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Comic Book Movies Take The World By Storm

Comic-book film adaptations have taken the world by storm.

From Ink to Film

Comic books have always graced us with their lore on the television screen as well as the silver screen. It was not until recently that this franchise began to gain some momentum to become the juggernaut that they are today. Now, all kinds of super hero movies are coming out of the woodworks. It all started in the 1940′s, when comic books became popular in America. The first comic book to break into the film industry was the Adventures of Captain Marvel, which back then was more popular than the man of steel. Today, film after film is produced from many popular comic books like X-Men and Spider-Man. Even The less known, but still great comic books are finding their way onto the silver screen such as 300, which grossed over $200 million worldwide. This is fast becoming the silver age for super heroes on the big screen.

With Great Power Comes Great Money

There is a reason why super hero movies are taking over the big screen. It is not just because of the interesting story, visually appealing effects, and simple character archetypes. It is because these stories are fast becoming a gold mine. Matt McAllister, a professor at Pennsylvania State’s media studies stated that in 1989 the Batman movie made $250 million from the film alone. The Batman name continued to make $750 million from other products such as toys and even theme park rides. That is because people love the classic story of good vs. evil that these movies offer. They are also dazzled by the marvelous effects these heroes wield. People love to imagine what it would be like to wield such power and these movies take them into a cinematic adventure, where they can all experience that power. With all the power Hollywood wields, let’s just hope they continue to hold their responsibility to make great movies.

The Sacrifice Of These Great Heroes

Not all super heroes survive the transformation from ink to film. Some heroes become so twisted and deformed that the comic book fans could hardly recognize them. This makes the fans feel betrayed as they watch their favorite hero, who they lovingly supported become a twisted version of what they once loved. A prime example of this is the new X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie. Many fans cried out foul on this movie, not because of the actors. Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine did a wonderful job. It would be hard to imagine a different wolverine after his performances. However, the true villain was behind the camera. The writing, directing, editing made the plot and character seem so ill-conceived. They even changed some character’s powers such as Emma Frost. She was a fan favorite because of her powerful psychic powers, but in the movies she transformed into a diamond version of Colossus. The floors of many theaters were flooded with the tears of fans when this occurred. This is a prime example of what can happen when you make a comic book movie without its true essence.

The True Heroes Reveal Themselves

Although there have been some disappointments, there have been even more successes. When movies stick true to the essence of the comic books, great things occur. Movies like “The Watchmen” is the best example of those movies. It stuck so closely to the comics it felt like they used the comics as the script itself, although they did change a few things here and there to be relevant to the audience’s taste for the current time. This was done in great taste. Its true essence shined through the big screen. Movies like these are the crusaders for diehard fans as they honor them as well as appeal to the masses. Hopefully, we can look forward to film adaptations of comic books such as these with great pride.

References:

http://www.lifeslittlemysteries.com/what-was-the-first-movie-adaptation-of-a-comic-book-0735/

http://www.rps.psu.edu/unplugged/spring10/april14.html

December 31, 2010 - Posted by elyse mccray | Entertainment, New | Batman Movie, Comic Books, Comic Books Hitting the Silver Screens, Super Hero Movies, Wolverine