Ethereal cover art to FALLEN ANGEL #1.
© 2003 DC Comics

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Comicscape - July 9, 2003

OPINION

I finally got to see THE HULK yesterday, and now I see why it's gotten such mixed reviews. It's a nicely thought-out movie, and it tells Bruce Banner's story in the only plausible way that it could be told in 2003. On the other hand, it takes a lot of time to get started, and there's far too much Nick Nolte in it. (Mind you, I could sit and stare at Eric Bana for two and a half hours anyday, but that's just me. I'm sure many of you feel the same way about Jennifer Connelly. Not that there's anything wrong with that...)

That being said, it may not be the best comic book adaptation out there, but it's certainly not the worst. My own personal criteria for whether a comic book movie makes the grade or not are whether the movie is true to the indefinable "spirit" of the original, whether the movie "gets it right," whether the movie has a sufficiently decent cast capable of pulling off the characters, and whether it's simply a good movie in and of itself. THE HULK gets enough of all this right to get into the Top Ten, in my humble opinion. But over the last couple of weeks, I've asked you the readers to submit your own votes for best and worst comic book adaptations, and for the most part your criteria have been the same as mine. That doesn't mean we've always agreed, of course. Here, then, are the Top 10 Best Comic Book Movies as categorized by you and yours truly:

1. BATMAN: I know, I know, you're probably all thinking I'm bashing SUPERMAN again, but I'm not. Stephen Hall, Matthew Foster, David Asteris, and a few other naughty people who did not sign their e-mails voted for this one at various rankings, but Stephen Hall sums up why I think it should be considered number one: "The impact of Burton's BATMAN movies has been largely understated. How many other movies, TV shows, commercials and music videos were influenced by the stunning look of those films? Look at the recent DAREDEVIL movie, for instance. (Must we? - TW) Burton's unique take on the Dark Knight mythos rehabilitated the character in the minds of the masses, and Michael Keaton kicked ass in the title role." And he's right - even though many consider SUPERMAN the perfect movie (and Stephen's one of them), how many other comic movies have we seen built on that model as opposed to Burton's? We only have to count all the comic book film scores Danny Elfman has done since to see the impact.

2. X-MEN/X2: X-MEN UNITED: I'm going to get in trouble for this one, too, especially as this movie franchise had the only split votes. Some of you loved it (John Ibsen, Brigid Mary Martin Shea Rauch (what a great name!), Tom Kurzanski, Matthew Foster, and David Asteris among them), some of you hated it (especially "lord xaaron," who referred to the first movie as "utter sh*te"). Kurzanski puts it best, I think: "By far the tightest screenplay of any comics adaptation I've seen, one which could stand on its own outside the realm of comic-book films. The characters were all well-drawn and well cast and the story was a great take on a classic storyline. The action captured in stills would have easily read as a comic, Hugh Jackman's posing in the mansion felt like Wolverine (and the fact that he's a foot taller than Wolvie should be never bothered me)." Not only that, but this one stands up well as a movie on its own, not just as an adaptation, and the second movie struck me the same way, which is why I've grouped them together - a bit unfair, really, given what I'll be doing below...

3. SPIDER-MAN: Never heard a bad word about this one - John Ibsen and "lord xaaron" even put it at the top of their lists - and rightfully so: not only does it capture the spirit of the comic (particularly AMAZING FANTASY #15), it makes improvements on the character (organic webbing, anyone?) that sound horrible on paper but which make logical sense in a way that Peter Parker, Boy Inventor and Super Genius never quite did. And can we imagine anyone besides Kirsten Dunst playing MJ now? I think not.

4. SUPERMAN II: Yes, this is where I start getting the hate mail - I think the second SUPERMAN movie is far better than the first, though most of you ranked the two of them together in much the same way as I did with the two X-Movies. (So many of you voted for these two that I can't even list you!) But while the first movie has everything we'd hope for in a movie about the Man of Steel (see below), the second one has a sense of doom and a relentlessness that none of the other movies matches. Terrence Stamp is phenomenal as Zod, and Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder never had as much chemistry on-screen as they do here. Sure, the silly humor that underpinned the first movie and which completely overtakes the third is still here and nearly ruins some of the best scenes, but it's still a white-knuckle ride from start to finish.

5. SUPERMAN: If the first four movies on this list had never been made, then this would be at the top, no questions asked. I've got to hand it back over to Stephen Hall on this one: "SUPERMAN is just a perfect movie. From the cold, crystalline beauty of Krypton, to the nostalgic idyll of Smallville, to a Metropolis that is both timeless and of the funktastic 70s, the film is a complete joy. The cast is brilliant, the action is still thrilling, and the villains are both funny and menacing. And, of course, Christopher Reeve cannot be praised enough for his portrayal of Supes and Clark Kent." I totally agree, and the only things that keep me from thinking of this one as perfect are the silly humor and that weird "turning back time" thing. ("Funktastic"?) Otherwise, this one (and the entire franchise) is at least as influential as BATMAN - why would the producers of SMALLVILLE ever have hired Annette O'Toole, Christopher Reeve, and Terrence Stamp, otherwise?

Wow, this column is going on a bit, so I'll cut it here, wait out the deluge of hate mail, and then bring you the bottom five of the Top 10 next week, followed the next week by either the full Top 10 Worst Movies or another two-parter (if you want it, and if my kind editors don't mind). Send those cards, letters, and letterbombs to comicscape@cinescape.com, and then tune in next week for the rest of the best! Now, on to this week's offerings, burnt and otherwise:

THIS WEEK

Wraparound cover art to JSA #50.

© 2003 DC Comics

A new series by Peter David called FALLEN ANGEL begins this week over at DC, but hell if I know what it's about. If the latest story arc in CAPTAIN MARVEL hasn't completely put you off David's work, then this one may be worth a look.

SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN starts over (again) with #1.

© 2003 Marvel Characters Inc.

And speaking of Peter David and angels - my god, did I just say that? - SUPERGIRL: MANY HAPPY RETURNS, which collects the last six issues of the SUPERGIRL title written by David and featuring angels occasionally, goes on sale this week, as well. The 144-page softcover goes for $14.95, so if SUPERGIRL #s 75-80 are really as hard to find as DC claims, then this one's worth the money.

I truly wish I could bring you a cover image from either FANTASTIC FOUR #500 or FANTASTIC FOUR DIRECTOR'S CUT #500, but I can't! Suffice it to say that both are out this week, the first is written by Mark Waid, the comic is finally back to its original numbering (in a bold and daring move) - and if any comic deserved to be adapted as a good movie, shouldn't it be this one?

Though it's not quite as phenomenal an experience as the 500th issue of FF, HUMAN TORCH #4 is also out this week, chronicling Johnny Storm's younger, more hot-headed days.

Speaking of characters that should never appear on film: LOBO UNBOUND #2 is also out this week. I ask you: if Keith Giffen is willing to write a series around this character, why can't he go all out and bring back Ambush Bug?

Wolverine stars (what are the odds) in X-MEN UNLIMITED #50.

© 2003 Marvel Characters Inc.

Turning 50 this week - and thereby edging ever closer to the ages of some of its members - is JSA, which celebrates its 50th issue with a double-sized (but thankfully not double-priced) conclusion to the "Princes of Darkness" saga. (Why on Earth do I suddenly have the theme from HIGHLANDER running through my head? That's "princes of the universe," not "princes of darkness...") A pity the wraparound cover doesn't quite render as well here as it could, but that's all the more reason to go out and buy it, isn't it?

Cover art to CAPTAIN AMERICA #15.

© 2003 Marvel Characters Inc.

Also turning 50 this week is X-MEN UNLIMITED, which brings us a Wolverine story (shock and surprise!) written by LONE WOLF AND CUB writer Kazuo Koike (pleasant shock and surprise!). Finally, some real manga writing, as opposed to stuff like X-MEN: PHOENIX - LEGACY OF FIRE #3, which is the final issue and which also ships this week.

By the way, if you really must have some of the best HULK- and X-MEN-related story arcs produced in recent memory after seeing the two blockbuster movies, then MARVEL MUST HAVES obliges by bringing you both INCREDIBLE HULK #s 34-36 and ULTIMATE X-MEN #s 1-3. Hulk's own book also ships this week with issue #57, the continuation of the Absorbing Man arc. (And don't worry, Nick Nolte isn't in it.)

I'd show you the cover to GREEN ARROW #28, but a) this is a family column, and b) most of you will be able to get your sick kicks from the EMMA FROST cover, so there. Suffice it to say that Ollie is doing nasty things on it, and suffice it to say that Judd Winick is doing great things on this book. It's worth reading for at least one of those reasons, I should think.

Black and white line art of the historic moment chronicled in the new trade paperback, SUPERGIRL: MANY HAPPY RETURNS.

© 2003 DC Comics

And speaking of covers that could get us shut down...EMMA FROST begins her new on-going series (and her on-going love affair with roses, so it would seem) with #1 this week. Read carefully, people, and be safe!

How does artist Greg Horn ever get up from his desk? Cover art to EMMA FROST #1.

© 2003 Marvel Characters Inc.

Another number one this week! SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN, a series that some of us old-timers remember, gets a brand new relaunch at Marvel. (Where else? D'uh.) A pity they had to bring Venom in on the action, but oh, well.

And finally, CAPTAIN AMERICA discovers a little bit more about his past and about the government he serves in #15, shipping this week. Here's another character that deserves a decent big-screen incarnation - and he's been done badly twice already.

More next week!

Comicscape is our weekly Comics column.

Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at Comicscape@cinescape.com.