Hollywood has been running out of ideas for years, and the solution - to concentrate primarily on reboots and remakes - hasn't exactly filled anyone with confidence, given the fundamental problem with most of the films released under that agenda; they're mostly terrible. But then that was hardly likely to change the way Hollywood chooses what films to make next, and a cursory glance at some of the upcoming releases confirms as much. Point Break? Really, Hollywood? And who told you another Leprechaun movie was a good idea? Weren't there enough clues to suggest that the property was ready to die in flames? There are plenty of other comics creations out there not belonging to the twin powers who threaten to monopolise the comic book movie industry - with great titles ready made for the flickering light of the Silver Screen. Now - whisper this - but most of them have better stories than the ones you're already choosing, and as a bonus of course with this medium, they're all pretty much storyboarded out for you before you even get started. Hollywood could and should be throwing a few million dollars to any of these creators, despite appearing as less of an obvious, or perhaps even 'fashionable' option. To celebrate (and perhaps lament) the diverse, bountiful options available to Hollywood, what follows here is a compendium of ten of the most remarkable titles, all wrapped up and ready for your perusal. In order for consideration here, each title had to not only represent a strong adaptable story, but also something else rarely seen in comics - any kind of deviation from standard formula - which would address precisely the issue Hollywood currently has with lacking unique stories.
Michael Marcus is a game designer, author, and mad scientist living in Hamtramck, Michigan; his current project list include a series of comic short-stories collectively called "One-Punch," a book on hypnosis and language called "The Prometheus Codex," a collaborative game project called "Art War," and a fun spy story called "The Adventures of Jack Uzi" at http://tinyurl.com/JackUziChannel (for those interested).
