Comic book fans are aware of the most popular comics that are widely considered classics. However, there tends to be a few that do not get as much praise or recognition they deserve. The reasons can vary, but the biggest downside to some of those classic comics is that it would be rather challenging to adapt them into movies. Can they work? It is definitely possible, but many comics that are more recent would have a better chance of being adapted onto the big screen. The big reason why is because they show the characters in a more modern time, but they have a tendency to write the heroes and villains differently than how we are used to seeing them. There are many to choose from, but here are five of the most underrated DC graphic novels that should be adapted into movies.
5. Deathstroke Vol. 1: Legacy
Ever since Deathstroke made his movie debut in Justice League, there have been several rumors going around that claim a solo movie directed by Gareth Evans is in the works. Evans is known for directing the famous martial arts movie, The Raid: Redemption and its sequel, both very violent and action-packed films. Despite these rumors, nothing seems to be moving forward, but if they are true, Evans would be the man for the job. If it does happen, he should look at the character’s New 52 solo comic, Legacy. From the very beginning, it shows Deathstroke living up to his name, challenging anyone who would be dumb enough to go up against him, only for them to meet a bloody demise. He is DC’s greatest assassin and this storyline proves it, so if there really is a movie in the works, why not use this graphic novel as a source? Fans of The Raid franchise would expect nothing but blood and fists flying, not to mention an opportunity to flush out Deathstroke as a character. It would have to be rated R, which Warner Brothers seems to be more comfortable doing these days, so if the rumors have some truth behind them, let’s hope they turn to this graphic novel for guidance.
4. The Flash Vol. 3: Gorilla Warfare
If you have been keeping up with the progress of the upcoming Flash movie from Warner Brothers, you would know that it’s been a storm of drama. It’s had several directors drop out, and no information on the plot of the movie has been released. There are several routes they can take with that movie, but one storyline that should really be considered adapting is Gorilla Warfare. And why is that? Well, that’s mostly because of who the Flash goes up against, and that’s the evil ape dictator, Gorilla Grodd. Fans of the comics and Flash TV show are aware of his true powers and know that he is no ordinary talking ape. He is a talking gorilla with telepathy and some telekinesis to back up his ferocity. On top of that, he is the megalomaniacal ruler of Gorilla City, where he killed his father and consumed his mind by eating his brain. Seriously, how can any director pass that up? In the Gorilla Warfare storyline, his goal is to kill the Flash and eat his brain, so he can possess the power of the speed force. He attempts this by invading Central City with his Gorilla army, forcing Flash to ally with his most popular villains, the Rogues. This would be an awesome villain to see on the big screen and an even more awesome graphic novel to adapt. If the upcoming Flash movie is a success, then we can probably expect something like this in the future. Andy Serkis back in the motion capture suit, anyone?
3. Green Lantern Vol. 1: Sinestro
Yes, we all remember the massive disappointment that was Ryan Reynold’s Green Lantern movie, and those memories won’t go away anytime soon. A reboot titled, Green Lantern Corps, has been in development for some time now, and it looks like we won’t be getting it anytime soon. While we can expect it to arrive eventually, there are many storylines that can be adapted for a truly good Green Lantern film, many which involve the Corps main adversary, Sinestro. Many fans would suggest that the Sinestro Corps War would be the best graphic novel to adapt and while that is a great starting point, the New 52 storyline, Sinestro, would be a perfect follow up. Sinestro has always been a complex character with a toxic relationship with Hal Jordan, the first human Green Lantern. Their relationship as varied from mentor and student, to bitter rivals, and most notably portrayed in comics as arch enemies. However, the New 52 gave us an unexpected character arc with Sinestro, giving him the chance to redeem himself, while working with a disgraced Hal Jordan. Throughout the storyline, we get to see dynamics of their relationship that were never seen before, delivering a powerful and emotional ending to their journey. Establishing Sinestro as a villain first would be the logical step to his debut, but if he needs a redemption arc for the future, it would be insane not to use that graphic novel as source.
2. All Star Batman Vol. 1: My Own Worst Enemy
Here’s a Batman story that will be known as a classic in the future. My Own Worst Enemy features our hero Batman taking his notorious foe, Two-Face, on a cross-country road trip to hell and back. While Batman is intended to cure his former friend, Two-Face has no intention of cooperating, setting a plan to secure his freedom and kill Batman. The trip is long and brutal, with Batman facing essentially his whole rogues gallery and narrowly escaping from death, all while protecting the man who wants him dead. This is a perfect Batman storyline to adapt for the big screen, not just because of the action, but the vibes it contain, which is basically a combination of Mad Max and Midnight Run. The bloody action starts on page one and doesn’t stop until the very end, delivering a shocking twist that would translate as the ultimate betrayal on the big screen. Does it even have to be a Batman exclusive adaptation? It honestly doesn’t, since it can work with other heroes as well, making it a great foundation for any script for the DC Extended Universe.
1. Forever Evil
A few years ago, DC convinced us to root for the bad guys when they released the first teaser trailer for Suicide Squad, only they failed to deliver the bad guy aspect. While the Squad was technically a group of villains, they didn’t feel like evil villains that gave us a hard time to root for. They were more like a group of misfits looking for redemption, and not the big baddies they were advertised to be in the trailers. That being said, the perfect storyline to make up for this would be Forever Evil, where the biggest villains of the world’s biggest heroes take on the Crime Syndicate. The Syndicate is a sinister version of the Justice League, and in Forever Evil, they imprison the League and take control of the Earth, leaving only the super-villains to challenge them. While many choose to rejoice in the absence of the heroes, a small group of villains take the fight to the Syndicate, all of whom have their own reason for doing so. And who better to lead them than Lex Luthor, Superman’s greatest enemy. Luthor gathers villains such as Black Manta, Captain Cold, Black Adam, Deathstroke, Sinestro, and even unleashes Bizarro to combat the Syndicate. A big screen adaptation of this graphic novel would basically be the Justice League movie flipped on its head. Villains fighting villains is something we have never really seen done on the big screen and if that’s something the DCEU wants to pursue in the future, than this graphic novel is the go-to comic. Let’s just hope that Jesse Eisenberg is re-casted by then.
Final Thoughts
There you have it. Hopefully Warner Brothers is taking notes on which graphic novels they want to adapt in the near future and maybe one of these suggestions is already on their slate, but if they really want to add some spice to their DC Extended Universe, let’s hope they consider taking a look at these graphic novels. What graphic novels do you think were missed?
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