Credit: Friday the 13th Part III
Several horror characters from the primetime of the rise of horror, like franchises such as Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and others, have stood beyond the test of time, although more than enough sequels have been made of each. However, not all of the horror characters from the various horror franchise have been seen beyond their original live-action movies in their respective horror sub-genres. Jason Voorhees, however, from the Friday the 13th franchise, has had beyond enough sequels that have tried to extend from the original story of the character, and with such extended use of the character came the use of the character of Jason Voorhees across various other media, such as comic books and more that extend the horror character beyond its original format. Below, we’ve detailed the character of Jason Voorhees across various media, from the character’s live-action horror format to the comic book adaptations of the character and everything in between, such as the various Friday the 13th films.
Credit: Friday the 13th Part III
Jason Voorhees in the Friday the 13th Franchise
The first Friday the 13th film and the introduction of Jason Voorhees into the world of horror were released in 1980, but Jason Voorhees was more of a plot device than he was even a character in the first film, as the first Friday the 13th centered around Jason’s mother, portrayed by Betsy Palmer, as she got her revenge on the camp counselors she blamed for her son’s death. From the first Friday the 13th, the Friday the 13th title was carried until Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan, in which Jason brought his trademark mass murder to Manhattan after being brought back to life via an electrical cable. From that point, the films in which Jason Voorhees led were changed to Jason as the title, with Jason Goes to Hell being the first of such films, until the final original film featuring the character Jason X. After Jason X, a crossover between Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street was the next release, Freddy Vs. Jason, which saw the two characters fight to the death, crosses Camp Crystal Lake and the Dream Realm, which Freddy typically rules. In the world of reboots that we live in, and the reboots that have hit the other notable horror franchises, the character of Jason Voorhees has also appeared through the reboot of Friday the 13th. Still, the franchise’s future, and the character of Jason Voorhees, remain unknown, with a canceled sequel and a transfer of rights.
Credit: Jason X
Jason Voorhees in Comics and Books
While the appearance of Jason Voorhees across various media has been most noteworthy with the horror films that started the character’s origins, an extensive amount of original comic, comic adaptations of films, novel adaptations of films, and original novels feature Jason Voorhees as well. They typically continue the journey of the character from one point or another. The novelizations of the Friday the 13th films were the first versions of literature for the character of Jason Voorhees and started with Friday the 13th Part III, in which Jason acquired his trademark mask, until Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives before comic adaptations started, but novel adaptations also continued. Publishers of the comics created from the Friday the 13th franchise include powerhouse names such as WildStorm, an imprint of DC, and Dynamite Entertainment, which brought a sequel to Freddy Vs. Jason, a comic that added Ash from the Evil Dead franchise into the crossfire between the two, as the Necronomicon has been referenced earlier in the Friday the 13th franchise.
Credit: Friday the 13th: The Game
Across Various Other Media
Beyond the movies that established the character and the various novelizations and comic adaptations of the films and original pieces of literature, Jason Voorhees has also appeared in video games, where he has likely been the most popular outside of the films. Jason has appeared in games that headline the character, carry the Friday the 13th name, and feature gameplay similar in concept to the films, but the most recent video game adaptation available for modern consoles, titled Friday the 13th: The Game, features the most realistic and interactive Jason Voorhees experience. Jason Voorhees has also been referenced in various media, such as films like Scream and television series like Family Guy, South Park, The Simpsons, and more such as Robot Chicken, where the character has been used numerous times, even to the extent of being added to a Scooby-Doo-themed sketch, for the most comedic of references to the character. As such a cultural icon as Jason Voorhees has become, such as obtaining an MTV Lifetime Achievement Award, the fictional character was not only the first to receive the award, but only three other fictional characters have appeared on the list, Chewbacca, John Shaft, and Godzilla, while the award was still apart of the overall MTV Movie and TV Awards.
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