Comic Books / Graphic Novels
When it comes to comic book adaptations, most often they are based on more than one comic or take ideas from comics. That said, two films I don’t have specific source material for you to read are Zack Snyder’s Superman movie Man of Steel and Thor: The Dark World.
Another release I don’t yet have source material I can directly reference is Frank Miller‘s follow up to “300” (buy it here), which will be titled 300: Rise of an Empire. The book has been said to be titled “Xerxes” and both the book and film will serve as a prequel to 300, centering on the history behind King Xerxes’ rise to power in fifth-century-BC Persia.
Also, RED 2 serves as a sequel to the first film, which itself was based on the graphic novel by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner (buy it here), but the sequel, to my knowledge is not based on new material.
All that said, however, there are some comic and graphic novel adaptations that do have some source material you can check out.
Iron Man: Extremis
by Warren Ellis
Unfortunately, this title has been taken off the shelves only to be re-released in April with the pending release of Iron Man 3 on May 3, but the film has been said to take much of its influence from Warren Ellis’ “Iron Man: Extremis”. Marvel describes the storyline as follows:
“Extremis” is a six-part storyline and the first major storyline of the 2005 Iron Man series. The story was written by Warren Ellis with illustrations and cover art by Adi Granov. “Extremis” is a pivotal addition to the Iron Man mythos for two significant reasons. The first is that the story retroactively changes the setting of Iron Man’s origin, replacing the jungles of Vietnam with the deserts of Afghanistan. Like many retcons, the purpose behind this was to make the character more relevant to modern readers in addition to keeping the character at a moderately youthful age. As per the “Extremis” story, Tony Stark has been adventuring as Iron Man for fifteen years (Marvel time).
The second major development was the introduction of the Extremis enhancile. Extremis is an artificially created bio-weapon that merges with Tony Stark’s physiology, in effect, transforming him into a living computer. In addition to a golden body sheathe and the MK XXX armor, Iron Man was able to interact with any computerized system; specifically those that incorporated patented StarkTech into its design. Tony was infused with the Extremis enhancile in Iron Man (Volume 4) #4 and maintained it until the 2008 “Secret Invasion”.
Kick-Ass 2
by Mark Millar
Mark Millar‘s “Kick-Ass” continues with Kick-Ass 2, which hits theaters on June 28, but you can get a jump start on the project by checking out his latest graphic novel of the same name, illustrated by John Romita. Here’s the film’s synopsis:
Kick-Ass, Hit Girl and Red Mist return for the follow-up to 2010’s irreverent global hit: Kick-Ass 2. After Kick-Ass’ (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) insane bravery inspires a new wave of self-made masked crusaders, led by the badass Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey), our hero joins them on patrol. When these amateur superheroes are hunted down by Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse)–reborn as The Mother F%&*^r–only the blade-wielding Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) can prevent their annihilation.
When we last saw junior assassin Hit Girl and young vigilante Kick-Ass, they were trying to live as normal teenagers Mindy and Dave. With graduation looming and uncertain what to do, Dave decides to start the world’s first superhero team with Mindy. Unfortunately, when Mindy is busted for sneaking out as Hit Girl, she’s forced to retire–leaving her to navigate the terrifying world of high-school mean girls on her own. With no one left to turn to, Dave joins forces with Justice Forever, run by a born-again ex-mobster named Colonel Stars and Stripes.
Just as they start to make a real difference on the streets, the world’s first super villain, The Mother F%&*^r, assembles his own evil league and puts a plan in motion to make Kick-Ass and Hit Girl pay for what they did to his dad. But there’s only one problem with his scheme: If you mess with one member of Justice Forever, you mess with them all.
R.I.P.D.
by Peter M. Lenkov
Like “Iron Man: Extremis”, this one is waiting until April to be released, though that still gives you three months to read it before R.I.P.D. hits theaters on July 19. The film stars Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds and Kevin Bacon and introduces audiences to the Rest In Peace Department (R.I.P.D.) – the devoted, yet dead, officers of divine law enforcement “patrolling the deadbeat…reporting to one boss.” Yep – THAT boss. Nick Cruz was gunned down in the line of duty at the height of his personal and professional life. Now he’s traded a hundred years of service to the R.I.P.D. in exchange for a shot at solving his own murder. Unfortunately, his search will take him to Hell and back – literally!
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
by Frank Miller
Frank Miller‘s latest “300” novel may not be on the shelves, but you can certainly read the inspiration for Robert Rodriguez’s upcoming sequel Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. The film will likely add a little extra not in the novels or borrow ideas and stories from some of Miller’s other “Sin City” stories just as the first film did, but here’s a little synopsis to whet your appetite:
It’s one of those hot nights, dry and windless. The kind that makes people do sweaty, secret things. Dwight’s thinking of all the ways he’s screwed up and what he’d give for one clear chance to wipe the slate clean, to dig his way out of the numb gray hell that is his life. And he’d give anything. Just to cut loose. Just to feel the fire. One more time. And then Ava calls.
Wolverine
by Chris Claremont
From what I understand, The Wolverine is largely based on the 1982 limited series comic arc by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller, which finds Logan (Hugh Jackman) in Japan. There, samurai steel will clash with adamantium claw as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past in an epic battle that will leave him forever changed.
The film is set to hit theaters on July 26
That ends Part One. Tomorrow I will take a look at over 25 books that were adapted into movies that will be released in 2013 and it is a whopper of a list with films from directors such as Martin Scorsese, Sam Raimi, Peter Jackson, Baz Luhrmann and even James Franco and authors such as Stephen King, Stephenie Meyer, Cormac McCarthy, Orson Scott Card, Suzanne Collins, Tom Clancy, Nicholas Sparks and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Stay tuned, we’re not done yet…
