The Untold Truth Of Men In Black

Despite the opening credits stating that "Men in Black" is "based on the Marvel Comic by Lowell Cunningham," it's still easy to miss that fact, given the obscurity of the three-issue comic series that started it all. "The Men in Black," in fact, wasn't actually published by Marvel originally, but instead a small company called Aircel Comics. Still, its influence on the film is undeniable, as the comic introduces the franchise's core concept and familiar characters like J and K — spelled "Jay" and Kay," like in the film's credits — as well as Zed, though he never appears in person. Specifically, the movie loosely adapts issue #2 of the comic, which also features an alien bug encountering a farmer, as well as elements of #1, including Jay's recruitment to the MIB.

There are undeniable similarities, including certain lines, scenes and even, to an extent, the trademark humor. Yet there are also differences: aside from how different Kay and Jay look physically, Agent L is nowhere in sight, and the Bug is far more benevolent than he is in the film. Agent Kay, conversely, is more bloodthirsty, and his moral clashes with the more diplomatic Jay is at the heart of the comic series. Furthermore, the comic book MIB deal with more than just aliens, and only use outlandish weaponry for special missions — except for the neuralyzer (spelled "neurolyser"), which controls minds (although it can still make people forget things).