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At the Height of Their Power
The 10 best, most popular and groundbreaking graphic novel adaptations
(Page 2)
We all know that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things, yet most of the time, they’re just plain ordinary. That’s what writer-artist Harvey Pekar aims to get across in his graphic novel series American Splendor. Creatively weaving together fiction and reality, this Oscar-nominated film illustrates the daily life of everyman Pekar, a disgruntled file clerk played by the always seemingly down-and-out Paul Giamatti. Though offbeat in its humor, this atypical graphic novel adaptation reminds us that we can all be heroes in our own right. And that can be just as entertaining.
Hellboy (2004)
Academy Award nominee Guillermo del Toro brings a vibrant burst of color to the silver screen with his adaptation of the Dark Horse Comic Hellboy: Seed of Destruction. After being saved as an infant by American soldiers, Hellboy is a walking paradox: A born-demon who defends the world against the forces of darkness. Grossing $100 million worldwide, Hellboy impressed both audiences and studios enough for a sequel. Hellboy II: The Golden Army was the number one movie at the box office in its first week of release, July 11.
V for Vendetta (2005)
This exhilarating and thought-provoking film is at once a political satire, suspense thriller and love story. Though unconventional in its characters—an anarchist who dons a Guy Fawkes mask and goes by the name of “V” and a young woman named Evey (Natalie Portman) who was left orphaned as a child—V for Vendetta shares the heart and essence of every great superhero story: The right to live in a free world. Adapted by the Wachowski brothers of The Matrix fame from the 10-issue comic book series written by Alan Moore, this audacious commentary on the use of fear and terrorist tactics employed by the government instantly became a cult hit in a time when terrorism is always on the front page.
Director Robert Rodriguez brought Frank Miller’s graphic novel to life with highly stylized cinematography and post-production effects. The result: A post-modern noir that’s absolutely breathtaking to watch and impossible to ignore. Featuring an ensemble cast that includes some of Hollywood’s biggest players (Bruce Willis, Clive Owen and Benicio Del Toro among them), Sin City was a hit for both die-hard fans and Hollywood executives. The long-awaited sequel is set for a 2010 release.
Persepolis (2007): Chain-smoking, black eyeliner-wearing Marjane Satrapi may not be your typical graphic novel heroine but give the girl some credit: She’s not only survived multiple broken hearts and a bad haircut, but war as well. The Academy Award-nominated film stays loyal to the critically-acclaimed graphic memoir of the same name: From coming of age during the Iranian Revolution to living solo in Europe by age 14 and her return to Iran, which had turned into a strange, unfamiliar country while she was gone. Preserving her distinctively sparse, no frills animation and charming wit, the animated adaptation (directed by Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud) won viewers over with commentary on Islamic fundamentalists, Karl Marx, her gay ex-boyfriend and more.
Iron Man (2008)
While it’s no surprise that Jon Favreau’s highly anticipated Iron Man would smash the box office—grossing over $300 million domestically—did anyone foresee immense critical acclaim, such as featured spots on top 10 lists from film critics worldwide? In another Stan Lee creation (see The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man and X-Men), Robert Downey Jr. makes his comeback as a billionaire industrialist who builds a high-tech suit of armor to thwart the building of weapons of mass destruction. While the original comic book explored Cold War themes, the revamped screen version is the latest criticism on the corporate crime and terrorism plaguing today’s world.
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COMMENTS | POST A COMMENT 
- Comment by marvel comics t-shirt on 8/21/08 at 12:00 am
Comic books are a natural fit for big screen blockbusters and as long as uncreative studio executives stay out of the way they will thrive in that environment. They’re great resources for stories, amazing visuals and unforgettable characters so when you see someone with a Marvel t-shirt it’s not because they’re trendy it’s because they’re freakin awesome. Comics rule!
- Comment by fairings on 8/26/08 at 8:11 pm
This genre will probably continue as long as well loved comic books are popular. I will never get tired of watching the classics especially my favorites - Superman and Batman.
- Comment by free g1 on 12/17/08 at 11:26 am
There have been sooooo many movies in this genre in the past 2 years. Kind of crazy
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