10 Obscure Comic Book Titles That Deserve To Be Movies

By Michael Marcus /

4. Straw Man - David Branstetter

An unlikely hero with an unlikely origin for the first few books, it's not entirely clear if this man actually has super-powers, or if he's just deluded. A police detective suffering a nervous breakdown in the wake of his divorce after a near-lethal crisis on the job, he becomes Straw Man, a hero with a plastic drinking straw for a head...or so he thinks. Nevertheless, as most of the extant stories to date are from his perspective, it's clear that he is driven to do the right thing for the right reasons, often under-prepared and under-powered for what awaits him. He's like the Batman, but with no funds and a tenable grasp on reality. Additionally, most of the other major characters, particularly those that paint themselves as heroes or villains, have a similar sense of "brokenness", leaving a sense of curiosity about their depths and who they are; it makes them feel that much more real. With the potential for both fantastic dream-like sequences and two-fisted action amidst surprisingly subtle humour, this would be great to see on the big screen. Paul Rudd would be an excellent choice for Straw Man because of how he can carry off both humour and depth when necessary, and as the sort of fractured hero he is there's a necessity to carry off both or else the story could turn too tragic.