comics image

I think that the movies based on comic books, like "Superman," "Spiderman," and "Ghost Rider" may be turning that around a bit.

In a positive or negative way ?
Personally, I think that films like Ghost World and American Splendor give comics the literary cachet what Akira, Spirited Away and Grave of the Fireflies did for Manga.

I don't like the current version of The Incredible Hulk or the 2003 movie version either. In the current version the movie is making him look like he's some kind of an uncontrollable monster bent on destroying and attacking everyone in sight. I so much prefer the TV Series version with Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno. At least the TV Series you got to see a more human side of the Hulk and understood why he always had to be on the run from the Investigative Reporter who claimed the Hulk was a killer even though he had saved his life on a couple of occasions. I for one will not bother to even buy this version when it eventually comes out on DVD. I'll probably wind up buying the TV Series sooner or later.

beatles1964

I don't know, I think it was pretty close to the original comic. I was arguing with someone about it because I found the movie boring but he made the counter-argument: "Hulk is SUPPOSED to be boring! It's all inner turmoil and getting angry and going green - how do you work with that?"

I liked Iron Man, though.

And I LOVE what the TV series Heroes has done for the comic book industry. The creators were heavily influenced by the Watchmen, X-men, etc. And every week they release a digital comic based on the series. Brilliant!

I think Comics are literature because it gets kids involved in reading who might not like to read. At least they are reading which is a good thing. I can remember reading my comic books for hours at a time and getting caught up in all the action that is going on. But as I kid I also loved to read books too.

beatles1964

All i can say is, Watchmen.
One word.
All I need to sayyyyy. ;)

Watchmen
V for Vendetta
From Hell
Maus
A Contract with God
Cages
Stray Bullets
David Boring
Sandman
A Life Force
Name of the Game
Signal to Noise
Epileptic
The Upturned Stone
Jinx
A.K.A. Goldfish
The Heart of the Storm
A Small Killing

Just to name a few books which I would place along side of most of what literature has to offer. I'm not saying that all of these would be as great as Dostoevsky. However, Dostoevsky isn't necessarily as good as some other books in literature either. What these books and many many others show is that the medium does not determine the quality of the product's content. Most of what TV and movies offer is pure entertainment with very little content of any real consequence, but I doubt that anyone would argue that TV and movies have never produced anything of value.

Oh...
and I didn't even mention nonfiction such as;

A Cartoon History of the United States
A Cartoon History of the Universe
Fax from Sarajevo
King

and

I guess Maus really belongs down here.