Can't say I've read a lot of graphic novels - you know, the comic books for us more ‘sophisticated’ adult readers. But, the two that have absolutely blown me away are the first two I ever read.

There can be no better way of being introduced to the format than Watchmen (released in 1986-87). Generally regarded as The graphic novel of all-time, it is set in an alternate reality and centres around an eclectic group of former superheroes.

Written by brilliant oddball Alan Moore and drawn by Dave Gibbons, it sits equally among the great pieces of literature in recent times, and even made Time magazine's best 100 novels list.

And, of course, it will be seen for the first time on the big screen next March when the Zack Snyder-directed film is released.

However, while nowhere near as intricate and deep as Watchmen, but what I believe outdoes even that classic is Kingdom Come (1996), if only by the slightest of margins.

(Check out a possible movie cast below)




From an awesome artist in Alex Ross (he did the opening credits for Spider-Man 2), I love the way it takes your familiar DC Comic characters in Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and co and places them in totally unfamiliar surrounds.

The story is set 20-years in the future, with the world in even more disarray thanks largely to a new breed of irresponsible, egotistical superheroes that cause more havoc than they prevent.

Clark Kent has retired from Superman duties, and has grown his hair and a beard and retreated to the old family farm in Smallville.

Bruce Wayne, who now walks with the aid of an exoskeleton, like a big body brace, has long been outed as Batman, and does his crime-fighting by way of an army of massive Bat-looking robots.

The Flash never stops running, so is just a red blur seen around the world, and Hawkman has become more hawk than man and become an environmental warrior.

When Wonder Woman, still doing her thing, coaxes Clark back into the red underpants (and with a new insignia) to lead a reformed Justice League what results is a civil war between the different superhero factions (or, call it, generations).

A few traditional foes lurk in the background, with a fat old Lex Luther playing an important role in proceedings.




(Spoiler) The climax is simply breathtaking visually with Superman doing battle with a brain-washed Captain Marvel, who is the one equal of the Man of Steel himself. Ross holds nothing back in his detailed drawings.

The scale of the whole saga is quite staggering, particularly the extravagance of the action sequences. Imagine what a full-on war between beings with such power would look like. It's carnage.

The story itself though is also quite clever in dealing with apocalyptic themes and the second coming of Superman etc. It's as serious as you can get when you're dealing with people who get around in funny outfits.

Check out the page at wiki for more, it's quite detailed, or better still pick up a copy of the book at your nearest 'good' book store. Don't wait for the movie.

It will get made one day, but for special effects technology to do it 'justice', not to mention a director with the balls to take on such an epic saga, we might be waiting a long time.

Until then I am going back to my geek closet to dream of what might be ...



A possible cast ...

Josh Brolin
as Superman

Personally, I've had enough of these younger men of steel, Brandon Routh, Tom Welling, Dean Cain. I want to a more mature Superman, and they don't get much more mature than the one that appears in Kingdom Come. Brolin has the acting capability, and the physical appearance to pull it off.











Catherine Zeta-Jones
as Wonder Woman

The character hasn't ever had much screen time, other than the TV series of the late 1970s. Megan Gale was signed to play Wonder Woman in the recently canned Justice League movie. For Kingdom Come we need someone a little older, who has a real presence, but is still in great shape, like WW, thanks largely to her Amazonian heritage.











George Clooney
as Batman (again)

How perfect would it be ... The least popular Caped Crusader ever retracing his old steps, this time minus the campiness of Batman and Robin (1997) and, of course, the nipples. After years of throwing his body around catching criminals, this Bruce Wayne has grown old physically, but remains sharp in the mind, cunning even. He's got a full head of grey hair now too which backs the Clooney bid.






John Travolta
as the Green Lantern

This certainly wouldn't be a Travolta movie as the Green Lantern is really only a bit player in Kingdom Come. It would be more like a cameo for John. The once athletic character has grown fat (remind you of anyone?) and spends most of his time in his own space station above Earth - which I'm sure Travolta would like to do. Can still 'get physical' when he needs to though.






Brandon Molale
as Captain Marvel

Brandon Who? you ask. You may remember him from such films as Dodgeball and Meet Dave. Maybe not. Well, apart from looking almost exactly like both a now grown-up Billy Batson, featured in Kingdom Come, and the superhero he turns into when he says 'Shazam!', Brandon also has the passion to play them both having run a petition on his website to get him the gig for the Captain Marvel movie currently in the works.





Vin Diesel
as Magog

Vin's reported as saying he'd like to play a real bad guy. Anything so he can actually be in a hit movie again I suppose. The well has been pretty dry lately. Here he would be the initial antagonist of the piece, the guy who inadvertently sends Superman into retirement. He has both a nasty side (like Riddick) and a softer side (like The Pacifier).