Top 10 Most Innovative Comic Book Movies of all Time

            Now that we have had our fair share of comic book movies over the years, let's take a look at those movies which defied stereotypes, reinventing how we think about the genre as a whole. We're talking about those movies that took what the supposed format for a comic book movie was at the time and threw that out the door. These movies are original and ingenious for they helped the composition progress into new and improved versions of the ever-changing genre.   

10. Superman (1978)

Corny, cheesy, classy, and old-fashioned; that's how we view this movie now. But, for its time, this was groundbreaking in the comic book genre. Never before have fans seen a character like this on the big screen and, little did they know, it would be the foundation on which all other comic book movies were based and built off.  

9. Batman (1989)

Believe it or not, but there was a time where the whole concept of Batman (on film) was a joke. Adam West's version of the Caped Crusader in the 1960's turned the character into a nonsensical halfwit which seemed to have derived from the first few issues of Batman comics. Thankfully, Tim Burton took on the task of redefining Batman into the multifariously dark character that we know and love today.    

8. Kick-Ass (2010)

Many fans of comics and average moviegoers alike think of the first comedic superhero movie as being Deadpool. However, many people forget that the hilariously brutal Kick-Ass is in fact based off of a comic. In addition to its groundbreaking comedic tone, the movie also reached out to comic book lovers, giving them a story they could relate and connect to.

7. Logan (2017)

This movie, being the most recent on the list, took Hugh Jackman's Wolverine that we've known and loved for 17 years and established him in a way we have never seen before. James Mangold grabbed hold of a comic book concept and placed it into a western drama. If this list were about overall quality, this movie would place at the top of the list due to its elaborate, emotional themes.

6. Watchmen (2009)

Zack Snyder took what was said to be impossible and made it a reality in his second comic adaption. He took one of the most famous graphic novels of all time and modernized it to fit into the real world. Watchmen, coming as an uncommon R rated movie, was one of the first to be set in an alternate reality while still using real historical people and events. This adaption takes these factors that we know and love from the novel and incorporates them perfectly into this dark, character-driven movie, being completely original in the process. 

5. X-Men (2000)

Remember when superhero costumes in movies consisted of identical designs from the books? While they may have looked great on paper, they did not always manifest well on film. The stylish realism trying to be conveyed in comic book movies benefit from a new and improved costume, which we have X-Men to thank for. This movie took the yellow spandex and "mutated" it into fashionable leather suits, which upset some hardcore fans. In retrospect, this move by Bryan Singer gave us far more realistic suits in future comic book movies, signalling to other filmmakers that you can change the costume design to fit in with pop-culture. 

4. Sin City (2005)

Most people often disregard and forget about this movie due to the less than stellar sequel. But, this movie, for the first time, proved that R rated comic book movies could not only work but that they were also fantastically unique. This movie literally took the pages from the book and put them on the screen due to Frank Miller's direction. He was able to make three mini movies in one while still giving each character the right amount of development needed. In addition to the storytelling techniques, the color palette used is, even to this day, considered to be one of the best and most creative, being a perfect fit for its gritty tone. 

3. Deadpool (2016)

While Kick-Ass and Sin City each paved the way for this R rated movie to be made, Deadpool still manages to be entirely inventive. We obviously know that this movie is both hilarious and action-packed. But, that is not what earns it its spot on this list. This movie brought something we haven't seen before to the comic book genre, which is the fourth wall break. In this, we would get just about any amusing reference to the outside world, ranging from Green Lantern to Ferris Bueller's Day Off. 

2. The Avengers (2012)

The Avengers broke box office records and fulfilled fans' dreams for a reason. This was the very first time where comic fans got to see a superhero team up movie that was established from solo movies set in the same universe. So, these characters were developed enough so that it would be entertaining to see them interact and their personalities differ. Then, throw on a great villain, cohesive storytelling, remarkable action, and marvelous characterization and you have yourselves one of the most innovative movies ever made. 

1. The Dark Knight (2008)

I know what you're thinking, The Dark Knight again? Seriously? Maybe I am a little biased for it is my favorite comic book film of all time. But, then again, maybe it is here for a reason. If you take a look at the other movies you start to notice a trend in the more recent ones, which is that they are more serious and realistic. That all came from when Christopher Nolan redefined the superhero genre in 2005 with Batman Begins and then topped his own work with this 2008 masterpiece. It is the first comic book film to earn itself a best actor nomination at the Academy Awards. It is also the first comic book movie, at its time, to take in over 500 million dollars at the domestic box office. I could keep naming more and more milestones this movie set in place, but the main thing that makes this movie what it is is its tone. For the first time, audiences walked out of the theaters saying, "Wow, that was actually an incredible movie". People then started to rethink how we can and should make superhero movies to be more realistic and of higher quality, thus making it the most innovative comic book movie of all time.

What do you agree with or disagree with on this list? What do you think the most innovative comic book movie of all time is? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!