Comics come to life EF T3 L1

Superhero movies based on comic books have long been good business for Hollywood. Some of the most successful superhero movies such as The Avengers (2012), The Dark Knight (2008), and Spider-Man (2002) have earned upwards of $400 million each at the box office. The appeal of superhero movies is obvious: They bring familiar and well-loved characters to audiences, and these long-running comic series can easily be extended into movie sequels. Thanks to the success of these movies, more serious comic books such as graphic novels have also been adapted for the big screen.

The term graphic novel became popular in the 1980s when people wanted to distinguish between the colorful comic books aimed at kids and more complex stories aimed at older, more mature readers. Ghost World by Daniel Clowes, which follows two friends through the summer after their high school graduation, is an early example of a graphic novel that was made into a film. Another graphic novel adaptation is Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, which documents her youth in Iran during and after the Islamic revolution of 1979.

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following superhero movies earned over $400 million at the box office?

• Iron Man (2008)

• The Avengers (2012)

• Wonder Woman (2017)

• The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Multiple Choice

2. Why are superhero movies appealing to audiences?

• a) They are always based on real-life events.

• b) They feature unfamiliar and unique characters.

• c) They bring well-loved characters to life and allow for sequels.

• d) They are typically stand-alone stories with no connection to comics.

Multiple Choice

3. What is one reason the term graphic novel became popular in the 1980s?
a) To encourage children to read more comics.
b) To describe more mature and complex stories for older readers.
c) To distinguish between novels and illustrated books.
d) To promote superhero stories in books.

• a) To encourage children to read more comics.

• b) To describe more mature and complex stories for older readers.

• c) To distinguish between novels and illustrated books.

• d) To promote superhero stories in books.

But taking a graphic novel off the page and putting it on the screen isn’t as simple as it sounds. The most challenging part for screenwriters and directors is attempting to make a movie that deviates from the original. Watchmen was considered “unfilmable” by many, including writer Alan Moore, because of its multiple plot lines and time frames.

Risks aside, one major appeal of graphic novels for movie studios is that the visual format allows them to “see” what the movie could look like before they approve it. Two great examples of graphic novels that had their style translated to the screen are Frank Miller’s Sin City and 300. For 300, Snyder used special techniques to convey the book’s action and violence on a $60 million budget. As such movies continue to wow audiences, production budgets are sure to rise. Maybe your favorite graphic novel will soon be coming to a screen near you!

Multiple Choice

1. What is one of the biggest challenges in adapting graphic novels into films?
a) Finding a large enough budget for production.
b) Making a movie that deviates from the original material.
c) Finding actors who resemble the graphic novel characters.
d) Convincing fans to read the original graphic novel.

• a) Finding a large enough budget for production.

• b) Making a movie that deviates from the original material.

• c) Finding actors who resemble the graphic novel characters.

• d) Convincing fans to read the original graphic novel.

Multiple Choice

2. What is a significant advantage of graphic novels for movie studios?

• a) They are cheaper to adapt than traditional scripts.

• b) Their visual format allows studios to envision the film’s look beforehand.

• c) They require less creative input from directors.

• d) They are always popular with mainstream audiences.

Multiple Choice

3. How did Snyder convey the style of 300 on screen?
a) By using special color filters and altering the speed of the action.
b) By filming entirely in black-and-white.
c) By creating animated sequences for key scenes.
d) By shooting the film with no special effects to keep costs low.

• a) By using special color filters and altering the speed of the action

• b) By filming entirely in black-and-white.

• c) By creating animated sequences for key scenes.

• d) By shooting the film with no special effects to keep costs low.