Comic book movies -- the other discussion

[newman]

So, over in his LJ my friend Justin raised the question "What comic book(s) do you think would make a good movie? Feel free to assume that it's a competent adaptation, not a hatchet job, but assume that it has to fit into the usual constraints of a movie: about two hours, and has to be able to make enough money to be worth its budget".

In terms of adaptations, novels often make poor source material for films. Even a long movie has trouble fitting in all of the elements that make a novel appealing. Short stories and novellas work pretty well, as do plays, which are already about move-length. Comic books are often serialized novels, taking months or years of issues to complete a story arc. While individual issues (or short collections of issues) might make good films, there are some that just shouldn't be done — either because of reasons of length, or because a good comic book is more than just a storyboard.

Wanted is a prime example of this. It was a fine movie, but it had nothing to do with the comic book. The comic book was a dark, loving, homage to the two great houses in the comic book world, and, if it had been translated to screen accurately, most of America would have said "huh?". Better to have left it on the comic book page — or do what they did, which is the equivalent of never having attempted an adaptation.

There's been a great interest in a Sandman movie or a Watchman movie. I'd happily pass a law declaring these sources off-limits to Hollywood. The adaptation isn't going to to do the inspiration justice.

What comics are simply better as comic books? What comics don't want to be adapted to the big screen? Most of the ones I can think of are comics about comics (Wanted, for example -- but I can think of others). Thoughts?

Comments

[peregrinning.livejournal.com]

I find Girl Genius fun to read and to look at. I frequently revisit some of what I consider the best artistic moments (such as the central pages of the coffee machine arc). I can't say everyone will like the intricacies of the plot, but I'm hooked, so there we are.

I recommend Gunnerkrigg Court. The combination of odd, fun, and savvy is a treat. Each Chapter is an individual story: they build on each other over time, but they also stand alone.

Wapsi Square is an acquired taste. Starting from the beginning, it feels like a fluff piece. Starting anywhere other than the beginning, and you may miss some of the background and important facts about the major story arcs. I started in the middle back when I first came upon it, and was confused until I went back to read the whole thing. I'm still confused, but only related to what will happen next.

[dreda.livejournal.com]

Love Wapsi Square!! (Thank you for the original pointer to it.)

(And yes, start at the beginning.)

[peregrinning.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.

New_Man, Wapsi is a horizontal comic, so may be easier to navigate. Alas, GC and GG are both tied to comic book page dimensions, and thus make you scroll, roll or shrink to see the full page.