10 Worst Modern Comic Book Character Adaptations
Great characters aren't necessarily great comic book adaptations...
For the last 20 years comic book movies have played a role in pop culture that none could have predicted. Ever since the introduction of the X-Men and Spiderman to our movie screens the comic book movie genre has only gone up and up in terms of sheer gross and potential. From time to time however there are some decisions made about the characterisations of some characters which are questionable at best.
There are many reasons that the characterisation lent to the character on a film screen may leave a bad taste in the mouths of the viewers. The reasons can be varied: straying too far from the comic book routes, overpowering or depowering a character for the purpose of storyline, backstory inaccuracies and just plain ridiculousness.
Comic books seem to be being adapted more and more every year, so it would be impossible to create a comprehensive list of the worst characterisations with only ten entries, the focus here will be on big names from the last three decades of comic book films and the terrible impact that they have had on the genre.
10. Dr Doom (Fantastic Four 2005, 2007 And 2015)
Dr Doom of the comics has stolen the power of the Gods, made the all powerful Galactus his herald and even taken on Mephisto using science. He is second only to Dr Strange when it comes to magical ability, he is the King of Latveria and his genius knows literally no bounds. The Dr Dooms in both film iterations can manipulate energy and are constantly outwitted and outshone by nearly all on screen characters in those movies.
Portrayed as a disgruntled executive in the first two Fantastic Four movies then an egotistical shut in in the following movie, it's safe to say that Dr Doom is in serious need of some character rehabilitation.
For the sake of scaling him down to a reasonable threat for Marvel's first family, he is depowered to a laughable degree. Losing all of his magical abilities, his ability to communicate with technology and his beyond genius level intellect, he is left a shell of his comic book self. There is no doubt that in order to make the stakes believable for the big screen that depowering a character is sometimes necessary, what wasn't necessary is also taking away motivations and any idea that such an enduring character is not a long term threat.
From his motivations to his power, all big screen adaptations of Victor Von Doom have been horrible, all we can hope for is that the boffins over at Marvel Studios can rehabilitate him and give him the outing that he deserves.