10 Reasons B-List Comics Make Better Adaptations Than The A-List
5. Quirky Aesthetic And Off-Beat Style: Hellboy
"Oh well. Lemme go in and say hi."
Hellboy is a film about a devil spawn riding around in a garbage truck, hunting monsters. Pretty self-explanatory really.
Be it the secret government initiative that protects the world from the forces of darkness, or the dysfunctional group of freaks and misfits who fight off the apocalypse, this comic was made to be adapted. All it needed was a director with a strong enough visual style and respect for the subject matter. Or Guillermo del Toro, to use his full name.
After his high concept debut with Blade 2, Guillermo proved to be the perfect blend of aesthetic and heart. His love of horror and fantasy inform what is a highly sophisticated style, and the authorship of his filmography mirrors successful comic book writer/artist teams. Hellboy was, ultimately, the perfect chance to play with his favourite elements in a fun and free way.
The trend with the A-list comic adaptations is that when they go through the high concept filter they are diluted somewhat. Guillermo leads a crack technical crew and a crazy good cast to create a faithful adaptation of the quirky book. Ron Perlman stands out as one of the best examples of comic book casting in history, and his charisma and ability to portray flaws in an endearing way makes the film.