Comics and Movies

Who is your favorite superhero? Personally I like The Flash because I identify with the character, and also because he's unique. The number of people I've seen with Superman tattoos is beyond counting, but I could probably count the number of Flash tattoos I've seen on one hand. Comics and movies have evolved together, from the hayday of comic superheroes 50 years ago to the resurgence of comics today. Sorry, I meant to say graphic novels (that is what they call them now right?). What I'm enjoying most about the new films is really how different they are. Nobody is going to argue that 'Batman Begins' and 'Sin City' are very different, especially when it comes to style. What most moviegoers don't realize is that 'Year One', the comic the new Batman series is inspired by, and 'Sin City' were both done by Frank Miller. What makes them different is how the films were executed. Films like 'Sin City', '300', and the upcoming 'The Spirit' and 'Watchmen' have given us a brand new style of film that I for one hope continues. These filmmakers have taken a more literal approach in order to make their films look and feel more like you're watching a world that couldn't exist within our own. They are able to transport you to different eras, and places straight out of imagination or a dream.

Some superhero movies take place in our world, but have a much more adventuresome feel, like 'Iron Man', 'The Incredible Hulk', and the 'Superman' franchise. In my opinion these films give us the feeling of the classic hero, the kind of things you want on your pajamas or bedsheets. The thing these films have in common above all else is their improbability: it's unlikely an alien from another world will crash land on Earth and become the world's foremost fighter of injustice. The same could be said of the 'X-Men' or even of my favorite, 'The Flash'.

Probably the best comic franchise out today is the Batman series. Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale have created a realistic world where evil is so prevalent, that one man takes it upon himself to clean up the city. While the city itself and the characters in it are fictional, the filmmakers and actors have created such real environments and personalities that at times it doesn't seem fictional. Heath Ledger's powerful turn as the anarchist psychopath Joker in 'The Dark Knight' is so profound and real it's actually scary. Christian Bale as the multi-faceted Bruce Wayne/Batman is also really fun to watch, especially his take on Bruce Wayne trust fund baby, and Bruce Wayne the man. And lastly, Christopher Nolan's ability to turn a fictional city into a believable playground of evil is second to none. It's no wonder other film franchises are changing (unnecessarily) to be more like these two movies.

Based on their history, it is only fair to assume that the future of film and the future of comics will forever be intertwined, continuing to give us new stories, new characters, and new styles altogether. Tune in next time for another exciting entry, same Bat time, same Bat channel!

The Movie Doc