Part of what has made comic book films such massive franchises is their relationship to other forms of media. Between the movies, TV shows, comics themselves, and more, fans are able to draw all sorts of connections to different interpretations and the like. At the end of the day though, the original source material almost always goes back to the comics.
With the characters themselves being so popular, it makes sense that the films would pull a lot of inspiration from particular stories in order to capture some of the same characteristics that made something so popular in the first place. While this has proven to be difficult for some films over others, almost every comic book film pays homage to the source material in some way. To honor the efforts of some great writers and directors, here is our list of 10 amazing DC movie scenes that were ripped straight from the comics.
Bane Breaks Batman (The Dark Knight Rises)
Though he went about it in a very different manner from the comics, Bane still famously broke Batman’s back in a very familiar way. After enacting a devastating attack in Gotham as part of The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Bane topped things off by luring Batman underground and beating him in a hand-to-hand fight. While Bane’s master plan is much different in the “Knightfall” storyline from the comics, fans were still excited to see such an iconic moment from Batman’s history be brought to life.
Though The Dark Knight Rises features an entirely different story from “Knightfall” overall, this is still one of the best scenes they could have pulled from the comics. Watching Bane lift batman above his head and then slam him down on his knee, while devastating for the protagonist himself, still gave a lot of comic fans the satisfaction of seeing the iconic moment.
Batman v Superman (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
While not everyone is a fan of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), there’s no denying that the showdown between the two is pulled straight from one of the most iconic Batman comics ever. At the end of “The Dark Knight Returns” Batman assembles a suit of armor (very similar to the one in the film) in order to help him take down Superman. However, the appearance isn’t the only thing the scenes have in common.
In the film, when Batman is dragging Superman with the grapnel gun, his dialogue is also pulled straight from the same comic. For all the problems plaguing the theatrical release of the movie, the showdown between Batman and Superman is an amazing adaptation from the comics themselves.
Cyborg’s Creation (BvS)
Though his origin is incredibly brief in the film, Cyborg’s creation is still pulled straight from the comics. Towards the middle of Batman v Superman, Victor Stone is seen on a monitor from a file originally discovered by Lex Luthor. Unfortunately for him, Victor appears to be missing most of his body.
As his father logs his struggles on a webcam, audiences eventually get to see the nearby Motherbox activate and bond with Victor’s body, eventually turning him into Cyborg. While not his original origin, this version of Cyborg’s creation has been the status quo in the comics since the New 52 relaunch in 2011.
The Wayne Deaths (Batman Begins and BvS)
Both Batman Begins (2005) and BvS have different but similar depictions of the Wayne murders. While Batman Begins goes very in depth, BvS offers a very quick slow motion sequence of the familiar story. However, both approaches have been done several times throughout the comics.
Depending on the writer, some get very involved in the details of the Wayne murders while other writers go over it more briefly, using it as a flashback to show Bruce’s thoughts. While both approaches are effective in their own way, both cinematic version are very well done, and the closest to the comics themselves. Even though Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) and even Joker (2019) have also given their spin on the Wayne murders, they aren’t as accurate as the ones in Batman Begins or BvS.
Flash v Superman (Justice League)
The short and fun post-credits scene of Justice League (2017) was easily one of the best points of the movie. Even though audiences didn’t get to see the winner, this wouldn’t be the first time that Flash and Superman have raced one another. In fact, the comics have shown several races between the two characters over their many years in publication.
Though they typically resulted in a tie of some sorts, Flash was eventually declared the official Fastest Man Alive in Geoff Johns’ The Flash: Rebirth miniseries. At the moment, it is unclear if that will continue to be the case. Regardless, seeing the moment brought to life was still a great scene to pull from the comics.
Abin Sur’s Death (Green Lantern)
2011’s Green Lantern movie is considered by many to be one of the worst superhero movies ever made. With all sorts of narrative problems mixed in with very cheesy CGI, the entire film can’t help but feel like a disorganized mess. However, for all the problems the film has, the scene where Hal Jordan gets his ring is still pulled straight from the comics.
In almost every version of Hal’s origin that has been told, this is how it happens. Though the movie does change certain unimportant pieces of dialogue from the comics, it still managed to capture a lot of the same power and wonder that the comics have always shown.
Aquaman v Ocean Master (Aquaman)
The entire Aquaman (2018) film is loosely based off of the “Throne of Atlantis” storyline from the comics. Centered around Aquaman’s conflict with his half-brother, Ocean Master, the climax of the film sees the epic showdown between the two from the comics brought to life.
Though not everything happened exactly as it did in the books, the mechanical elements of the film definitely make it feel as though the comic were brought to life. Furthermore, a lot of the same colors are used in both mediums, giving the movie a little something extra for fans to appreciate.
Billy Gets His Powers (Shazam!)
Shazam! (2019) wowed audiences everywhere upon its debut. With a great balance of humor, heart and action, Shazam! really delivered a lot of the elements that people claimed DC films were lacking. While the story itself is mostly original, the film is almost a word-for-word adaptation of the hero’s modern origin.
Though there are still obviously some differences, those who have read the New 52 Shazam! series should have recognized a lot as Billy comes to get his powers for the first time. With so many other reasons to love the Shazam! film, the accuracies to the comics are just the icing on the cake.
Themyscira (Wonder Woman)
Like with many other origins, the entire opening sequence to Wonder Woman (2017) is incredibly faithful to the source material. Though not based on any interpretation in particular, Themyscira itself looks just like one would imagine it to. Furthermore, the supporting cast and lore around Wonder Woman herself are exactly as they should be in the movie.
Though the rest of the film is a mostly original story, the beginning pulls several elements from several different origin stories and combines them into a great story to help lay the foundation for the rest of the film.
Bruce Falls in the Well (Batman Begins and BvS)
The concept of Bruce Wayne discovering the Batcave at such a young age is almost as common as seeing the Wayne murders. On several occasions, the comics have also explored what happened to young Bruce as he was swarmed by bats after falling into a pit.
Once again, BvS borrowed the same scene from Batman Begins and, while BvS’s version is much more symbolic, both manage to pull it off very well. The two different approaches work well within the established worlds and, for such an important moment in Batman’s history, also adapt the source material in some very clever ways.
