5 Comic Book Movies That Deserve A 2nd Chance (And 5 You Should Forget)

1. Howard The Duck

Howard The Duck might’ve cost $37 million to produce, but it’s the cheapest superhero movie you’ve ever seen, full of wince making one-liners and surprisingly primitive special effects. It’s not camp or so-bad-it’s-good, it’s just very, very unfunny.

From his home in Marshington DC, which is decorated with posters for Breeders Of The Lost Stork and Splashdance, Howard is transported to Earth where he encounters rock chick Beverly (Lea Thompson) who inexplicably hops into bed with him and asks, “You think I might find love in the animal kingdom, ducky?”

The tragedy is that Steve Gerber’s comic book character is loads of fun, a cynical, bad tempered duck from another world who’s angry at being stuck on a planet where Jimmy Carter can become President. In this George Lucas-produced megabomb, however, he’s the invention of a focus group, a special effect intended to appeal to a broad demographic. Now give us all your money and shut up.

Writing in Twilight Zone Magazine, Gahan Wilson called the film, “outstanding in its attempt to cater to an audience of remarkably low intelligence. I think it would be fair to say that the level of its aim could be described as condescending, even insulting, and it’s kind of awesome to try to envision what kind of theaterful they must’ve had in mind.”