Hey Bitches! so, about a month ago I made an article about live action adaptations of comic book characters that managed to be good despite being seriously different compared to their source material (
http://www.comicbookmovie.com/batman/batman_1989/top-ten-characters-who-are-different-from-their-comic-book-a137304). I actually have an appreciation for when the powers-that-be experiment and try new things with old ideas. Unfortunately the result often shows why its dangerous to try to fix what ain't broken.
There were a lot of characters I wanted to choose for this list like Mr. Freeze and everyone in the Fantastic 4, but as shitty as they were, I don't think they were too far off from how they were in the comics (Mr. Freeze is just a campier version of how he was in BTAS and I think* Trank's F4 were actually faithful to the Ultimate version.)
So without further ado, here are 10 comicbook characters who are great in the source material, but got butchered in the adaptation as a result of misguided changes.
10. Andrea played by Laurie Holden
I feel like in this case, the showrunners wanted to start Andrea as an clueless emotionally immature liability and slowly build her up into the badass, but down to earth, sniper that she was in the comics. Unfortunately she never got there. For 3 seasons, she moped and complained to her fellow characters. She was easily manipulated into siding with the governor instead of Rick. Instead of being the groups premiere sniper, she's the idiot who shot Daryl in the face. It wasn't long before she became the most hated character on the show and she got killed off in the season 3 finale. Meanwhile, in the comics she adapted into a survivor and asset to the group much quicker, no matter what differences she has with Rick, she always has his back, plus she's still alive.
9. The Juggernaut played by Vinnie Jones
As entertaining Vinnie Jones was actually really entertaining (and quotable!), his Juggernaut felt like a parody of the real deal. He was part of a larger problem in X3, in that he was one of many characters who were jammed in for fan service. In the comics he wasn't a mutant, he got his powers by touching a ruby inside a hidden temple that belonged to a demon. He was also the step-brother of one Charles Xavier, plus he was seriously nerfed power wise. Unfortunately Singer was more interested in using him as a generic goon.
8. Count Vertigo played by Seth Gabel and Peter Stormare
Yeah, I felt that this list would have been weird without someone from dc's Arrowverse, so I picked Count Vertigo. In the comics, frequent Green Arrow villain, Werner Zytle is the ruler of a small fictional country called Vlatava and he has a superpower that make his enemies feel vertigo. On Arrow he's a part time drug dealer and part time Heath Ledger wannabe who sells a drug called "Vertigo."
7. Barakapool played by Ryan Reynolds.
What better way to handle the live action debut of the fan-favorite Merc with a mouth, than to sew up his mouth, and turn him into the brainwashed lovechild of Baraka and Amazo? Genius! Reynolds shines in his few pre-Weapon XI scenes, but that only drives home how much potential was squandered in this version of Wade. Reynolds eventually returned to the character in a much more successful solo movie that is completely separate from Barakapool, who is actually made fun of a few times throughout the movie.
6. The Mandarin played by Guy Pearce
I like Iron Man 3.... (ducks for cover). Its a fun, if a bit messy movie, with a genuinely unexpected twist. That being said it did cost us a proper MCU Mandarin. And, while I do like Iron Man 3, I do admit that he got butchered in this. No, magic rings, he's not chinese, instead he's an american CEO powered by extremis who's butthurt that Tony missed a business meeting this one time (if thats all it takes to turn someone into a supervillain, then god knows how many monster's I've unleashed on the world.) Part of the reason this one struck a nerve with fans is that Ben Kingsley version that we thought we were going to get, was so much cooler and more recognizable to comic fans. Anyway Marvel released a one-shot that seemingly revealed that there was another mandarin, but frankly it just came off as a convoluted cop-out.
5. Lex Luthor played by Jesse Eisenburg
yup, BvS's Lex Luthor is worse than IM3's Mandarin. Why? because I would have been relieved if midway through the movie they revealed that Jesse was just playing an imposter. In the comics Lex Luthor is argueably dc's best villain outside of maybe the Joker. He's a genius buisiness man and scientist who basically feels like a god because his wealth and political interest made him feel like he was top dog on planet earth, only to be reminded just how mortal he was when a certain blue boyscout who can leap buildings shows up. Despite not having any "powers," you understood why he's Superman's archenemy because of his genius and commanding presence. He didn't need to be over-the-top or have some kind of gimmick to remain relevent for decades. So of course Snyder made him a quircky riddler ripoff who hates Superman because of something about his dad hitting him or some other dumb shit. He was also seriously miscast, I usually like Jesse Eisenburg, but here he was just cringeworthy whenever he was onscreen.
4. Galactus played by Gusto's fart
yeah, they made Galactus a cloud, nuff said. I mean I get why they were hesitant to make him actual giant space man, especailly as this movie came out in a pre-iron man world, but come on, Galactus deserved better than this.
3. Doctor Doom played by toby Kebbell
Part of the reason why it took me so long to make this, was because I knew I was going to have to watch Fant4stic. And I really didn't want to. Anyway I feel like someone at fox genuinely hates Doctor Doom to [frick] him up twice. Fans of the Latverian monarch/sorceror had to settle for a....a.... um well thats actually part of the problem, Fant4stic Victor is a really vague character. His powers are poorly defined and his motivation is to defend his new world... which was kind of weird since his new world was just a desolate wasteland. Anyway, say what you want about the
McMahon version, but at least he looked like Doom, here he looks like what I found in the toliet the day I accidentally swallowed the goo from one of those glow-in-the-dark sticks. Anyway, maybe when Marvel gets the rights..... naw all their villains suck too.
2. Bane played by Robert Sweedson
Batman and Robin is right up there with "the room" when it comes to "so bad its good" movies. Where is fails as a superhero movie, it succeeds as a comedy. Out of all the characters in B&R, Bane got the short stick, and that is saying something. Instead of the intellectual mastermind from the comics, he's Poison Ivy's mentally challenged henchman, who can barely say his own name. He's basically an evil Hodor. Pretty much all he has in common with comic bane is their origin and the luchador mask. His design in this is really something else though. I mean it's actually impressive that they managed to give Bane a look that's even sillier than the wrestling one from the comics.
1. Catwoman played by Halle Berry
Remember that time Halle Berry won an oscar? me neither. Yeah this one is pretty much just Catwoman in name only....actually not even her, name this isn't Selena Kyle but "Patience Phillips" who has a completely different personality and background than everybody's favorite Catburglar. This version has superpowers and does cat stuff like hissing at dogs and eating catfood. Then theres her outfit thats supposed to be.....sexy? I guess, to a 13 year old boy maybe. Really to me it just looks too lame to be hot.
So do you agree with my choices? Who's your favorite comic character who got poorly adapted?