Five Comics You Should Read Before the Movie Comes Out

Now that Watchmen is out, there must be a way to make your friends feel uncool for not reading some fantastic comic book before the movie so you can "Pfft, the book was better" on your collective way out of the theater.

Here's five that fulfill that list:

Whiteout – written by Greg Rucka
Movie release September 11, 2009

Greg Rucka is a rare breed of mainstream comic book writer: he’s known for writing strong female characters. This includes the new Batwoman and Renee Montoya (The Question) at DC, and he is probably best known for his work on the outstanding Gotham Central, a series about the Gotham City Police Department (which featured the Montoya character).

Whiteout is a crime comic about US Marshal Carrie Stetko assigned to McMurdo Station in Antartica. When a dead body shows up, she must investigate the first murder ever on the continent. It’s a trail that leads her across the continent and to unexpected circles. Tightly written and action-packed, while featuring black and white art that really lends to the setting.

The film has been in production almost since the comic finished in 1998, and will finally see release in September. Kate Beckinsale is playing Stetko. Rucka has praised the adaptation, which seems to expanded the plot somewhat, and I’m definitely looking forward to the movie.

Trailer: http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/whiteout/trailer

The Surrogates – written by Robert Venditti
Movie release September 29, 2009

Inspired by people who live their “real” lives online in World of Warcraft or Second Life, The Surrogates takes place in a future where people live their lives through full-sized remote control proxies. All of the world’s obvious problems have been solved, but like Whiteout, a rare murder occurs and must be investigated.

The comic is well regarded, but it certainly looks like they beefed up the action in the plot for the movie. I do enjoy that they seem to be playing up the phobia of the real world that these people have. It’s like they’ve willingly jacked into the Matrix, or like the cruise line passengers in Wall-E.

Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/touchstone/surrogates/

Kick-Ass – written by Mark Millar
Movie release Early 2010

Dave Lizewski was a fairly average New York teen, lonely and frustrated by life. Then he decided to be a superhero. Thanks to a cell phone video, he is dubbed “Kick-Ass” and has various misadventures as a vigilante. The comic just started in 2008, and the script for the film was finished shortly thereafter.

The comic is known for it’s over the top violence, which serves its purpose as portraying “real world” superheroic attempts. I’ve never been a big Mark Millar fan, but the comic is well done, if not to my tastes.

Jonah Hex - created 1972
Movie release June 18, 2010

Jonah Hex is a longtime DC Comics character, and first debuted in All-Star Western #10. He’s a badly disfigured Confederate veteran traveling around the American West, and has faced off against voodoo priests and other supernatural forces as well as all of the usual Western troublemakers.

I found out about the character from the Batman: The Animated Series episode “Showdown,” but the character has seen a revival since the debut of his self-titled comic in 2005. This is what I’d recommend reading. Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti’s series has been excellent from what I’ve read, and it’s great to see a great mainstream comic outside of the superhero genre. The first part of their series, Face Full of Violence, is a lot of fun and a great intro to the character.

The film is high on my list of anticipated films next year as it stars Josh Brolin in the title role as well as Megan Fox and John Malkovich as the villian Quentin Turnbull. I love modern westerns (like the 3:10 to Yuma remake) and the all-star cast makes this an exciting film.

Scott Pilgrim (vs. the World) – written/drawn by Bryan Lee O’Malley
Movie release TBA 2010

The comic book series is about the Canadian Scott Pilgrim, bass player for the band Sex Bomb-Omb. He falls in love with Ramona V. Flowers, a delivery girl, but must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends in order to date her.

Five of the six planned books have been published so far and all to increasing critical acclaim. The book is chock-full of video game and other pop culture references, making for a smartly written geek teen drama.

It’s no surprise, then, that Michael Cera (Juno, Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist) will be playing the title role in the adaptation helmed by Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz). It looks like it’s going to be quite excellent, and although live action, really might capture the madcap over the top world of the comic.

There are plenty of other movies based on comics coming out, but these are the most interesting coming out in the next year (besides Iron Man 2, of course).