Basic Instinct gets a steamy comic book sequel

Basic Instinct #1 cover art
(Image credit: Sumerian Comics)

Basic instinct, one of the most intimate and infamous movies of the '90s, is getting a comic adaptation this winter through Sumerian Comics, as announced via Deadline.

The comic's story, created by artist Vanessa Del Rey, writer Sam Freeman, and colorist Keyla Velario, follows up on the events of the original film, in which Sharon Stone portrays a writer named Catherine Trammel who commits a series of so-called "Icepick Murders." Her crimes inspire a new killer who take center stage in the comic.

When a security guard is murdered at an art opening in which some of the paintings are inspired by Catherine Trammel's murders, the gallery's art director is thrust into a passionate murder mystery.

Basic Instinct #1 will be released with variant covers by Brao, Chuma Hill, Alberto Massaggia, Patricia Martin, Andrea Milana, and Lorenzo Colangeli, several of which can be seen in the gallery below:

Directed by Paul Verhoeven, the 1992 thriller gained a prurient reputation among moviegoers thanks to a notorious interrogation scene in which Stone flashes full, below-the-belt nudity on camera - a rarity in mainstream films, especially in the '90s. Despite its notoriety, Basic Instinct also received critical acclaim, including two Academy Award nominations for Best Film Editing and Best Original Score.

A sequel, released in 2006, failed to achieve either the popularity or acclaim of the original, despite the return of Sharon Stone as Catherine Trammel.

Sumerian Comics is a division of heavy metal record label Sumerian Records, who will also publish an adaptation of the film American Psycho (itself an adaptation of the novel of the same name by writer Bret Easton Ellis). 

Basic Instinct #1 goes on sale November 11.

George Marston

I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)