A Tale of Two Adaptations

By: Arnold T. Blumberg
Review Date: Wednesday, April 24, 2002

I still fondly remember the day that I managed to snag a copy of Marvel Comics' RETURN OF THE JEDI adaptation days before I was going to see it in the theater. I'm one of those guys who likes to know things in advance, but on my own terms, and when I found this special edition comic book just sitting there in the local comic shop, I had to get it. I raced home and read the whole story at lightning-speed. Darth Vader IS Luke's father? Leia is his sister?! Cool!

There was something magical about the movie adaptations of that time, perhaps because they were filtered through the eyes and mind of a child, or perhaps because they were genuinely of a higher quality in both the writing and illustration. Marvel in particular never seemed to skimp when it came to adapting a blockbuster film, lending some of their biggest talents to the task (witness the John Buscema artwork in the classic RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK adaptation) and allowing the movies to find their length in mini-series or large graphic novels. Hell, it took six issues for them to adapt the original STAR WARS (with art by the legendary Howard Chaykin), and only two over-sized Marvel Treasury Editions had any hope of containing the story when it was reprinted!

Then something happened during the '90s. Either it was a steady erosion of quality in movie adaptations or the simple realities of growing up, but something just wasn't as exciting about it all anymore. The new movie specials didn't have that same spark, and the scripting and artwork suffered as well. They read like "greatest hits" compilations of key scenes and rarely seemed as coherent as the original film they were adapting (many of which, granted, had also become less coherent as the years went on). Which brings us to today, and possibly one of the biggest summers in genre movie history.

This May, we will witness the release of two of the most eagerly awaited adventure films in history, SPIDER-MAN and STAR WARS EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES. By all accounts, both of these movies may have what it takes to dazzle us beyond all reason, and nothing would make me happier. But we have to concern ourselves here with the comic adaptations of both movies, and ask the all-important question: Do these one-shot graphic novels have that same spark of old, or do they fall short of the mark?

First up, we have SPIDER-MAN: THE MOVIE, and rarely has there been a more self-reflexive project than this - a comic book adaptation of a movie that is itself an adaptation of a comic book. In this case, there's the added aspect (and attraction) of the man wielding the pen on this one, none other than Spider-Man's co-creator and guru of the Marvel Universe, Stan "The Man" Lee! Here he gets to rewrite possibly the most perfect origin story ever told of a superhero, one that he himself set down forty years ago in the pages of AMAZING FANTASY #15.

Revisiting his younger self's work as seen through the movie camera lens, Lee proves he's still got the chops to write snappy dialogue and a plot that rolls along at a steady clip from one action sequence to the next. His recent scripting on the DC JUST IMAGINE titles showed an embarrassing penchant for self-referential captions and an almost disdainful sense of detachment from the material he was writing. Here "The Man" thankfully restrains his more annoying tendencies and finds that 'inner Stan' that made his classic work so enduring and appealing. This may not be the Spider-Man we grew up with, but it's still Spider-Man - it feels right, and it can't hurt that the man who put the angst in Parker's sorry life in the first place is back to bestow the curse upon him once again.

As for the artwork, I have my qualms about the "Power Rangers" Goblin suit seen in the film, but I have to say that Alan Davis sells it without question. Perhaps because it's restored to the comic book medium and given the black outlines it lacks in the film, thus softening some of its harsh metallic glare, but the movie Goblin as seen in this adaptation is an impressive evolution of the original and conveys just the right amount of menace and insanity. As for the other characters, Davis strikes an acceptable balance between likeness art and expressive comic book illustration - but where oh where are Peter Parker's distinctive forehead curls? John Romita, we need you now more than ever...

The rest of this adaptation is actually padded out with some selections from other recent Spidey titles, providing a nice hook for those casual readers who might pick up the adaptation and then discover that there is indeed a sprawling Spiderverse beyond the confines of the movie continuity. It's a very nice package, but a bit pricey.

And now we journey to that galaxy far, far...OK, I'll stop. Anyway, the ATTACK OF THE CLONES adaptation manages to top the price of the SPIDER-MAN special by five bucks, but unlike its wall-crawling competitor, it fills a thicker page count with a wall-to-wall adaptation of the STAR WARS prequel/sequel - no reprint padding in sight. And considering what a massive epic this second installment in the new trilogy looks like, that's no surprise. One can almost see this story reprinted in a treasury-sized edition or two for old time's sake.

On the other hand, Jan Duursema and Ray Kryssing's artwork, while adequate to the task for the most part, lacks the expressiveness and sheer style that made Chaykin's STAR WARS pages so engaging at super-size. But then again, Duursema and Kryssing don't have an arresting image like a huge Death Star to illustrate here either. Still, they try to make the most of what they do have, which is a cracking adventure set on a half dozen planets and with more Jedi throwing down than your little fanboy heart can stand.

There's no point in discussing the plot, which fans have either already uncovered in its entirety or are diligently avoiding like the plague. Suffice to say, this adaptation does a very good job of bringing the excitement to life on the page with some inventive layouts (occasional static figures notwithstanding) and a pace that doesn't leave the reader with that creeping "edited highlights" feeling. It's a substantial saga even in comic form, and it bodes well for the big screen experience as well.

So in conclusion: Yes, these adaptations do on the whole seem to do the old comic book movie specials of old proud. They may not be quite up to snuff for those of us who can't help but look back through those proverbial rose-colored glasses - what could possibly live up to the power of nostalgia anyway - but they'll do just fine for the readers of today.

And one last note: although I railed against the steep price on these two particular editions, both adaptations are indeed available in less expensive versions as well, the SPIDER-MAN adaptation without the reprints, and the STAR WARS adaptation in smaller, individual issues. So check them out, and just think - somewhere, some young comic book reader is spoiling his or her movie-going experience for the very first time...and loving every minute of it.