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If there’s one advantage comic books have over any other storytelling medium, it’s that they can easily adapt works from other mediums. They aren’t as constrained from factors such as time and budget, unlike films. Comics can tell a story as long as they want to and there’s no budget to any sets or special effects. And unlike prose, comic books are a visual medium. Although comics weren’t what you’d call the best adaptations in the early days, the modern era (and more specifically, post-Dark Horse era) has shown some promise of what comics can do. Adapted film works such as Dark Horse and 20th Century Fox collaborations (Terminator, Aliens, Predator, etc.), Die Hard: Year One, and Robocop have shown that comics are great for expanding a universe and telling stories beyond just what was shown in the films.

So with that being said, here’s part I of ten films that could do well as adaptations. By no means are they a definitive top ten or even my own top ten. The number of films that could be great comics seem endless, and perhaps I’ll make another top ten in the future. But for now, here are ten films that are a safe bet for a great adaptation (assuming they have the right team and creative freedom).

Red Dawn

In case you’re unfamiliar with the film, Red Dawn asks the one question everyone in high school has asked themselves: “If we were attacked by zombies/robots/aliens (or in this case, communist invaders), how would my peers and I fare against them?” While it has aged a little, it’s still a fun film. However, much of the months and battles fought by the WOLVERINES! were left missing or simply implied. So perhaps a comic book that can show the missing chapters and also detail more about the heroic teens might be a nice welcome.

Wishmaster

OK, this isn’t the best horror film series out there. But here’s what would set it apart from adapting other horror films into comic books. It’s not a Slash ‘n Stab horror film, which would easily get tiring in a comic book. Instead, it’s about a creature named Djinn who grants wishes that go terribly wrong (think the end cutscenes in the Twisted Metal video games). So the unique deaths, visuals, and themes could be endless here. Not to mention that this could have an emphasis on character, rather than quickly killing everyone to fit them all into a two hour film.

Creepshow

For those of you that don’t know this cult classic, Creepshow is a bit like Tales from the Crypt if it were written by horror master Stephen King and directed by Zombie legend George Romero. While it was adapted into a one-shot back in 1982, it was merely a movie tie in with the same exact stories as the film. An adaptation with fresh new stories would be nice, especially if they were written by Stephen King himself (who recently guest wrote on American Vampire).

The Expendables

While I liked The Expendables, my major complaint about it was that I never got to learn much about any of them, since there were so damn many characters in it. Don’t get me wrong, I loved how they squeezed in so many action stars, but at the same time, it didn’t allow for much character development. A comic adaptation, however, could fix that problem. Different issues could focus on different characters, each one having their own style and theme. And of course, since they’re dogs of war, the locations and parameters of their contracts could vary widely.

Back to the Future Trilogy

While Back to the Future was adapted into a comic book series back in 1991 to 1993, it’s not the true Back to the Future to me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s horrible. It’s just that the style is more kid friendly and they definitely went more for the animated series than the film series. For a while I didn’t think anyone could do true justice to the series with a spinoff. But after playing Back to the Future: The Game, my mind has been changed. It seems like with just the right people and dedication, they can make a good comic that will keep the spirit of the film series. And considering that Back to the Future writer and creator Bob Gale is a comic book writer himself, maybe he could supervise or do an issue or two. Plus, considering the fact that the DeLorean (or train) can travel to any time, past, present, or future, there’s great possibilities in this series. All it needs is a good writer, artists, and 1.21 gigawatts.

Well, that’s all for now. Next week we’re going to be checking out X-Men: First Class. But the week after, we’re going back to see what other five complete the top ten list. And who knows, maybe I’ll turn the tables to ask what films you guys think should be adapted into a comic book series.

Andrew Hudson
ahudson@comicattack.net
@Hudsonian