5 Unconventional Comic Book Movies That You Need To See

The beauty of cinema means that there's always room for something a little different - even in the twisty, colorful world of the comic book adaptation. As thrilling as it may be to witness a superhero working his magic and ridding the world of crime, or an anti-hero wrestling with an identity complex against a backdrop of a world in crisis, the comic book movie is capable of producing something quite different to these Hero/Villain showpieces on occasion. Indeed, graphic novels and comic strips aren't exclusively limited to "goodies" and "baddies" like some may believe, and there have been several movies over the course of history which have uprooted some of the more offbeat pieces of print in this genre, and proceeded to expand and develop them into terrifically entertaining and unconventional comic book adaptations. Listed here are five prime examples of this that you simply have to see. Take a look at our picks and as always, head on down to the comments section afterwards and let us know your thoughts. 5) American Splendor American Splendor might not be to everyone's tastes, but it'd take a brave man to deny the fact that it holds a well-earned, utterly unique place in the snug little corner of unconventional comic book cinema. Written and directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, the movie delves deep into the life of comic book writer Harvey Pekar - a man who was inspired to compile the eponymous comic by drawing on his real life experiences and put them in print after meeting up with legendary scribbler Robert Crumb. Pekar was an unabashedly bitter, cynical, and sour individual, and whilst his writing served as a cathartic outlet for much of his frustration, there were times when his irrepressible rage rose to the surface for all to see - most notably when he went into complete meltdown in front of live studio audience on the David Letterman show. The film is peculiarly constructed, engaging in interviews with the real Harvey Pekar only to periodically fall back into its fictional recreation of the writer's life - where he is portrayed with haunting accuracy by the ever-dependable Paul Giamatti. Only a smart movie could pull this off, and despite the decidedly ordinary and haggard appearance of its protagonist, American Splendor is undoubtedly superior to many of its comic book counterparts in terms of intelligence. Adopting the same mind-set that served as the basis for much of Pekar's work, American Splendor shows us the weird and wonderful happenings that occur on a day-to-day basis in the immediacy of the real world. Everyone is their own superhero fighting against their own villains, and society itself remains one giant comic book packed with colorful characters that's repeatedly being rewritten and reproduced. 4) When The Wind Blows Quite different to your ordinary comic book given how it plays out in such a subdued, subtle way, Raymond Briggs' graphic novel When The Wind Blows may be less emphatic and forceful than a typical comic book adaptation, but the effect it has is far more profound and heartwrentching than many other movies that have made the leap from page to screen. The movie depicts Mr. and Mrs. Jim Bloggs, an elderly couple living in rural England during turbulent political times. The United Kingdom is on the verge of nuclear war, and Jim decides it best to prepare his home accordingly just in case outbreak ever occurs. Obtaining some outdated government leaflets from his local store, he goes to work setting up the house,and all of a sudden a radio announcement is made declaring that a nuclear missile is on its way to the UK. The two survive the blast, but utterly ignorant to the dangers or lurking radiation, they clamber out of their hiding place and continue to potter about their daily lives as if nothing happened, all the while getting sicker and sicker by the moment. What's so curious and unsettling about When The Wind Blows is how it maintains the same lolling tone throughout, despite the scenery growing visibly danker with each passing frame. The Blogg's couple are blissfully ignorant of the seriousness of their situation, dismissing the absence of the morning newspaper and assuming it'll turn up tomorrow instead. I've written about this heart-aching movie on countless occasions, yet whatever ends up in print feels always feels somewhat incomplete. It's one of those movies that simply needs to be seen to be experienced; packing the kind of emotional punch that's enough to yank your jaw to the floor long after the credits are done rolling. 3) Persepolis Never have the simplistic shades of black and white had more of a striking, bold effect than with Persepolis - an eerie, powerful and intermittently witty movie based on the graphic novel of the same name compiled by Marjane Satrapi. Assembled by a hat-trick of nations in Iran, France and America, the film's aesthetics are faintly reminiscent of Ari Folman's Waltz With Bashir, substituting the luminous colors of the war documentary for a more crude, noir-like touch. Another comparison to be made with Folman's film is how Persepolis continually borders on the surreal, occasionally resembling a haunting vision and other times mesmerizing beauty. Told from the perspective of its writer, Persepolis is an autobiographical tale of a young girl growing up in her native country of Iran during the events of the Islamic Revolution in the late 1970's. Gentle humor protrudes from the simplistic imagery as Satrapi reflects on her early life as a blissful time, before her adoration of Western culture became ridiculed and considered sacrilege. Her parents send her away to live in Vienna, but there she encounters too much liberation and freedom for her to handle. Despite her love of Western pop music and imagery, the family values she grew up with are too deeply ingrained for her to truly embrace the free nature of Europe. Suddenly, she becomes a girl without a home - stranded on her own isolated island. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2007, Persepolis was deservedly recognized for its audaciousness and remains one of the most deeply moving graphic novel adaptations ever thrown up to the big screen. 2) Ghost World Director Terry Zwigoff opened up a strange new world when he ventured behind the comic book pages to peel back the layers of legendary cartoonist Robert Crumb in 1995. His movie Crumb proved to be a faintly disturbing yet thoroughly invigorating documentary about a man who spent his entire life with a pencil pressed between his fingers - his sketches apparently the only thing preventing him from tumbling into insanity. Zwigoff's 2001 film Ghost World may play out a little differently to his investigatory documentary about Mr. Crumb, but the deep exploration of slightly unhinged, imperfect people remains so utterly apparent. Reaching right off the pages of Daniel Clowes' 90's graphic novel, Zwigoff relocates the kind of wicked humor you only ever see in black and white speech bubbles into fine movie dialogue. Spilling at the seams with acidic, deadpan humor and anchored by a glorious performance from Thora Birch, Ghost World breaks away from comic book convention by offering a view of the real world through the eyes of a cynical adolescent named Enid. She holds utter disdain for mankind and society, and only when she encounters middle-aged loner Seymour (Steve Buscemi) does she realize that there may be people a little like her in the world after all. Ghost World is an unconventional movie steered by an unconventional director, following an unconventional plot, exploring unconventional characters. It's funny, moving and thought-provoking in its strangeness, but most importantly of all, it's wildly entertaining and terrific to watch. 1) Chronicle Whilst not technically having any tangible ties to the pages of any existing graphic novels, Chronicle remains indisputably linked to the comic book genre given its subject-matter; with Josh Trank's movie revolving around the world of three American teens who suddenly gain superpowers that enable them to control objects with their minds. Beginning as a goofy teen drama and finishing off as a fast and furious action flick that resembles the sensation of riding a simulator roller-coaster, Chronicle puts an intriguing spin on the superhero movie by capturing everything through handheld camera. Dane DeHaan stars as Andrew, an unpopular, awkward teen with a troubled home life. After reluctantly being dragged along to a rave by his cousin Matt, the duo - along with popular party go-er Steve - stumble across a strange black hole in the wooded area nearby. After venturing down to explore and experiencing sudden nosebleeds, the three teens soon discover that they have the ability to move objects with their minds. Andrew uses his camera to capture everything on tape, as the kids use their powers for juvenile pranks to start with, before elevating to bigger and better things. The use of queasy-cam has swamped screens since the Blair Witch Project and has largely worn out its welcome, but Chronicle is too smart and slick to get bogged down by limitations and uses the super capability of its characters to transcend the typical trappings of the genre. Instead of limiting the action to one point of view, director Trank flits between CCTV footage and iPhone imagery and enables the use of a steady shots as Andrews practices using his new found powers by levitating his camera above himself and his friends. Complex, dark and thrilling, Chronicle has everything that a good superhero movie should have and gives the genre a welcome twinge of unconventional authenticity in its shooting style to boot.