Comic Book Movies

Many recent movie reviews I have seen talk about how much they enjoyed the newest Marvel release despite their disappointment in other of the X-Men series.  I always find it interesting that movies reviewers are so myopic. Not only have I been a big movie picture fan (starting with silent films such as Metropolis) I am also an avid reader (hence my first degree in English and massive library) which includes comic books.  I loved the old X-men, Avengers, Batman, Superman, etc.  I enjoyed the comic rebirth in the 80s with Frank Miller and Todd McFarlane.  I still occasionally sniff out a graphic novel today… So, I have listened over the last few decades when the fans complain the movies aren’t accurate enough and the critics just don’t get them. 

My two-cents on comic book and their movies…enjoy them for what they are – don’t expect a blow-by-blow of 40+ years of storyline in two short hours and don’t expect the storylines to rival Shakespeare. 

Most comic book movies get the basic story right, making tweaks to fit today’s audience, compressing storylines, and selecting only a few characters to highlight.  Many super hero comic books are ensemble pieces; even Superman, Spiderman, and Batman have a cast of characters around them.  It can be hard in only 2-2.5 hours to develop all of the characters.  Most X-Men fans have a favorite (and I heard many complaints when their idol was not included).  To those not indoctrinated, there are multiple comic book series involving the X-Men including, The Amazing X-Men, Mutant X, Ultimate X-Men, Uncanny X-Men…many more including storyline on individual mutants (such as Wolverine).  Suffice to say, there are hundreds of characters. 

Comic book movies have action, adventures, sci-fi, etc – there is also underlying stories of humanity.  Super heroes often feel different from the rest of the world, yet do everything they can to save it.  Many storylines appeared either during WWII or is inspired by it.  The horrors of Hitler and later Stalin inspired many writers to create champions of justice.  They are also uniquely American – the belief in “truth, justice, and the American way” is evident in Superman, Wonder Woman, Captain America, etc. in their costumes, speeches, and ideals.  Although we have not always lived up to our own standards and not always upheld the freedoms we cherish, in general the ideals spread by the DC and Marvel writers are true.  The storylines in the comic book are often about righting injustices, stopping prejudice, and fighting evil. 

So look past the CGI and costumes…look again at their stories.  These are ancient tales with relevance in today’s world.  In 2011 we are more informed, more aware, and more connected as a planet.  We may never allow a Hitler or Stalin to rise again, but they exist, just on smaller scales.  So, these stories of justice and freedoms still ring true. Enjoy.