5 Non-Comic Book Movies Where Comics Are Still Important

by

We’ve seen a lot of superhero movies lately, particularly since 2000, but comics also show up in other kinds of films. Even though fans enjoy the Marvel and DC universes, many regular movies – like comedies, biopics, and dramas – feature comic books as part of the story, without being based on them or involving superheroes. This is likely because many filmmakers grew up reading comics and naturally include them in their work, showing characters interacting with this hobby.

Here are five great movies that deal with comic books without actually being a comic book movie.

5) Comic Book Villains

The 2002 film Comic Book Villains benefited from the involvement of a well-known comic book writer. James Robinson, famous for co-creating Starman and his work on DC’s Superman: New Krypton story arc, both wrote and directed the movie. It’s a dark comedy featuring a cast of recognizable faces, including DJ Qualls, Natasha Lyonne, Michael Rapaport, Cary Elwes, and Donal Logue.

I recently watched this film, and it’s told from the perspective of a kid named Archie who basically lives at the local comic book store. The story centers around a rivalry between two shops – one run by Logue’s character, and the other by Rapaport and Luonne – and their desperate attempts to buy a huge, pristine comic book collection from an elderly woman after her son passes away. They’ll do just about anything to get it!

4) Chasing Amy

Kevin Smith’s film Chasing Amy was his initial breakthrough, becoming his most successful movie for quite some time. The story centers on Holden McNeil, a comic book artist played by Ben Affleck, who gained popularity with his Bluntman and Chronic series, created alongside his friend Banky Edwards (Jason Lee). Holden’s life changes when he meets Alyssa Jones, a writer trying to make her mark in the comics world, at a convention.

This film is a romantic comedy with dramatic elements, centering on a man named McNeil who falls for Alyssa, who is a lesbian. Chasing Amy has sparked debate because McNeil tries to change Alyssa and convince her to enter a heterosexual relationship with him, but the filmmaker, Kevin Smith, ultimately doesn’t allow that to happen. The setting – a comic convention – is classic Kevin Smith, reflecting his personal interests.

3) Catch Me If You Can

The movie Catch Me If You Can, directed by Steven Spielberg, tells the true story of Frank Abagnale, a young man who successfully committed many clever cons by pretending to be different people and traveling the world. The film follows both Frank’s exploits and the efforts of FBI agent Joseph Shea, played by Tom Hanks, to track him down.

Because the con artist always used different fake names, Shea was able to identify him thanks to a clue from the DC comic The Flash. An old issue of the comic had been spotted earlier in the story. The man initially claimed to be Dr. Connors (The Lizard), but later told Shea his name was Barry Allen, a Secret Service agent. This gave him away, as Shea quickly recognized Barry Allen as a character from The Flash and finally understood who he was dealing with.

2) Mallrats

Kevin Smith’s second film, the romantic comedy Mallrats, features a connection to the world of comic books. The legendary comic book creator Stan Lee actually appears in the movie as himself. The story centers around T.S. Quint, played by Jeremy London, who’s having relationship troubles with his girlfriend, Brandi (Claire Forlani). Much of the movie unfolds in a mall, where T.S. spends time with his close friend, Brodie Bruce (Jason Lee).

Stan Lee makes a cameo appearance in Mallrats as himself. In a memorable scene, he tells Brodie Bruce a completely made-up story about a past romance. It’s a humorous moment that highlights Brodie’s passion for comic books and lets fans enjoy seeing the iconic Marvel creator playfully portray himself on the big screen.

1) Unbreakable

The film Unbreakable feels like a superhero movie, but it’s unique because it wasn’t based on a comic book and doesn’t follow typical comic book tropes until its surprising ending. The story centers on David Dunn, played by Bruce Willis, who miraculously survives a train crash without any injuries. This event draws the attention of Elijah Price, portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson, a character known as Mr. Glass.

Mr. Glass is the complete opposite of David Dunn. He suffers from a rare condition that makes his bones incredibly fragile, causing him constant pain. A lifelong comic book enthusiast, he’s always searched for a heroic counterpart – someone unbreakable – to give his suffering a purpose. The film cleverly weaves comic book themes into its narrative, and it’s still considered the most effective movie to ever utilize comics in this way.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/list/every-mcu-show-ranked-worst-to-best-including-wonder-man/embed/#

Read More

2026-01-31 20:41