When the off-beat reality sitcom, The Office came onto the scene, it was a breath of fresh air. Regardless of how absurd it could get, there was more than enough material that people could relate to and it garnered a cult following of sorts.
Now, years after the first episode was aired, Threat Level Midnight, which was the show’s 143rd episode, is getting its own graphic novel. The Dunder Mifflin website, which is the unofficial fansite of the office and the team that runs the site has taken it upon themselves to create the graphic novel.
The Dunder Mifflin Website
It only seems fitting that a company that supplies office paper and services would be fans of the office. Dunder Mifflin, however, takes fan fiction to a new level. They have a talented team of artists who love the show and pour every ounce of creative juice that they can muster into every issue. When you look a the quality of the other projects that they have worked on, Threat Level Midnight is bound to be a roaring success. It is not just the storytelling that is great, the artistry of the comics that come our from Dunder Mifflin is of the highest quality.
Of course, it comes as no surprise that their comics are so good. When you look at the services that Dunder Mifflin offers, it seems as though everything they do is aimed at excellence. Even their fan page is one of the best on the internet, featuring everything from fan fiction to original office art.
Where it all started
The Office is already off-beat as it is, but Threat Level Midnight puts it in a class of its own. It is not every day that you garner a cult following for a spin-off or a single dedicated episode to the brainchild of Michael Scott. The secret agent, Scarn, was first introduced in season 2’s episode “The Client” when the office staff discovered the unfinished screenplay of Michael. It soon became evident that Threat Level Midnight was a gripping spy thriller as the office staff performed a table read.
The Office fans had to wait for five seasons before they could finally see the final and finished product in the episode entitled Threat Level Midnight. From the very first scene, it was clear to see that “finished” was a loaded word to use, but fans would not be disappointed as the episode played into the office brand seamlessly.
It Took Michael 11 years to put the project together, but the wait was worth it. The plot was quickly revealed and saw Scott play the role of Agent Scarn, a retired and retreated spy who got out of the game after the death of his wife, Catherine Zeta-Scarn. She was an unfortunate victim of the sinister Golden Face, played by John Krasinski’s Jim Halpert.
When the comic is due for release
The guys over at Dunder Mifflin paper were not solely responsible for the Graphic novel adaptation of the “movie.” Who Comics took up the challenge and was able to put the show on paper, but Dunder Mifflin is the one who would be responsible for distribution and getting the word out.
They are the unofficial fan page for The Office, so it seems fitting that it would feature the Threat Level Midnight graphic novel when it is made available. There are no set dates as of yet. However, if you pre-purchase your copy, you can get it at a discounted price of $20. The original selling price seems to be set at $40, which is still not a lot of money for this one-of-a-kind graphic novel, which is set to be around 60 pages long.
The convoluted plot
After the scene was set, the fans got more than they had wished for. In true Michael Scott form, Threat Level Midnight did not disappoint in terms of its ludicrous and convoluted plot. The plot revolved around a plan to blow up the NHL All-star game with an explosive hockey puck. It all goes sideways from there as the story makes crazy turns, involving a traitorous president and buckets full of the outlandish fantasy and wish fulfillment that fans have come to expect from the likes of Scott.
The episode was such a major hit that The Office’s official YouTube page made the entire episode available for people to watch for free. With around 9 million views so far and counting, it is clear to see why the video was such a success.
The Pop-culture easter eggs in Threat Level Midnight
Apart from the obscene and off-beat humor of the episode, the pop-culture easter eggs that were strewn throughout the episode are what made it even more memorable. The ones that stand out though are for the books. Michael was pretty upset with Holly’s review of the film and only cared about how it turned out. He then went as far as comparing the situation to that of Ocean’s Eleven.
The theme music for Threat Level Midnight was actually taken from the epic Bourne movie franchise. When Scran needed to learn how to play ice hockey, his coach’s style of teaching resembled the methods of the great Mr. Miyagi of the Karate Kid. Of course, it was clear to see that Golden face was named after a James Bond Villain. Speaking of Golden face, it was clear to see that he interacted with the hostages like the villains of Die Hard.
The Graphic novel plot
Fans can look forward to an amazing graphic novel, although there is not much known about the plot of the novel as of yet. What is likely is that the novel will be created by the likes of Saldana Nosretepp. Nevertheless, the graphic novel is going to be the final send-off and piece of memorabilia that any Office fan would want to own. As much as people would like to see a reprise of the series, the novel is going to be as close to a revival as one can hope for.