Comic Related

Comic films are massive business. This year so far we've seen five comic book related films which have grossed in total over $1 billion. Marvel seem to have their future films layed on for the next 3/4 years, leading up to the inevitable Avengers movie. DC on the other hand seem to be stuck in the traps, there have been many reasons cited for DCs lacklustre foray into cinema and I'm going to address...none of them. Instead I'm going to give you a list of the top 5 DC properties I believe should make it to celluloid.


1) Green Arrow

Green Arrow has had a helluva time over the last year or so. His marriage to Black Canary and their new book. A beautiful and exciting retelling of his origin in Green Arrow: Year One and his rising popularity thanks to the handsome young Justin Hartley on Smallville.

Now this actually looks viable, if reports are to believed and things don't get cancelled, with Green Arrow: Supermax. Originally I was incredibly skeptical about the premise of an unmasked and outted Oliver Queen thrown in prison with a number of "super"villains. DC so far have played it safe with their villains, especially with the more street level Batman and shyed away from villains with actual "powers". Will this actually work? I don't know, having David Goyer attached bodes well and I understand taking a risk on powers in a flick like this before bringing in a powered villain to the Batman franchise. However, when they have a perfectly good Year One story reimagined by Andy Diggle and Jock just sitting there waiting to be made into a film it makes me wonder whether this will really be a showcase for Green Arrow, or the villains.

Whatever happens, whether we're treated to a Green Arrow story that pays homage to the emerald archer or whether we're be attacked at all senses by a supervillain team up, I for one just want to see more of DCs characters up on the screen.


2) Green Lantern

If 3 is the magic number at DC, with Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, then Green Lantern is most definately number 4. Especially, Hal Jordan. Since Geoff Johns brought back the greatest Green Lantern in Rebirth, Hal Jordan has been front and center. Returned to the Justice League, played a massive role in the Sinestro Corps War one of the most successful crossovers/storylines for some time. Hal was also one of the big hitters to actually have a storyline in 52, yet luckily avoided Countdown, unlike poor Kyle Rayner. He even manages to be the poster boy for Final Crisis, gracing the cover of issue 1. Hal Jordan in his day job, civilian identity is a USAF Pilot. That's right, all your Top Gun fantasies come to life...well, besides the voleyball scene where they'r...nevermind. That is cool. The only thing cooler is that in his superhero guise he is a cop. A SPACE cop.

Space. Anything could come from space. In this case, a film following Green Lanterns origin, we'd see the gift of a Green Lantern power ring given to a man who knows no fear from a dying alien. Much like Green Arrow: Year One, Green Lanterns origin practically lends itself to film, a flyboy USAF pilot finds a power ring, gets schooled by some alien super cop add ending of some kind of threat, lay hints that alien super cop may not be all he seems for the sequel and bam. Blockbuster. The effects can be handled easily enough now-a-days, look at the likes of other recent comic book movies, Iron Man, Wanted and the Incredible Hulk.

Again, like Green Arrow a supposed movie is in the works, but we've been given nothing, no casting, no teaser, no hint of production and talk can only get you so far. I sincerely hope a faithful Green Lantern movie is made, if only to eliminate all memory of the talk of Jack Black playing a comedy version of the Lantern. This might be more deserving of a movie than Green Arrow, but Green Arrow just ticks the right boxes at present, street level hero, already popular on television and B-level Hero they can take a risk on.


3) The Flash

The Fastest Man Alive is no stranger to television appearances, Barry Allen had his own TV series and made for TV movies back in 1990, even including Mark Hamill as The Trickster! Flash forward, Wally West took up his uncles role from the comics as one of the founders of the Justice League in the epic animated series, again, Mark Hamill as The Trickster! Even Bart Allen donned a red tank top in several episodes of Smallville to take up the role of The Flash. General people know of The Flash, they know what he can do to a degree. He's fast. Very fast. What general people don't know about the Flash is that he has one of the best groups of rogues outside of Gotham City.

When you're dealing with the "Fastest Man Alive" there are always certain jokes that come up and as such, The Flash has often had a certain humour to it, especially in the animated series. A tongue in cheek Flash versus the rogues could work, leading to him proving himself in an eventual JLA film, or you could throw him in at the deep end. The Flash vs Zoom. The Flash's hardest test, set by a maniac convinced he can make The Flash a better hero by injecting a little trauma and misery into his life. Fitting this all in a two hour film, with a short flashback summary of his origin is plausible. Though there are still other methods you could employ, such as taking on a natural disaster. The Flashes powers lends itself to various scenarios as well as the humour and ultimate determination. The Flash is a loveable character, who could easily appeal to all ages, more so than even Superman. So put any ideas for a JLA film on hold and get the characters out there and treated right FIRST!


4) Wonder Woman

Ask anybody, comic fan or otherwise to come up with a female superhero and odds are the first name on their lips will be Wonder Woman. A name synonymous with female heroism, a literal Amazon, Wonder Woman well known and instantly recognisable the world over. She also holds her own in DCs elite pantheon of superheroes as part of the trinity with Superman and Batman. Yet the Amazonian princess has proved a complicated character to write and to especially bring to film. She has many physical characteristics that have to be reached for an appropriate casting. She is, obviously, beautiful, yet she is an intense warrior, taller than both Superman and Batman. She is mature and wise behind her youthful looks, with her long, thick, dark hair and then there's the costume, which she needs to fill out, while still maintaining a warriors air.

Storyline. I don't know all that much about Wonder Womans cast of villains beyond Cheetah, Circe and Giganta, with Cheetah heading out as most plausible villain for a big budget film. Avoid the furore of getting to deep into the mythological side of things with the inclusion of Circe and avoid the embarrassment and sexual connotations of the princess of the Amazons dealing with an attack of a 50ft woman. Oh. Who used to be a gorilla.

All this said, there have been writers who have made the most of Wonder Woman, Greg Ruckas run was lauded and Gail Simone has been dying to get her hands on her forever and I couldn't think of many people better, as for the film reins, Joss Whedon was reportedly interested in writing a screenplay, the man who took on one of the now predominant female icons, Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Someone out there needs to take on the warrior princess and tame her onto the screen, she's a hero, a legend and an icon and she needs this as much as we need to see it.


5) The Question

Street level heroes work. The Question not only works as a street level hero who passes over petty crime and focuses on the corruption higher up the ladder, but as Vic 'Charlie' Sage, TV reporter acting as a voice of The Question, outing the corruption heading on right under the noses of the people of Hub City. With a simple to integrate back story and lack of a super villain, this could be done on a reasonable budget.

The Question himself has seen quite a resurgance in recent years, ironically up to and including his death, though again, with a character so open ended as Vic Sage you could tell the story of his death and his training and philosophical opening of Renee Montoya or even have it spin out of the next Batman movie. The Question was one of the most popular characters on the JLU animated series as well as in 52 and with the ultimate Question homage of Rorschach set to make his film debut Spring, 2009, what better time to start working on a film of The Question? That...and someone should show Frank Miller how to treat a street level detective character with a bit of damn respect.