Fan Fidelity Vs. Mainstream Acceptance: What Makes a Comic Book Adaptation?

Comic books and movies. On paper (or the big screen), it should be a match made in Heaven. The truth isn't quite always so perfect. Pick any random superhero movie and chances are it's either amazing or downright awful. These cinematic adaptations rarely inhabit a gray area; they typically fall into one extreme or the other. Just what causes this phenomenon? What makes half of comic adaptations super and the other half pooper?

After forgiving me for that lame rhyme, consider the two paths every movie based on a comic book faces. No, no, not Marvel and DC. I'm talking about paths regarding target audiences. These roads of appeal can be categorized thus: mainstream and fan base. Filmmakers have a simple choice: Make a movie that appeals to your average Joe moviegoer, or try to appeal strictly to fans. It's difficult to balance the scale due to a slight tip in the favor of one or the other is enough to potentially drive off the neglected audience. What's a poor director with hungry kids to do?

The safer and more popular choice is to try to appeal to the mainstream. You're more likely to attract viewers if they can walk into the theater and enjoy the film without any knowledge whatsoever of the source material. It is because of this that the majority of superhero films either focus on his/her origin or allude to it strongly.

This decision is unfortunate as it comes across as a betrayal to longtime fans to see their hero clearly being marketed to the mainstream. In this case, this feeling of entitlement is partially justified. It has been through their support that the comic gained enough momentum and popularity to receive a cinematic adaptation.

"Fantastic Four" is a prime example of this phenomenon. The film marginalized fans of the FF by marketing the film almost exclusively at non-fans. By shedding much of the elements of intrigue within the series, the filmmakers made the experience much easier to swallow for those unfamiliar with it. This resulted in poor adaptations of Ben and Reed, a movie disliked and ignored by the fan base, and video games without a single redeeming quality. The sequel, "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," attempted to draw in more original fans, but the damage was already done.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films had varying success with pleasing both longtime fans and newcomers. The first film, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," had the greatest success in the trilogy. The movie made a minimal effort to catch up neophytes, but it mostly was developed as a playground for devoted fans. Familiar faces, in-jokes, and respect to the source all abound. It is because of this that it's remembered fondly by enthusiasts and initiates alike.

The first TMNT sequel, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze," stumbled a little in its balance. While it didn't attempt to hold the viewer's hand, it did tone down the more mature elements that were accepted in the original. The language was more juvenile, the fights were more comical, and the humor was less subtle. Many fight scenes feature the turtles improvising in combat rather than using their trademark weapons.

The third film, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III," was a complete disaster. Quality was non-existent, the villains were forgettable, the time travel plot was stupid, and the jokes were elementary. The third TMNT movie comes across more as a bad TV special than a worthy cinematic adaptation. This is a shame because the 2007 reboot, "TMNT," was a return to glory. The animation was expertly done, the plot was engaging, and the fight scenes were extremely impressive.

Don't worry, "Spider-Man" and "Batman Begins" haven't been forgotten. These two fantastic pieces of cinema did magnificent jobs bringing their respective franchises into the millennium. Peter Parker and Bruce Wayne are almost perfectly portrayed, as are their featured villains. Scarecrow and Green Goblin both receive extra care in making them both unforgettable and devilishly charismatic. Our heroes get proper send-offs with impressive endings and even more impressive returns .

"Spider-Man 2" and "The Dark Knight" both improve on the originals everywhere it counts. If only more cinematic adaptations could rip a page from the playbooks of Peter and Bruce. Still, the genre is alive and kicking. 2011 has seen the likes of "Green Lantern," "Thor," "Captain America: The First Avenger," "X-Men: First Class," and "Green Hornet." What do you think of the latest generation of superheroes on the big screen?

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