show is a smart move.

Why is Season 1 such a good era of Supernatural for new stories?

Dynamite Entertainment created some confusion by first saying the series took place between the first and second seasons. This didn’t make sense, though, because the first season ends with a major cliffhanger, making that timing impossible.

Writer Greg Pak previously explained that the story takes place near the end of the first season. Before the series came out, he described it as being a “monster of the week” show – meaning each episode featured a self-contained story with new places, characters, and a different monster, while the team was traveling.

Greg Pak really summed it up well. The show gradually relied more and more on its overarching storyline, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing – that storyline was actually quite good. The problem is, once that main story is established, it’s hard to expand on it later.

You can do it, but the effects don’t really last. However, with standalone monster stories, you can create lasting consequences. I realized this when I was praising the new villain in Supernatural #1.

As I mentioned before, Steff Windler is a classic villain – the kind who keeps you on edge because her next move is always unpredictable. She could disappear from the story completely, reappear in just a couple of issues, become a major character for a long time, or even be killed off quickly for impact. That uncertainty is ideal for a series unfolding over time.

Since the early years of the show allowed for a lot of flexibility in the characters’ experiences, there’s plenty of opportunity to expand the show’s history with new stories. Considering all the strange things Dean and Sam have faced, it makes sense that many significant monster hunts could have happened without being mentioned later on in the series.

However, that idea wouldn’t work for important, ongoing storylines. Those stories need to be revisited because they have a lasting impact on the characters. For example, you can’t suddenly introduce a past girlfriend of Dean’s who was killed by Azazel – that would drastically change established story details. But introducing a girlfriend who simply leaves the show is fine, as Dean might not mention her again.

Why the end of Season 1 specifically?

The Season 1 finale is structured around a specific point in Sam Winchester’s journey. He’s newly reintroduced to demon hunting and still grappling with the recent revelation that a demon caused their mother’s death – an event his father shared with them around the eleventh episode of the original series. Everything that happens in this story takes place after that pivotal moment.

Dean and Sam are still getting used to working together, which creates some tension, but they’ve been partners long enough that we still get those familiar, classic brotherly moments. Like many TV shows, viewers quickly start to recognize recurring themes and dynamics.

Many shows need a few seasons to find their footing, but the core relationship between Dean and Sam Winchester was clear from the start, definitely by the eleventh episode. This means you see characters who aren’t heavily involved in a long, complicated storyline yet are still well-defined and relatable to a wide audience.

Whether you’re a longtime fan of all fifteen seasons or just know the show in passing, you can easily jump into this series. It’s a fantastic foundation for a comic book that could continue for a long time within this world, which is why launching the Supernatural comic now feels so right.

This isn’t a feature where readers directly participate, but I wanted to share some recent comics that I really enjoyed. If you have any recommendations of your own, I’d love to hear them – we might have similar tastes! Feel free to email your suggestions to brianc@cbr.com.

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2025-12-12 19:28