"Kick-Ass" or "An Average Filmgoer's Rant"

I just wanted to get this off my chest.

Back in April of this year, Mavel Comics published a comic book entitled Kick-Ass, which was billed as a "the most violent comic book ever." Intrigued, I picked up the first issue. I didn't find it good enough to continue on, so I stashed it with the rest of my comic collection. It basically told the story of a 15 year old kid who makes his own superhero costume and goes out and tries to fight crime. A realistic touch to it, no super-powers or the like. Just some kid who wants to kick ass.

Fast forward to present...

The series has had a limited issue run. So far, the third issue has just been published. I've been told that by this issue, "you're hooked." But I wasn't hooked on issue #1, so I didn't bother to pursue it.

But it looks like Hollywood did...

In May, director Matthew Vaughn announced that he was going to make this comic into a film. Initially, no studio wanted it, but he was able to talk it up with some independent backers, and now he has a $60 million dollar budget for the film. It's going to star Nicolas Cage, McLovin from Super-Bad, and Aaron Johnson is going to play the lead character Dave Lizewski, who actually looks very close to the comic book source.

But here's my rant...

Three issues? THREE?! How can this be? Vaughn co-wrote the screenplay with Jane Goldman. How can you co-write a story based on another medium when that medium hasn't even been fully published yet? It's like the movie already wrote the comic via script.

How desperate is Hollywood to cash in on the comic book movie frenzy when the comic book itself ISN'T EVEN DONE YET?!

I feel that this is Vaughn's piss-poor attempt to cash in on something he feels could be "big", and a way to make a buck. There's nothing wrong with doing that, I just don't approve of how he's doing it. The film is already now into production, which you can read about it from the director's own blog here.

Note how he already claims that Kick-Ass will be "he greatest movie of 2009." Sure thing, internet tough guy.

Now, I'm not criticizing the film or saying that it's going to suck, no. I'm just saying I can't believe that someone would be that desperate to make a movie that they would go ahead and do it without even letting the original source be told. And to already say that it's going to be the greatest film of the next year is a bold statement in itself.

I'm to assume that the comic book creators lead creative consult to the film (they'd have to, or else the film would most likely take a different direction than what the creator's initial intent was. Still though, consulting or not, if I were the creator's, I'd be mad as hell that this was happening), but that's it. How would you feel if someone took your work, made it into their own, and finished it before you did? Think about that.

They didn't even leave room for the creator's to let more word-of-mouth spread about their comic, but I guess now everyone's going to be scrambling to get them soon enough, only to be confused as to why there's three in-complete comic books. I only hope that my mint first issue goes up in price when the film comes out so I can make some money out of this.

If my information is wrong and there are more issues to Kick-Ass out (there may even be four to be honest, but no more than that I want to say), then please let me know. Otherwise, I think this is how it all is as of now.

/rant

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I read the book (comic-book graphic novel), and I would love to see a movie, sort of like the way Watchmen is getting reputation.

THe director and screenwriter were given access to the issues and scripts that weren't published yet by the comic's creator, who is also a producer on the film. I don't see how it's Matthew Vaughn trying to cash in if he's willing to risk his career on a film that the studios didn't want in the first place. That seems to me like a project he actually does believe in. If he wanted to cash in, he'd make a Harry Potter movie or something, it seems.

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Good point MP, and in today's times when it seems its extremely popular to bash Hollywood. I would think this would be one of those times that some folks may in fact say: "Hey this is certainly different from what I'm used to seeing from Hollywood."

And who cares what the guy says about his upcoming movie? Is he supposed to say its going to blow chunks?

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MovieMaker5087: Also, the blog you linked to was written not by the director, but by Mark Millar, the creator of the comic series, who seems incredibly happy with whats being done with his series.

Okay I'm going to look at it this way, Wanted (written by the same fellow) became a movie, and that strayed way far off from the book (from what I read.) Now another Mark Millar book is being movie-fied and if they follow the story it will be, Kick Ass! Pun intended

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Point taken. In my state of mind, I mistook that as the director, when clearly the director is Matthew Vaughn. My stupid mistake. Still though, saying that it's the best of 2009 is a bold statement.

Again, this was something, for an odd reason, I was not able to find online using my research. This obviously clarifies my views a bit, and obviously helps out.

With this information now, it's time to say that my views have changed a bit on the film and it's director's creation process. My rant was a more of the "at the moment" thing, not so much of timely thing.

I guess what I should be saying now is, Marvel should jump on publishing the rest of the series, now that a movie is in production. Wouldn't that be the logical thing to do?

The rest of the series should be out and in paperback form by the time the film hits theaters, according to the writer, who's also in the running to work on a reboot of the Superman movies (ignoring Bryan Singer's Superman Reurns altogether.) You can read a really excellent interview with him Here: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...ticle&id=18028

I've read them before. A movie would be like Watchmen to me.

Kick-Ass happens to appeal before all the comic books. Watchmen might work, but can Kick-Ass? It would almost be like a comedy. I would love to see a movie, but would it actually work?