Dark Horse Comic

Even though it's still early August, the blockbusters of summer seem to be a distant cinematic afterthought. And lately, the blockbuster list has been dominated by comic book characters (if you include Hancock, which is basically a character from The Watchmen). DC and Marvel have raked in millions of super-dollars in the last ten years, as Hollywood scours the back helves of comic book stores for the next cash cow.

This year, there was one clear stand out. One movie that showed how much a fictional character could affect a country. One movie that seemingly broke the boundaries of the projection screen and permeated the psyches of a nation, possibly even a world. Yes, you probably guessed it.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

Haven't seen it? Think I'm crazy? You should. And you're wrong. Nothing against Christopher Nolan, or Batman, but they can't hold a candle to Guillermo Del Toro's mandatory weird-character-who-has-eyes-in-weird-places. I'm willing to put down serious money that Golumn's eyes will not be in the correct place in the upcoming Hobbit.

What I like about Hellboy, as with any good superhero movie, is that it takes itself seriously... but not too seriously. The Dark Knight tried, with every dark breath, to maintain a realm of realism that comes shattering to the floor when I see the police commissioner talking to a man in a bat suit. A BAT SUIT!

If you want to see, in my opinion, one of the best comic book adaptions in a long time, go see Hellboy II, where the characters are creative and intriguing, and the dialogue is witty and sharp, and plot is secondary to character development. Oh, and Ron Pearlman gets to say the line "You just woke up Big Baby" while pulling out a handgun that weighs more than me.