My Top Five Favorite Comic Book Movies

I’m normally not a huge fan of lists like this.  It’s always so subjective (naturally) and they can change rather frequently (at least for me).  So I don’t often write them.  We can be mercurial in our fandom love, you know?  But this term I’m teaching a new course on the intersection of comic books and social justice.  In the course, we read several comics and watch several comic book films and then we deconstruct them, exploring their messages and symbolism, with an eye towards justice issues.  As we discussed what would be in the course, several students asked me what my favorite comic book movies were.  I couldn’t just brush aside the question – my students are seeking to better understand the preferences and passions that have shaped me and this course!  I also can’t answer a question like this without way overthinking XD.  So here are the results of the deep introspection and soul-searching brought on by my students’ inquiries.

Hugh Jackman and the Modern Cinematic Superhero

It was the summer of 2000.  I was just eighteen years old and on a two week trip with my high school Youth Group.  We piled into the church van and drove across country to Yellowstone, hiking every day and camping every night.  I saw some majestic sights.  I bought a literal sword (a rapier) in the “bargain cave” at a Cabella’s.  It was awesome!  As this adventure was unfolding, Bryan Singer’s X-Men was opening at movie theatres across the country.  With it, Hugh Jackman would usher in the age of the modern cinematic superhero with his iconic turn as Wolverine (it killed me that I couldn’t see it opening night, regardless of an awesome trip).  With Logan coming out this weekend I felt I had to offer my humble tribute to Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.