Who Rates the Comicbook Movies?
Dave Gibbons Giving more thought to his personal favorites, Gibbons added, "Twos: Superman II, Spider-Man 2, The Dark Knight, The Empire Strikes Back. I just hope they don't all go dark. Watchmen was so successful that it spawned so many dark comics and that was a shame. Frank Miller said he regretted that. I'd love to see a beautiful Pixar Captain Marvel movie."
Scott Lukowski
"Comicbooks are a completely valid medium in their own right. What's interesting is that these characters appeal on a primal level and superhero comics are modern myths. [Superman Returns] deviated from that. Spider-Man is more of a teenage take; Iron Man is older and cynical. In The Dark Knight, the relationship worked between Batman and the Joker. Watchmen is a loving but honest look at superheroes. Audiences are ready for a deconstruction… there's a serendipity."
1. Batman Tim Burton's original 1989 adaptation of Bob Kane's legendary creation captured my imagination like no other comicbook film before it. Its darker, ominous presentation was unique to me as was the concept of a single vigilante, imperfect in many ways, who was capable of performing superhuman tasks by relying only on his technological achievements without the benefit of supernatural powers. The publications that accompany this film and its sequel, Batman Returns, also captured my interest and inspired me as they exposed the design and developmental process involved in the making of the film itself. Over the years, this series has met a variety of incantations but most recently has landed back in a world closer to our own, as Chris Nolan's intelligent take on Batman displays a very realistic depiction of a fantastic character that could possibly exist today.
3. The Crow This is a supernatural tale, by James O'Barr, about a young guitarist, who, along with his fiancée, is brutally murdered by a gang of criminals. One year after his death, this character rises from the dead in search of justice. In 1994 Alex Proyas successfully adapted this cult classic comicbook to a cinematic presentation. This film's appeal came with the fact that the hero wasn't based on a typical formula. His mission defined his unique nature somewhere between good and evil.2. X-Men In 2000, Bryan Singer and his writers successfully adapted Stan Lee's popular creation to the big screen. This piece could have easily become very confusing, as it incorporated a multitude of intricate characters. Its unique tale, which revolved around genetic evolution, also tackles the complex topic of social prejudice. To me, one of the most fascinating elements involved the main villain (Eric Lensherr/Magneto). This character isn't the traditional vindictive bad guy that's bent on greed, but, rather, he's portrayed as someone who is simply defending his own existence from a malicious world where he himself has personally experienced some of history's darkest moments.
5. The Shadow This 1930 pulp hero created by Walter Gibson is among my favorites across all genres. It has been said to be the source of material to what is the foundation of the modern superhero and has influenced such iconic characters as Bob Kane's Batman and Alan Moore's V for Vendetta, among others. The 1994 film adaptation by Russell Mulcahy portrayed The Shadow in a lighter version of the original material. However, the appeal of this piece, beyond its visual splendor of a stylistic era, was the struggle between good and evil within the hero himself. Lamont Cranston, The Shadow, lives a new life of fighting crime outside of the laws set by society as he struggles with his own troubled past as corruptive opium smuggling war lord with a supernatural ability to cloud men's minds. Brilliant!4. Sin City Created by Frank Miller and adapted to the big screen by Robert Rodriguez in 2005, this product offers a lot to digest with its host of characters and a unique visual presentation. Very dark and graphic, this comicbook film is a fantastic translation from print to picture.
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