Great fiction is exactly that; it can be typed, filmed or illustrated, but none of those methods denote quality. The main reason why I suggest comics to other people, is the fact that they're really underappreciated. For proof we can look at the price tags; for a thirty-two page comic, you're going to pay three to six dollars. That's pretty far from the ten cent comics of the 1920's, and for the same price you could buy a novel, with a lot more content.
Over the years, comics have suffered from low distribution, as they've moved from the newsstand to specialty stores. The only comics sold by book retailers, are soft and hardcover collections, not single issues. Unfortunately, the singles are the backbone of the industry; they help keep the cost of collections down and provide a proving ground. What you're left with is very low readership, which adds to the cost barrier for new readers. It's a death spiral that hasn't claimed books, but it's an immediate threat to other printed media.
Magazines aren't selling like they used to. Newspapers don't circulate nearly as much. We live in an age of smartphones, tablets and streaming. We want it all fast and we want to view it quickly, so print often looses to video. Movies leave nothing for the imagination, so why take time to read when you can see the action?
The answer is that even though mediums compete, ideally they should all be working together. The yearly film events can be even better, when they're supplemented with additional material. You can also expect to see more films you like, because popular singles become popular collections, and a producer decided to buy the film rights. In short, comics give you what you love today, and they will be the subjects of films tomorrow.
Classic Movie Trailers - Darkman (1990)
According to Wikipedia, "Darkman" was a sixteen million dollar movie. It made forty-six million at the box office, which seems like a decent but modest return. If you add marketing and subtract actor subsidies, there might be little profit to speak of. Nevertheless, there were two sequels made, but neither of them were released theatrically.
I don't want to disregard "direct-to-video" movies. There must be great ones in that space, but tight budget productions are seas of compromise. That is to say that film doesn't do small very well. Series are usually short lived, unlike those on television. I don't know about the quality of Darkman II and III, but I can tell you that afterward, the franchise died a quiet death.
I can't say that no effort was made. The original film was adapted to comics, and Marvel came out with a six-issue mini series. Four novels were published with the Darkman name, and they even shot an unaired TV pilot. You might think that spells the end of the character. You might say, he simply proved to be unpopular.
Please keep in mind that comic runs have numerous volumes. Many years pass with great titles out of print. Even Spider-Man and Superman were killed off and replaced. The changes were short-lived, but without low sales they wouldn't have changed.
Plenty of comic book movies were remade and rebooted. They seldom strike gold on the very first try. For every "Batman Begins" and "Deadpool", there's Ang Lee's "Hulk" and "Superman Returns". Disney and WB have money to burn, as well as the smarts to try until it works.
Sometimes it's a good product at the wrong time. The superhero genre almost died in the fifties. It took some savvy editors to reintroduce them, and there wouldn't be a Marvel Studios if they didn't take those steps. You wouldn't have "Gotham" or "Daredevil" on TV, and maybe that's a world that isn't as fun.
I think we should be clear on a very important issue; Darkman is a comic hero, regardless of his origin. There are obvious similarities between him and The Shadow, but Batman might have been an influence too. All you need is a pinch of RoboCop and a dash of Mission Impossible, to make an identical dish.
His is a simple story, of lost love and revenge. It may be a little depressing, but that only strengthens my case. A graphic novel can bring all the pain and tragedy, without a financial need to give a happy ending. There are lower expectations regarding sales, which goes hand-in-hand with creative freedom.
You want to know why comics are great? You want to know the big secret few have figured out? Comic books give you just enough, and they allow you to fill in the blanks. For instance, if they're written well, comics won't be ruined by bad acting.
There are no dated effects to worry about. When you read, the voices you hear are voices you prefer. You don't have to envision people and locales, everything is illustrated wonderfully. These are all strengths of sequential artwork, but don't forget, it gives you the power to control the pace. An awesome explosion is a fleeting moment in film; in comics, you can linger on a shot as long as you please.
The other major thing to note is studios pay attention. High book sales increase the chances that an IP gets picked up. "Watchmen" sold great for many, many years and well before a film was shot. If you like a property, or a neglected genre, your money still speaks louder than you can.
We're currently in a place where adaptations are common. Movies rehash books, instead of continuing their stories. If each media can tell a smaller part of a larger whole, you'l have greater satisfaction with the pie. More paying customers can drive down prices, and make their voices heard by every studio and publisher.
What I believe is we control what we want to see. You can spread the word about a TV show, but it can still be cancelled. If you keep the IP going, wherever it is, you help to bring that world back to life. So I may just dig into some Darkman comics; there are a few movies I haven't seen and some novels to enjoy.
Wish me luck.
Trailer Here.
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See "Darkman" on Netflix!
Next Week: "Starship Troopers".
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