The NBC Universal-owned Syfy Channel is set to make a slew of development announcements today at their upfront presentation to Madison Avenue ad buyers, but several announcements of comic adaptations were made early, including plans to adapt Frank Miller’s comic Ronin and Jonathan Hickman’s Pax Romana as limited series, as well as Charles Soule’s Letter 44 and David Schulner’s Clone as scripted drama series.
 
The Hollywood Reporter  had details on Ronin and Letter 44.  Frank Miller’s 1983-84 DC Comic limited series Ronin will be developed as a miniseries, and Soule’s Oni Press sci-fi/political thriller Letter 44 is planned as an ongoing drama.
 
The six-issue Ronin, with artwork painted by Lynn Varley, takes place in a dystopian future New York, where a Feudal Japanese samurai who failed to save his master from a demon is reincarnated.  The demon Agat has also returned, and now the ronin hunts him, as they vie for control of the demon’s magical sword. 
 
Syfy is currently searching for a writer for the mini-series, and the number of episodes has not been determined.  Despite Miller’s many film adaptations, this may be the first adaptation to make it to TV, since there has been little news on the planned Sin City TV program (see "'Sin City' TV Show").
 
Charles Soule and Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque’s Letter 44 refers to the letter each exiting U.S. President leaves to his successor, and the shocking news President Stephen Blades finds.  Apparently, the financial turmoil and needless wars his predecessor created are meant to prepare humanity for a possible alien invasion detected by the NASA crew of The Clarke.
 
The pilot will be written and directed by Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3, U-571).  The show will be produced by Oni Press’s sister company, Closed on Mondays.  James Lucas Jones, and Joe Nozemack are set to produce.  René Echevarria, showrunner for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Castle, and The 4400, will executive produce with Mostow, and Closed on Monday’s Eric Gitter.
 
Hickman’s 2007 Image release Pax Romana will be developed as a miniseries, according to Deadline.  The story follows a Special Forces team that time travels back to Ancient Rome to fix the past and prevent World War III.  The story will be scripted by Matthew Federman and Stephen Scaia (Warehouse 13).  Circle of Confusion’s David Alpert (The Walking Dead) will executive produce with Federman and Scaia. Hickman will co-executive produce.
 



Development of Schulner’s comic Clone was announced by Skybound and Universal at Comic-Con last year (see "NBC/Universal Developing Skybound's 'Clone'"), but now The Wrap is reporting SyFy has announced development.  Schulner is writing and executive producing, with Robert Kirkman also executive producing.  David Alpert from Circle of Confusion will also executive produce.
 
Last month Syfy announced a rebranding to "return to its sci-fi/fantasy roots," after efforts to court a broader audience with wrestling and low budget movies with B-grade talent failed (Sharknado aside).  To get the ball rolling quickly, it appears Syfy will be tapping the comics market for ready-made plots.  They already announced plans to air Metal Hurlant Chronicles (see "Syfy Picks Up 'Metal Hurlant Chronicles'") and development of DMZ (see "'Mad Men' Producers to Adapt 'DMZ'").