Comic Book Movies

207 movies, 1 book, 2 interviews in this series

Superheroes. Vigilantes. Hitmen. Demigods. And the occasional fascist regime in a Guy Fawkes mask.

Now Playing Podcast has reviewed over 200 comic book movies spanning DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Image, and beyond. From the spandex action of Batman and Spider-Man to the artsy Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and 300, to the cult favorites Hellboy, The Spirit, and Swamp Thing, to even dramas like American Splendor, Road to Perdition, and A History of Violence.

We’ve covered the capes, the cowls, the indies, and the prestige adaptations that barely look like comic books at all.

Big studio tentpoles. Cult oddities. Faithful panels brought to life and “in name only” adaptations that took wild swings. The comic book movie didn’t start with shared universes, and it doesn’t end there either.

Our hosts explore the full spectrum of graphic storytelling on screen, breaking down what works, what doesn’t, and how this once-niche genre took over Hollywood one panel at a time.

Movie Reviews

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Tell me....do you listen? You will.

Reviewed Mar 29, 2016
Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before. Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Come on...how is this not "Out of their Shells"?

Reviewed Jun 7, 2016
After supervillain Shredder escapes custody, he joins forces with mad scientist Baxter Stockman and two dimwitted henchmen, Bebop and Rocksteady, to unleash a diabolical plan to take over the world. As the Turtles prepare to take on Shredder and his new crew, they find themselves facing an even greater evil with similar intentions: the notorious Krang. Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Science Fiction
Now Playing Approved

Black Panther

Hakuna Wakanda

Reviewed Feb 20, 2018
King T'Challa returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country's new leader. However, T'Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T'Challa assumes the Black Panther mantle to join with ex-girlfriend Nakia, the queen-mother, his princess-kid sister, members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan 'special forces') and an American secret agent, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war. Genres: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction

Avengers: Infinity War

The hosts bet on the Deadpool...and we don't mean Ryan Re...

Reviewed May 1, 2018
As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment - the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain. Genres: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
Now Playing Approved

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Anyone can wear the mask? Tell that to Andrew Garfield. N...

Reviewed Dec 18, 2018
Struggling to find his place in the world while juggling school and family, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales is unexpectedly bitten by a radioactive spider and develops unfathomable powers just like the one and only Spider-Man. While wrestling with the implications of his new abilities, Miles discovers a super collider created by the madman Wilson "Kingpin" Fisk, causing others from across the Spider-Verse to be inadvertently transported to his dimension. Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Science Fiction

Book Reviews

Interviews