Comic book movies have graced the big screen since 1966, when Adam West and Burt Ward starred in "Batman: the Movie." For years, directors struggled on how to adapt the graphic novels into a palpable product, and we have seen a number of different takes. For instance, the earliest "Batman" movies used comical sound effects and a humorous edge to draw the line between make-believe and reality.
By contrast, "Superman" is a much more serious story, full of action but devoid of the humorous overtones. More modern adaptations have played with special effects and character development. "Sin City" is a more serious film noir that's narrated very true to the comics, using black-and-white cinematography and very little splashes of color to give accent. "X-Men" presents very in-depth character portrayals that delve into the past, present and future psyches of all its complex anti-heroes.
The comic books DC put out seemed to enjoy more big screen success throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with "Superman II, III, and IV," "Swamp Thing," "Batman," "Batman Returns," "Batman Forever," and "Batman and Robin." Warner Brothers released all these films relentlessly, with a new debut each year it seemed. The 1989 Batman movie, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton as Batman and Jack Nicholson as the Joker, was the second-highest grossing comic book movie until "The Dark Knight" (2008) knocked it down a notch.