Times have never been better for comic book fans, with big screen adaptations ruling the box office, and the sights now set on television audiences as well. So what's better than bringing the world of superheroes to the big screen? How about returning the favor, and letting the superheroes of DC Comics live like movie stars?
Forget trying to bring a vision of a superhero or heroine to life over the course of a decade: comic book artists have to accomplish that same feat on a monthly (or sometimes weekly) basis. But to show that those artists have every bit as much reverence and affection for geek culture as their readers, DC Comics has revealed that March 2015 will also be known as "Movie Poster Variant Cover Month," re-imagining some unforgettable movie posters with a DC flair. And we've got a few exclusive sneak peeks at what the company's creatives have cooked up.
Variant cover 'theme months' have been appearing more frequently of late, whether it's the memorable 'selfie' variants of August 2014, or Harley Quinn's takeover coming in February 2015. It's clear that in an age when digital sales are rising at an alarming rate, DC is giving comic readers as many reasons as possible to pick up a physical copy (or two) of their best-known titles.
And with "Movie Poster Variant" month, there's no question that even lapsed comics fans may want to make a trip to their local store (or DC's website), once they feast their eyes on some of the more inspired variants pulling from more than half a century of cinematic history. Have a look:
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"Action Comics" #40 - Cover Art by Joe Quinones
With the "Horrorville" arc by Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder coming to a close, "Action Comics #40" is set to take the action to much larger scale - apparently, into orbit. What better inspiration to call upon for such a daring - or should we say, excellent - adventure than the aptly-titled Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)?
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Without more details on the story contained within, it's hard to know if Superman and another character who will not be named can measure up to Bill S. Preston Esq. or 'Ted' Theodore Logan. But there's no question that Superman and his many villains would be better off if they followed the advice of the cinematic duo they're mirroring: "Be excellent to each other."
"Action Comics" #40 is available March 4, 2015.
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"Detective Comics" #40 - Cover Art by Brian Stelfreeze
We've been looking for the chance to compare the Dark Knight with 'Neo' for years, but DC Comics has beaten us to the punch with their cover to "Detective Comics" #40, recreating the original poster for The Matrix (1999) burned into the mind of every sci-fi fan around to see it in the first place. Sure, Batman may be a more likely hero than Keanu Reeves, but the comparisons are more than fitting given Brian Buccellato and Francis Manapul's current "Anarky" story line.
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After rebooting "The Flash" (and making plenty of changes in the process), the pair have taken a similar approach to Batman. Namely, by telling a tale of erasing a past identity, starting fresh, and how that ability plays with the larger forces of chaos and order. Here's hoping it's as iconic a conclusion as the film to which this variant is paying homage.
"Detective Comics" #40 is available March 4, 2015.
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"Harley Quinn" #16 - Cover Art by Dave Johnson
If there is one undisputed winner in DC's New 52 reboot, it has to be Harley Quinn. It wasn't enough that the 'Maiden of Mischief' was put front and center in the "Suicide Squad" relaunch (now just an appetizer to Margot Robbie's upcoming portrayal), but scored her very own - shockingly successful - solo series. The stories it's told so far are as oddball and referential as one would hope, and "Harley Quinn" #16 looks to keep that trend alive.
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Overlooking the symmetry in aligning the 'Clown Princess' with 'The King' Elvis Presley - in his film debut, Jailhouse Rock (1957) - it's nice to see that it isn't just modern hits DC is looking to honor with its monthly theme. We can only assume the story by Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner finds Harley incarcerated, realizing the gift for music that she never had thanks to her cell mate's instruction (but don't bet on it).
"Harley Quinn" #16 is available March 25, 2015.
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"Green Lantern Corps" #40 - Cover Art by Tony Harris
With John Stewart currently headlining the action of "Green Lantern Corps" for writer Van Jensen and artist Bernard Chang (seriously, when will he appear in WB's movie universe?), issue #40 finds he and his team attempting to thwart a crime ring before uncovering a far larger, darker, and more vicous threat. According to the variant cover, the fight may prove particularly devastating for Stewart in the end.
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There's no homage to Forbidden Planet (1956) that we won't approve of, and the attention to detail in Tony Harris' cover is likely to make "Green Lantern Corps" #40 a must-have for fans of science fiction's earliest days on the silver screen. Sure, it's hard to imagine how the film could have changed if Robby the Robot was actually an immense alien creature like Lantern Kilowog. But even the idea of a Green Lantern story taking cues from the film that helped define modern sci-fi is sure to excite some comic fans.
"Green Lantern Corps" #40 is available March 11, 2015.
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"Supergirl" #40 - Cover Art by Marco D'Alphonso
As Kara Zor-El continues her time as a student of the mysterious 'Crucible Academy' in the latest arc from new creative team Mike Johnson, K. Perkins and artist Emanuela Lupacchino, the comparison to another famous girl far, far from home, is a fitting one. In fact, it's hard to imagine any superhero that better encapsulates Dorothy's sentiment that "there's no place like home" than Supergirl.
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Now that we're busy imagining a version of The Wizard of Oz (1939) in which Dorothy is blessed with super-strength and heat vision, it's possible to overlook the fact that Marco D'Alphonso's variant cover is one of the most passable for a real (albeit, odd) film. The odds of seeing Superman's cousin on the big screen are slim at this point, but it's nice to see DC save one of the oldest and most beloved films of the 20th Century for Kara.
"Supergirl" #40 is available March 18, 2015.
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These Movie Poster Variants hit news-stands in March 2015, and are just a small sample of DC's overall collection. Which of these are your favorites? Are they clever enough to tempt you into picking up a copy? Share your favorites (or your own ideas) in the comments.
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