Ever since 2008, comic book films have been held in a much higher regard thanks to the efforts of Christopher Nolan's Batman films and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but due to the sprawling and gargantuan success of the MCU, it's forced many to wonder if this same lightning could've struck twice had it happened in another decade like the '90s. This era of superheroes was always known for its extreme styles and stories, with ultra-buff heroes taking on hard-to-decipher villains with big guns, but in terms of films, the MCU could never have worked as the highest highs, and lowest lows of indie comic book films proved. While movies like Blade and Batman broke the mold, indie comic films saturated the market, and all had lessons that would inform future successes.
Judge Dredd Was Star Powered and Camp
Based on the UK magazine 2000 A.D., Judge Dredd was a classic indie comic character who held the law above all else. He was a gruff hero who never veered from his morals and became the perfect character to translate into film. Aesthetically, 1995's Judge Dredd was a near-perfect recreation of the character with Sylvester Stallone under the helmet. It also captured the camp and sci-fi tones of the book.
However, the moment that Dredd removed his helmet, a cardinal sin, it became clear this film was fueled by star power. While it still took some time, modern comic movies aren't afraid to keep their heroes masked up, even in the finale, to honor the character.
The Crow Was a Tragic Story
While the film has lived in infamy as the picture, where Brandon Lee was tragically killed on set, The Crow, as a movie, was unique for both film and comic book movies. Based on the graphic novel by James O'Barr, The Crow was an unrelenting look at love, loss and revenge where a man, killed along with his girlfriend, rose from the dead a year later to seek vengeance.
Thematically, the film was ahead of its time as the action took a backseat to set the tone and focus on the larger themes surrounding death and love. In fact, it would be years before future comic book films like The Batman would give attention to their message more than the spectacle as The Crow did.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Was a Surprise Success
Released at a time when the dark tones of the graphic novel took a break and the fun-loving setting of the cartoon became the focus, 1990's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was a massive surprise. While the cartoon and toys proved to be a runaway success and the comics made their mark in the industry, a film that blended both themes seemed like a tall order.
To make matters worse, Hollywood still wasn't entirely sold on the idea, but eventually, the film got the green light and was released to massive acclaim, sparking a new movie franchise. This level of persistence in a world going against it led to its success and would later do the same for the MCU.
The Mask Was Not Comic Accurate
In the comics, The Mask was nothing like what was shown in the Jim Carrey film. In fact, the green-faced, yellow-suited character was more a villain than a hero, as anyone who wore it would let their inhibitions take over without regret. More often than not, this led to thieves and killers running rampant rather than heroes.
However, in The Mask, Carrey's character was nothing like his comic counterpart. In actuality, the mask instead brought to life a person's inner fantasy, turning Stanley Ipkiss into a living cartoon that wanted to save the damsel. Deviating from the source made The Mask a classic and has since been an important lesson still used in comic book movies today.
Spawn Was Style First
Spawn was a product of the '90s through and through, and his grim aura, flowing cape, guns and chains and hellish origin has been a testament to that for years. That said, even though his origin was an easy translation into film, the 1997 film missed the mark in terms of faithfulness and offered up what felt like a rushed and campy interpretation of the character.
What it lacked in substance, Spawn more than made up for in style as the character never looked cooler and captured the essence of his presence. Since then, comic book films have done similar in terms of imagery and made sure that narrative was given as much attention as making the hero look awesome.
The Rocketeer Captured the Wonder of Being a Hero
The Rocketeer was a high-flying adventure story based on the comic character that captured an era of time not always explored in movies. Set in the late ‘30s, the film focused on a young man who found an experimental rocket pack. Using it for good and given a flashy and stylish helmet, The Rocketeer was an origin story where the journey was as fun as the destination. Filled with the urge to trail blaze, the film captured the era's tone and how exciting it could be to be a hero. Since then, few films have done similar, but movies like Captain America: The First Avenger came close.