100 Comic Book Movies

With a little time to kill this afternoon, I decided to make one of those “Movie List Challenges” over on Facebook. Being the sort of nerd I am, I whipped up a list of 100 movies based on comic books, graphic novels, and newspaper comic strips. Some of these are kind of indirect — the comic strip was made into a broadway musical, the musical was made into a movie. Some of them will be movies you’ve seen but maybe didn’t know were comic books first. Some of them will be foreign and some of them, especially the movie serials of the 40s and 50s, will be characters you’ve heard of in movies you didn’t know existed. And although I tried to stay with theatrical films, it’s possible a made-for-TV movie or two snuck in while I wasn’t looking. But let’s see how many of ’em you’ve seen. For the sake of fairness, I’ve put an asterisk next to each movie that I’ve personally viewed…

1. The Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941) *
2. Batman (1943)
3. Congo Bill (1948)
4. Batman and Robin (1949)
5. Superman and the Mole Men (1951)
6. Blackhawk: Fearless Champion of Freedom (1952)
7. Lil’ Abner (1959)
8. Batman: The Movie (1966)*
9. A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969)*
10. Tales From the Crypt (1972)
11. The Vault of Horror (1973)
12. Superman (1978)*
13. Flash Gordon (1980)*
14. I Go Pogo (aka Pogo For President, 1980)*
15. Popeye (1980)*
16. Superman II (1980)*
17. Annie (1982)*
18. Swamp Thing (1982)
19. Superman III (1983)*
20. Supergirl (1984)*
21. Howard the Duck (1986)*
22. Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987)*
23. Akira (1988)*
24. Batman (1989)*
25. The Punisher (1989)*
26. Return of Swamp Thing (1989)
27. Dick Tracy (1990)*
28. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)*
29. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)*
30. Batman Returns (1992)*
31. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)*
32. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Turtles in Time (1993)
33. The Crow (1994)*
34. The Mask (1994)*
35. Batman Forever (1995)*
36. Judge Dredd (1995)*
37. Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995)*
38. Barb Wire (1996)*
39. Tales From the Crypt: Bordello of Blood (1996)*
40. Batman and Robin (1997)*
41. Men in Black (1997)*
42. Spawn (1997)*
43. Steel (1997)
44. Blade (1998)*
45. X-Men (2000)*
46. Ghost World (2001)*
47. Blade II (2002)*
48. Road to Perdition (2002)*
49. Spider-Man (2002)*
50. American Splendor (2003)*
51. Daredevil (2003)*
52. Hulk (2003)*
53. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)*
54. X2: X-Men United (2003)*
55. Blade: Trinity (2004)*
56. Catwoman (2004)*
57. Garfield (2004)*
58. Hellboy (2004)*
59. The Punisher (2004)*
60. Spider-Man 2 (2004)*
61. Batman Begins (2005)*
62. Constantine (2005)*
63. Elektra (2005)*
64. Fantastic Four (2005)*
65. A History of Violence (2005)*
66. Man-Thing (2005)*
67. Sin City (2005)*
68. Son of the Mask (2005)*
69. V For Vendetta (2005)*
70. 300 (2006)*
71. Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties (2006)
72. Over the Hedge (2006)*
73. Superman Returns (2006)*
74. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)*
75. Ghost Rider (2007)*
76. Persepolis (2007)*
77. Spider-Man 3 (2007)*
78. TMNT (2007)*
79. The Dark Knight (2008)*
80. Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)*
81. Iron Man (2008)*
82. Punisher: War Zone (2008)*
83. Surrogates (2009)*
84. Watchmen (2009)*
85. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)*
86. Iron Man 2 (2010)*
87. Jonah Hex (2010)*
88. Kick-Ass (2010)*
89. The Losers (2010)*
90. RED (2010)*
91. Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World (2010)*
92. The Adventures of Tintin (2011)*
93. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)*
94. Cowboys and Aliens (2011)*
95. Dylan Dog: Dead of Night (2011)*
96. Green Lantern (2011)*
97. The Smurfs (2011)
98. Thor (2011)*
99. X-Men: First Class (2011)*
100. The Avengers (2012)

2 in 1 Showcase Episode 159: Viva Las Vegas

Back in Vegas together, Blake and Erin get together for this week’s episode of the Showcase! The happy couple reviews a pair of new movies, including The Wolfman and Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, visit a trio of Vegas-area comic shops, and answer your questions about what there is to do in Vegas if you’re a geek like us! In the picks, Erin liked the novel Star Wars: Death Troopers and Blake gives a thumbs-up to Batgirl #7. Contact us with comments, suggestions, or anything else at Showcase@comixtreme.com!

2 in 1 Showcase Episode 159: Viva Las Vegas
Inside This Episode:

Everything But Imaginary #312: Movie Ride Maintenance

It’s time once again for The Great Movie Ride, the semi-regular Everything But Imaginary feature where I foolishly attempt to give short reviews of every comic book movie ever made. Today, at the halfway point of 2009, I look back and go over all the comic book movies I’ve seen since January 1.

Everything But Imaginary #312: Movie Ride Maintenance
Inside This Column:

What I’m Watching: 2009 Edition

As I sit here in the New Orleans Airport, waiting to head off to Nashville for a conference on “redesigning ninth grade,” I thought I’d take advantage of the time to post the movie list for the year thus far. Like the reading list I posted yesterday, I’m adding this to the links on the right-hand side of the page for the sake of anyone who’s actually interested in that sort of thing. Now when you feel like asking, “Hey Blake! Have you seen Wanted yet?” you can just click on the sidebar. Ain’t that cool?

Also, like for the books, I’ll include a link for those movies I’ve reviewed.

1. DuckTales the Movie: Legend of the Lost Lamp; 1990-B
2. Futurama: Bender’s Game; 2008-B
3. 24: Redemption; 2008-B+
4. Death to the Tinman; 2007-B+
5. Rated R: Republican in Hollywood; 2004-C+
6. Batman Vs. Dracula; 2005-C
7. Hamlet; 1960-D (Movie); B+ (MST3K Riff)
8. Confessions of a Superhero; 2007-B
9. Storytelling; 2001-C+
10. You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown; 1975-B+
11. You’re the Greatest, Charlie Brown; 1979-B-
12. The Black Cauldron; 1985-B+
13. Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown; 1975-A
14. A Charlie Brown Valentine; 2002-B
15. You’re In Love, Charlie Brown; 1967-B+
16. It’s Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown; 1977-C-
17. Howard the Duck; 1986-D+
18. Quarantine; 2008-B
19. Coraline; 2009-A
20. Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder; 2009-B
21. Friday the 13th; 2009-C+
22. The Karate Kid; 1984-B+
23. Wonder Woman; 2009-A-
24. Watchmen; 2009-B-
25. Wanted; 2008-D
26. This is Spinal Tap; 1984-B+
27. Judge Dredd; 1995-D
28. The Gamers: Dorkness Rising; 2008-B+
29. Primer; 2004-B+
30. Sheena; 1984-C
31. Persepolis; 2007-B
32. Surf’s Up; 2007-B-
33. It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown; 1974, B-
34. It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown; 1976, B+
35. Vampirella; 1996-D
36. Tales of the Black Freighter; 2009-A
37. Under the Hood; 2009-B
38. The Norman Rockwell Code; 2006-B
39. Monsters Vs. Aliens; 2009-A
40. Once Upon a Girl; 1976-C
41. Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird; 1985-A
42. Snoopy’s Reunion; 1991-B-
43. It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown; 1984-B-
44. William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet; 1997, C
45. X-Men Origins: Wolverine; 2009, C+
46. Star Trek; 2009, A
47. The Phantom; 1996, C
48. Vantage Point; 2008, B+
49. National Lampoon’s European Vacaction; 1985, B
50. Doctor Who: The Infinite Quest; 2007, B-
51. The Odyssey; 1997 (miniseries), B
52. O Brother, Where Art Thou?; 2000, A
53. The Terminator; 1984, B
54. Terminator 2: Judgment Day; 1991, A+
55. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines; 2003, C+
56. Terminator: Salvation; 2009, A-
57. Nightmare Circus; 1974, F
58. Day of the Dead; 1985, B+
59. The Call of Cthulhu; 2005, B
60. The Running Man; 1987, C
61. Grindhouse Presents Death Proof; 2007, C-
62. Partly Cloudy; 2009, B+
63. Up; 2009, A
64. Across the Universe; 2007, C
65. Tropic Thunder; 2008, B
66. Good Luck Chuck; 2007, C+
67. The Hangover; 2009, B+
68. TransFormers; 2007, B
69. TransFormers: Revenge of the Fallen; 2009, B-
70. My Cousin Vinnie; 1992, A
71. 1776; 1972, A+
72. The Rocketeer; 1993, A-
73. Independence Day; 1996, B+
74. Short Cuts; 1993, D
75. Comic Book Villains; 2002, B
76. Riding the Bullet; 2004, B
77. Fanboys; 2008, B+
78. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; 2005, B+
79. Chalk; 2006, A-
80. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince; 2009, B+
81. Push; 2009, C+
82. Donald in Mathmagic Land; 1959, A
83. He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown; 1968, B+
84. It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown; 1969, B
85. Charlie Brown’s All Stars; 1966, A
86. Green Lantern: First Flight; 2009, A
87. The Dark Half; 1993, B-
88. Cashback; 2006, B+
89. Flight of the Navigator; 1986, B-
90. Justice League: A New Frontier; 2008, A
91. Ghostbusters II; 1989, B
92. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra; 2009, F
93. District 9; 2004, A
94. Ghostbusters; 1984, A
95. Inglorious Basterds; 2009, A-
96. Halloween II; 2009, C-
97. Severance; 2006, B
98. Daffy Duck’s Quackbusters; 1988, C+
99. Countdown to Wednesday; 2004, B
100. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen; 1988, B+
101. Murder Party; 2007, B
102. Hulk Vs.; 2009, B-
103. Graveyard Shift; 1990, C+
104. Saw V; 2008, C
105. 9; 2009, B+
106. Zombie Strippers; 2008, F
107. Return of the Living Dead 3; 1993, C
108. Superman/Batman: Public Enemies; 2009, B
109. Zombieland; 2009, B+
110. Toy Story; 1995, A
111. Toy Story 2; 1999, A+
112. Frankenstein; 1931, A
113. Bride of Frankenstein; 1935, B+
114. Son of Frankenstein; 1939, A
115. Ghost of Frankenstein; 1942, C+
116. House of Frankenstein; 1944, C
117. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein; 1948, A+
118. Trick ‘r Treat; 2007, A-
119. Hobgoblins; 1988, F (movie), A (MST3K Riff)
120. The Men Who Stare at Goats; 2009, B+
121. The Time Machine; 2002, B-
122. Animal Farm; 1999, B
123. Planet 51; 2009, B
124. Play it Again, Charlie Brown; 1971, B+*
125. You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown: 1972, B*
126. There’s No Time For Love, Charlie Brown; 1973, B-*
127. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving; 1973, A*
128. It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown; 1974, B*
129. Garfield’s Thanksgiving; 1989, A-
130. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians; 1964, F (movie), B (MSK3K Riff)
131. A Christmas Carol; 2009, B+
132. A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa; 2008, B+*
133. A Chipmunk Christmas; 1981, B*
134. A Flintstones Christmas Carol; 1994, B+
135. A Muppets Christmas Carol; 1992, A-
136. Mickey’s Christmas Carol; 1983, A*
137. The Small One; 1978, A*
138. Pluto’s Christmas Tree; 1953, A*
139. Santa’s Workshop; 1932, A*
140. Prep and Landing; 2009, A-*
141. Frosty’s Winter Wonderland; 1976, B+*
142. Cranberry Christmas; 2009, B-*
143. Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July; 1979, B-
144. A Charlie Brown Christmas; 1965, A+*
145. It’s Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown; 1992, B*
146. Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tales; 2002, B-*
147. I Want a Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown; 2003, B+*
148. Happy New Year, Charlie Brown; 1985, A-*
149. The Princess and the Frog; 2009, A
150. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; 1964, A*
151. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation; 1989, A+
152. Hogfather; 2006, B+
153. Home Alone; 1990, B
154. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas; 1974, B+*
155. Elf; 2003, B
156. A Christmas Story; 1983, A+
157. Avatar; 2009, D+
158. Night of the Creeps; 1986, C
159. Dave Barry’s Complete Guide to Guys; 2005, B
160. Sherlock Holmes; 2009, B

Last Updated on December 31, 2009