While it’s safe to say that theMCUandDCUhave dominated the industry when it comes to comic book adaptations, they are certainly not the only players in the game. Leading competitors suchasDark Horse ComicsandMillarworldhave caused quite a sensation with their content, while others have left their memorable mark on superhuman worldbuilding, that are still highly celebrated today.
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Some films are encumbered by loopholes but still deserve an honorable mention, such as the iconicMen In Blackseries, which was originally published byAircel Comicsand later bought over byMarvel. In addition, Quentin Tarantino’sKill Billdrew inspiration from amangaseries entitled Lady Snowblood,whereas theUnbreakabletrilogy(akaEastrail 177 Trilogy) may be dripping with comic book references; however, the storylines are original creations based on real-life events.
8Sin City (Dark Horse Comics)
Graphic Novelist: Frank Miller (pub. 1991)
This sensational neo-noir tragedy is set in an old-school Basin City overrun with chaos and carnage, where a buff, pessimistic anti-hero finds a greater purpose in life after meeting the innocent young rose, Nancy Callahan. However, fortune doesn’t favor the police detective when he is wrongfully imprisoned and Nancy is thrown to the Old Town wolves to live the life of a stripper.
Revenge and protection are the only things on John Hartigan’s lips when he finally tastes freedom, only to discover his precious Nancy’s innocence extinguished. He must save her (and any other deadly damsel-in-distress) from further harm at all costs, no matter what deplorable miscreants creep out of the woodwork.Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014)raisesMickey Rourke into the spotlightas Marv, who also keeps a watchful eye on Nancy, while dealing with demons of his own.
7Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Mirage Studios)
Graphic Novelist: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird (pub. 1984)
This series of iconic comics was originally self-published by the creators themselves, using the fabricated “Mirage Studios” for leverage. With great risk, comes great reward, as these pizza-loving, crime-fighting turtles are still being celebrated almost forty years later. Since then, the rowdy reptiles have been ever-evolving, withIDW Publishingbecoming the officialTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universerepresentative as of 2011, picking up the pieces fromNickelodeonand revitalizing the material for old and new fans to enjoy.
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Generally speaking,the TMNT cartoon seriesget better reviews than the live-action CGI film adaptations, which likely inspired creators to return to the drawing board and produceRise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles(2022). Ironically, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo arguably score their best rating when partnering up withDCand takingBatmanhead-on in an all-out crossover war.
6Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Oni Press Graphic Novels)
Graphic Novelist: Bryan Lee O’Malley (pub. 2004)
When an awkward yet lovable manchild falls for a bewitching young woman, he bites off far more than he can chew after discovering that he needs to fight all of Ramona’s exes if he ever wants a chance to date her. Having tossed his personal politics aside,Scott boldly opposes his competition,assisted by the best luck he could hope for and guided by his natural-born instincts as a near-NEET.
Meanwhile, the loathsome lady responsible for Scott’s broken heart pops back into the picture to stir up the pot, invigorating the underlying Battle-of-the-Bands theme in the process. With seven Evil Exes to defeat, can Scott complete his mission without putting his foot in his mouth, or is that unavoidably part of the package?
5Alien and Predator Franchise (Dark Horse Comics)
Graphic Novelist: Various collaborations (pub. 1989)
One of the most legendary additions to the sci-fi horror industry is theAlien Vs. Predator franchise,which has been dominating the genre since its spine-chilling movie debut in 1979. The franchise technically consists of three narratives spread across thirteen movies: one which follows theAlien’sjourney, the otherfocuses on thePredatoraspect,and the third is a gory amalgamation of the two.
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This sci-fi movie series has been helped along by creative geniuses such as Ridley Scott, James Cameron, David Fincher, and more, and even after all these years, human curiosity can’t keep away from their extraterrestrial visitors for very long. The most recent addition,Prey(2022) is a prequel set 300 years in the past when the first Yautja graced Earth with its terrifying presence.
4The Crow (Tundra Press)
Graphic Novelist: James O’Barr (pub. 1989; IDW Publishing from 1996)
This mostly forgotten masterpiece was a scandalous addition to the 1980s film era, where alternative, gothic cult classics began gaining some serious momentum. Eric Draven may have been slaughtered alongside his beloved fiancée, but that won’t keep him down, as he rises from the dead to seek vengeance on the killers while being fueled by an epic metal soundtrack. He is fortunate enough to meet “sweet” young Sarah, who becomes his unexpected sidekick as theyfollow the Crow to their next targeton the hit list.
Unfortunately,The Crowis one of those cases where one is enough and more is too many. The three sequel films do not have the amazing talents of the award-winning Brandon Lee to fall back on since he lost his life on-set, in full Draven attire, during a tragic shooting mishap in 1993.
3300 (Dark Horse Comics)
Graphic Novelist: Frank Miller (pub. 1998)
Leonidas and his soldiers caused a sensation with their cinematic debut, intriguing fans across the gender spectrum with action-packed sequences and rock-hard abs. Set in the Ancient Greek era of bloodshed and debauchery, this “meager” group of brave Spartans set out to rid the world of the King of Persia and self-proclaimed God, amassing piles of corpses along the way.
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Fortunately,Zack Snyder jumped back on boardto assist with creating300: Rise of an Empire, this time taking the blood-soaked adventures to the seas, drawing inspiration from theXerxescomic sequel. The narrative takes a look at the Persian War from a different angle at roughly the same time as the first300film, this time pitting the Athenian Themistocles against the seemingly immortal tyrant instead.
2Wanted (Top Cow - Millarworld)
Graphic Novelist: Mark Millar and JG Jones (pub. 2003)
Wantedforms part of Millarworld (owned byNetflix, as of 2017), alongside theKingsman,Kick-Ass,Jupiter’s Legacy,and more. While Milar often dabbles inMarvelandDCcreations, he has made great effortsin constructing his own superpowered universe, which has been gaining momentum over the years. The major theme throughout his stories is that anyone can become a hero, although, as Wesley Gibson quickly learns, the transition certainly doesn’t happen overnight; no pain, no gain!
Fortunately, Wesley is unknowingly a prodigy and eventually grasps the concept of bending bullets, becoming an efficient killing machine in the process. However, being suddenly caught up in all the action has distracted Wesley from asking more relevant questions, instead of just blinding trusting The Loom of Fate’s decisions.
1Hellboy (Dark Horse Comics)
Graphic Novelist: Mike Mignola (pub. 1993)
AlthoughHellboywould fit quite seamlessly into severalDCorMarvelstorylines, he is, in fact, an independent superhero written into the cinematic universes bythe great Guillermo del Toro.Hellboy was initially summoned as a Nazi weapon but thankfully found his own path in life, subsequently becoming a supernatural investigator instead, thanks to Trevor Bruttenholm’s compassionate guidance.
Anung Un Rama’s story continues withHellboy II: The Golden Army(2008) and a 2019 reboot, the latter of which didn’t do the franchise any favors. Thankfully,Hellboy: The Crooked Manaims to swoop in and save the day with an authentic Mike Mignola-written script and Millennium Media at the helm (release date TBA.)
