Interestingly, whereas the Xbox 360 and PS3 editions feature a computer-generated Ryan Reynolds on the cover, the Wii edition is adorned with what appears to be Hal Jordan on vacation in the same universe as The Incredibles. Which, admittedly, sounds like a lot of fun; far more than the conventionally “realistic” art direction that movie-to-game adaptations are constrained by.

Can’t wait to see Hal clobber things with a comically oversized green mallet? There’s also a Facebook page over at www.facebook.com/GreenLanternVideoGame, which features an intriguingly titled ’3-D Energy Viewer’ and a ‘Power Ring Battle’ game.

From the press release:

Inspired by the upcoming Warner Bros. Pictures’ superhero feature film Green Lantern, Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters soars onto game consoles this summer, extending the theatrical experience of one of DC Entertainment’s most popular superheroes.  Players will use the most powerful weapon in the universe, the Green Lantern Power Ring, to build an array of weapons from green energy to defeat the Manhunters – an evil android race bent on destroying the Green Lantern Corps.

Packed with intergalactic missions, alien androids and out-of-this-world combat, Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters is an action-adventure videogame that delivers the Green Lantern experience right into the hands of gamers.

It’s certainly obvious that these comic book stories are appealing to a mass audience and making movie studios a bundle. What you might not know is that comic books and filmmaking have a very special relationship. They are based on a very similar idea on how to communicate called visual story-telling.

Words and pictures have been an effective method of communication since mankind learned to draw on cave walls and the Egyptians developed their pictographs.

In fact, most television and film productions utilize a method called storyboarding before shooting their project. A storyboard is basically a sketched out comic book version of the planned film. The process involves graphically organizing the film with a series of illustrations or images displayed in sequential order for the purpose of pre-visualizing a production. This helps with communication between the director and the DP and crew because everyone already knows how the shots should look. This process allows a higher level of communication between the filmmakers than just the written word.

So my point is that basically every film begins with the production of a storyboard which is really a comic book. Comics and film synergize and really can’t be separated.

I have heard disparaging remarks that Hollywood has no imagination left and that is why they plumb the supposed lower levels of entertainment like comic books and genres like science-fiction and horror but I would tell you that Hollywood makes its decisions for financial reasons, first and foremost, and then, with communication.

Certainly you don’t mess with success take a look at the buzz over AMC’s new comic-book based series “The Walking Dead“. Since some of the bigger block-busters have come from the world of comics, Hollywood is going to continue to seek out concepts and properties from the comic book universe.

But comic books allow readers to visualize the story based on the comic book artist’s illustrations and so communication between potential developers of the comic into a show are all talking about the same imagery. They are not re-imagining what a character looks like because they already know. They do not have to imagine what happens during the story because they’ve already seen it.

Some film producers have had the foresight to remain faithful to the source material and avoid making a cardinal mistake of alienating their built-in fanbase. Examples of these films include 300, The Watchmen, and The Dark Knight. The level of star power portraying these roles has improved as well with Robert Downey, Jr and Gwyneth Paltrow in Iron Man, and the unforgettable Heath Ledger as the Joker. Gone are the campy portrayals of silliness by Adam West, and even, Michael Keaton. Comic book movies are serious business.

As a comic book writer and aficionado, I know that there are great properties out there that would translate well into more Hollywood blockbusters. I don’t understand why comics such as Headlocked by Michael Kingston, Zoom Suit by John Taddeo, Powers by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming, and a plethora of other greats haven’t been picked up by studios looking to make a bundle.

The best news that I can predict is that as comic books continue to dominate the box-office and the television screen, we can look forward to some more great stories coming our way from the incredible comic book universe!

Terry Cronin is the creator and writer of the comic horror-adventure series Students of the Unusual. He is also the program chairman for the Melbourne Independent Filmmakers Festival and the Megacon Indi.

I’ve had my doubts about this one (as have many), but there’s some really impressive visuals on display here, Mark Strong’s Sinestro looks spot on, and Campbell is clearly not scaling down the mythology in any way -- evidently,  much of the action takes place off-Earth.

A few worries, though: some real dodgy CGI, particularly on Ryan Reynold’s costume. Such effects work fine when characters are hurtling through space, not so convincing when shown close-up and static. Also, every attempt at humour we’ve seen so far has fallen flat. Here’s hoping the film will take itself seriously… in an affectionate, tongue-in-cheek kind of way, of course.

And that’s not all! Following through with this double whammy of green goodness is the equally cinematic trailer for Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters, a cinematic showing Jordan, Sinestro and Killawog in action. Sure, the game itself is likely to be virtually unplayable, but it sure is a purdy lil’ trailer.

In fact, they may well be some of the most uninspiring, half-hearted promo images I’ve ever seen. I might have churned out some crap in my time working for a B2B magazine, but I’m sure that whoever produced these for 20th Century Fox received considerably more pay. It’s a shame that Fox released them at all, really. The other recent X-Men: First Class posters were not only visually imposing but gave a good idea as to the tone and style of the upcoming film.

P.S.: In the likely event that these images were the work of an unpaid intern who had an eleventh hour design task thrust upon him, I do apologise.

Actor Dominic Pace is currently campaigning to play the role of Lex Luthor; but rather than being just another comic reader with wild ambitions, Pace has acting credentials to complement his apparent understanding of the Superman mythos. While a relative unknown, Pace is far from an amateur. His IMDB profile shows extensive television credentials as well as a Best Actor award at the 2004 Palm Beach International Film Festival, for his performance in indie movie Little Kings.

And according to this recent interview Pace not only knows his comics, but has a clear and intelligent idea of how the role should be played – as opposed to simply summoning Gene Hackman, as Kevin Spacey did in the misconstrued Superman Returns.

From the feedback Pace is receiving, the fans aren’t completely opposed to him playing Luthor either. Oddly enough, though, there still seems to be a lot of support for Smallville’s Michael Rosenbaum to resume the role on the big screen; though fans similarly demanded that Tom Welling play Superman before Brandon Routh filled the cape. So what do they know?

So, yay or nay? How about you check out Dominic Pace’s Facebook page and make your own bloody mind up.

I personally would like to see a villain yet immortalised on the big screen antagonise Supes, at least this time round. Perhaps Brainiac or Metallo, with Luthor taking a background role in order to build hype for the inevitable sequel. But hey, if Dominic can realise the essence of Superman’s greatest nemesis as well as he claims, I wish him the best of luck.

With western economies still struggling to recover from one of the fiercest recessions in the last hundred years, Largo Winch: Deadly Revenge, the movie adaptation of the popular billionaire businessman, couldn’t have come at a worse time. While I’m only vaguely familiar with the Belgian comic book from which it originates, I’m guessing that considerable changes were made to the principal character in order to sell this seventeen volume graphic novel saga (this film comprises the first two) outside of French-speaking countries.

For those unsure quite what a Largo Winch is, he’s the adopted son of tycoon Nerio Winch (Miki Manojlovic), who has used Largo as a sort of insurance policy should he meet a sudden demise. When Winch Sr. is indeed murdered, Largo must protect his inherited empire from an onslaught of competitors while working with his father’s loyal servant Freddy (Gilbert Melki, sporting the obligatory facial scar) to find out just who he can and can’t trust.

Largo Winch - Tomer Sisley

From a cynical perspective, Deadly Revenge is a blatant attempt at a Gallic James Bond, with an action packed globetrotting conspiracy plot, a suave yet stubbly action hero, double-crossings aplenty and a vast league of disposable henchmen. And much like Ian Flemming’s super spy there are enough Largo books to last several decades’ worth of adaptation.

Funnily enough, the press release I received with this DVD compares the character to Jason Bourne, which not only indicates how far out of favour Bond has fallen, but that the filmmakers have attempted to make Winch as complex and sympathetic a hero as possible. While Tomer Sisley was clearly chosen for his rugged good looks, he brings a certain pacifism to Largo, an orphan who has had destiny thrust upon him and neither wants nor begrudges his fortune. Amongst the French supporting cast is the bilingual Kristen Scott Thomas, sporting a bizarre bowl cut so distinctly evil that you could only be forgiven for thinking her benevolence genuine if you’d never seen another action movie in your entire life.

Jérôme Salle stretches a modest budget pretty damn far, with exotic shots of disparate Hong Kong and Brazilian landscape making you feel as though you’re watching something far more epic than you actually are. Like the most recent Bond escapades, Largo Winch: Deadly Revenge is a bit too po-faced for its own good; Julien Rappeneau’s script doesn’t quite convince us why we should invest in the character and would have been far better suited to a TV pilot (though apparently a Largo series was made in 2001). But while none of the revelations offered in the third act prove especially shocking, the plentiful action scenes – a helicopter chase, a bike chase, and so on – are delivered with aplomb. Salle’s emphasis on solid stunt work over flimsy CGI just about raises this movie a notch above similar Hollywood fare.

Largo Winch: Deadly Revenge

The DVD I viewed featured an awkward blend of subtitled French and dubbed English, with a bewildered Benedict Wong in particular sounding like he’s just wandered in from a 70s chopsocky movie. Criminally, there’s no option to switch to a single language. I can‘t quite see the logic behind this. As much as I loathe dubbing, I can appreciate why there might be a dubbed track alongside the subtitled foreign language; yet this version’s 50/50 mix is more likely to alienate world cinema and action flick fans alike than cater to a universal audience.

Despite the dubbing issue and the fact that it treads no new ground whatsoever, Largo Winch: Deadly Revenge offers an entertaining enough ride that does a decent job of (re)introducing the popular comic creation to a wider audience., even if it never quite evades the shadows of the successful franchises it so desperately wants to emulate.

7/10

Extras: Just a trailer. A bit of a missed opportunity really, as a small feature on the comic and its popularity in France and Belgium would have acted as a primer for those unfamiliar with the source material.

Watch the Largo Winch Deadly Revenge TV spot

As the title Deadly Revenge (and indeed the comic from which it’s derived) suggests, the movie looks to be a slice of cheesy, action-packed fun. Directed by Jérôme Salle (Anthony Zimmer) it stars Tomer Sisley as the eponymous rogue, Kristen Scott Thomas, whose presence in anything is always welcome, and Benedict Wong (Sunshine and the severely underrated 15 Stories High).

Largo Winch: Deadly Revenge

Plot synopsis:

When billionaire Nerio Winch, founder of the powerful W Group is found dead, with no traceable family, it is uncertain as to who is to inherit his financial empire. But Nerio had a secret he kept well hidden: a son, Largo (Sisley) adopted from a Bosnian orphanage thirty years before. As this previously well kept secret comes to light it is discovered that the young heir has suddenly been thrown into prison deep in the Amazon for drug trafficking. Adventurer, assassin, killer, maverick and international playboy, Largo Winch is the last of a dying breed. Now head of a global corporation he must fight for what’s rightfully his and avenge his father’s death.

DVD details:
Cert: 15
Price: £15.99
Extras: Trailer
Tech specs: R/T: 104 mins / Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 / Region: 2 / Pal / English Language / Dolby Digital 5.1 / Stereo 2.0 /Colour

The finer superhero movie franchises have so far followed a pretty rigid formula. The first instalment acts as an origin story, the superior sequel throws a greater and/or more personal threat upon our established here, and the third movie spoils it all by cramming as many super villains, geek references and condensed comic storylines as possible into a 2 hour timeframe.

Quite unexpectedly, Iron Man 2 is closer in structure, ambitions and failings to threequels Spider-man 3 and X-Men: The Last Stand than the usual follow-up fare. It’s an absolute mess, a protracted, convoluted muddle that at often juggles so many themes, subplots and CGI slugfests that it looks to collapse in on itself. But somehow, thanks to a brilliant cast and Jon Favreau’s underappreciated direction, Iron Man 2 not only holds together but is a better movie/experience than those aforementioned second sequels. Just.

Iron Man 2 - Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark

Again, this movie’s strength is in its cast. Robert Downey Jr. staggers about misbehaving and mumbling incoherently if he never took the tuxedo off, portraying a Tony Stark who is randomly selfish, heroic, super-cool and a total loser. But it’s the villains who steal the show here. Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer has re-summoned the sleazy old-school pizzazz of his Chuck Barris from Confessions of a Danger Mind, while Mickey Rourke pretty much dominates every scene he’s in as Russkie stereotype Ivan Vanko (a.k.a. Whiplash), a tattooed barbarian with the brain of a brilliant scientist. Gwyneth Paltrow offers fine mousy support as “Pepper” Potts, even if her role is once again undernourished.

That Mickey Rourke talking to his cockatoo proves more entertaining than Iron Man and War Machine (Don Cheadle taking over as Lt. Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes, a far more likeable presence than Terrance Howard) battling a dozen military killing machines really accentuates the problem Jon Favreau has getting us to emphasise with Stark in-costume. Once Downey Jr. slips into his gold-plated titanium alter ego we suddenly find ourselves watching a video game.

Iron Man 2 - Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow

But these CGI battles wouldn’t be an issue were the film that little bit leaner. After an exhilarating first act, Favreau lets the conflict between Stark and Vanko drift to the roadside as Samuel L. Jackson’s Nicky Fury takes the stage. Marvel so desperately wants to introduce the Avengers to the moviegoing public that they’re willing to sacrifice a 200 million dollar movie in the process. A clueless Scarlett Johansson also wanders on as a bland depiction of the Black Widow. Sure, she looks stunning in a catsuit, but her character could have been excised entirely from the final film and nothing would have changed.

Of course, it’s easy to tear these overdeveloped big budget movies apart, but there’s plenty to enjoy here, from Downey Jr.’s drunken romps to an inventive confrontation with Whiplash at the Circuit de Monaco.  Ultimately, Iron Man 2 is a movie that is less than the sum of its many parts, primarily because Favreau and Marvel couldn’t quite decide what they were making; a sequel to 2008’s surprise Box Office hit, or a prequel to an overambitious project that hasn’t even gone into production yet.

6/10

First Edition is a new web comedy by Sam Weller and Canyon Prince, and follows a group of independent comic creators, in particular internet blogger Lori Banks, played by America Young, and her company of artistic misfits. The series promises to be rife with comic references and surreal humour and portray the comic industry with a level of attention that hasn’t been seen since, well, Kevin Smith still made good movies.

Interestingly, while First Edition won’t actually debut until early July, the site (www.watchfirstedition.com) already includes a blog where the cast post news and opinions in character – which will be a sure-fire route to schizophrenia, if they’re not careful. There are also plans for a “how to” section detailing comic creation process that will presumably link into the show.

Here’s the synopsis:

First Edition’ created by Sam Weller and Canyon Prince, is a web comedy about Lori Banks, who wants to attract the attention of long-time friend and movie star Andrew Sommers by creating an independent comic book. She enlists the help of her brother Tim to find all the right people. Too bad most of them are out of their minds.

Starring America Young (Abandoned) as Lori Banks and guest starring Jason Gerhardt (General Hospital) as Andrew Sommers and Jon Donahue (Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2) as Hank Riley.

Weller and Prince are currency seeking additional financial backers at kickstarter.com, so if you’ve a few dollars to spare and fancy a signed script or the opportunity to have your name added to the end credits, cyber-hop on over there.

Howard Stark recently made an appearance in Iron Man 2, played by John Slattery. Cooper will portray the pioneer some thirty years before Slattery’s Stark Expo footage, in the film’s World War II segment.

Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau had previously stated that Stark Senior would make an appearance in The First Avenger, to further emphasise that Marvel’s movies all take place in the same universe.

Cooper was also rumoured to be playing another Marvel comic role; Fandral of The Wariors Three in Kenneth Branagh’s Thor, but this never panned out.