Video Games and Comics: Why the Hell Not?

So lately I've been thinking that a lot of video games based on comics and comic books movies are crap. Which sadly, is no surprise. There are exactly three home console games that I've loved (some of the arcade beat 'em up games are so good I want one for my house, but that's for another day and frankly, implausable with my current financial situation). Three. Batman: Revenge of the Joker for the original Game Boy, Spider-Man 2 for the last-gen consoles, and the 2006 release Marvel Ultimate Alliance. Now it seems to me with all the success comic books have been having in theaters lately (5 of the top 30 grossing movies of the year so far are directly based on comics), it seems to me that some of that success should translate to video games as well. From all accounts, the Iron Man game was abyssmal, and the Hulk didn't fare much better. However, things may be looking up. Ira Rubenstein, the guy at Marvel Comics in charge of video games had this to say recently:

-He thinks Marvel should start making more games based on its heroes without necessarily tying and timing them to a movie

-When there is a movie, he wants to get to work earlier, even before a script is final. He said he's telling Sega to get started on the "Thor" and "Avengers" games (based on the movies coming out in 2010) now.

-He thinks Marvel should consider making more downloadable and casual videogames based on its properties.

Meanwhile, Warner is trying a new strategy for Watchmen, due next March:

"Deadline Games will be developing two episodic titles, one due for release at the same time as the film, the second when it's released on DVD. If they perform well, the rest will follow. These won't be cheap XBLA/PSN titles, either, as Ryan says the 'graphics look as good as any traditional PS3 or 360 game sitting on the shelf at retail'."

This is an interesting solution to the film-to-game connundrum overall.