Comics as a visual and entertainment medium have always been used to tell fantastic stories, but thanks to the rise of the giants called Marvel and DC over the past 50 years or so, they've become synonymous with superheroes. Consequently, it has come to a point where comic book movies and superhero movies are considered one and the same. While that is a wrong assumption, it is not an unfounded one. Among these billion-dollar grossing and universally popular superhero flicks, it is not difficult to forget that other kinds of comic book stories exist as well, and they get adapted to movies too.
Some of these films are ones many people have heard of, such as Men In Black, while others like My Friend Dahmer never really enjoyed much widespread popularity due to the niche target demographic. Taking all that into account, the following list ranks some of the best non-superhero comic book movies out there.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010) - 82%
Accompanied by writer-director Edgar Wrights's fantastic comedic style, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is one of the most faithful comic book adaptations ever, and its visually stunning and iconic flair has made it a cult classic.
Michael Cera plays the eponymous Scott Pilgrim who falls in love with a girl Ramona Flowers, and in a comical turn of events, it is revealed that in order to date her he must defeat seven of her evil ex-boyfriends. The inspiration for the film came from the comics written by author Bryan Lee O'Malley.
My Friend Dahmer (2017) - 86%
Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer was a convicted serial killer who didn't just murder 17 people in the late 1900s but committed a plethora of other unspeakable acts. My Friend Dahmer is a biographical film about him, written and directed by Marc Meyers with ex-Disney star Ross Lynch in the lead role.
The film was adapted from the 2012 graphic novel by artist John "Derf" Backderf, who went to high school with Dahmer and was friends in real life with him, giving the comic an absolutely different kind of point of view altogether.
Snoopy and Charlie Brown: The Peanuts Movie (2015) - 87%
A creation of cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, Peanuts is one of the most iconic comic strips in the world that ran for 50 years from 1950 to 2000 in over 2,600 newspapers and 75 countries. The comics have been adapted into many animated films and TV specials that are considered timeless classics, and the 2015 film was the first full-length movie in 35 years.
Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp voices the titular Charlie Brown, while the voice recordings of Bill Melendez were used to bring Snoopy to life in this computer-animated film.
Blue Is the Warmest Colour (2013) - 89%
Adele is an introverted teenager whose life is changed forever when she starts to properly explore her sexuality upon meeting an aspiring female artist, Emma. Throughout the years, the film follows them from the early stages of their relationship to the heartbreaking moments where they break apart.
The behind-the-scenes interaction between the actresses and the director drew some serious controversy, but the fact remains that this adaptation of the 2010 French graphic novel by Jul Maroh is one of the best LGBTQ+ movies in recent years.
Men In Black (1997) - 92%
Although the films themselves were an instant hit upon their first release in 1997 and have now become a household name and an iconic symbol integrated into pop culture, what many don’t know is that the Men in Black first appeared in a comic book back in 1990.
Created by Lowell Cunningham with artist Sandy Carruthers, and originally published by Aircel Comics, the run of the comics was relatively short at only six issues. The Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones starring films vary greatly from the comics, which are darker in tone.
Ghost World (2001) - 93%
Created by Daniel Clowes in the mid-90s, Ghost World is a coming-of-age tale full of cynicism and wit that follows the everyday lives of two teenage girls. Having nothing worthwhile to do, they spend all of their time talking about (often in a negative light) society as a whole and the people around them.
Working with Clowes, director Terry Zwigoff brought the story of these two girls to the silver screen to critical acclaim, starring Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson in one of the earliest roles of her career.
American Splendor (2003) - 94%
American Splendor is a slice-of-life comic book series that can also be seen as being autobiographical in nature, created by Harvey Pekar and centered mainly around his life, the people around him, and his comedic and relatable exchanges with them.
Cinderella Man actor Paul Giamatti plays the part of Paul Giamatti Pekar in the film, but as a part of its many fourth-wall-breaking moments, the author Harvey Pekar himself makes appearances. The comic series showed that stories about the normal lives of normal people can be fun to read too, and is regarded as one of its best qualities.
Snowpiercer (2013) - 94%
All the Oscar wins in 2020 for Parasite brought Bong Joon-ho widespread international fame, and also some well-deserved attention to his previous films, notably Snowpiercer, his first English language film. Featuring MCU stars Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton, it is set in a post-apocalyptic future where humanity's attempts to halt global warming instead backfired and destroyed the planet.
The small fragment of the population that has survived live on a train that continuously runs around the globe, and discrimination between the social groups has never been worse. It was based on the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige by author Jacques Lob.
A History Of Violence (2005) - 94%
A hardcore noir story, A History Of Violence is about a local business owner and family man who becomes famous in his community after successfully stopping a robbery attempt.
The news of his heroic accomplishment attracts unsavory people to him, and the actions of his past life as a professional hitman put his and his family's wellbeing in danger. Adapted from the graphic novel of the same name by John Wagner and Vince Locke, this Oscar-nominated movie was the last major Hollywood film to be released on the VHS.
We Are the Best! (2013) - 96%
Taking place in Stockholm in the 1980s, We Are the Best! tells the story of Bobo and Klara, two teenage girls who are picked on by the people around them for being fans of punk rock. Joined by a third, timid and religious member, the trio tries to start a rock band of their own to spite the opposition that they face from all around.
A Swedish production, it was written and directed by Lukas Moodysson and based on the graphic novel Never Goodnight, written by his wife Coco Moodysson.